Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this machine NSA approved?
We cannot confirm that it is. NSA/CSS Specification 02-01 requires a maximum 1 mm x 5 mm residue and a current entry on the NSA Evaluated Products List. This machine produces a 1 x 5 mm particle, so it meets the size requirement, but the EPL listing is a separate matter and we have not verified one. If you are destroying classified material, check the current EPL directly - a P-7 rating on its own is not NSA approval.
Why only five sheets per pass?
Because cutting a sheet into 1 x 5 mm fragments takes vastly more work than cutting it into strips. The 700 W motor is the larger of the two used in this family and five sheets of 80 g/m2 paper is what it drives through a P-7 head reliably. Overfeeding will trigger the reverse cycle and, done repeatedly, shortens the life of an expensive cutting head.
Can I leave staples in?
No. HSM lists paper as the only shreddable material for this model. A P-7 head has extremely tight clearances and metal fasteners are a genuine risk to it. Remove staples and clips first. If de-stapling is not workable for your volume, the 0.78 x 11 mm B34 is rated for staples and paper clips and gives you P-6 at eight sheets a pass.
How long before the bin is full?
HSM rates the 100-litre container at roughly 1,839 shredded sheets at this cut, the highest figure anywhere in this family. Because feeding is slow at five sheets a pass, most sites find they empty this machine far less often than a strip-cut shredder despite the higher security level.
How does it compare with the P-7 SECURIO B32?
Same 1 x 5 mm cut and same P-7 rating. The B34 has a 700 W motor instead of 610 W, five sheets per pass instead of four, a 100-litre bin instead of 82, and a larger, heavier cabinet at 541 x 439 x 845 mm and 42 kg. If the P-7 destruction point is shared or busy, the B34 is the better buy; for a single desk, the B32 does the same job in less space.
Does it need oiling, and is there an oiler version?
It needs oiling more than any other cut in the range - fine particle heads run hot and dry out quickly. HSM sells the identical machine with an external automatic oiler fitted as article 1844113O. If lubrication will depend on someone remembering, buy that version instead.
Is the cutting head covered by the lifetime warranty?
No. HSM's lifetime warranty on the induction-hardened cutting rollers covers security levels P-2 through P-5, so a P-7 machine falls outside it and the rollers are covered by the standard machine warranty instead. This is a real cost consideration at this level. We were unable to verify the standard US warranty term from HSM's published documentation.