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Granted how fast-paced everything is, it’s no surprise why the best portable scanners in 2022 come in incredibly handy for both corporate pros and creative mavens.
With documents becoming more necessary by the day, paperwork can be overwhelming and taxing. Thankfully, technology now better allows us to digitize what we need in seconds! Whether fulfilling remote work or getting your job done in the office, portable scanners are allowing us to be as flexible and efficient as ever.
For this feature, let’s dive into what the top 10 picks in this category are!
Let’s start!
10+ Best Portable Scanners in 2022
- Canon imageFORMULA R10 — The best portable scanner in 2022 overall (Editor’s Choice)
- Epson WorkForce ES-50 — The best budget portable scanner
- Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner — The best value portable scanner
- Brother DS-940DW — The best wireless portable scanner
- IRIScan Book 5 — The best wand portable scanner
- Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 — The best portable scanner for photos
- Epson FastFoto FF-680W — The best speedy portable scanner
- HP Officejet 250 — The best 2-in-1 portable scanner
- Brother ADS-1250W — The best versatile portable scanner
- IRIScan Executive 2 — The best handheld portable scanner
What is the Best Portable Scanner in 2022?
A portable scanner is a great tool for any professional or home office. Choosing the best one however can be a harder process. To us though, the best portable scanner in 2022 is the Canon imageFORMULA R10.
If you’re interested in some of our other top choices, check out our comparison table below.
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Best Overall
Best Budget
Best Value
Best for Photos
Best Versatile
Title
Canon imageFORMULA R10 Portable Document Scanner, 2-Sided Scanning with 20 Page Feeder, Easy Setup...
Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac
Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner, 1.7" x 14.5" x 9.9"
Plustek Photo Scanner - ephoto Z300, Scan 4x6 Photo in 2sec, Auto Crop and Deskew with CCD Sensor....
Brother Wireless Portable Compact Desktop Scanner, ADS-1250W, Easy-to-Use, Fast Scan Speeds, Ideal...
Scanning Speed
2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size photo at 300dpi
Best Overall
Thumbnail
Title
Canon imageFORMULA R10 Portable Document Scanner, 2-Sided Scanning with 20 Page Feeder, Easy Setup...
Best Budget
Thumbnail
Title
Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac
Best Value
Thumbnail
Title
Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner, 1.7" x 14.5" x 9.9"
Best for Photos
Thumbnail
Title
Plustek Photo Scanner - ephoto Z300, Scan 4x6 Photo in 2sec, Auto Crop and Deskew with CCD Sensor....
Scanning Speed
2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size photo at 300dpi
Best Versatile
Thumbnail
Title
Brother Wireless Portable Compact Desktop Scanner, ADS-1250W, Easy-to-Use, Fast Scan Speeds, Ideal...
How to Choose the Best Portable Scanner
What you’re going to scan
One of the first things you need to factor in, apart from price, of course, is the kind of media you’re going to scan. Will you primarily be scanning pieces of paper, pages from a magazine, or colored photographs?
Portable scanners come in all forms, and a few of them are mainly designed to complement specific mediums only. For instance, while portable scanning wands can scan pictures, the color accuracy of your image may not be the best.
Generally, portable scanners with at least 300 dpi should deliver. If you’re scanning colored media, you’re going to want to look at portable scanners that pack 600 to 1200 dpi technology.
Size
If you’re considering a portable scanner, as opposed to regular, cabled ones, then there’s a huge chance you have travel in mind. Whether only from the office to your home, you’re going to want to consider whether or not your scanner can fit in your business bag.
How often you’re going to scan
The number of times you expect to scan a document should also be considered. This is because this helps you better choose an item that’s easy to carry around or whip out from your bag.
Versatility
Not all portable scanners are made equal. A few are designed to be naturally flexible, allowing users to scan more than one media type. That said, consider how efficient a portable scanner is in respect to its price point.
Compatibility
Many portable scanners come with a smartphone or web app. Determine if your primary device is compatible with a portable scanner. The last thing you’d want is to make a purchase, only to find out that multiple steps are needed to complete before your files is conveniently saved where you need it to be.
