Scanners Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best Scanners. See our ratings criteria

For recommendations of best Scanners, see our Fast Answers page, which summarizes what these reviews say. A longer summary and analysis appears in our Full Story report for Scanners. Our Where to Buy page contains information on retailers and Scanners prices.

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Scanners Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Scanners Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	Fast and Versatile Scanners for the Office Eric Butterfield Feb. 2007		This article looks at scanners designed to shine in an office setting. Each scanner is tested for speed and rated by the magazine's judges on its features, usability and, of course, the quality of its output. Ratings are assigned so that it’s easy to see how scanners measure up against one another, and the top-rated scanners get a spot on PC World's list of Top 5 Document Scanners.
2. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Dynamic Desktop Document Scanners M. David Stone Aug. 2006		This survey of four scanners focuses on both home and office use. The reviews are very thorough, and editors use a ratings system that lets readers quickly see how scanners compare to one another. In addition, the very best scanners get an Editors' Choice designation. Two scanners earn that recognition in this article.

Scanners Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Scanners Ratings Comments on Reviews

3. CNet.com	Scanners Editors of CNet.com As of June 2007		CNet.com's editors don't review as many scanners as PC World or PC Magazine, but the site's reports are equally well done. Ratings are provided, so it's easy to see how scanners stack up against on another. CNet.com is stingier than most sites in conferring Editors' Choice ratings, so its reviews are quite critical.
4. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	High-Quality Scanners Offer Easy Image Fixes Richard Jantz Sept. 28, 2006		This two-scanner face off compares the Epson Perfection V350 Photo and the Canon CanoScan 8600F. The emphasis is on how well they digitize photos, slides and film, and how easy they are to use. How well the scanners handle image defects such as scratches is also addressed. While reviewer Richard Jantz says both scanners have their strengths, one scanner has a clear edge.
5. Macworld >> Details/Subscribe	Scanner Reviews Editors of Macworld As of June 2007		MacWorld looks at scanners that are suitable for Mac as well as Windows users. The reviews are detailed, and the results of speed tests and jury opinions of the scanner's output color and clarity are reported. Scanners are rated from one to four "mice," so users can see where scanners stack up against their competition. Currently, highest scoring scanners include the budget-priced Epson Perfection V350 and the Epson Perfection V700, which editors say is a "fine choice for those looking for a mid-range scanner for both photos and high-resolution transparencies."
6. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Scanners Editors of PC Magazine As of June 2007		In addition to the article above, PC Magazine reviews scanners in well-detailed, single-product reports. Scanners are rated by the editors, making it easy to compare choices. Within the reviews, scanners are sometimes compared to on another. Reviews are listed by date, but there's no indication on the list as to whether or not scanners have been discontinued.
7. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	Scanner Reviews Editors of PC World As of June 2007		In addition to the articles already discussed, PC World occasionally reviews scanners in single-product reports. While these reports don't typically compare the reviewed scanner to other models, opinions are given, and ratings are assigned.

Scanners Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Scanners Ratings Comments on Reviews

