Why an all-in-one scanner printer may be a good choice for small businesses and home offices.
High-tech, specialized scanners and printers have their uses, but for the casual consumer or small business owner, these devices may become yet one more item gathering dust on a shelf. If you’re not planning to scan or print at high volume, a photo scanner printer may be the two-in-one solution for you.
Read our free ultimate guide to discover what to look for in a photo scanner for home or small business.
What is a photo scanner printer?
A photo scanner printer offers a lot of functionalities in one device. As the name suggests, it can print as well as scan documents and photos, which makes it a useful device for a home or small office. If you do a little bit of printing and some scanning, these all-in-one devices can be a great choice. However, if you’re planning to scan a lot of photos, you may want to consider a device made especially for scanning photography at high resolution.
Why you should consider a photo scanner printer for your small business
Small businesses need to be frugal with equipment purchases, especially when they’re not crucial to operations. So, unless your small business revolves around scanning or printing documents, a photo scanner printer is probably the best choice for you.
Save on equipment
Buying just one device versus two will be less costly. It will also save you time on researching the pros and cons of various printers and then having to repeat the process for scanners.
Stay organized
Even if your business doesn’t revolve around photography, you may still want a photo scanning device in the office. Photos don’t come in a standard size and don’t always fit neatly into a folder, which makes it easy for them to fall out and get stuck in a cabinet somewhere. It’s much more convenient to digitize the occasional photo than risk misplacing the physical copy. This is when having a photo scanner printer on your desk can come in handy.
Secure your files
Even if you have a mostly-online business, you may occasionally need to scan some company documents and photos that you want to preserve. Having access to a quick photo scanner through the same device that prints your invoices is convenient.
Did You Know?:The ScanSnap iX1400 quickly scans and recognizes receipts with the touch of a button. Click here to learn more.
Share files
Scanned digital copies can be emailed, linked, and uploaded to file-sharing programs, which makes them easier to share with clients and your team. When you have the occasional physical document on your hands, it makes sense to simply scan it.
Why you should consider a photo scanner printer for your home
If you’re looking to scan some photos from the family album and print out a document or two every couple of months, you’re probably a great candidate for a photo scanner printer.
Save space
Having an all-in-one printer scanner can help you win back some square footage in a home office, especially if you’re only planning to use it occasionally.
Preserve memories
Say you decided to clean out your closet and found some old photos that you’d like to save before they start fading. Running out and buying a new scanner for a really small, one-time project may not make sense. Simply turning to your scanner printer is much more convenient.
Safeguard what’s important
Whether it's mementos, like old cards or letters, or a document, like a car title, you may occasionally want to create a digital backup in case something happens to the original. Having a photo scanner printer on hand makes that process easy.
Manage cord clutter
Cord management can be a headache in a home office, especially with kids and pets running around. Having a single photo scanner printer with one cord (or no cord, if you decide on a wireless option) instead of multiple devices connected to each other with a spider web of cables can save you from tripping hazards.
Did You Know?:With a compact wireless design, the ScanSnap iX1300 is the perfect fit even for the smallest of home offices. Click here to learn more.
Enjoy other features
Besides printing and scanning, typical flatbed photo scanner printers can also make copies and print photos and stationery with simple adjustments to ink and paper settings. Some models can even send a fax, if you ever need.
When is a photo scanner printer not the right choice?
Photo scanner printers are handy, convenient devices but their most prominent feature is always that of a printer. However, they may not be the best way to scan photos in bulk. Instead, photo scanner printers are made for the occasional scanning job, not for someone who needs to make high-resolution digital copies of important documents on a daily basis.
That’s why larger businesses and small businesses that need to scan large numbers of documents should invest in a durable, modern scanner. If you are in the market for a document scanner for your home office or small business, click here to learn more and shop the full line of ScanSnap scanners.