Recommendation for a cheap second-hand scanner
May 28, 2008 12:05 PM Subscribe
Trying to go paperless, what cheap, second-hand scanner would you recommend?
I'm trying to get rid of a lot of "useless" papers I still need to keep track on (bank statements, etc.), just like this person is doing.
I need a scanner, but I'm lost between all the different models. Something very cheap (say, less than $30 used on ebay) would do the trick for starters, but really I don't know where to start (and there are soooo many items for sale!)
Any advice?
I'm trying to get rid of a lot of "useless" papers I still need to keep track on (bank statements, etc.), just like this person is doing.
I need a scanner, but I'm lost between all the different models. Something very cheap (say, less than $30 used on ebay) would do the trick for starters, but really I don't know where to start (and there are soooo many items for sale!)
Any advice?
I would also recommend a Canoscan LIDE. You can get a LIDE 25 brand new for about $50.
posted by mattbucher at 1:14 PM on May 28, 2008
posted by mattbucher at 1:14 PM on May 28, 2008
Using a LiDE 25 right now. Works great in Linux. Less so in OS X, until you install TWAIN SANE. Then it works like a charm.
posted by SemiSophos at 2:05 PM on May 28, 2008
posted by SemiSophos at 2:05 PM on May 28, 2008
Get one that scans quickly. A fast scanner is painless to use. A slow scanner will ensure you never use it.
posted by devilsbrigade at 5:42 PM on May 28, 2008
posted by devilsbrigade at 5:42 PM on May 28, 2008
I have an HP, I'm not sure of the model, but it's a 9xxx of some sort. It has an automatic document feeder / duplexer that works reasonably well. I got it from CompUSA when they were going under for about $30; you might be able to pick one up on EBay for a reasonable sum.
My personal feeling is that virtually all software bundled with scanners sucks, because the manufacturers view it as an afterthought to the hardware. The HP suffers from this issue, although it's at least usable. (This is on OS X.) It will scan multipage documents into a single PDF, and comes with a decent OCR widget (thankfully produced by some company whose core competency appears to be software), so it'll do text+image PDFs, which I consider a must.
The one thing I don't like about it is that the ADF forces documents passed through it around a 180-degree bend; this basically means you can only use it for regular copier paper, not business cards, cardstock, or anything else stiff. It also has trouble with paper that's smaller than Executive/Monarch size, like receipts.
One option you might want to consider is picking up an All-In-One unit that includes an ADF flatbed scanner on top of it; at least the HP models are treated by the software just like standalone scanners (i.e. you can just completely ignore the printer part, with no effect on the scanning functionality). This may be your cheapest route to a halfway-decent medium-volume scanner.
I would not get or consider anything without an ADF, unless your total scanning volume is under a few pieces a week. Having the auto-feeder makes scanning -- for me anyway -- from a really obnoxious chore to be avoided at all costs, to something that's merely a low-grade annoyance, accomplished by the machine while I spend time elsewhere.
When the HP I have breaks, I'm just going to bite the bullet and get one of the Fujitsus I keep seeing advertised in Wired. I've heard from some co-workers that they're a huge step up from sub-$100 models.
tl;dr: The HPs with ADFs aren't bad. Consider buying a used all-in-one if you can't afford a real scanner.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:55 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
My personal feeling is that virtually all software bundled with scanners sucks, because the manufacturers view it as an afterthought to the hardware. The HP suffers from this issue, although it's at least usable. (This is on OS X.) It will scan multipage documents into a single PDF, and comes with a decent OCR widget (thankfully produced by some company whose core competency appears to be software), so it'll do text+image PDFs, which I consider a must.
The one thing I don't like about it is that the ADF forces documents passed through it around a 180-degree bend; this basically means you can only use it for regular copier paper, not business cards, cardstock, or anything else stiff. It also has trouble with paper that's smaller than Executive/Monarch size, like receipts.
One option you might want to consider is picking up an All-In-One unit that includes an ADF flatbed scanner on top of it; at least the HP models are treated by the software just like standalone scanners (i.e. you can just completely ignore the printer part, with no effect on the scanning functionality). This may be your cheapest route to a halfway-decent medium-volume scanner.
I would not get or consider anything without an ADF, unless your total scanning volume is under a few pieces a week. Having the auto-feeder makes scanning -- for me anyway -- from a really obnoxious chore to be avoided at all costs, to something that's merely a low-grade annoyance, accomplished by the machine while I spend time elsewhere.
When the HP I have breaks, I'm just going to bite the bullet and get one of the Fujitsus I keep seeing advertised in Wired. I've heard from some co-workers that they're a huge step up from sub-$100 models.
tl;dr: The HPs with ADFs aren't bad. Consider buying a used all-in-one if you can't afford a real scanner.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:55 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:12 PM on May 28, 2008