Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Why buy this instead of the cheaper Kobra +1 CC4, which also does P-4?
Durability and cut quality, not sheet count. The 240 C4 runs a 3/4 HP motor through steel gears and a metal chain drive; the deskside +1 CC4 uses a 1/3 HP motor. The 240 also cuts a finer particle - 3.5 x 30 mm against 3.5 x 40 mm. Sheet capacity is similar at 13-15 versus 12-14. If one person shreds a folder a day, the +1 CC4 is enough; if a team shares it, the 240 is built for that.
What is the difference between this and the 240 C4 Turbo?
The cutting head is identical: 3.5 x 30 mm, P-4. The Turbo model adds a boost switch that lifts the motor from 460 W to 550 W and the capacity from 13-15 sheets to 24-26 at 70 g/m2. That is the whole difference. If several people share the machine, the Turbo is usually worth the premium; for light departmental use the standard C4 is not noticeably slower per sheet.
Does it need waste bags?
No. Kobra states this model does not require plastic bags - the 35-litre bin pulls out without lifting the cutting head and tips directly into a recycling container. None are supplied with the machine. The safety stop halts the cutters as soon as the bin is withdrawn, so you cannot run it with the bin out.
How often will the 9.5-gallon bin need emptying?
Cross-cut waste at 3.5 x 30 mm settles fairly densely, so expect on the order of 300-400 sheets before it is full. For a small department producing a few hundred pages of disposal a day, that is daily or every other day. There is no fill window on this cabinet, so build the check into a routine rather than waiting for the machine to stop.
Can it shred staples, clips and credit cards?
Staples and paper clips, yes - Kobra specifies carbon-hardened steel cutting knives unaffected by both. Credit cards and chip cards are on the published shreddable materials list and go through the same 240 mm throat. CDs and DVDs are not listed for this model; the 240 C4 Turbo is the version Kobra rates for optical discs and floppy disks.
Does it take US Legal paper and how many sheets on US bond?
The 240 mm throat is 9.5 in wide, so US Letter, A4 and US Legal all feed without folding - the opening limits width, not length. Kobra rates capacity at 13-15 sheets on 70 g/m2 and 12-14 on 80 g/m2 paper; US 20 lb bond sits between the two, so plan on thirteen or fourteen. Overfeeding triggers the automatic reverse rather than a hard jam.
Is 61 dB(A) loud?
It is about the level of a normal conversation at close range and roughly six decibels above Kobra's deskside range, which is a clearly audible step up. The chain drive is the reason. In a private office or a records room this is a non-issue; next to a phone-heavy open-plan desk it will be noticed every time someone shreds.