5 Best Portable Document Scanners in India 2020

Do you have bundles of documents, receipts or bills that you fear losing or have albums full of old photos that you want to preserve?

Well, a portable scanner is a solution that can convert the hard copies into digital documents and images and clear up physical space on your desktop, drawers, and cabinets.

Unlike desktop scanners, the portable ones have a compact design, so they don’t take up any space on your desk. And most modern portable scanners come with amazing features and specs such as WiFi connectivity, Built-in memory storage, preview screen, etc. that are as good as or even better than desktop scanners.

So, when it comes to choosing a portable scanner, first consider your scanning requirements, frequency of scanning, your budget, etc. and then select one that suits all your needs and is compatible with the operating system of your computer or laptop.

Best Portable Document Scanners in India

5 Portable Scanners in India

1) Epson Perfection V39 Portable Scanner

First on our list is the Epson Perfection, a portable scanner flatbed model scanner. Connected through a USB port, you can use this via not just your laptop or desktop but also with your smartphone (if you have the smartphone USB connector extension).

There are no LCD screen or storage facilities as it is a USB powered device that acts as an accessory to your computer. It comes with an installation CD With drivers. Once connected to the internet through your system, the Epson Perfection automatically updates its drivers from time to time. 

Designed to provide a high resolution of 4800 X 4800 DPI, the Epson Perfection captures every detail on the paper, card or sheet that you place within its scale. 

The device comes with a detachable lid to it and weighs 1.7 kgs so technically, it is light in weight compared to bulky scanners but not to the typical portable scanners. The scanner automatically starts scanning the moment you place the sheet inside it. It also has a built-in kickstand for you to place the device conveniently beside your laptop or anywhere at an elevation.

Coming to the warranty of the device, Amazon only has a return policy and no warranty. Epson provides a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty which begins the moment you purchase the product and register yourselves on the website. 

Pros:

• Flatbed model scanner with 4800 x 4800 DPI resolution
• Detachable lid
• Can scan A4 sheets easily
• Connects to any computer with a USB
• Built-in kickstand for convenient placement
• 1-year warranty

Cons:

• Though the drivers update automatically, there is an issue with the speed of scanning

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2) Canon LIDE300 Portable Scanner (Black)

The Canon LIDE300 is yet another portable scanner from the house of Canon. This flatbed scanner too, like the Epson V39, is USB powered and enabled but not WiFi or Bluetooth compatible.

Weighing about 1.7 kgs, it is not your typical lightweight device but is definitely portable and a slim scanner. The Z lid makes it easier for you to place and scan even heavier and fat books too. 

Again, similar to the Epson scanner, this one too does not have any screen for preview. You are to use your computer screen and this is a negligible factor considering that you buy it for desktops/laptops.

There is a drivers CD that comes with the packaging which will not only install your scanner to your PC but also will update the drivers automatically. 

This scanner can give you the highest resolution of 2400 X 2400 DPI at a scan speed of 10 seconds (for 300DPI A4 sheets).

Using the buttons on the scanner, you can copy, send, scan to PDF too. With the auto scan mode, all you need to do is place the sheet and it scans it as you go.

Canon even provides you with a one year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase. For any further support, you can contact their customer care at 1860 180 3366, 1800 208 3366 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Pros:

• Slim and portable in design
• Can scan A4
• Comes with a Z-Lid that makes scanning of large and fat books easy
• Connects through USB
• Has a resolution of 2400 x 2400 DPI
• 1-year warranty

Cons:

• The product needs to work heavily towards overall reliability. Sometimes, the scanner automatic turns down or refuses to copy whereas other times, it is the size the is the problem.

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3) Microware iScan Magic Wand Portable Document Scanner

Next on our list is a truly portable document scanner, the Microwave iScan magic wand. This scanner is in the shape of a stick of length that can scan any document. This portable scanner can be connected to your computers and smartphones directly a USB cable.

All you need to do is place the sheet to be scanned on the ground, run the scanner through it from top to bottom and you’re scan is done. As it is very light in weight, 272 grams, you can easily carry it anywhere you wish.

iScan can give you as high resolution as 900DPI. Apart from that, you can also choose a lower resolution of 600 or 300 DPI too by pressing the DPI switch on the scanner. 

The internal storage SD card lets you store images in the format of JPEG or PDF as per your wish in just 12 seconds. If you do not have the SD card, you can directly transfer the files to your computer through the USB cable. 

Apart from A4 Sheets, the iScan can scan searchable PDFs, ID Cards, documents of the size 8.5 inches x 14 inches size too. Here, the searchable nature of the documents is questionable up to a certain extent. 

Along with the installation and drivers CD, you are also given a cleaning cloth to wipe and maintain the scanner. There is a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty on the product available form the date of purchase.

