How Well Does The Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder Stack Up Against The Competition?

After pulling out our microscope and taking a closer look, the Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder has proved to be a worthy machine. Its a fairly versatile machine with a not-too-crazy price tag either (but remember you can often get a better deal if you call or email Overall wed recommend this machine but I suggest that you take a look at the specs yourself.

Security
At a level 3 security, this cross-cut shredder gets the job done. Although there are higher levels of security, a level 3 machine provides a sufficiently small cut size to put your identity theft worries to bed. We also like the cross-cut because it takes up much less space which means that you wont have to empty your bin as frequently as you would with a strip-cut machine. There is really no reason to jump up to a level 4 machine unless you have some ultra-sensitive documents you need destroyed.

Shredable Material
The Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder can shred CDs, Credit Cards, Paper, Paper Clips, Staples. If you need to be able to shred something else then we recommend that you look at a larger machine and/or look for something with a little bit lower security (the higher the security the less likelihood that the machine shreds something other than paper).

Continuous Motor
This shredder is rated for continuous operation. That means that theoretically you could shred all day long and the machine would not have to shut-down to cool off. Remember that results may vary under real-world operating conditions and things such as the temperature of the room will affect the ability of this motor to stay cool and continue to shred. We give this machine 2 pats on the back for being rated continuous duty and we know that youll appreciate this feature in due time.

Bin Size
With a 53 the Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder is going to take quite some time to fill up unless you are shredding non-stop. Your bags will be pretty heavy so go ahead and cut off your gym membership to save a little bit of money. Just make sure every time you empty the bin that your machine is getting enough oil!

Throat Size
A 16 inch throat means that you can fit just about anything into this bad boy. Gone are the days of folding your oversized paper or crumpling and jamming your machine with regular-sized paper. This guy gets 2 thumbs up for the often underestimated large throat size.

Auto Oiler
With an Optional Auto-Oiler available on this machine we highly recommend that you get it pre-installed. The machine is pre-wired to accept an oiler so all the manufacturer has to do is hook it up properly and youll never have to worry about messy oil again. Automatically oiling your machine takes the guess-work out of maintenance and will most likely increase the life of your machine.

Warranty
The Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder comes with a Limited 1 Year Warranty on Shredder, 5 Years on Cutting Blades. This means that you have plenty of time to test out the machine and make sure that everything is running smoothly. Just make sure to properly care for your machine and you shouldnt have any issues.

Price
With an MSRP of $ 5,245.00 this shredder is not the cheapest around but remember to NEVER pay the full amount. You can find discounts of up to 50% off if you look around on the web.

About the Manufacturer
ELCOMAN is today one of the world leaders in production of office shredders capable to shred paper, CDs, DVDs, Floppy Disks and credit cards, professional guillotines and trimmers, flip charts with rewritable steel board adjustable in height through retractable legs. All items are sold under the KOBRA trademark in over 80 countries, through a far-reaching network of agents and retailers and 7 subsidiaries worldwide.

Manufacturer Jargon
Kobra shredders are a high quality product of the Elcoman company. All items are sold under the Kobra trademark in over 80 countries worldwide. Kobra actively concerns itself with environmental and power issues and continually innovates technology that “Energy and Environmentally Smart”. Recently the International patent office has officially granted Elcoman with the patent of the new “Throw and Shred” system.

So as I mentioned before, we think that the Kobra 390 C4 Cross Cut Shredder is a worthy competitor and deserves a second look. If you have more specific questions I didnt answer here, feel free to give us a call and wed be happy to help you out. I also wanted to remind you that real-world conditions do not always produce the same results that you might expect from the listed specs. Happy Shredding!