Scanner shopping is annoying.

[beaucoup]

We are shopping for a new scanner because we want to get rid of all this paper. DH gave me a list of criteria. I'm finding it almost impossible to find a scanner that meets the criteria, that also doesn't have complaints about the product breaking shortly after purchase.

Really, why should this be so difficult?

Flatbed scanner (stand alone - not an all-in-one with printer & fax)
includes document sheet feeder (sometimes called ADF).
Duplex meaning scans both sides of paper. This might be one feature I might be willing to give up if necessary.
Creates searchable PDFs.
Also photo quality.
Works with Vista & Win7.
Would like to keep it under $500.

And it works -- for at least a few years -- not just weeks or a couple months.

 

[golfgal]

I was going to suggest the all in one I have but you don't want that. I don't know that I have ever seen a flatbed scanner with an automatic feed. I have seen some that look like a printer that auto feed though. I LOVE my printer/scanner/copier/fax machine. It is wireless too . I also LOVE that it has a paper tray and not a paper feeder. It was only about $150 at Office Max. It is a Lexmark.

 

[LuvMickey36]

We are shopping for a new scanner because we want to get rid of all this paper. DH gave me a list of criteria. I'm finding it almost impossible to find a scanner that meets the criteria, that also doesn't have complaints about the product breaking shortly after purchase.

Really, why should this be so difficult?

Flatbed scanner (stand alone - not an all-in-one with printer & fax)
includes document sheet feeder (sometimes called ADF).
Duplex meaning scans both sides of paper. This might be one feature I might be willing to give up if necessary.
Creates searchable PDFs.
Also photo quality.
Works with Vista & Win7.
Would like to keep it under $500.

And it works -- for at least a few years -- not just weeks or a couple months.

Since he has the most "criteria" to meet, give him the list of what will work and ask him check out the reviews. Hopefully, he will bend a little or if what he picks breaks, it is on him. Good Luck!

 

[beaucoup]

I was going to suggest the all in one I have but you don't want that. I don't know that I have ever seen a flatbed scanner with an automatic feed. I have seen some that look like a printer that auto feed though. I LOVE my printer/scanner/copier/fax machine. It is wireless too . I also LOVE that it has a paper tray and not a paper feeder. It was only about $150 at Office Max. It is a Lexmark.

They do exist.

 

[SueInBoston]

We are shopping for a new scanner because we want to get rid of all this paper. DH gave me a list of criteria. I'm finding it almost impossible to find a scanner that meets the criteria, that also doesn't have complaints about the product breaking shortly after purchase.

Really, why should this be so difficult?

Flatbed scanner (stand alone - not an all-in-one with printer & fax)
includes document sheet feeder (sometimes called ADF).
Duplex meaning scans both sides of paper. This might be one feature I might be willing to give up if necessary.
Creates searchable PDFs.
Also photo quality.
Works with Vista & Win7.
Would like to keep it under $500.

And it works -- for at least a few years -- not just weeks or a couple months.

If you are willing to look at all-in-one, I have a Canon all that do all of the above (maybe except the searchable PDFs, what makes it searchable?)

 

[Swank]

I have a point of view you might want to consider. I was thinking of going "paperless" a couple of years ago. It was a huge time commitment. By the time you scan in all your receipts, bills ect, you find it took a couple of hours each month out of your life. I did it for about six months and you know, I only had to go back for a scanned item once in the last two years. BIG WASTE OF TIME for me.

You mentioned in your post you were going to need a scanner with searchable fields, then will have to establish them and keep up the database.

In my opinion it is not worth the time or money ($500 bucks!).

Here is what I do now. I Get a bankers box (staples cardboard file box) put every receipt, bill, whatever in hanging file folders, not sorted too fine, just major categories; Bills,Medical Bills, Receipts, ect. Keep it for the Calendar Year. Then after the year is over, I put a lid on it and put it in the attic and get another box the the current year. If I need a receipt I can go in the attic and get it. Once the boxes are there a few years I will shred the contents. The only exception My Federal and State Taxes and Receipts and Forms are kept in a file folder for each year in my file cabinet (it doesn't take much room) I also include in the Tax File Folder my HSA Receipts with a spreadsheet that shows all transactions in case I am audited .

