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7 Best Document Scanners: Reviewed & Compared

Michael Rivera
  • Last Updated: Apr 30, 2023
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With working from home becoming more popular than ever, a scanner can be an essential gadget. Many all-in-one printers also have scanning functions, but their performance falls short compared to actual scanners. Whether you’re digitizing reams of hard copy documents or scanning pages from books as reference materials for your latest project, the best scanner can save you a lot of time and effort. That said, scanners come in a variety of styles, functions, and price points. With the wide range of scanners available on the market, it can be daunting to choose the best photo and document scanner for you. Thankfully, our handy guide takes you through how to shop for the right one. What is the best document scanner for home use? Keep reading for our picks for the best document scanner of 2022!

Our 7 Top Scanner Picks for 2022

Here are some of our picks for the best document scanners of 2022 for all your home office needs:
Brother_Wireless_High-Speed_Desktop_Document_Scanner
Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document
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Canon_CanoScan_LiDE_400
Canon CanoScan LiDE 400
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Xerox_Duplex_Combo_Scanner
Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner
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Epson_DS-50000_Large-Format_Document_Scanner
Epson DS-50000 Large-Format Document Scanner
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IRIScan Anywhere Wifi Product Photo
IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi
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Epson_Perfection_V39
Epson Perfection V39
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IRIScan Mouse Product Photo 2
IRIScan Mouse Executive 2
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Brother_Wireless_High-Speed_Desktop_Document_Scanner
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Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner

4.5
5/5
Our pick for the best home office document scanner and best office document scanner overall is the Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner.
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Our pick for the best home office document scanner and best office document scanner overall is the Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner. At a relatively low price point, this easy-to-use scanner delivers a scanning speed of up to 70 images per minute (ipm) for double-sided scanning, with each side of the page counting as an image for a total of 35 pages per minute, and highly accurate image-to-text conversion.
The Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner comes with a touchscreen scanner interface and the ability to scan directly to USB devices. It also has the advantage of being relatively lighter and smaller than other document scanners with comparable features, making it a great space-saver. This versatile scanner comes with a variety of features such as blank page removal, multi-feed detection, and background removal.
Uncommon for a scanner at this price, the Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner has cable, wireless, and mobile connectivity that can accommodate multiple users in a busy office. This document scanner can be connected through Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB cable, and peer-to-peer connection with your phone.
The Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner is the best document scanner for Mac, Windows, and Linux overall, as it can run on all of these operating systems.

Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner

4.5
5/5
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Brother_Wireless_High-Speed_Desktop_Document_Scanner
Canon_CanoScan_LiDE_400

Canon CanoScan LiDE 400

4.2
4.9/5
The Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is an excellent, software-rich document scanner for users on a budget.
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The Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is an excellent, software-rich document scanner for users on a budget. For its low price, it has an impressive set of features, such as an auto-scan mode that automatically detects and adjusts to your documents’ size and OCR conversion.
This flatbed type scanner boasts relatively fast scanning at eight seconds per letter-size page. It also has a high maximum resolution of 4,800 by 4,800 dpi, making it excellent for scanning and saving detailed images.
The Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 weighs 3.6 pounds and measures 1.7 by 14.5 by 9.9 inches, which means it won’t take up too much desktop space. But it saves even more space thanks to a lightweight plastic stand – no need to lie flat on your desk.
On the downside, people who use Mac have reported difficulty with setting up this document scanner. As a flatbed scanner, it’s also slower at scanning in bulk compared to its feeder scanner counterparts. Finally, the scanner lacks wireless connectivity and cannot be connected to your mobile devices.
That said, on the whole, the Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 offers fantastic performance at a drastically lower price point compared to most other models on the market.

Canon CanoScan LiDE 400

4.2
4.9/5
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Canon_CanoScan_LiDE_400
Xerox_Duplex_Combo_Scanner

Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner

4.2
4.9/5
Looking for the best automatic document feeder scanner or the best flatbed scanner? Here’s a scanner that manages to be both.
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Looking for the best automatic document feeder scanner or the best flatbed scanner? Here’s a scanner that manages to be both. Lightweight, budget-friendly, powerful, and accurate, the Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner is our choice for the best combination flatbed/feeder scanner available on the market today.
It has all the advantages of both flatbed and sheet-feeder document scanners. Its automatic document feeder capabilities let you scan documents in bulk at estimated scanning speeds of 50 ipm. For more delicate and uniquely shaped items such as photos, ID cards, and passports, you can scan them using the flatbed part of the scanner. This versatility makes it the best small business document scanner at a relatively low price.
The Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner comes with a generous software bundle, including automatic image enhancement, competitive OCR programs to create searchable PDFs, and a business card reader program that allows you to directly scan business cards and add contacts to your Microsoft Outlook account.
A minor drawback is that this scanner lacks connectivity to mobile devices. But, in terms of versatility, the Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner is practically unbeatable as a jack-of-all-trades scanner.

