Kobra 240 SS4

The KOBRA 240 SS4 is the everyday workhorse of the 240 range: a 1/8 inch strip cut rated P-2, taking up to 26 sheets per pass at 22 ft/min, in a 33 lb cabinet that fits beside a desk. Against its siblings, the SS4 is the balanced choice — a finer strip than the SS5 for a small capacity penalty, and far more sheets per pass than the P-3 SS2. It also carries an optical media rating, so CDs, DVDs, floppy disks and chip cards go through the same throat as the paper.

Key Features

• 26 sheets a pass at 22 ft/min. KOBRA's USA datasheet gives up to 26 sheets and a 22 ft/min feed speed. That combination is what makes the SS4 usable as a shared machine rather than a personal one.
• Mixed media in one machine. Rated for paper, credit cards, chip cards, CDs/DVDs and floppy disks. Nothing has to be diverted to a second device, which is the main practical advantage over the SS2.
• Waste separation built in. KOBRA fits a mechanism that separates shredded paper from plastic shreds, so card and disc fragments do not contaminate the paper stream you send to recycling.
• Runs without bags or oil. The datasheet is explicit: eco-friendly, does not require plastic bags. The bin lifts out without removing the cutting head, and a strip-cut head does not need lubricating.
• 24 hour continuous duty. Continuous duty motor with thermal protection and no cool-down interval, driven through a heavy duty chain drive with metal gears.
• Energy Smart System and automatic start/stop. Illuminated indicators, electronic-eye start and stop, and a power-saving standby mode when the machine sits idle. Safety stop cuts the cutting head the moment the bin is removed.

Specifications

What's in the Box

A single assembled unit — cutting head, cabinet, removable 9.5 gallon bin — with power cord and manual. No bags are supplied, and KOBRA states the machine does not require them. No oil is supplied because the strip-cut head does not need it. KOBRA does not list any other packed accessories on the datasheet.

Who Should Buy This — and Who Should Not

The SS4 is the right pick for a general office, a small branch or a department that shreds steadily through the day and wants one machine for paper, cards and old discs. At 33 lb it is genuinely portable between rooms, and the 55 dB(A) noise level makes it tolerable in open plan.

Do not buy it if your security policy names P-3 or above. P-2 leaves 1/8 inch strips, and strips can be reassembled with patience and software. For P-3 in the same chassis, the KOBRA 240 SS2 cuts a 1.9 mm strip, at the cost of dropping to 15 sheets. For particle-based security, the KOBRA 240.1 C4 gives P-4 at up to 17 sheets and the 240.1 C2 gives P-5 at up to 12.

It is also not the model to buy if you routinely feed thick stacks. The KOBRA 240 SS4 Turbo takes the same 1/8 inch cut up to 30 sheets, though it feeds at 8 ft/min rather than 22 — bigger bites, slower travel. If your users hand-feed generous handfuls and jam things, the Turbo is the better fit; if they feed steadily, the standard SS4 finishes the box sooner.