 

[NotUrsula]

The scanner itself does not do the OCR function; the software does. In most cases getting software that good is an upgrade on a home scanner, so if I were you I wouldn't be looking for that in the scanner itself; you can always upgrade the software you are using for OCR. (My recommendation for the software would be Nuance Omnipage, which is $150 for a home license.)

Document feeders are often sold as an add-on option for flatbeds; all of the Epsons, for instance, can have them added on. We've got two Epsons that work quite well; I'm happy with them. I've also used the new Canon's, and they are very good, but much slower than the Epson's as a general rule.

 

[beaucoup]

I found a scanner with good reviews that meets all his criteria and UNDER budget. Its a more expensive model, but refurbished. He didn't say anything about that, so I'm presenting him the info to review.

He's away for work for most of this year. Seriously, I might just buy what I want, get all this paper scanned and get rid of the darn thing before he gets back. What he doesn't know........

 

[beaucoup]

I have a point of view you might want to consider. I was thinking of going "paperless" a couple of years ago. It was a huge time commitment. By the time you scan in all your receipts, bills ect, you find it took a couple of hours each month out of your life. I did it for about six months and you know, I only had to go back for a scanned item once in the last two years. BIG WASTE OF TIME for me.

You mentioned in your post you were going to need a scanner with searchable fields, then will have to establish them and keep up the database.

In my opinion it is not worth the time or money ($500 bucks!).

Here is what I do now. I Get a bankers box (staples cardboard file box) put every receipt, bill, whatever in hanging file folders, not sorted too fine, just major categories; Bills,Medical Bills, Receipts, ect. Keep it for the Calendar Year. Then after the year is over, I put a lid on it and put it in the attic and get another box the the current year. If I need a receipt I can go in the attic and get it. Once the boxes are there a few years I will shred the contents. The only exception My Federal and State Taxes and Receipts and Forms are kept in a file folder for each year in my file cabinet (it doesn't take much room) I also include in the Tax File Folder my HSA Receipts with a spreadsheet that shows all transactions in case I am audited .

I hear ya. I've considered that too. My dad has a room in the basement filled with boxes. One for each year. Decades worth. I'm calling in a shredding company when its time.

I'm trying to not copy that if I can help it. I've already got too much in my attic. To much stuff completely. If we ever move, I really don't want to have to move a lot of what we keep. I'm reducing & starting with paper.

I'll give your idea more thought. I don't expect I'll be scanning everything I've already got filed.

 

[beaucoup]

The scanner itself does not do the OCR function; the software does. In most cases getting software that good is an upgrade on a home scanner, so if I were you I wouldn't be looking for that in the scanner itself; you can always upgrade the software you are using for OCR. (My recommendation for the software would be Nuance Omnipage, which is $150 for a home license.)

Document feeders are often sold as an add-on option for flatbeds; all of the Epsons, for instance, can have them added on. We've got two Epsons that work quite well; I'm happy with them. I've also used the new Canon's, and they are very good, but much slower than the Epson's as a general rule.

Funny, I'm actually interested in Nuance's PaperPort and it comes with the refurbished scanner I'm looking at. An Epson GT-2500. He wants speed too. Demanding isn't he. lol

 

[Nette]

I hear ya. I've considered that too. My dad has a room in the basement filled with boxes. One for each year. Decades worth. I'm calling in a shredding company when its time.

I'm trying to not copy that if I can help it. I've already got too much in my attic. To much stuff completely. If we ever move, I really don't want to have to move a lot of what we keep. I'm reducing & starting with paper.

I'll give your idea more thought. I don't expect I'll be scanning everything I've already got filed.

As a daughter who recently had to get rid of her dad's papers, I really really recommend that if you go the banker box route, you clean them out periodically. We must have cleaned 100 boxes of paper with receipts and paystubs going back to the 60s! It was a nightmare.

(I had to go through everything because we couldn't find the deed to the house or life insurance paperwork)

I don't really understand why people save bill stubs and receipts for common purchases anyway... Perhaps someone can enlighten me?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have been doing it for years (scanning that is!)

I started out with a flatbed, and then when I needed to upgrade several years later, I got an HP 4 in one with an ADF. I have turned ALL my bills, house, car, etc, etc paperwork into .PDF's then store them by year.