Xerox Duplex Combo Scanner

4.2
4.9/5
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Xerox_Duplex_Combo_Scanner
IRIScan Anywhere Wifi Product Photo

IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi

3.8
4.9/5
The IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi is an easy pick for the best mobile document scanner – you don’t need a computer or even a mobile device to use this scanner.
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The IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi is an easy pick for the best mobile document scanner – you don’t need a computer or even a mobile device to use this scanner. In fact, it doesn’t even need a cable or wireless connection to scan documents. This portable scanner runs on a rechargeable battery and directly scans to a MiniSD card. While the IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi’s internal battery is only good for 100 scans, it can scan documents and charge at the same time. The IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi has a 1.-4 inch LCD display where you can customize your scanning preferences, view and delete scans, and choose connection options directly on the scanner itself. However, to edit scans (e.g. convert to readable text documents, save as different file formats), you’ll need to use the software that comes bundled with the portable scanner. For someone who values mobility more than anything, the IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi is perfect. Weighing only 11.6 ounces and measuring 1.7 by 10.6 by 2.1 inches, this portable document scanner comes with a vinyl drawstring bag that can be comfortably slipped into a hand-carried bag for travel.

IRIScan Anywhere 5 WiFi

3.8
4.9/5
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IRIScan Anywhere Wifi Product Photo
Epson_Perfection_V39

Epson Perfection V39

4.2
4.9/5
If you need to scan high volumes of pages and large documents, the Epson’s DS-50000 Large-Format Document Scanner is an excellent pick that can tackle just about any task you can think of.
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If you’re looking for the best home document scanner for high-quality image scans, the Epson Perfection V39 delivers incredible quality at a whopping 4,800 ppi. This flatbed scanner has photo scanning color vibrancy true to the source image and can accurately capture the most minute details in your scanned images. It offers an automatic mode, an easy method for scanning photos, but it also has advanced settings that can be manually set, like Color Restore options. This lightweight scanner also comes with a small stand to keep the scanner upright when not in use. When scanning books and magazines, the Epson Perfection V39 also allows you to remove the device’s lid to avoid damaging their spines. This photo scanner is also capable of scanning paper documents and converting them to searchable PDFs, making it a versatile scanning choice. It has Scan-n-Stitch software, which enables you to take multiple scans of pages that are too big for the letter-size flatbed and connect them into a single image. On the downside, the Epson Perfection V39 lacks the ability to scan film, which other photo scanners on this list have. As a flatbed scanner, it also has a slow scan speed for high volumes of documents, especially when compared to its feeder counterparts.

Epson Perfection V39

4.2
4.9/5
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Epson_Perfection_V39
IRIScan Mouse Product Photo 2

IRIScan Mouse Executive 2

4.4
4.9/5
The IRIScan Mouse Executive 2 is a mouse that doubles as a scanner.
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The IRIScan Mouse Executive 2 is a mouse that doubles as a scanner. For people who travel a lot and bring along both a laptop and mouse, it eliminates the need to bring along an additional device. Its USB connectivity also eliminates the need for an external power supply. The mouse has a button on its left side that you can press with your thumb, activating the device’s scanning option. You can scan documents by moving the IRIScan Mouse Executive 2 over the pages. The scanner isn’t a great option for high volumes of documents, but you can scan letter-size or A4 pages at 400 dpi scanning speed. For every purchase of this scanner, you get a small mousepad with a plastic insert. Here, you can place business cards and photographs to keep them stable as you use the mouse to scan them. For such a small device, it comes with a hefty software bundle that gives the user a variety of additional functions, including business card scanning and archiving, file format conversion, direct uploading to cloud storage services like Dropbox and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and excellent text recognition. For people who deal with multiple languages, the IRIScan Mouse Executive 2’s software also supports up to 130 different languages.

IRIScan Mouse Executive 2

4.4
4.9/5
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IRIScan Mouse Product Photo

8 Factors To Consider In Choosing The Best Scanners

There are a lot of factors to consider in determining the best document scanner for home use or your office needs. We suggest that, while looking into your prospective purchase, you prepare a list of your best scanner choices with their pros and cons.

