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A diverse array of scanners, including models from Epson, Canon and Brother.

The 5 Best Scanners of 2024

Finding the best scanners must be guided with your usage in mind. Whether you’re digitizing your home documents or in a professional setting, obtain high-quality, fast, and easy-to-use scanners.

High resolution guarantees clear and detailed documents. High-speed scanning preserves productivity. USB and Wi-Fi are simple to integrate. Begin your search for scanners based on the factors listed above. Obtain a model that allows you to quickly and smoothly transform your physical documents into digital documents. The scanner should meet the above and not be a challenging task to employ.

Our Top Picks

Brother ADS-4900W
Epson ES-C380W
Brother DSmobile DS-940DW
Canon CanoScan LiDE 400
Fujitsu Image Scanner fi-800R

Best for Small Businesses: Brother ADS-4900W

Among the best scanners for small businesses, the Brother ADS-4900W leads. The Brother ADS-4900W offers the best combination of speed, efficiency, and advanced capability. This scanner is designed to handle high-volume activities. The tool is a great choice for businesses that require document digitization in a hurry.

Discover the Brother ADS-4900W's front view, showcasing the best scanner interface for simple, user-friendly operation and effortless document handling.

Specifications:

  • Optical Scan Resolution: 600 dpi
  • Scanning Speed: 120 ipm
  • Interface: USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet
  • Feeder Capacity: 100 sheets
  • Daily Duty Cycle: 9000 pages
Pros High-Speed Scanning Versatile Connectivity Large Feeder Capacity
Cons No Mac Support Limited Portability Higher Price Point

Who is it Suitable For?

For people who need to scan quickly. Its scanning speeds are some of the fastest in the industry. It’s a great tool for high-volume activity that enables quick and timely advancement.

However, it also includes a powerful feeder. This model includes wireless and Ethernet connection options. This makes it completely adaptable for different types of offices.

It is capable of handling a lot of DIN A3 paper per day. This implies that it will be able to keep up with the pace necessary for a typical office. Therefore, investing in this scanner would be a good step for a business interested in improving document digitization.


Best for Home: Epson ES-C380W

The Epson ES-C380W becomes a perfect solution for home usage and fulfills the title of a scanner for home.

Indeed, the scanner works at a high level and does not have a complex structure. This makes it an excellent solution for those who want to have a reliable and multifunctional tool. The problem with generating copy of professional equipment is solved.

Get a top view look at the Epson ES-C380W, the scanner that blends intuitive functionality with exceptional scanning speed for a top-tier document management experience.

Specifications:

  • Scanner Type: Sheetfed
  • Document Feed Capacity: 20 Sheets
  • Maximum Scan DPI: 1200
  • Pages Per Minute: 30 B&W, 30 Color
  • Images Per Minute: 60 B&W, 60 Color
  • Duplex Scanning: Yes
  • Dimensions: 296 x 104 x 125 mm
Pros Compact Design High Scanning Speed User-Friendly Interface
Cons Small Touch Screen Limited for High-Volume Tasks

The scanner is small and handy. Indeed, this is a perfect decision for home usage. Since the machine can generate many copies of black and white and color documents no difficulties for a home use are present. A person, who wants to scan important documents and family photos, finds the device rather helpful.

Since the interface of the device is understandable, even the one who had never used the scanner, can find its usage. As a result, The Epson ES-C380W represents itself as a perfect device for a home scan. It does not require much space and works at a high level. Hence, convenience and efficacy in a home scanner can be found here.


Best Portable: Brother DSmobile DS-940DW

It particularly stands out for that: the Brother DSmobile DS-940DW is the best portable scanner for anyone who wants convenience above all. Portable scanners are purchased mostly by those whose job always requires them to be on the move and has little workspace. And it is not at all about the size or lightweight of the scanner, and focused, high-quality capabilities and results.

Side view of the Brother DS-940DW, the best scanner for those needing compact, mobile scanning solutions without compromising on quality or performance.

Specifications:

  • Optical Scan Resolution: 600 x 600 dpi
  • Scanning Speed: 16 ipm
  • Interfaces: Wireless 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Micro USB 3.0
  • Battery Powered: Yes, rechargeable
  • Duplex Scanning: Yes
  • Dimensions: Compact and portable
Pros High Mobility Wireless Connectivity Battery Operated
Cons No ADF Limited for High-Volume Scanning Manual Feed Required

Luckily, this scanner was created to fit the needs of the following types of people: business professionals, freelancers, and other people who need to be scanning documents outside their traditional office.

Due to its portable characteristics, it is catered to those traveling a lot and field workers. Because the Brother DSmobile DS-940DW is wireless and works on battery, it is the optimal solution for scanning on the go, thus, a great portable scanner.

No matter where you are on a client site, in a coffee shop, or your house the Brother DSmobile DS-940DW will meet your needs. In addition, it is user-friendly and easy to set up, so this device is suitable for everyone, even non-tech-savvy people.


