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10 Best Cheap Document Scanner
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Buying Guide for the Best Cheap Document Scanner
Choosing the right document scanner is all about understanding your scanning needs and matching them to the features that matter most. Consider how often you'll be scanning, the volume of documents, and what you plan to do with the scanned files. A great fit balances convenience, speed, and enough quality for your tasks, so don't just look at the lowest price—focus on what will really make your scanning easy and effective.Scanning SpeedScanning speed tells you how many pages a scanner can handle in a minute and is often measured in pages per minute (ppm) for single-sided or images per minute (ipm) for double-sided. This matters if you need to scan large stacks, saving time and effort. Slower scanners (up to 10ppm) are good for occasional home use or short documents. Medium speed (10-20ppm) works for regular home offices or students, while faster speeds (20ppm and up) are for busy offices needing to scan lots of pages. Think about how much you’ll scan at once—if it’s batches of receipts or a form here and there, lower speeds are fine, but for bigger jobs, go faster.
Optical Resolution (DPI)Optical resolution is measured in dots per inch (DPI) and shows how much detail a scanner can capture from your document. This is important for clarity, especially if you need to read small print or do any editing of the scanned image. Low resolution (up to 600 DPI) is good for basic text documents; mid-range (600-1200 DPI) works for documents with graphics or if you might zoom in on details; higher DPI (over 1200) is mainly for photos or when you need high accuracy. Match the DPI to your needs—regular documents don’t need high DPI, but for detail-heavy records or images, aim higher.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)An automatic document feeder lets you load a batch of pages to be scanned one after another without manually placing each sheet. This spec is crucial for scanning multi-page documents efficiently. Simple flatbed scanners require you to place each page by hand, which is slow for more than a few pages. A basic ADF (capacity 10-20 sheets) is good for occasional multi-page scans, while higher capacities (over 20 sheets) fit frequent or larger batches. Think about whether you’ll mostly scan single pages occasionally, or big packets—if it’s the latter, an ADF will save a lot of time.
Connectivity (USB, Wi-Fi, etc.)Connectivity options determine how you connect the scanner to your computer or devices. USB is standard and straightforward, suitable for personal or single-location use. Wi-Fi allows for wireless scanning, which is great if you want to use the scanner in different places or share it with others on the same network. Some scanners offer both. Choose USB if your setup is simple and the scanner will stay put, but Wi-Fi is helpful for busy homes, small offices, or if you use mobile devices to manage files.
Supported Document SizesSupported document sizes refer to the maximum width and length the scanner can handle, typically standard letter or A4 for most models. This matters if you need to scan something larger (like legal size) or oddly shaped items. For just receipts and letters, standard support is fine. If you often scan larger documents, look for models supporting bigger sizes, and check how the scanner handles smaller items. Match the size capability to the types of documents you most often scan.
File Format OptionsFile format options are the types of digital files your scans can be saved as, such as PDF, JPEG, or TIFF. Different formats fit different needs: PDF is great for multi-page documents and sharing, JPEG is best for images, and TIFF offers higher quality for archiving. Most scanners offer a few choices—make sure the one you pick supports the formats that work best for how you’ll store, send, or edit your files.