Flatbeds vs. Feeders vs. Overheads

Here are a few features you should note when you’re looking for the right scanner for you:
Sheet-fed scanners (a.k.a. feeder scanners) scan papers by feeding the documents into the scanner – much like a printer, but in reverse. Flatbed scanners have hinged lids and a flat plate on top, where the document to be scanned is placed. Meanwhile, an overhead scanner has an illuminated scanning head mounted on a stem, which hangs above the surface on which the document is placed. When choosing between the three types of scanners, the best one for you heavily depends on what you expect the scanner to be used for. Sheet-feeders are typically much faster than flatbed scanners and overhead scanners but sacrifice quality and resolution for that speed. Between flatbed scanners and overhead scanners, flatbed scanners are more standard, widely available, and usually cheaper. However, an overhead scanner is better for scanning old, delicate items or bulky materials like books. While a flatbed scanner would require contact with each page of a book, crushing the spine of the book when you close the lid, an overhead scanner doesn’t touch the book. Another factor to consider is that feeder document scanners typically can’t be used to scan things that aren’t printed on an ordinary piece of paper. There are, of course, exceptions on the higher end of sheet-feeder scanners, but you’ll likely need a flatbed scanner or overhead scanner to scan photos, stamps, receipts, and other uniquely-shaped items. If you’re having trouble choosing, some models are a combination of flatbed and feeder scanners, allowing you to get the best of both worlds.

Size

The best desktop document scanner depends a lot on how large your desktop is. Most of us aren’t lucky enough to have a dedicated office space in our homes. Working from home can end up feeling a bit like Jenga, especially when you have to squeeze all of your equipment and office necessities on an inadequate surface area. If you lack space, you’ll need to look into a smaller scanner to meet your needs. Reduced size generally comes with reduced power, however – most high-capacity scanners tend to be on the bigger side. The best document and photo scanner strikes a balance between size and scanning ability.

Price

As amazing as it would be to get a document scanner with all the bells and whistles, more functions typically come at a higher price point. Luckily, there are fantastic budget scanner options that definitely give you value for your money.

Resolution

When scanning documents, most scanners can deliver the dots-per-inch (“dpi”) resolution that you need without much issue. Photo scanning requires a higher resolution than scanning text documents, and the necessary dpi increases further if you zoom in on smaller details in the photo or resize the photo to a larger size than the original image. If you’re scanning particularly minute items like photo negatives, postage stamps, or 35mm slides, you’ll need an even higher scan quality to capture their fine details adequately.

Portability

Normal-size document scanners are all well and good for people who work in a fixed location, but many professions involve constant relocation. For people who are regularly on the go, conventional scanners are impractical. A portable document scanner is much lighter and smaller than other scanners, allowing you to scan receipts or business cards as you travel. There are plenty of portable scanners available on the market, including handheld scanners. Some are even designed to be the size of a ballpoint pen and scan document text line by line. One great feature to look for in portable scanners is the ability to connect to your mobile device as well as a computer.

Operating System Compatibility

Mac users should pay particular attention to this detail before purchasing a document scanner, lest it ends up as little more than a fancy paperweight due to incompatibility. While most, if not all, scanners work with Windows, some cannot run on macOS. Luckily, there are many great printers that can run on both Mac and Windows, and others are even Linux-compatible.

Duplex Scanning

Duplex scanning is also known as two-sided scanning or single-pass scanning. A document scanner with duplex scanning can scan both sides of a page. This is done by reusing the dorsal side of the page of double-sided documents instead of pulling a new paper sheet. This feature allows you to save paper by using both sides of a sheet, making it an environmentally-friendly and cost-cutting option. It’s possible to scan both sides of a piece of paper using document scanners without duplex scanning. Simply scan one side, remove the paper, flip it, and manually reinsert the page to scan the other side. However, this is much less efficient than a document scanner with built-in duplex scanning, which can quickly and automatically scan double-sided documents.

Specialized Software Or Functions

The best scanner for you depends heavily on the type of documents you’ll be scanning. This is simple if you’re only scanning typical-size papers, like legal documents. However, people who need to scan particularly large documents or items like books or passports should look for devices that can handle these properly.
Aside from document size, take into account any bundled software you’ll need to work the scanner itself. A good document scanner often comes with basic software features like optical character recognition (“OCR”), which can help you create searchable PDF files, and photo editing. Other features you may find handy include wireless support and mobile connectivity, touchscreen interfaces, and automatic uploading to cloud storage services or your phone.

 

Buying The Best Scanners

Whether you’re digitizing your family photo album, preparing your business documents and receipts for tax season, or sorting through reference materials to work on a project for a finicky client, a home scanner can come in handy. That said, different scanner models are best at different things, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. A scanner is not something that you should buy on impulse – rather, it’s one that you should treat as an investment and take your time considering. Make sure to get the best document scanner for your needs before you hit add to cart!
Brother_Wireless_High-Speed_Desktop_Document_Scanner

Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner

4.5
5/5
Our pick for the best home office document scanner and best office document scanner overall is the Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop Document Scanner.
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