Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this machine NSA approved?
Not on the basis of anything we can verify. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires both a residue no larger than 1 mm x 5 mm — which this cut meets — and the specific model appearing on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List. The January 2026 EPL lists "Securio P40i (L6) Combi" for the P40i, not a plain 1 x 5 mm P40i. If your requirement is contractual, confirm with HSM of America whether article 1884121 is covered by that entry before ordering; a P-7 rating on its own is not an NSA listing.
Can it shred staples and paper clips?
No. HSM lists paper only as the shreddable material for this article, unlike the P-2 to P-6 machines in the same family which explicitly include staples and paper clips. This is not a cautious disclaimer — a 1 x 5 mm cutting head has extremely fine teeth and metal chips them. Documents must be de-stapled before feeding. If you cannot rely on that discipline, article 1884121N adds metal detection as a backstop.
Why only nine sheets per pass?
Because each sheet is being reduced to roughly 12,000 particles in a single transit. Nine sheets at 80 g/m² is HSM's published figure and it is typical for the class; every P-7 shredder trades throughput for particle size. Feed thin, even stacks rather than pushing the limit, and the head will hold its capacity.
How often will the bin need emptying?
Less often than the throughput suggests. The 145-litre bin holds about 2,667 sheets of shredded material at this cut size, the highest figure in the P36i/P40i range, because P-7 particles settle almost like powder. At nine sheets a pass most secure areas empty it monthly. Wear a dust mask when you do — the waste is fine enough to become airborne.
What is the duty cycle before it needs to cool down?
HSM publishes no duty-cycle limit or cool-down period for the P40i and describes the motor as rated for reliable continuous operation. In practice the operator sets the pace, because P-7 feeding is a deliberate, small-batch activity rather than something you do with a full ream in hand.
Does it come with a shorter warranty than the cheaper P40i models?
Yes. HSM gives a five-year machine warranty and a lifetime warranty on the solid steel cutting rollers to SECURIO C, B and P series shredders in security levels P-2 to P-5, and three years to all other SECURIO shredders. P-7 falls outside that band. It is worth pricing five years of cover into any comparison against the P-5 version.
Can I put CDs or credit cards through it?
No. HSM lists paper only for this article. Optical media and payment cards need either the version with the separate OMDD unit (article 1884121N, which takes them to 2 x 2 mm) or a machine with a 4 x 7 mm media unit such as the P40i 1882121C. Forcing a disc through a 1 x 5 mm paper head will damage the cutting rollers.