Need to scan multipage documents in a hurry? A sheetfed scanner will do the trick. Here are our favorites among the many products we’ve tested, plus some tips for finding the fast document scanner that’s right for you.
I’ve covered the document scanner industry for well over 20 years, and each year I find myself even more impressed with the sheer number of machines. You’ll find everything from tiny single-sheet portables capable of scanning and processing just a few pages per minute (ppm) up to high-volume workhorses capable of processing hundreds of pages per minute. These sheetfed document scanners are on the workhorse end of the spectrum. If you’ve only worked with the relatively slow scanner of an all-in-one printer, you’ll be amazed at how quick a dedicated sheetfed scanner can be. Every multi-sheet scanner has a relatively compact build and an automatic document feeder (ADF) for sending page after page into the machine. Unlike a flatbed scanner, a sheetfed scanner processes only individual pages and can’t be used to scan objects such as books. Most sheetfed scanners have two sensors for simultaneously scanning both sides of a page with content on both sides. These top-notch, high-speed document scanners, the best we’ve tested, are optimized for scanning lots of text quickly and efficiently. Three types of sheetfed scanners, clockwise from top left: desktop, portable, and flatbed. This roundup focuses primarily on desktop document scanners, but to keep it comprehensive, we’ve also included PCMag’s favorite multi-sheetfed portable document scanner and our top pick for a flatbed scanner with an ADF attachment. Our goal is to help you choose the best possible scanner for your needs, and there are plenty of factors to consider. Let’s start at the beginning. How Much Scanning Do You Do? Document scanners are classified and priced according to capacity, volume, and speed ratings, followed by connectivity and functionality (including the ability to scan to smartphones and tablets) and their software bundle. Size, weight, and specialized features may also be factored in, but the main things that push up the price of a document scanner are (1) how much work the scanner can do and (2) how quickly it can do it. To keep from spending an arm and a leg on functionality you don’t need, start by figuring how many pages you need to scan each day. A multi-sheetfed portable scanner, such as Epson’s WorkForce DS-300W, might be rated for a daily duty cycle of 500 pages or so. On the high end, the Visioneer Patriot H80 has a daily duty cycle of 10,000 pages.