Best for Photos: Canon CanoScan LiDE 400

Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is not considered the photo scanner for nothing. It gives the clearest and most detailed scans. The scanner is perfect for photographers and artists. However, it’s also good for those who want to digitize their high-quality images. The high resolution and color accuracy rank the scanner one of the top choices for keeping the photos as digitized files.

Top view of the Canon LiDE 400, offering the scanner experience with its sleek build and superior scanning technology for both documents and photos.

Specifications:

  • Optical Scan Resolution: 4800 x 4800 dpi
  • Max Resolution: 19200 x 19200 dpi
  • Scanning Speed: 300 dpi
  • Interface: USB Type-C
  • Feeder Capacity: Flatbed
  • Special Features: Kickstand for vertical positioning
Pros High Resolution Scanning Compact and Lightweight Easy to Use
Cons No Wireless Connectivity Manual Operation Limited Document Scanning

Who is it Suitable For?
For photographers, artists, and hobbyists seeking the highest quality image output, the Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is the perfect scanner choice. With high-resolution scanning capabilities, it is designed for scanning in photographs, art, and other image details.

The scanner has a compact design hence easily installed and used in a home or small studio environment . Therefore, when acquiring scanners for photo scanning, the Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 balances quality, simplicity, and affordability. It is perfect for works that are delicate and feature a lot of detail, such as old photos or intricate drawings.


Best for Business: Fujitsu Image Scanner fi-800R

The scanner is for business! Fujitsu Image Scanner fi-800R is the best choice when it comes to voice clients! It features a small footprint and fast document processing capability. Ideal for a busy office environment, the scanner supports various document types, including passports and IDs. Business is generally in need of a trusted and fast document scanning machine.

The top view of Fujitsu fi-800R reveals the scanner design for efficient space management, ideal for busy workspaces where performance and compactness are key.

Specifications:

  • Optical Scan Resolution: 600 dpi
  • Simplex Scan Speed: 40 ppm
  • Duplex Scan Speed: 80 ipm
  • Interface: USB
  • Special Features: Scans passports and IDs, Active Skew Correction
Pros Compact Design Fast Scanning Speed Versatile Document Handling
Cons Limited Connectivity (USB only) Higher Price Point Manual Feed for Thick Documents

Who is it for?

Fujitsu Image Scanner fi-800R is best suited for businesses that require cost-efficiency and adaptable for all your document scanning needs. This includes a variety of document types, even your sensitive materials such as the passports and IDs.

Front-desk operations are best suited for this scanner. It also works well for small to mid-sized businesses and health care facilities. Therefore, for anyone looking for the scanners for business use, Fujitsu fi-800R checks the boxes of speed, quality, and compact.

The interface and document management responsibility are easy to use and provides businesses with the ability to scan smoothly and improve production and document workflow. The Fujitsu fi-800R is the best in its class for business scanner. It gives good results when used daily in an office and during special scanning assignments.


What is a scanner?

In short, a scanner is a digital instrument that digitizes physical papers and photos into an electronic form. A scanner normally employs sensors like CCD and CIS to record data from all types of mediums. Scanners are widely employed in offices and digital protection systems, including rapid, high-resolution, color-accurate scanning and a variety of connectivity methods.

What I Wish I Knew Before I Got The Scanner?

  1. Speed and Efficiency: The scan speed is important when you have to scan many different documents. It is usually indicated in pages per minute or PPM and images per minute or IPM. Automatic Document Feeders can significantly increase your scanning speed for multi-page documents. The speed and efficiency were according to the requirements.
  2. Software Compatibility and Features: The software that comes with the scanner can also make a big difference in ease of use and function. You can look for OCR to turn scanned documents into editable text. Additionally, you can check if the software will operate with your computer and if it is compatible with the work software.
  3. Connectivity Options: Some scanner-connected computers or networks may be compatible. USB is the most common; however, many scanners can connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The scanners are good if they do the work supports.
  4. Size and Portability: The scanner’s physical size can be a factor if he has limited space or if he needs a scanner. Scanners are larger and best for fragile or thick stocks and more compact sheet feed scanners.
  5. Maintenance and Durability: Knowing the device cleaning and calibration methods, as well as how long, will do the same and type of durability to expect.

How can I scan and digitize old photos?

Use the high-quality scanner to scan and digitize the photos taken at different times. It is better to use the scanner with a resolution of at least 600 DPI to capture the detailed image. Ensure that both the photos and the scanner’s surface are free from dust.

Similarly, configure the scanner to color mode as well as the appropriate resolution to scan the images in a high-quality manner. Use a photo correcting software to edit and restore color, ensuring your old photos are digitally preserved. Ensure that all photos have been saved in a lossless file format such as TIFF before processing the images.

Emily Thompson is a passionate technology enthusiast and skilled reviewer, deeply knowledgeable about every niche within the tech world. Emily's expertise and keen eye for detail make her an invaluable guide for anyone looking to understand or purchase tech products. The products listed in this article were chosen according to our expert tests.