Kobra +1 SS7

The Kobra +1 SS7 is a deskside strip-cut shredder built for volume: it cuts 7.5 mm (1/4 in) strips and accepts 25-27 sheets per pass on 70 g/m² paper. Its DIN 66399 rating is P-1, the entry level of the standard, so it is meant for paper that has no confidential content. Think superseded drawings, overrun print jobs and old catalogs that simply need to be reduced and recycled.

Kobra +1 SS7 at a glance

• Widest strip in the +1 range: 7.5 mm, P-1
• Largest stack in the +1 range: 25-27 sheets (70 g/m²)
• Also takes credit cards, chip cards and CDs/DVDs/Blu-ray discs
• 1/3 HP motor rated for 24-hour operation
• 24 lb, 10.2-gallon bagless bin, 55 dB(A)

Why the SS7 moves paper fastest of the +1 models

Strip cutting asks the least of a motor, and a 7.5 mm strip asks less still, because there are fewer cutting discs working through each sheet. That is how the same 250 W drive used across the +1 cabinets can pull up to 27 sheets here, against 19 on the 3.8 mm SS4 and 14 on the cross-cut CC4. On heavier 80 g/m² paper the figure drops to 22-24 sheets.

What you give up is any meaningful protection. Kobra's complete rating for this head is P-1 O-1 T-2 E-2, and a strip that wide leaves lines of text readable. Treat the SS7 as a disposal tool, not a privacy tool.

Living with a high-volume deskside unit

The +1 SS7 starts itself when photo sensors see paper and stops when the throat is clear. An over-thick stack reverses out automatically, and the knives halt if the bin is withdrawn or full. Kobra rates the carbon-hardened steel cutters as unaffected by staples and paper clips, and the motor for round-the-clock use with thermal protection.

Plan for frequent emptying. Wide strips pile loosely, so the 10.2-gallon (38.5-liter) bin reaches its limit sooner than its size suggests when you are feeding full stacks. The bin pulls straight out of the front without lifting the cutting head, and no bags are needed. There are no castors, so choose a spot near where the paper is generated, such as beside a copier.

Kobra +1 SS7 specifications

SS7 or a finer-cutting sibling?

• Kobra +1 SS4: same cabinet with a 3.8 mm strip, one level higher at P-2, and 17-19 sheets per pass. A sensible middle ground if some paper is mildly sensitive.
• Kobra +1 CC4: a 3.5 x 40 mm cross cut at P-4 and up to 14 sheets. The choice when documents carry personal or financial details.
• Kobra +2 SS7: this same 7.5 mm head plus a separate 125 mm disc and card slot feeding its own 1.5-liter bin.

Who should buy the +1 SS7

Buy it for a print shop, drawing office or stockroom that produces large amounts of non-sensitive paper and wants it gone with as few passes as possible. Skip it if any of the paper names people, carries account or salary figures, or is subject to privacy rules. In that case accept the smaller stack of the +1 CC4 or move to a P-5 machine such as the +2 CC2.