Introduction
Every minute around the world somewhere, documents are being scanned. Whether it’s the receipt for the meal, you just paid for on your business trip that needs to be reimbursed when you get back, or it’s the college certificates that are needed as part of your job application. Such may look trivial, but without the best document scanners, scanning quality documents wouldn’t be possible.
In this digital age, most people and businesses are becoming paperless. To achieve this, they are investing in the best document scanners available in the market to assist in making the process a lot more seamless. Unlike before, when you’d walk into multiple offices and find stacks of paper, today, it’s pretty easy for someone to scan those important documents and shred the paper pieces.
Beyond document scanners being a life saver, they are also important in helping you keep your home or office neat. Most document scanners today are even compatible with some accounting and receipt software that helps create a seamless workflow for accounting teams, especially when they need to do reimbursements or keep track of expenses.
There’s also no denying that smartphones can also be used to scan documents thanks to the different scanning applications that can be downloaded. However, the major drawback with using your phone to scan is that you might have to compromise on the quality of your scan, especially if you are using a low-end smartphone. With that, let’s take a look at some of the best document scanners that you can get yourself today.
1. Brother ImageCenter ADS-2800W Scanner
Intro
Brother scanners are well built with excellent features and rarely will you miss one of their scanners in any best scanner reviews. This scanner has multiple features that make it stand out as one of the best document scanners.
Pros
- Has a lot of connectivity options for users to send their documents to cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
- Easily scan your documents at speeds of 30 ppm on a resolution of 300 dpi which is pretty fast compared to other scanners
- The 3.7-inch display lets you set your own speed so as to get your desired quality
- Scan at a resolution of 1200 dpi for cleaner and sharper documents
- Ability to scan documents that have different sizes such as business cards and IDs as well as different materials and textures
- The document feeder can hold 50 sheets of paper
- This scanner has an excellent build that’ll last you some years
- Has the optical text recognition feature
- Ability to scan unlimited pages into one file
- Compatible with Linux, Windows and Mac operating systems
- Comes with a one-year limited warranty and free phone support as well as chat with the technical team online for as long as this scanner is usable
Cons
- The scanner is both large and bulky
- Not suited for a desktop scanner due to its weight
2. NeatConnect
Intro
If you’re looking for a small scanner for your documenting scanning needs, consider getting the NeatConnect scanner. This scanner is great for home use because of his small size, as it won’t take up much of your desk space.
Pros
- It is quite small hence doesn’t take up much of the desk space
- The small size makes it suitable for home use as well as for use in offices that don’t have a lot of space
- Despite the small size, this scanner has multiple connectivity options and rivals the larger scanners when it comes to specifications
- Given the size, moving this NeatConnect scanner around when you need to clean is very easy unlike with the Brother scanner that is heavy and bulky
- Its paper tray can hold 50 sheets of paper
- The printer allows for double-sided scanning and has the text identification software
- Easily process your 30-inch receipts especially for those who need to keep track of their spending records
- Has a scan speed of 24 ppm
- You can create searchable PDFs once you have scanned your documents and organize them
- Enjoy a free trial of NeatConnect’s cloud service for 90 days
Cons
- It doesn’t have the straightening features that are important for scanning
- NeatConnect’s cloud-based service is a paid for feature
- Slow compared to the Brother ImageCenter ADS-2800W
3. Kodak ScanMate i1150
Intro
The Kodak ScanMate i1150 is one of the fastest high-speed document scanners. This is made possible by the different features that the scanner comes packed with.
Pros
- Ability to scan different types of documents such as IDs and business cards
- Has high scanning speeds which means you can be done with your scans in no time
- Easily scan 40 pages per minute at a dpi of 200 and 300
- Ability to scan 40 ppm for the first ten pages which then slows to 30 pages making this Kodak scanner one of the fastest scanners in our review
- Has the capacity to create different types of files that you can then create searchable PDF files or send for storage to your cloud
- Has the ability to detect spreadsheet information and barcodes which can be important for businesses
- It has a smaller slot that is separate that can be used to feed through cards of different textures
- It has a 75-page tray that makes it easy for you to scan your documents as you don’t have to keep on adding more papers to the tray
- Has a feature that helps fix documents that don’t appear straight during scanning
- Easily export your documents using a USB cable
- Suitable for people who don’t care about multiple connectivity options
Cons
- Doesn’t have the most recent features such as mobile device connectivity
- You can only connect to your device via USB only
4. Visioneer RoadWarrior 4D Document Scanner
Intro
If you are constantly on the move and are looking for a good document scanner to travel with on your next trip, then consider getting the Visioneer RoadWarrior 4D. This scanner is not only affordable but is also lightweight.
Pros
- Lightweight which is ideal for people who are constantly on the move
- It is small and can fit into most backpacks
- Being a color scanner, this document scanner can easily recognize whatever document it is you are scanning and capture both grayscale and color scans as well as monochrome
- The One Touch software makes it easy for you to send your scanned documents to multiple locations such as your email, hard drive or cloud in various formats
- Ability to scan both sides of your documents with one single pass
- Creates searchable PDFs for all your scanned documents
- Built with the best document management and OCR software
- USB powered hence no AC power needed
- Compatible with both Windows and Mac
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- It can only scan one page at a time
- Some users have reported some connectivity issues
5. Ambir DP667 Document Scanner
Intro
If you are a business executive or sales professional with lots of business cards and wondering what the best document scanner is that will help you scan all your cards, then look no further than the Ambir D0667 scanner.
Pros
- Easy to transport thanks to the small size and how lightweight it is
- Best suited for scanning business card given the size as well as documents that measure 4 by 10 inches at a resolution of 600 dpi
- Easily convert your receipts into PDFs using this scanner making it a go-to scanner for different kinds of businesses
- Enjoy scanning documents such as embossed cards, driving licenses, insurance cards, etc.
- You don’t need an AC power adapter or batteries as this scanner is USB powered
- Given the size, weight and powering option, this is another excellent scanner for those who are constantly on the move
- It’s a professional scanner that is very affordable
Cons
- Compatible with Windows only
- Might have to do a bit of hard work as there is no option for customizing the setting for the documents you want to scan to your preference and will be forced to crop them later
Final Thoughts
Document scanners are a must-have for both businesses and individuals as well. Documents scanners are a good investment for people who always find themselves carrying loads of receipts or business cards and badly need to digitize them. That said, when looking to buy a good document scanner, you need to consider the speed, accuracy, and connectivity.
While connectivity may not be important for everyone, it is for some as it enables them to share their documents immediately, they scan them. Accuracy and clarity are important, especially if you are scanning receipts for accounting purposes. Depending on how many documents you have to scan in a day, speed is another feature that you must pay attention to.
Your scanner’s speed will determine whether you have to wait for ages or just for a few seconds. Also, ask yourself whether you want a double-sided scanner that automatically scans both sides of your document with one single pass. Lastly, consider your budget. You can get a quality document scanner without needing to break the bank. Just ensure that it will do the job you need it to do.