10+ Best Portable Scanners in 2022
1. Canon imageFORMULA R10 (Editor’s Choice)
Canon imageFORMULA R10 Portable Document Scanner. Image credit: Canon/Amazon.
The best portable scanner in 2022 overall
Dimensions: 13.49 x 6.5 x 4.8 inches | Wireless: No | Scanning Speed: 12 pages per minute
Should any of us even be shocked why the Canon imageFORMULA R10 is first on our list? The ring of the brand name itself immediately implies image accuracy and quality. As such, this find is arguably our number one choice.
Weighing a little over 2 pounds, the scanner supports 8.5×14-sized documents at most and is available at a competitive price point.
What sets this contender apart from its many contemporaries is how easy it is to set up too! From receipts and photos to contracts and business cards, this Canon product is an impressive buy!
Pros Cons ➕ Great scanning speed ➖ Can be expensive ➕ Attractive price pointLatest Price on Amazon:
Canon imageFORMULA R10 Portable Document Scanner, 2-Sided Scanning with 20 Page Feeder, Easy Setup...
- STAY ORGANIZED – Easily convert your paper documents into digital formats like searchable PDF files, JPEGs, and more
- CONVENIENT AND PORTABLE –lightweight and small in size, you can take the scanner anywhere from home offices, classrooms, remote offices, and anywhere in between
- HANDLES VARIOUS MEDIA TYPES – Digitize receipts, business cards, plastic or embossed cards, reports, legal documents, and more
- FAST AND EFFICIENT – No technical hurdles or complicated setups here; easily scan both sides of a document at the same time, in color or black-and-white, at up to 12 pages-per-minute, and with a 20...
- BROAD COMPATIBILITY – Works with both Windows and Mac devices, be it laptop or computer
2. Epson WorkForce ES-50
Epson WorkForce ES-50. Image credit: Epson/Amazon.
The best budget portable scanner
Dimensions: 1.8 x 10.7 x 1.3 | Wireless: No | Scanning Speed: 10 pages per minute
Another versatile option here is the Epson WorkForce ES-50 . While it’s not as lightweight as some of the other options on our list, the ES-50 is powered by USB connectivity, which means that this portable scanner is easy to use, fairly lightweight, and scans documents in as quickly as 4 seconds!
Pros Cons ➕ Easy to use ➖ Single sheet scanning ➕ EfficientLatest Price on Amazon:
Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac
- Fastest and lightest mobile single sheet fed document scanner in its class(1) small, portable scanner ideal for easy, on the go scanning
- Fast scans a single page in as fast as 5.5 seconds(2) Windows and Mac compatible, the scanner also includes a TWAIN driver.
- Versatile paper handling scans documents upto 8.5 x 72 inches, as well as ID cards and receipts
- Smart tools to easily scan and organize documents Epson ScanSmart Software(3) makes it easy to scan, review and save
- USB powered connect to your computer; No batteries or external power supply required
3. Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner
Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner. Image credit: Canon/Amazon.
The best value portable scanner
Dimensions: 14.5 x 9.9 x 1.7 | Wireless: No | Scanning Speed: 10 seconds per page
Arguably one of the best purchases you can make, the Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner is an affordable device that’ll help you scan almost anything under the sun. Although it’s one of the larger options online, scanning multiple documents here is relatively quick.
It isn’t wireless, though, so you’ll have to make sure it’s plugged in when you use it. Still, its affordability and capacity to scan all sorts of files make it appealing to a ton of professionals.
Pros Cons ➕ Easy to use ➖ Make take up a lot of desk space ➕ Scans almost anythingLatest Price on Amazon:
Canon CanoScan Lide 300 Scanner, 1.7" x 14.5" x 9.9"
- Scan documents quickly and easily with fast scanning up to 10 seconds
- Digitize documents and images thanks to 2400 x 2400 dpi resolution, and with image enhancements, such as fade correction and dust reduction, your photos will continue to look great
- Enjoy ease of use with 4 'EZ' buttons. With auto scan mode, the Scanner automatically detects what you're scanning; Built in PDF button, easily scans and saves pdf's that are editable and searchable
4. Brother DS-940DW
Brother DS-940DW. Image credit: Brother/Amazon.
