While phone scanning apps can be useful for occasional needs, having a small document scanner can be extremely handy for important situations like applying for a mortgage or dealing with legal matters. After thorough research and testing of various portable document scanners since 2013, we have determined that the Brother ADS-1250W offers the best combination of ease of use, performance, and portability. It excels in text recognition, produces high-quality scans, works wirelessly with both computers and mobile devices, and operates at a fast pace.
Our Recommendation
The Brother ADS-1250W stands out for its speed, accuracy, and user-friendly design.
The Brother ADS-1250W stands out as the most user-friendly among the document scanners we tested, thanks to its smart software and reliable hardware. It offers superior text recognition, produces cleaner scans, maintains a stable Wi-Fi connection, and scans at a quick pace. While it is slightly larger and heavier than some competitors and lacks a built-in battery, it remains highly portable for most users.
Runner-up
The ADS-1700W is essentially the same as our top pick, with the addition of a touchscreen and extra scanning options.
In terms of performance, the Brother ADS-1700W matches our top pick but typically comes at a higher price. It includes a mediocre 2.8-inch touchscreen and offers direct scanning to cloud storage services, email servers, and network drives. If these features appeal to you, or if our top choice is unavailable, the ADS-1700W is a solid alternative. However, for most users, these additional features may not be necessary.
Another Great Option
Ideal for users seeking a compact, lightweight scanner capable of duplex scanning.
The Brother DS-940DW scanner is a smaller and lighter version of our top pick but is limited to scanning one document at a time. It delivers fast and accurate scans, supports duplex scanning (double-sided scanning), features a built-in rechargeable battery, and allows scan transfers via Wi-Fi. This scanner is suitable for individuals lacking a high-quality camera on their phone or those scanning in low-light conditions.
Premium Choice
The FastFoto FF-680W comes at a higher cost and is bulkier than our top pick, but is excellent for quick quality scans of photos and documents.
Conventional document scanners are not suited for photos as they can damage delicate finishes and bend documents. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W, on the other hand, can swiftly digitize cherished photos, completing the task in as little as one second per photo. While it may be costly for everyday use, it is a valuable tool for efficiently archiving old photos that might otherwise be time-consuming to scan manually.
