Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is P-2 secure enough for documents containing personal data?
Honestly, no. DIN 66399 P-2 allows strips up to 6 mm wide; the SS4 cuts 3.8 mm, which still leaves readable fragments of names, account numbers and addresses running down each strip. Reconstruction is tedious but well within reach of anyone motivated. For records covered by HIPAA, GLBA or a state breach-notification statute, most compliance guidance points at P-4 or above - in this range, the +1 CC4 or the +2 CC2.
Why does the SS4 take more sheets than the CC4 in the same cabinet?
Because a strip cutter only has to make one set of cuts. The cross-cut CC4 chops each strip a second time across its length, which roughly doubles the work the 250 W motor does per sheet and slows the feed. Same chassis, same motor, same 230 mm throat - the cutting head is the only difference, and it costs the CC4 about five sheets a pass and gains it two DIN levels.
Can it really shred CDs and DVDs?
Kobra lists CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs among the shreddable materials for the +1 SS4, fed through the same 230 mm throat as paper. Two practical cautions: disc fragments end up mixed with your paper shred in the single bin, and a strip-cut head produces coarse plastic pieces rated O-2, which is low. If disc destruction matters, the +2 or +3 models have a dedicated 125 mm slot and a separate plastics bin.
How loud is it in an open-plan office?
Kobra rates it at 55 dB(A), which is roughly the level of an ordinary conversation and quieter than most office printers under load. In practice the noise you notice is the feed rattle of a thick stack rather than the motor. The Energy Smart standby also means it is silent between jobs rather than idling.
Do I need to oil this shredder?
Kobra does not publish an oiling schedule for the +1 SS4, and strip-cut heads are far less oil-dependent than micro-cut ones because there is less cutting surface generating friction and dust. Follow the instructions supplied with the machine. If your paper is dusty or heavily printed and the feed starts sounding laboured, a light application of shredder oil across the throat while running is standard practice for any strip shredder.
Will it take US Legal and heavier stock?
US Letter and A4 both feed easily through the 9.2 in throat, and US Legal fits too - the throat limits width, not length. Heavier paper is the real constraint on the sheet count: Kobra quotes 17-19 sheets at 70 g/m2 and 15-17 at 80 g/m2, and US 20 lb bond sits between them. Card stock, glossy sheets and anything folded count for more than their page count, so reduce the stack accordingly.
How full does the 10.2-gallon bin get before I have to empty it?
Strip shred is fluffier than cross-cut waste, so the bin fills faster in sheet terms than the CC4's even though the capacity is identical. Expect roughly 200-300 sheets before the transparent window shows it full. The safety stop cuts power when the bin is full or removed, so you will not overfill it by accident - it simply stops accepting paper.