The best wireless portable scanner
Dimensions: 12.6 x 2.5 x 1.8 inches | Wireless: Yes / Wi-Fi and USB | Scanning Speed: 16 pages per minute
The Brother DS-940DW is packed with the capacity to scan 15 pages in 60 seconds and is one of the more able contenders in its category. Weighing less than 2 pounds, this device scans everything too, from photos and office files to everything else in between.
In our opinion, the best part about this Brother gem is its ability to perform two-sided scanning, allowing users to be as time-efficient as possible. Wired or not, this purchase will deliver!
Pros Cons ➕ Two-sided scanning ➖ Can be expensive ➕ Fairly portableLatest Price on Amazon:
Brother DS-940DW Duplex and Wireless Compact Mobile Document Scanner
- ULTRA COMPACT – At a size barely bigger than a box of spaghetti you can fit this device virtually anywhere (a bag, a purse a pocket) The Brother DSD (Desk Saving Design) feature reduces the amount...
- FAST SPEED AND DUPLEX SCANNING – Scan single and double sided documents in a single pass at up to 16ppm (1) Color scanning doesn’t slow you down at all as it has the same scan speed as black and...
- REAL MOBILITY – With an embedded lithium ion battery and the ability to insert a micro SD card (2) you can use this as a standalone device virtually anywhere Scan to mobile devices with Brother’s...
- DRIVERLESS SCANNING – Mass storage support lets you utilize a Micro SD card (2) to scan documents and retrieve on a PC without a driver installed Supports Windows, Mac and Linux environments and...
- OPTIMIZE IMAGES AND TEXT –Automatic color detection/adjustment image rotation (PC only) bleed through prevention/background removal text enhancement color drop to enhance the scans Software suite...
5. IRIScan Book 5
IRISCan Book 5. Image credit: IRISCan/Amazon.
The best wand portable scanner
Dimensions: 10.19 x 1.49 x 0.87 inches | Wireless: Yes | Scanning Speed: 1 sec for a BW document 2 secs for a colored document
Are you looking for a handheld portable scanner? Look no further than the IRIScan Book 5 . Arguably the most on-the-go device on the list, this pick is the perfect option for professionals who need to travel light.
Packed with an impressive 1,200 dpi, simply slide the device onto the document you want to digitize and it’ll save the file on your smartphone app in seconds.
If you plan to make a quick trip to the library or save a page of a magazine or book you can’t keep for yourself, this is the purchase to make!
Pros Cons ➕ Purely portable ➖ Could be faster ➕ Very efficientLatest Price on Amazon:
IRISCan Book 5 Wifi Wand Portable Scanner, Ultra Speed sheet fed scanner Battery Lithium,1 Click...
- Mobile Scanner, especially convenient for sales rep product marketers, press article, flyers, ads, product competitor specs
- 300/600/1200 dpi scanning resolutions for perfect images results, scanning speed: 1 Sec. For a BW document/ 2 Sec. For a color document, directly scan to PDF and JPEG
- Save scans onto the micros card (included), 1. 5" color screen (be safe your scan correctly). scan up to 100 documents daily, powered by a USB rechargeable battery
- Real time appearing of your scans to "instant result wife" iOS Android apps. By wife, Real time appearing of your scans on PC, state-of-the-art OCR software suite read iris Pro iris compressor Pro
- Convert any paper document, PDF, or image file into editable Office documents, word, Excel, outlook, pages, numbers and many others
6. Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300
Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300. Image credit: Plustek/Amazon.
The best portable scanner for photos
Dimensions: 11.4 x 6.3 x 6.2 | Wireless: No | Scanning Speed: 2 seconds for one 4×6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8×10 size photo at 300dpi
If photos are more of your thing, then the Plustek Photo Scanner – ephoto Z300 is most likely your best bet. Packing up to 600 dpi, this handy device is perfect for digitizing old photos, receipts, and 8×10-sized documents.
