Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a P-1 shredder ever the right purchase?
Yes, for one narrow job: destroying large volumes of paper that nobody would want to read. Superseded drawings, duplicate print runs, old catalogues, internal drafts with no names. DIN 66399 positions P-1 for general internal documents. The moment the paper carries a person's name, an account number or a signature, P-1 stops being appropriate and you need at least P-4.
Will 25-27 sheets really go through in one pass?
That figure is quoted at 70 g/m2 A4. Kobra rates the same head at 22-24 sheets on 80 g/m2 stock, and standard US 20 lb bond sits between the two. Heavier card, glossy paper or a folded sheet counts for more than its page count. If you overshoot, the machine reverses automatically rather than jamming solid, so the practical penalty is a few seconds.
What is the difference between the +2 SS7 and the +1 SS7?
Only the media handling. Both use the same 7.5 mm strip head, the same 230 mm throat, the same 25-27 sheet rating and the same 38.5-litre bagless paper bin. The +2 adds a 125 mm slot for CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and plastic cards with a dedicated 1.5-litre bin. If you never destroy media, the +1 SS7 is the same paper machine at a lower price.
How quickly does the bin fill at this cut size?
Faster than any other model in the range, per sheet. Wide 7.5 mm strips trap a lot of air and settle loosely, so the 38.5-litre bin reaches full in fewer sheets than a cross-cut machine with the same capacity. During a bulk clear-out expect to empty it every few minutes. Pressing the shred down by hand is not advised - the safety stop is there for a reason.
Is there any risk of it jamming on a big stack?
Low, and recoverable. The cutting head reverses automatically when it meets more than it can pull, so an over-thick stack backs out rather than stalling. Genuine hard jams on a 7.5 mm strip cutter almost always involve something that should not have gone in - a binder spine, a bulldog clip, a wad of adhesive labels. The safety stop also cuts power the moment the bin is pulled out.
Can I shred plastic ID badges in the media slot?
Yes. The 125 mm slot takes credit cards, chip cards and plastic ID badges as well as optical discs, and the fragments collect in the separate 1.5-litre bin. Be realistic about the result: Kobra rates media destruction on this head at O-1 T-2 E-2, which is coarse. Expired visitor badges and dead loyalty cards are fine; a smart card whose chip must be destroyed needs the purpose-built Kobra 240 SC.
Does it need oiling or any consumables?
It needs no bags, which is the main running cost avoided - Kobra designed both bins to empty directly. Kobra publishes no oiling schedule for this model, and strip-cut heads are the least oil-dependent type because they generate less friction and dust than micro-cut heads. Follow the maintenance instructions supplied with the machine; if the feed starts sounding strained on dusty paper, standard shredder oil applied across the throat while running is normal practice.