Best scanner UK
Which is the best scanner in 2024?
VIEW OFFERBest of 2024: Find the right scanner in the UK
With the incredible rise in technology, scanners are fast becoming a must-have piece of hardware for both the home and office. The range of documents you can scan is almost unlimited, and most allow you to save, share, and even edit the scanned images, making it a very versatile piece of hardware. However, choosing the best scanner for your needs isn’t always easy. There are a lot of things to consider such as what you intend to scan, your budget, and how often you will use it, so it helps to do some research before you buy. With that in mind, check out this handy buying guide for all the information you need to know to find the best scanner for your needs.
The 10 best scanners in the UK (December 2024)
The bestseller list compares scanners from multiple brands
- Design: Compact, adaptable design for home or office use.
- Functionality: Specialized EZ buttons for convenient PDF creation and Auto Scan.
- Sharpness: Incredibly sharp, high-resolution scans in just 8 seconds.
- Versatility: Scans A4 documents, receipts, and ID cards effortlessly.
- Productivity: Scans up to 15 pages per minute for efficiency.
- Portability: USB-powered, usable anywhere – field, train, remote work.
- Versatility: Handles various media types and paper stocks up to 1.8 meters.
- Speed: Scans pages in just 5.5 seconds.
- Portability: Small, lightweight design perfect for on-the-go scanning.
- Space-saving: Integrated stand allows for upright scanning, conserving desk or counter space.
- Connectivity: Powered and connected via Micro USB, eliminating the need for extra cables.
- Resolution: High-resolution 4800dpi for superior photo and document scans.
- Compatibility: Works with both Mac and Windows systems.
- Productivity: 16 ipm double-sided scanning with ten sheet ADF enhances efficiency.
- Portability: Ultra-compact, lightweight, and versatile for easy transport.
- Security: Restrict functions to specific users and protect sensitive information.
- Wireless: Effortlessly complete scanning jobs with wireless connectivity.
- Speed: Scans single and double-sided documents quickly in a single pass.
- Software: Boost productivity with industry-recognized software, including Kofax.
- Capacity: Large 60 sheet ADF capacity for handling high-volume tasks in busy workplaces.
- Speed: Scans single and double-sided documents quickly in both color and black/white.
- Convenience: Compact size fits any workspace and comes with intuitive software.
- Versatility: Handles two-sided paper with text recognition and automatic cropping.
- Speed: High-quality, fast scans of various documents and images.
- Speed: Double-sided scanning saves time, supports both Windows and Mac.
- Versatility: Scans various documents like A4, photos, and business cards.
- Setup: Simple USB connection, no installation needed.
- Productivity: Designed for busy people to maximize workday efficiency.
- Usability: Flexible and intuitive 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen enhances user experience.
- Speed: Ultra-fast setup and start-up saves you time.
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- Read the definitive scanner buying guide
- View the scanner picks and see how they rank in the top list
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scanner buying guide
Do you want to buy a good scanner? This is all you need to know.
A short explanation: What are scanners?
A scanner is a type of input device for computers that allows you to input various graphics or text, usually by connecting wirelessly to the computer and placing a document onto the machine. Documents are converted into an electronic copy, with an optical character recognition feature converting text into computer-encoded text.
What are the benefits of good scanners?
The days of using a scanner as a copying machine have long passed, with modern scanning devices offering a wide array of functions, including cloud sharing, scanning directly to a smartphone, and even photocopying documents. So, while the best use of a scanner is in conjunction with a printer and photocopier, they still offer many functions for standalone use. Also, with the amount of digital devices increasing, it’s incredibly useful to have a scanning device for creating digital copies of photographs, artwork, important documents etc.
How to choose the best scanner in 2024?
It is not always easy to determine what the best scanner is for your needs, and there are a lot of things worth taking into consideration before you buy:
- Type: Scanners come in various types, any of which may be better for your requirements. For example, the most common type of a scanner is the flatbed, which is ideal for digitizing objects with a flat surface. All-in-one devices combine a flatbed scanner with other hardware tools like a printer, with these being a good scanner option for digitizing multiple page documents. With a feeder scanner, many pages can be scanned at once, making them perfect for things like digitizing photo albums, receipts, invoices etc. Handheld scanners are compact and lightweight, making idea for anyone on the move that needs to digitize a document.
- Resolution: The resolution of the scanner is typically measured in dots per inch (DPI), and the higher this is the better the device can scan images. This means sharper images and ability to scan smaller-sized documents while retaining image quality. For example, a scanner with 1200 x 1200 dpi can scan an area of 1 square inch and reproduce it using 1200 dots horizontally and 1200 dots vertically, resulting in a far clearer image than you would get with a lower DPI. This is especially true when scanning photographs.
- Speed: Scanners vary significantly in terms of their scanning speed, and some are much faster at digitizing documents than others. For instance, a feeder scanner can scan several pages per minute, making them the best scanner in terms of speed, although they are not the best for every type of scanning. Remember, the more pages of documents you need to scan per minute, the more it will cost! So, always look for speed that meets your requirements - there is no need to pay more for a feature you won’t use.
Which types of scanners are available to buy in the UK?
Scanners are categorized by their scan quality and speed.
- Flatbed Scanner: Offers high-quality scans and is the best scanner for photos, scrapbooks, fragile documents, and hardbound books. Scans by placing the paper on the glass scan panel.
- Sheetfed Scanners: Great for students and those that need to scan a lot of documents. This type of scanner draws a sheet of paper across the sensor to quickly make scans.
- Handheld Scanners: Portable and affordable, handheld scanners let you scan barcodes, text, and more by moving the device over the content. The quality can be hit or miss and the content must be portable, but it’s more than adequate for most documents.