Perfect for traveling and Instax photography fanatics, there’s a lot you can accomplish with a scanner as convenient as this one. It’s a little on the heavy side, weighing a little over 3 pounds, but it’s still very much a champion in our eyes.
Pros Cons ➕ Great color accuracy ➖ A bit heavy ➕ Good performanceLatest Price on Amazon:
Plustek Photo Scanner - ephoto Z300, Scan 4x6 Photo in 2sec, Auto Crop and Deskew with CCD Sensor....
- The easiest way to scan photos and documents. Supports 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 in sizes photo scanning but also letter and A4 size paper. Optical Resolution is up to 600 dpi ( PS: two setting: 300dpi/...
- Fast and easy, 2 seconds for one 4x6 photo and 5 seconds for one 8x10 size [email protected] You can easily convert about 1000 photos to digitize files in one afternoon and share with your family or...
- More efficient than a flatbed scanner. Just insert the photos one by one and then scan. This makes ePhoto much more efficient than a flatbed scanner.
- Powerful Image Enhancement functions included. Quickly enhance and restore old faded images with a click of the mouse.
- ePhoto Z300 works with both Mac and PC : Supports Windows 7/8/10/11 , Mac OS X 10.10 to 11.x. User can download the latest version on Plustek website.
7. Epson FastFoto FF-680W
Epson FastFoto FF-680W. Image credit: Epson/Amazon.
The best speedy portable scanner
Dimensions: 6.7 x 11.7 x 6.9 | Wireless: Yes | Scanning Speed: 45 pages per minute
While a good number of portable scanners here are terrific for mostly any document, not each one is made specifically for photos.
For many of the options here, a user will have to bend a file to have them digitized with this list’s picks. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W isn’t like that. Made precisely for photographs, this contender can scan pictures as quickly as a second!
It’s much, much pricier than its contemporaries, but if your work involves having to virtualize tangible images, you’re going to find this really handy.
Pros Cons ➕ Fast results ➖ Heavy ➕ Easy to useLatest Price on Amazon:
Sale
Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless High-Speed Photo and Document Scanning System, Black
- World’s Fastest Personal Photo Scanner (1) — scan thousands of photos as fast as 1 photo per second at 300 dpi (2); batch-scan up to 36 photos at a time
- Preserve Your Priceless Photos — restore, organize, protect and share photos; scan Polaroid photos, panoramas, postcards and photos up to 8" x 10"
- Share Stories for Future Generations — use the Epson FastFoto app (3) to add voice and text over your photos or create slideshows, right from your smartphone
- Perfect Picture Imaging System — bring new life to old photos with auto enhancement, color restoration, red-eye reduction, de-skew, crop and rotate
- Single-step Technology — capture both the image and any handwritten notes on the back of a photo in a single scan
8. HP Officejet 250
HP Officejet 250. Image credit: HP/Amazon.
The best 2-in-1 portable scanner
Dimensions: 380.2 x 401.5 x 269.8 mm (Scan + Print Tray opened) | Wireless: Yes | Scanning Speed: 10 pages per minute when black and 7 pages per minute when colored
What makes the HP Officejet 250 a great purchase for its many users is its ability to perform both printer and scanner duties.
It leans more on the bulky side too, so this may not be your first choice if you’re on the road a lot. Despite that, it can fit perfectly in any backpack and works incredibly well with almost any device because of its wireless technology.
From printing contracts and thesis papers to scanning photos and receipts, this HP gem is sure to perform.
Pros Cons ➕ Great all-in-one solution ➖ Slower scanning speeds ➕ 10-page document feederLatest Price on Amazon:
HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One Portable Printer with Wireless Mobile Printing, Works with Alexa...
- Main functions of this HP all-in-one portable printer: scan, copy, easy portable printing wherever you need it, wireless Print from your laptop or mobile devices, 2. 65" Color touchscreen, auto...
