If you’re in the market for a lightweight and packable scanner to make part of your everyday carry, here’s what you should look for.
Anyone in the market for a small portable scanner should consider a few key features — it needs to be easy to carry but also easy to use, lightweight and packable but also complete with features that make life on the road as simple as possible. Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice functionality or reliability for the sake of size. The scanners of today have come a long way, making it possible to find a portable device that’s also easy to fit into a remote lifestyle. Here are the most important considerations for anyone looking for a small portable scanner to call their own.
Need to brush up on portable scanning fundamentals? Check out our helpful guide, "Portable Scanners: What You Need to Know to Scan on the Go"
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Why should you choose a small portable scanner?
What to look for in your perfect small portable scanner
Our recommendation: ScanSnap iX100
Why should you choose a small portable scanner?
The world of work doesn’t look like it once did. More and more companies allow employees to work from home with a focus on maintaining the same amount of productivity. And as more and more professionals discover that “working from home” can mean working from anywhere that isn’t the office, work will become increasingly mobile. Many professionals that embrace the remote, mobile lifestyle need to be able to scan physical documents while they’re on the road.
That’s where small portable scanners come in — these devices fit with the mobile lifestyle because they are compact, easy to pack and light to carry, and simple to set up and use. The idea is to make scanning a seamless and pain-free experience, no matter where you’re working on any given day.
Did You Know?ScanSnap scanners specialize in versatility and ease-of-use at an affordable price. Click here to learn more.
What to look for in your perfect small portable scanner
Here are some of the key components you should look for in the best small portable scanner to suit your needs.
True mobility
First and foremost, anyone scanning while on-the-go needs a scanner that is as portable as a smartphone or tablet — small enough to slide in a backpack or briefcase and light enough to tote through airports or on road trips. On top of packability, selecting a scanner with a small footprint will make it easy to do the actual work of scanning, even in the smallest impromptu workspaces. Consider a scanner with a U-turn guide, which allows full-size sheets of paper to stay within reach and take up less space during the scanning process. Lastly, make sure your small portable scanner is equipped with a reliable long-life battery so you can use it without having to hunt down an open outlet.
Did You Know? PCMagazine described the ScanSnap iX100 as “an exceptional-value portable scanner Click here to read the full review and learn why it earned an “excellent” 4 out of 5 rating.
Easy connectivity
Because small portable scanners are built for work on-the-go, it’s often handy that they connect seamlessly to wireless networks wherever you are. Because you can’t always count on finding a stable or secure Wi-Fi connection while traveling, make sure your portable scanner can connect to your devices through USB.
Scanning speed
Scan speeds are always a consideration and equally important when looking for a small portable scanner. You don’t want to sit around and wait for a scan to complete, or to stay put and feed documents into the device for hours on end.
Size flexibility
Depending what you plan to scan, you may also want to look for a scanner that offers flexible options when it comes to paper size. Your small portable scanner should be able to recognize and capture smaller documents, like business cards, credit cards, ID cards, and receipts. If you plan to scan larger items like brochures, maps, and flyers, look for a scanner that can automatically stitch together a complete image after you’ve scanned two halves of a folded document, for example.
Top quality
Without a small portable scanner in their everyday carry, many remote workers with scanning needs get stuck snapping photos on their phones. Phone cameras can distort documents, cause illegible images, and slow down the capture process. Instead, look for a small portable scanner that can automatically enhance images during scanning. That way, you’ll be able to read and refer back to even the finest of fine print and capture crisp, legible images of everything you scan on the fly.
Scanning software
The software that comes with your scanner is an important consideration when deciding on a portable lightweight scanner. Look for programs and apps that let you:
- Organize and search all your scanned .JPG and .PDF files
- Manage and catalog scanned business cards
- Integrate directly with cloud services like storage and collaboration platforms
Did You Know? PCMagazine said the ScanSnap iX100 is “one of the most comprehensive collections of portable document scanner utilities we've ever seen.” Click here to read the full review.
Our recommendation: ScanSnap iX100
We know you have no shortage of options when it comes to choosing a home document scanner. We pride ourselves on having spent the last 50+ years designing and developing some of the most beloved electronics in the world, including our line of award-winning, easy to use, one touch ScanSnap scanners.
Even though it’s dramatically compact, the ScanSnap iX100 is equipped with a high performance battery and a built-in GI processor that automatically enhances each image. The completely wireless device weighs in at less than 1 pound and can scan small items and letter-sized paper alike (plus auto-stitching functionality for larger document sizes). With a full suite of scanning software at your disposal, you’ll find the ScanSnap iX100 incredibly easy to use no matter where you set up your workspace. Click here to learn more and shop the full line of ScanSnap scanners.