The Best Scanners for Office Use

Last Updated on June 16, 2020 by Christian Ralph

There are many advantages to using scanners for added efficiency around the office. They save space, use less electricity and can replace several pieces of bulky office equipment. Read our blog post to discover the advantages of different scanners for office use.

All in one office printer and scanner

An all in one printer, sometimes called a multifunction device, is a popular choice for offices looking to add a scanner to their equipment, as they combine printing, scanning, and copying functionality into one single unit. This can save both money and space in offices where, otherwise, a separate printer, scanner, and copier would be needed.

All in one office printers come in a range of different sizes, capacities, and capabilities, suiting offices of all different types. From large floor-standing units for offices with high needs to more compact units that can suit SMEs, there’s a combined printer and scanner for every need.

Some all in one printer scanners also come with faxing functionality, for businesses that need it, and they almost all have large capacity paper trays and easy to use digital screens, making scanning easy.

Flatbed scanner

A flatbed scanner uses a flat glass surface for scanning paper documents and converting them digitally, without the need to manually rotate a page.

These scanners are a great choice for offices that require high quality image printing. The Epson WorkForce DS-1630 Flatbed Scanner offers high resolution printing, making it an ideal choice if you require high resolution image scans in your daily office routine.

This scanner can even reproduce images of small objects placed on the glass or old photographs with fantastic colour, helping them retain their original quality and charm – while also removing dust from the surface of the pictures.

The most important considerations for flatbed scanners are the design, price and speed, not to mention the resolution at which it creates digital images.

Another important feature to look for is the one-touch function. Some scanners have this integrated command for scanning, faxing or emailing a document. By simply putting your content on the scanner, the machine prepares it for one of these actions.

Another useful function is the automatic document feeder, which saves times by pulling documents through one at a time, leaving you free to get those urgent reports written.

Mobile scanner

A mobile scanner is a handy device for scanning important documents on the go.

They can tackle multiple documents at once, handling both paper and card. Compact and lightweight, mobile scanners can be easily transported – a godsend for business travellers, not to mention office space.

With super speed USB 3.0 connectivity, the Epson WorkForce DS-310 Mobile Scanner does not need cables as it has long-lasting battery life and wireless connectivity. Capturing images at 300dpi, in both colour and mono, the mobile scanner can feed 20 sheets at once with dual-sided capability.

It is also possible to control the devices from your tablet or mobile. A dedicated plastic card slot lets you scan identification cards, driving licences and more. Specialist types of smaller, thicker media can also be captured on the move and synced directly to your smartphone, tablet or computer for easy storage and management.

Sheet fed scanner

Sheet fed scanners are best for multi-page documents – for example, stacks of legal documents. They turn physical documents into digital documents, rather than the other way around.

For office environments where speed and efficiency take priority over image resolution, sheet fed scanners such as the Epson WorkForce DS-520 A4 Colour Sheetfed Scanner can convert up to 30 images per minute into easily-accessible digital files.

You simply load the feeder and leave the scanner to work, though sensitive documents should be reviewed before being scanned.

Sheet fed scanners are more portable than other types of scanners and some are even designed to fit into a laptop bag so that documents can be digitized on-the-go.

The barcode recognition functionality and Zonal OCR software helps to automate large jobs – naming files and creating folders.

If you need help with choosing the best scanner or printer and scanner for you, our team of experts will be happy to help. Contact us today on 0800 840 1992.