- Mobile printing: print from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet with the free HP ePrint app, easily connect to your printer with Bluetooth smart technology and Wi-Fi Direct
- Easy portable printing wherever you need it. This durable, compact printer fits in your car, backpack, and more, for convenient printing anywhere. Start printing right out of the box with quick and...
- Reduce charging interruptions with a long-lasting battery. Charge from home, in your car or office, and more. Plug in your AC power source to charge within 90 minutes while the printer is off
- Use Original HP 62 ink HP 62XL cartridges for great results Print after print. Original HP ink prints up to 2x the pages as refilled cartridges
9. Brother ADS-1250W
Brother ADS-1250W. Image credit: Brother/Amazon
The best versatile portable scanner
Dimensions: 11.7 x 3.9 x 3.4 | Wireless: Yes | Scanning Speed: 25 pages per minute
Another worthy find here is Brother ADS-1250W . While it’s just as efficient as our top pick, this one weighs a little over 3 pounds, making it a tad heavier.
Still, this device is reliable and intuitive to utilize. Supporting documents as large as 8.27 x 11.69, users can opt to save their scanned files directly to their emails, mobile devices, flash drives, and more. If you’re a huge Brother fan, this should be an easy favorite for you.
Pros Cons ➕ Quality product ➖ Not the most portable ➕ VersatileLatest Price on Amazon:
Brother Wireless Portable Compact Desktop Scanner, ADS-1250W, Easy-to-Use, Fast Scan Speeds, Ideal...
- COMPACT DESIGN AND FAST SCAN SPEEDS HANDLE A VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS Scan single and double sided, documents in a single pass at up to 25 ppm(1). Dedicated card slot to scan plastic cards, plus 20 page...
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY AND PORTABILITY Use the Micro USB 3.0 connection to a laptop or PC for easy device portability (8). Wireless scanning to PC, cloud apps (7), and mobile destinations plus USB 3.0...
- QUICK AND EASY SCANNING WITHOUT INSTALLING SOFTWARE Start scanning immediately without installing software. Mass storage support via scan to USB allows scanning and retrieval of files simply by...
- COMPATIBLE WITH THE WAY YOU WORK ADS1250W supports multiple “Scan to” destinations: such as File(2), OCR(2), Email(2), Mobile Devices(3) and USB flash memory drive(4) to help optimize your...
- OPTIMIZE IMAGES AND TEXT Enhance scans with automatic color detection/adjustment, image rotation (PC only), bleed through prevention / background removal, text enhancement, color drop. Software...
10. IRIScan Executive 2
IRIScan Executive 2. Image credit: IRIScan/Amazon
The best handheld portable scanner
Dimensions: 2.42 x 2.2 x 1.43 | Wireless: No | Scanning Speed: 3 pages per minute
The IRIScan Executive 2 may be the best pick on the list when it comes to portability. As it’s quite literally a computer mouse, anyone can fit this device in whatever bag they carry.
Simply slide the mouse on the surface of the file you want to scan and wait for the entire thing to be detected. In other words, it scans the parts you slide it on! If speed isn’t something you’re too worried about, this find is for you!
Pros Cons ➕ Incredibly portable ➖ Could be faster ➕ LightweightLatest Price on Amazon:
IRIScan Executive 2 Portable Scanning Mouse
- All-In-One Full-Featured Scanner And Mouse
- Scan Any Document, Newspaper, Contract, Picture And Many More, Up To A4
- Amazing Mouse Scanner Functionnality, Ideal To Scan Any Part Of Documents, Business Cards, Receipts
- Ideal To Scan Part Documents Into Full Microsoft Word
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10+ Best Portable Scanners in 2022
All in all, the best portable scanners in 2022 are all amazing finds, each designed to help creatives and corporate pros get work done quickly.
It doesn’t matter if you work from home or in the office, all of these picks are efficient devices in their own right, empowering you to take larger strides in project management and beyond. What’s your favorite item on the list?
Let us know in the comment sections!
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