Pros:

• Truly portable. About the size of a rolled-up magazine
• The storage capacity of 32 GB and can directly transfer files to the computer through USB
• 900 DPI resolution. Can be toggled to 600 or 300DPI
• Can scan A4 sheets, plastic ID cards etc into searchable PDFs, JPEGs 
• 1 Year warranty

Cons:

• As it is a portable device, we expect it to have its own battery but instead, it is USB powered.
• Also, has product reliability issues

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4) Canon imageFORMULA Personal Document Scanner

The Canon image formula P-208II is yet another portable mini scanner. Similar to the iScan mentioned above, this too has a very small size that is the shape of a stick or a rolled-up magazine. 

It too, like most of the device mentioned above, connects to your computer directly through a USB cable. But unlike the iScan, you cannot do wave the scanner on the page to scan it. There is a small slot inside it through which you will slide in the sheet and thus scan it. 

There is no need for installing any drivers for this scanner, just plug and play. It can scan and produce the file in 6 different formats (PDF, PPT, BMP, TIFF, JPEG,  PNG). 

Coming to the speed, you can scan up to 8 documents in a single minute but the resolution of these documents is nowhere mentioned. There is, however, speculation that it has 200DPI resolution. There is no warranty for the product. 

Pros:

• No drivers installation required. Just plug and play
• Small and truly portable (weighs just about 599 grams)
• Can scan up to 8 documents in a single second (A4)
• The file can be scanned in 6 different formats 

Cons:

• Resolution not mentioned
• No warranty
• Portable yet cannot connect through WiFi

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5) Epson DS-30 Scanner

Finally, we have the Epson DS-30 Scanner. Similar to the iScan and the Canon, it too is a rolled-up magazine-sized Scanner. 

With a 600 DPI scanning resolution, the DS-30 scanner is USB powered. There is also a variant where you can connect and use the scanner with WiFi too.

Ideal for personal usage, the scanner can scan A4 sheets at a speed of 13 seconds per page. Apart from A4, it can also scan receipts, plastic ID cards and other documents of the order 8.5 inches x 14 inches. 

Though the device claims to provide searchable PDF’s, there is still speculation in this area. While there is no on-device storage, you can directly send and store the files to the cloud.

Also, the included correction tools let you automatically remove any punch holes from any punched holes or pins in the scanned images. 

Light in weight (just 318 grams), this travel-friendly portable scanner is compatible with almost any type of computer. It also comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase.

Pros:

• Travel-friendly and lightweight 
• 600 DPI resolution
• Can scan and send files directly to cloud for storage
• 13 seconds per sheet speed
• Included correction tools that remove the punch hole or pin marks
• 1-year warranty

Cons:

• Does not have wireless connectivity 
• Could have had a battery-based power supply than the USB version

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How to Choose a Portable Scanner?

1. Types of Portable Scanners

There are two main types of portable scanners – Wand scanners and small desktop scanners.

Wand scanners are handheld devices that are physically moved over a photograph or document to scan it. The problem with this type of scanner is that the scanned document can be a bit blurry if your hands aren’t really steady.

Small desktop scanners are almost the same size and wand scanners by they need a stable surface such as a desktop to function. It comes with a slot in which the user feeds the document. As the document passes through the feeder it is scanned by the device.

2. Storing/Transferring Scanned Documents

While some portable scanners come with WiFi connectivity so they can be connected wirelessly to the computer in order to transfer the documents, others need to been connected via USB. Then there are scanners that come with built-in memory which can be used to store the scanned documents.

3. File Format

Most standard portable scanners save the documents in PFD format and images and photos in JPG formant. Some high end scanners perform optical character recognition (OCR) to create searchable text documents. Scanners come with dedicated software that helps the user to manage the scanned files.

4. Resolution

It is an important parameter that should be considered while choosing a portable scanner. Most standard scanners have basic resolution of 300 DPI (Dots per Inch) which is good enough for text documents. But you will need a minimum resolution of 600 DPI if you want to scan photos and images.

5. Speed

Most high end portable scanners can scan 5 to 8 pages per minute which is a decent output, but the image quality and accuracy of the scanned document depends on the stability of the user.

6. Power Supply

Portable scanners run on either rechargeable batteries or electricity using an USB connector. If you need to scan documents and images while on the move then it is best to opt for a battery powered or self-powered scanner that can be used anywhere.

Conclusion:

The Epson Perfection V39 Flatbed Scanner has the highest scan resolution of 4800 x 4800 DPI. Also, it’s a detachable lid, the built-in kickstand and the 1-year manufacturer’s warranty make it the best portable scanner you can buy. While that was our list, we encourage you to speak up. Did we miss out on anything? Do you have any further questions regarding scanners or any other tech appliance? Feel free to write to us in the comments section below and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.