Life in 2024 is as hectic as you think it could be. People are always on the run. They are also taking care of business while on the run. It is therefore not uncommon to need a scanner for urgent business purposes.
If your office or workstation is near, you can simply use them to scan your documents. But time and security are a factor. What can you do if a situation like this occurs? It’s simple, use a portable wand scanner!
As the name implies, a wand scanner is a wand-type scanner. It’s mostly very easy to use. There are a few things to know while picking a magic wand scanner.
You’ll need to keep an eye out for things such as price and specs. To ease up your efforts, we’ve put together a list that describes the best wand scanners currently. Let’s have a look!
1. IRIScan Book 5
I believe the best wand scanner has to be the IRIScan Book 5. This wand scanner has very good performance and gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Besides these factors, it also has very useful features!
Let’s start with the performance. This scanner has up to 1200DPI scan resolution depending on the settings you choose. The scanning speeds are great too as it just takes 1 sec to scan documents. It can also scan directly to JPEG and PDF.
We’ve already stated that this scanner can convert files directly. It can also create searchable PDF, EXCEL, and Outlook files. It can also scan in both monochrome and color.
You can connect your scanner to a computer using USB cables (these are included). This scanner is compatible with all versions of both Windows and Mac so no need to worry about compatibility. It’s a plug-and-play style scanner thus it’s very easy to maintain.
However, one thing that I didn’t quite like is its build quality. It seemed a bit fragile. But if you count that bit aside, it’s the best wand scanner.
Pros
- This scanner has up to 1200DPI scan resolution.
- It takes 1 second to scan a page.
- It can scan directly to JPEG and PDF.
- You can create searchable PDF, Excel, and Outlook files.
- Easy to use and maintain.
- Compatible with all versions of Windows and Mac.
Cons
- The build quality isn’t that great.
2. VuPoint Solutions Wand Scanner
Onto the next choice and we have picked the VuPoint solutions wand scanner for this spot. Though this scanner isn’t as great as the IrisCan Book 5, it is still good. It is a bit cheaper too than the IRIScanBook 5 too.
Let’s talk about the build quality first. It comes in pitch-black color and has a sturdy build quality. It’s better than the IRIScan Book 5. This wand scanner can convert pictures into PDF and JPEG files.
This scanner can also be used to organize and archive your files. You can add up to 32GB MicroSD card. You can easily transfer the files to a computer using a USB cable. It’s compatible with all versions of both Windows and MAC OS.
After you’re done using this scanner, you can slide it down to your pocket. It doesn’t take up much space. It has up to 900DPI scan resolution and OCR software is included. With the help of OCR software, you can create searchable PDF and Excel files.
Though the manufacturers were kind enough to include an OCR software with the scanner, it’s quite dated. You might end up not using it. Other than that, this is one of the best wand scanners that you can get and you should go for it!
Pros
- This wand scanner is pitch-black in color and has a sturdy build quality.
- It can convert pictures into PDF and JPEG files.
- Easy to connect to a computer and maintain.
- Up to 900DPI scan resolution.
- Easy to carry around because of its small size.
- You can create searchable PDF and Excel sheets.
Cons
- The included OCR software is outdated.
3. VuPoint PDS-ST442PE
Up next we have another option from VuPoint. This time it’s their VuPoint PDS-ST442PE scanner. This is one of the scanners that are aimed for lower budget consumers. But don’t worry, even though it’s for lower budget consumers, the performance is still quite good!
Let’s start by discussing the build quality. To be honest, it doesn’t have much. The body is very small and petite. You could argue that the build quality isn’t that great. We agree on that part. But the reason behind this is its eco-friendly design.
Moving on to the performance part, it can scan a page every second. Approximately that is about 60 pages every second! The resolution is quite high too as you’ll find up to 1050DPI scanning resolution.
This scanner is very lightweight and small. Carry it comfortably even in your pockets. As this scanner uses AA batteries, there’s no issue with charging them from time to time. This scanner also comes with a year’s worth of warranty.
However, the power consumption is high so you might need to change batteries quite often. But if you can keep that part aside, it’s a decent wand scanner at a decent price.
Pros
- The scanner features an eco-friendly design.
- It can scan up to 60 pages every minute.
- A decent 1050DPI scanning resolution.
- Due to the scanner being lightweight and small, you can carry it anywhere.
- Comes with a year’s worth of warranty.
Cons
- The power consumption rate is high.
4. MGbeauty iScan Portable Wand Scanner
If you’re looking for the cheapest wand scanner, I’d have to suggest the MGbeauty iScan. It is the cheapest scanner you can find in the market at the moment. But despite being cheap, the performance is high.
As you might have guessed, this scanner doesn’t have much going on. The build quality is decent. It can take the occasional hit. However, we don’t recommend that. But for a sub$60 scanner, this is quite good.
This wand scanner can scan up to 900DPI resolution. It can also scan in both color and monochrome. Though it mentions only A4 size compatibility, you can scan just about any paper size with this scanner.
You can directly convert your scanned documents to PDF and JPG. It runs on 2AA batteries so don’t worry about the charge running out anytime soon.
But like the previous entry on this list, this scanner also consumes too much power. If you can excuse that flaw, then this is perhaps the scanner you should go for.
Pros
- Decent build quality.
- Price range of below $60 is affordable.
- Up to 900DPI scan resolution.
- It can scan in both color and monochrome.
- It directly converts your scanned documents to PDF and JPG.
- No issue with charging the scanner as it uses batteries.
Cons
- High power consumption rate.
5. Brother DS-640
Though the Brother DS-640 isn’t exactly a wand scanner and more of a portable scanner, I decided to include it as it has scanning properties.If you don’t like any of the wand scanners from above then have a look at this portable scanner, It may surprise you!
Let’s start by discussing its performance. It can scan both monochrome and color documents. The scan speeds are very decent too with 16PPM scan speed.
This handheld scanner is very compact. It weighs about 1.5 pounds and you can fit it in your bag or pockets with ease. This scanner doesn’t need an outlet to run. It uses a USB-C cable to power up so you can connect it to your laptop or mobile and run it that way.
This scanner also comes with a software suite that provides you with features such as automatic color detection, adjustment, and image rotation. It also includes document management and OCR software. Finally, it’s compatible with all the versions of Windows, Mac, and Linux.
However, you can’t use the automatic color detection, adjustment, and image rotation features if you don’t have a PC. Having a PC for this scanner is recommended. Even if we count that bit, it’s a great scanner overall and you should go for it.
Pros
- It can scan both monochrome and color documents.
- Up to 16PPM blazing scan speed.
- It weighs about 1.5 pounds and is quite portable.
- A vast software suite that includes automatic color detection, adjustment, image rotation. document management and OCR.
- It’s compatible with all the versions of Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Cons
- Automatic color detection, adjustment, and image rotation features can’t be used if you don’t have a PC.
Expert Advice
While wand scanners are not that popular, they have gained attention over the last couple of months because of the Covid-19 surge. For scanning documents using a common scanner, it would be great if you used a wand scanner.
The best ones among them here would be the IRIScanner Book 5 and Brother DS-640. Both of these have a great price-to-performance ratio and provide great value to buyers. I highly recommend both of these!