Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the +1 CC4 shred staples and paper clips?
Yes. Kobra builds this machine with carbon-hardened steel cutting knives and states they are unaffected by staples and paper clips, so you can feed stapled invoices and clipped file sets straight in. Bulldog clips, binder spines and ring-binder rings are a different matter - they are thick hardened steel and should be removed. Nothing in Kobra's published materials list covers metal fasteners heavier than a standard staple or clip.
How many people can share one +1 CC4 before it becomes a bottleneck?
Realistically two or three people with normal office paperwork. At 12-14 sheets a pass and 8 ft/min, one person clearing a day's paper will be done in a few minutes, but the 10.2-gallon bin fills after roughly 300-400 cross-cut sheets, so a whole department would be emptying it several times a day. For a shared corridor position, the Kobra 240 C4 with its larger motor and chain drive is the sensible step up.
Does it need shredder bags?
No. Kobra designed the +1 series to run without plastic liners - the 38.5-litre bin pulls out and tips directly into a recycling container, and the transparent front window lets you see the level without opening it. That also means no bags are supplied in the box and none are needed as consumables. If your waste contractor insists on bagged material you can line the bin with a standard sack, but it is not how the machine is intended to work.
Will legal or tabloid-size paper fit?
US Letter (8.5 in) and A4 both fit comfortably in the 9.2 in throat. US Legal is 8.5 in wide and 14 in long, so it also feeds - length is unrestricted. Tabloid (11 x 17 in) does not fit flat; you would have to fold it, which counts as two or more sheets against the 12-14 sheet capacity and is not recommended as routine practice.
How often will I be emptying the bin?
Cross-cut waste packs less densely than strip cut. The 10.2-gallon bin holds on the order of 300-400 sheets of P-4 shred before the window shows it full, and the safety stop halts the cutters once the bin is out or full. For a single desk producing a folder of paper a day that is roughly weekly; for a shared machine expect every day or two.
Is the +1 CC4 NSA approved?
No, and no P-4 machine is. The NSA/CSS EPL for paper shredders requires a particle of 1 mm x 5 mm or smaller and requires the specific model to be listed. The +1 CC4 cuts 3.5 x 40 mm. In this Kobra range only the 240 HS-6 appears on the NSA EPL. P-4 is appropriate for commercial confidential material, not for classified government documents.
Does it need oiling, and how do I keep it running well?
Kobra publishes no fixed oiling interval for the +1 CC4, and the machine takes no consumables at all - no bags, no cartridges. Cross-cut heads do accumulate paper dust over time, and the standard remedy for any cross-cut shredder is a light pass of shredder oil across the throat while the machine runs forward, then a few sheets of scrap to spread it. Follow the instructions supplied with the machine, and empty the bin before it packs solid.
What is the difference between the +1 CC4 and the +3 CC4?
The cutting head is identical - both are 3.5 x 40 mm P-4 at 12-14 sheets. The +3 adds a separate 125 mm slot for CDs, DVDs and plastic cards with its own 1.5-litre plastics bin, and Kobra's Throw and Shred feed that accepts crumpled paper through a 230 x 100 mm opening. If you never shred discs and never deal with balled-up paper, the +1 CC4 does the same paper job for less.