(I went back in scanned all my old tax returns, yes I had them from the 70's!)

then they hit the crosscut shredder!

currently I am in the process of scanning every old photo and slide I had from the 60's and 70's up to date. (bunches from Vietnam)

and now it is easier, as I sign up to get all my bills in .pdf form each month when I am able to (if they offer it)

 

[beaucoup]

I have been doing it for years (scanning that is!)

I started out with a flatbed, and then when I needed to upgrade several years later, I got an HP 4 in one with an ADF. I have turned ALL my bills, house, car, etc, etc paperwork into .PDF's then store them by year.

(I went back in scanned all my old tax returns, yes I had them from the 70's!)

then they hit the crosscut shredder!

currently I am in the process of scanning every old photo and slide I had from the 60's and 70's up to date. (bunches from Vietnam)

and now it is easier, as I sign up to get all my bills in .pdf form each month when I am able to (if they offer it)

Just curious, what did you do with the original photos after you scanned them? Did you get rid of those too?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Just curious, what did you do with the original photos after you scanned them? Did you get rid of those too?

of course not.

but now they are 'stabilized" and I scanned them at the highest resolution. that way I have the photos in case something does happen to them.

some of the photos I have of the family are the old square black and white format. at a guess, they are from the 1910's and up.

the HP 4 in 1 I have will take up to a 11 x 14 when used in flatbed mode, and I have been scanning some of the larger portrait photos that were popular.

 

[golfgal]

As a daughter who recently had to get rid of her dad's papers, I really really recommend that if you go the banker box route, you clean them out periodically. We must have cleaned 100 boxes of paper with receipts and paystubs going back to the 60s! It was a nightmare.

(I had to go through everything because we couldn't find the deed to the house or life insurance paperwork)

I don't really understand why people save bill stubs and receipts for common purchases anyway... Perhaps someone can enlighten me?

Back in the old days you could take tax deductions for a lot of things you can't today.

I enjoyed going through my Mom's old paperwork seeing how much she paid for babysitting, how much groceries cost, etc. She only had a few boxes though. I couldn't imaging going through 100 of them. I would suggest BURNING them vs shredding. Shredding would take days.

 

[beaucoup]

of course not.

but now they are 'stabilized" and I scanned them at the highest resolution. that way I have the photos in case something does happen to them.

some of the photos I have of the family are the old square black and white format. at a guess, they are from the 1910's and up.

the HP 4 in 1 I have will take up to a 11 x 14 when used in flatbed mode, and I have been scanning some of the larger portrait photos that were popular.

Oh good, you scared me.

DH called home. Said to go with the better model & get the refurbished one under budget. I guess I did good. I am so anxious to get started on this. WOOHOO!!!

 

[manning]

Whatever you choose, remember the one important THING

BACKUP,BACKUP,BACKUP!!!

 

[Nette]

Back in the old days you could take tax deductions for a lot of things you can't today.

I enjoyed going through my Mom's old paperwork seeing how much she paid for babysitting, how much groceries cost, etc. She only had a few boxes though. I couldn't imaging going through 100 of them. I would suggest BURNING them vs shredding. Shredding would take days.

In the end we didn't even shred them. It was just pointless. So we just recycled it and moved on.

 

[snowy76]

Back in the old days you could take tax deductions for a lot of things you can't today.

I enjoyed going through my Mom's old paperwork seeing how much she paid for babysitting, how much groceries cost, etc. She only had a few boxes though. I couldn't imaging going through 100 of them. I would suggest BURNING them vs shredding. Shredding would take days.

My dad burns his; we shred ours. Sometimes the local banks have shredding days where a big truck shows up and you can bring in documents to shred, then they haul the shredded paper off to a recycling facility. We'll go that route if we have a lot so we don't kill our home shredder.

 

[beaucoup]

Whatever you choose, remember the one important THING

BACKUP,BACKUP,BACKUP!!!

Absolutely. We already have an external HD with Memeo Backup software that automatically sends any new or edited files to the external HD immediately. In addition to that, we have another software that runs a weekly back up of amended or new files. And it also runs a monthly fresh backup.

Helps to have IT hubby.