8. Imaging- Resource.com	Scanner Reviews Editors of Imaging-Resource.com As of June 2007		Imaging-Resource.com is one of the best online sources for camera reviews. The editors bring the same dedication and passion to their reviews of scanners, which are among the most detailed and complete we found. Unfortunately, the site only has reviews for three current scanners. Also, while opinions are rendered, there are neither objective ratings, nor specific recommendations as to which scanner is best. Finally, budget buyers will want to look elsewhere for guidance, as the focus here is on higher-end scanners that can handle transparencies.
9. Popular Photography	Which Scanner Should I Buy? Editors of Popular Photography & Imaging June 2007		This very brief question-and-answer article address the question of what low price scanner is best for scanning a wide variety of photographic originals. It reports that the Epson 4490 Photo is a good place to start, but that if you will be scanning original paintings and drawings, the HP Scanjet G4050 is a better choice. However, no in-depth information on either scanner is provided.
10. Consumer Guide.com	Scanners Reviews and Prices Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of June 2007		Consumer Guide has come a long way, now that it's associated with How Stuff Works. That said, the reviews here are centered on specifications more than in-depth testing (if any). Both Best Buy and Budget Buy recommendations are made. Another negative is that there are many discontinued scanners on this list.
11. About.com	Flatbed Scanner Reviews Editors of About.com As of June 2007		Although some of the content here is a little dated, you'll find fairly well-done reviews of a few still-current budget scanners. In particular, the Epson Perfection V100 Photo gets a nod as an excellent low-cost performer. The Visioneer One Touch 7300 USB is rated as a good lightweight travel scanner that's hampered by OCR functionality that's called "marginal, at best." No author is listed, so we're unsure who wrote these scanner reviews.
12. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Scanners Editors of Consumer Reports May 2006		This to-the-point survey for general desktop users ranks 13 low-priced scanners ranging from $100 to $200. Consumer Reports editors counsel that scanners with higher resolution generally performed better when scanning transparent material. Ratings are chart-based without much in the way of commentary. Unfortunately, it's been a while since this report was last updated, and most of the models listed have since been replaced by newer scanners.
13. Small Business Computing.com	Tame the Paper Tiger — Fast Jamie Bsales Apr. 28, 2006		This single-product review of the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 is well written and comprehensive. Author Jamie Bsales does a great job of walking a potential buyer through the process of setting up and using the scanner, then discusses how the S500 is rated on a variety of tasks. While a few hiccups were noted with the CardMinder business card OCR and with management, the scanner is said to deliver a great combination of speed and software.

Scanners Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Scanners Ratings Comments on Reviews

14. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	How to buy a scanner Editors of PC World Nov. 2006		The quality of a scanner's output, speed, driver and software matter when choosing a scanner, says this article. And so the PC World editors suggest accompanying specs for such key features as optical resolution, color depth and sensor technology in order to gain optimal performance. For example, when deciding on scanner resolution, the higher the dpi numbers, the sharper the image. Scan area is less important, says the article. Shopping tips, such as opting for a flatbed scanner over other varieties, are also included. No ratings are included here.
15. Macworld >> Details/Subscribe	New life for old photos Derrick Story May 1, 2006		This article is a run-down on how to restore aging prints and negatives. Author Derrick Story breaks the process down to seven steps that begin with setup and end with adding image details. There's also an output resolution guide for prints that's very helpful. It matches scan resolution to original print size, since it can be difficult to understand this process otherwise.
16. Amazon.com	Flatbed Scanners Contributors to Amazon.com As of June 2007		Amazon carries a wide range of scanners, including flatbeds, film scanners, all-in-ones and specialized professional scanners. Owners are invited to write ratings for their own scanners. Once you've narrowed your choice to a few models, Amazon.com is a good place to read comments from owners as it gets lots of traffic, but so many scanners get similar ratings that it's hard to make sweeping conclusions about which might be better overall.
17. Newegg.com	Scanners Contributors to Newegg.com As of June 2007		While Newegg.com does not get as much user traffic as Amazon.com, it offers a few advantages. For one, reviewers are required to post their level of technical knowledge, and most reviewers are technologically savvy. The site also provides plenty of tools to help you sort reviews by number, rating and more.
18. Epinions	Scanners Contributors to Epinions.com As of June 2007		Although not linked to a retailer like Amazon.com or Newegg.com, Epinions also provides a forum where users can post reviews and ratings of products, such as scanners. Although the site gets far less traffic than the user-review sites above, the full reviews are sometimes quite long and detailed, occasionally approaching the efforts of professional reviewers.
19. PC Photo Review.com	Flatbed Scanners Contributors to PCPhotoReview.com As of June 2007		PCPhotoReview.com is another independent consumer-ratings site. Unfortunately, we found very few reviews and ratings of current flatbed scanners, film scanners and scanner software here.