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Scanners: Ratings of Sources
Total of 15 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. PCMag.com
M. David Stone
Scanners
by M. David Stone
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentPCMag.com is the most prolific and consistent reviewer of scanners, publishing detailed single-product reports and the occasional head-to-head roundup article. Scanners are rated, making it easy to compare models; there's a comparison tool as well. One scanner in each category gets an Editors' Choice nod, and a helpful list of top-rated models includes these as well as other models with high ratings. Reviewer M. David Stone's breadth of experience gives him an excellent frame of reference. One negative is that this listing includes lots of discontinued scanners.
2. Macworld
As of April 2012
Scanner Reviews
by Editors of Macworld
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMacworld looks at scanners that are suitable for Mac as well as Windows users. The reviews are detailed, and the results of speed tests and the reviewers' opinions of the scanner's output color and clarity are reported. Scanners are rated on a scale from 1 to 5, so users can see where scanners stack up against their competition. Several Epson and Canon models get high ratings.
3. ITReviews.co.uk
As of April 2012
Scanner Reviews
by Editors of IT Reviews
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis U.K.-based site reviews a new scanner every few months or so. Reviews are not particularly detailed, but they cover performance basics and scan quality. More recent reviews also rate products on a scale of 1 to 5. Editors give favorable verdicts to the Xerox DocuMate 4440, the Visioneer Strobe 400, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 and the Epson Perfection V500, and they name the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 a best buy. Not all scanners reviewed on this site are available in the U.S.
4. ScanDig
As of April 2012
Film Scanner Test-Reports: Complete Overview of All the Models
by Editors of ScanDig
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis German site is geared mainly toward film scanners, though it does cover many of the popular models that scan photos as well as film. Reviews are detailed and often include useful information about how to use the machines. Not all articles are translated into English, however. Editors give high marks to the Canon CanoScan 9000F, saying it is suitable for home users though not professionals. This is a good source to use once a model has been narrowed down.
5. Imaging-Resource.com
As of April 2012
Scanner Reviews
by Editors of Imaging-Resource.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentImaging-Resource.com is one of the best online sources for camera reviews. The editors bring the same dedication and passion to their scanner reviews, which are among the most detailed and complete we found. While opinions are rendered, there are neither objective ratings nor specific recommendations as to which scanner is best. The editors seem to favor the Canon CanoScan 9000F and the Plustek OpticFilm 7600i for scanning film.
6. Computeractive (U.K.)
As of April 2012
Hardware: Scanners
by Editors of Computeractive magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentBritish magazine Computeractive reviews scanners, although not all models are available in the U.S.. However, reviews do contain pros and cons, and the star rating system makes it easy to see which models impress the reviewers. The Canon CanoScan 9000F and the Plustek OpticFilm 7600i photo scanners each get perfect scores, while the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 portable scanner gets 4 out of 5 stars.
7. PC World
Feb. 17, 2011
Have Scanner, Will Travel
by Richard Jantz
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article gives an overview of five portable scanners, with links to full reviews of each model and to a comparison chart. Reviewer Richard Jantz explains, "All of the products we evaluated are portable Sheet-fed scanners thatÉsport an automatic document feeder, and can scan both single- and double-sided pages." The Visioneer Strobe 500 gets the top rating and is named best overall. The iVina BulletScan S300 gets the Best Buy award "since it costs $50 less...and is the only model that offers a built-in option to scan to Google Docs. "
8. PC World
As of April 2012
Printers
by Editors of PC World
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentPC World does not have a dedicated section for scanner reviews but lumps them in with printer reviews, and it is difficult to sort through them all to compare different models. (The article summarized above is an exception.) Epson's WorkForce Pro GT-S50, a desktop document scanner, gets a good 2010 review but is not rated; the Epson Perfection V300, reviewed in May 2009, gets a high rating. The Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 is reviewed in February 2011 and is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
9. Amazon.com
As of April 2012
Scanners
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAmazon.com carries a wide range of scanners, including sheet-fed, flatbeds, film scanners, all-in-ones and specialized professional scanners. Many models get high ratings, so it's a little hard to identify the best in any category. Among sheet-fed scanners the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100, S1300 and S1500 models -- both PC and Mac versions -- get high ratings, as does the portable Canon imageFormula P-150 Scan-tini. Epson's Perfection models get the highest ratings among the photo scanners, and Canon's CanoScan 9000F and CanoScan LiDE 110 stand out in the flatbed category.
10. NewEgg.com
As of April 2012
Scanners
by Contributors to Newegg.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentWhile Newegg.com does not get as much user traffic as Amazon.com, it offers a few advantages. For one, reviewers are asked to post their level of technical knowledge, and most are technologically savvy. Of the models with 35 or more reviews, top ratings go to the Canon CanoScan LiDE 110 and two Epson Perfection photo scanners, the V500 and the V300.
11. BHPhoto.com
As of April 2012
Scanners
by Contributors to B&H Photo
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentBHPhotoVideo.com is a good source for user reviews; though scanners are divided into three categories that must be searched separately, you can search by which scanners have the most reviews. Epson's Perfection photo scanners have the most reviews and highest ratings, especially models V500, V600, V700 and V300. The Canon CanoScan 9000F is also a standout. Of the dedicated film scanners, the Plustek OpticFilm 7600i has the best ratings from the most people. Portable scanners have fewer reviews; the top-rated model in that category is the Fujitsu S1300 ScanSnap.
12. Laptop Magazine
As of April 2012
Reviews: Printers and Scanners
by Editors of Laptop Magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentScanner reviews here focus on portable scanners. However, the reviews are quite detailed and are based on tests by Laptop Magazine reviewers. A recent article compares five portable scanners and rates each one; there is a handy chart that compares how well each scanner performed specific tasks. The Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 wins the contest and is the Editors' Choice among this group. The Visioneer Strobe 500 also gets a good review.
13. Shutterbug.com
As of April 2012
Scanners and Printers
by David B. Brooks
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentShutterbug.com is a photography website that offers equipment reviews, including a few reviews of photo scanners written by staffer David B. Brooks. His reviews are detailed and include scan samples and screenshots of driver interfaces. Though Brooks doesn't rate models, he does clearly identify positive and negative aspects of each. Models with positive reviews over the past couple of years include the Canon CanoScan 9000, Epson Perfection V600 and Plustek Optic Film 7600i.
14. About.com
As of April 2012
Top Photo Scanners for Digitizing Your Photos
by Peter Piazza
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentOn this undated list of the six best photo scanners, four have full reviews that include the results of hands-on testing. The top-rated tested models are the Epson Perfection V500, Pandigital PhotoLink One Touch, Plustek OpticFilm 7400 and the Epson Perfection V300. Piazza also recommends the Epson Perfection V700 and the Nikon Coolscan 5000 ED, but the basis for these recommendations seems to be solely the manufacturer's specifications; there is no full review of either model. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
15. CNET
As of April 2012
Scanners
by Editors of CNET
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentCNET's editors have not reviewed any scanners in two years, but some of this site's older reports have some value because the scanners covered are still available. The reviews themselves are relatively well done, and ratings are provided so it's easy to see how scanners stack up against one another. The Epson V700 is highly rated.
     
 

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