Best Scanners For Office Spaces Small For 2024
Brandon Forder Apr 23, 2024 1:41 PM
There are literally hundreds of document scanners on the market, making it difficult to choose the right one for your office. However, with so many alternatives, you may get the best document scanner for your small business at a price that's far more reasonable than what you might have paid even a decade ago.
If you're upgrading from an ancient document scanner, you might be shocked by how little many of today's models are. A large number of documents can be scanned and stored in the cloud by using a small document scanner that can fit on a desk.
There are, however, a plethora of document scanners from which to choose, so it's important to do some research to identify the most suitable model for your modest business.
Compare Products
- SCORE9.2
- BrandCanon
- Prime
- SCORE8.8
- BrandEpson
- Prime
- SCORE8.4
- BrandVisioneer
- Prime
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API
Types
Desktop Scanners
Desktop scanners are the smallest option, and their compact form factor means they won't take up too much room on your desk.
Despite its compact form factor, desktop scanners are capable of massive throughput. The compact desktop scanners from Kodak Alaris work nicely with our software and will speed up the document storage procedure. Document scanners can have their functionality expanded with accessories like network connectivity and passport or small document flat beds.
These portable document scanners are ideal for use in offices of any size.
Departmental Scanners
Departmental scanners, in contrast to desktop models, are built to operate continuously throughout the day and process high volumes of documents. They can be placed on desktops, however their footprint is larger than that of dedicated desktop scanners.
Each of Kodak Alaris's departmental scanners is equipped with Perfect Page technology, a feature that may scan documents at a greater quality than the original, and is built to interact with a wide variety of applications.
Departmental scanners are commonly employed in high-throughput environments, such as those seen in legal and insurance services.
Production Scanners
Production scanners are the most powerful type, able to scan up to 210 pages per minute and 150,000 documents each day. These massive scanners are a must-have for huge, high-volume offices like government agencies and large corporations.
While production scanners certainly have their uses, they are sometimes too large for tiny offices.
Size
Although portable, small scanners have scanning capabilities that are capped by their size. Many low-cost, portable scanners can only handle documents no larger than A4. A larger scanner is required for larger documents. If you have a portable scanner, you can just run it across the page for as long as it is, or input the entire page into the scanner.
Resolution
Scanners' resolutions change depending on the technology they employ. Of course, higher-quality (and, in the end, more expensive) portable scanners will produce more pleasing scans, but this is not always the case. Small scanners typically offer a resolution of 1,200 dpi, however some larger models can achieve up to 2,400 dpi.
If you're seeking to buy a portable scanner, it's a good idea to research sample scans made with the equipment online before making a final decision. What you see here should serve as a general indicator of the scanner's output quality. If it doesn't meet all your needs and standards, you'll have to keep looking.
Image Sensor
The principle behind scanners is a process of reflection and transmission. Information on paper is digitized by shining a light upon it, reflecting it through a series of mirrors and lenses, and finally landing on a sensor or photosensitive element. Scanners can do this function, but they don't all employ the same kind of image sensor. Image sensors can be either a Charged Coupled Device (CCD) or a Contact Imaging Sensor (CIS).
The most popular type of scanner, known as CCD, makes use of electrical integrated circuit sensors. CCD provides vivid colors, clear images, and high resolution (depth of field). This innovation allows for the editing and minimization of fold lines, making them less noticeable. High-resolution, crystal-clear images are captured using CCD scanners in 16-bit grayscale (64,000 shades of gray).
CIS scanners relay image data to various sensors via fiber optic lenses. Even though they cost less than CCD scanners, the quality of the images is lower. A CIS scanner only takes in 8-bit grayscale and has a lesser resolution, shallower depth of field, and shorter range (256 shades of gray). CIS scanners can be useful if you're merely scanning text documents and not large, high-resolution photos.
Scanning Speed
Varying scanners have different speeds, which are typically expressed in terms of pages per minute (ppm) or impressions per minute (ipm) for duplex scanning. Scan speeds for documents can be as low as 8 pages per page (ppm) and 4 images per second (ipm). Scanners for documents can handle hundreds of pages per minute and images per minute. Double-feed detection, automatic profiles, and blank-feed detection are just a few of the high-end features found in these scanners.
Software Compatibility
These days, scanners are compatible with both Apple and Microsoft computers. Linux support is available on some scanners.
Most modern scanners feature software that allows you to convert paper documents to PDF format as well as perform basic photo and text editing. Compatibility with accounting packages is a feature of several models. Some business card scanners have optical character recognition (OCR), which allows you to edit and search the information scanned from a business card and then upload it to a database.
Versatility
While a fully-functioning home office has everything necessary to get work done, a cluttered desktop can be a major distraction. Invest in a scanner that can digitize not only papers but also cards and receipts to maintain a clutter-free workspace.
Do small scanners have bluetooth capability?
Numerous up-to-date compact scanners provide wireless networking and data transfer via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, allowing you to instantly save a scanned image or document to your computer or mobile device. However, some older models may not have this capability, therefore you may need to connect them via USB cable to access your digital files.
Can you use a scanner without a computer?
The requirement for a computer is no longer required when using standalone scanners. The papers you scan can often be stored in the scanner's internal memory, from which you can later export them to your own data storage system.
How does a scanner work?
The principle behind scanners is a process of reflection and transmission. Information on paper is digitized by shining a light upon it, reflecting it through a series of mirrors and lenses, and finally landing on a sensor or photosensitive element.
Can I scan all types of documents with one scanner?
Pages, receipts, pictures, and business cards are just some of the items that can be scanned with certain scanners. Negative photographs can also be scanned by some flatbed scanners.
You could think your office is bigger than it is after reading up on scanners suitable for small businesses. With some digging, you may find the ideal scanner for your company's needs
