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Scanners & accessoriesHelping You Find the Best
  • 10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More 1
  • 10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More 2
  • 10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More 3
  • 10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More 4
  • 10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More 5

10 Best Portable Scanners UK 2024 | Epson, Canon and More

Whether you’re working from home, or remotely while out on the road, you’ll inevitably find yourself needing to scan an important document or piece of artwork. While you may be tempted to use your phone to take a quick snap, nothing beats the quality of a portable scanner.


A portable document or wand scanner will allow you to create a high-quality digital version of any photograph, A3 document, receipt or book, and transfer it to a laptop, tablet or smartphone with ease. In this article, we rank the top 10 best portable scanners in the UK, from brands including Epson, Brother and Canon, available on Amazon!

Last updated 26/03/2024

Quick List - Top Portable Scanners

1

Iris

IRIScan Book 5
IRIScan Book 5

The World's Fastest Book Scanner

2

Brother

Document ScannerDS-740D
Document Scanner

A Premium Scanner Capable of High Quality Resolutions

3

Canon

Duplex Document ScannerP-208II
Duplex Document Scanner

A True Plug and Scan Option

4

Brother

Document ScannerDS-640
Document Scanner

Great Value for Money From a Leading Brand

5

Fujitsu

ScanSnap iX100PA03688-B001
ScanSnap iX100

Scan Directly to Cloud and Sync Across Devices

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Table of Contents

How to Choose a Portable Scanner in the UK

Key Points to Consider
  1. Decide Between An Automatic Feeder Or Wand Style 
  2. Seek Out A Scanner With High DPI Settings Of At Least 300 DPI
  3. Opt For A Battery-Powered Scanner Or One Charged By Mains Electricity 
  4. Choose Between USB, Bluetooth Or Wi-Fi Connectivity 
1

Choose an Automatic Feeder for Duplex Functionality, or a Wand Style for Simplicity

Choose an Automatic Feeder for Duplex Functionality, or a Wand Style for Simplicity
Source:amazon.co.uk

There are two main types of portable scanners. Automatic feeders are those that you feed paper through, much like a fax machine or printer, whereas those that you sweep over a document are known as wands. While there isn’t a huge difference in size, scanners with automatic feeders are bulkier than those without.


The size of the scanner will also determine the paper sizes it's compatible with. Most portable scanners will be suitable for sizes up to A4, but there are some smaller designs on the market, specifically for business cards and photographs, that are pocket-sized for convenience.


Some scanners with automatic feeders will be duplex. These models contain two separate scanners, allowing you to scan both sides of a document at once. Wand style scanners are simplex, meaning they can only scan one side at a time.

2

Pick a Scanner With High DPI Settings of at Least 300 DPI When Working With Artwork and Photos

Pick a Scanner With High DPI Settings of at Least 300 DPI When Working With Artwork and Photos

When looking at portable scanners, the most important thing to consider is the maximum resolution that they’re capable of. This is measured in dots per inch (DPI). The DPI determines the overall detail and size of the document or picture, as well as the file size.


When it comes to scanning text documents, DPI isn’t as important, but when it comes to photos and artwork, it’s absolutely crucial. 300 DPI is the minimum amount you should be looking for. As most photographs are taken at 300 DPI, using a scanner capable of replicating this would result in a digital image of the same size and quality. 


If you were to scan the same photograph at 600 DPI, you would still have the same quality of image, it would just be twice as big. This means that higher DPI machines are better for upscaling images such as old photographs, or when making prints of artwork.

3

Select a Battery-Powered Scanner to Use Anywhere, but One Powered By Mains Electricity Won't Run Out of Charge

Select a Battery-Powered Scanner to Use Anywhere, but One Powered By Mains Electricity Won't Run Out of Charge

Depending on your environment, you may want to opt for a battery-powered portable scanner over one powered by mains electricity. The main advantage of a battery-powered scanner is that you can use it anywhere, without having to worry about finding a plug socket.


On the other hand, a mains-powered scanner will be more reliable as it won't loose charge. USB scanners are especially useful when working with a laptop as you can simply plug it into a port and transfer your documents and pictures straight across.


Want to print photos on-the-go? Look at our picks for the best mobile printers.

4

Opt For USB or Bluetooth Connectivity for a Smooth and Easy Process, but WiFi Is Another Fast and Convenient Option

Opt For USB or Bluetooth Connectivity for a Smooth and Easy Process, but WiFi Is Another Fast and Convenient Option

Once you’ve scanned your document or picture, you’ll need to be able to transfer it over to your laptop, smartphone, or printer. When working with a computer, connecting your scanner via USB is the easiest way of quickly getting your work across to save, view, edit, or email it to others.


Why not also check out the best USB flash drivers and MacBook adapters!


When working with smartphones, you may want to explore WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Of the two, Bluetooth is less common, but more reliable than WiFi which is often a little fiddly to set up. However, it will allow you to easily save your documents to cloud services for others to view.


Some portable scanners have microSD support, meaning you’ll be able to save your work to the scanner itself, rather than having to connect it to a device. These are great in situations where you need to quickly scan and save documents, without messing about with multiple devices.

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10 Best Portable Scanners

Here are the best Portable Scanners, ranked according to the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide (as of 16-01-2023). The products are ranked independently by mybest.
Popularity
Products
Image
Click to purchase
Key features
1

Iris

IRIScan Book 5

Iris IRIScan Book 5 1

The World's Fastest Book Scanner

2

Brother

Document ScannerDS-740D

Brother Document Scanner 1

A Premium Scanner Capable of High Quality Resolutions

3

Canon

Duplex Document ScannerP-208II

Canon Duplex Document Scanner 1

A True Plug and Scan Option

4

Brother

Document ScannerDS-640

Brother Document Scanner 1

Great Value for Money From a Leading Brand

5

Fujitsu

ScanSnap iX100PA03688-B001

Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 1

Scan Directly to Cloud and Sync Across Devices

6

Munbyn

Portable Scanner

Munbyn Portable Scanner 1

Scan Photos and Documents Straight to an SD Card

7

Epson

WorkForce DS-80W

Epson WorkForce  DS-80W 1

Save Old Photos in a Variety of Formats

8

Houkiper

Portable Scanner

Houkiper  Portable Scanner 1

Light in Your Bag and on Your Wallet

9

Epson

WorkForce ES-60WB11B253401

Epson WorkForce ES-60W 1

A Sleek Design That Ranks Among the Smallest

10

Doxie

Go SE

Doxie Go SE 1

Fantastic Battery Power and Memory Capabilities

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

Iris
IRIScan Book 5

IRIScan Book 5 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
IRIScan Book 5 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
IRIScan Book 5 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
IRIScan Book 5 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£123.27
Mid
Reference price
£123.27
Mid

The World's Fastest Book Scanner

The IRIScan Book 5 is designed to quickly and accurately scan books, magazines, artwork and documents. You'll be able to scan up to 100 A4 pages onto the included microSD card with one charge of the battery, and there's even an LCD preview screen.


Whether you're copying a magazine layout in incredibly detailed 1200 DPI, or digitising notes or sketches, the Book 5 is the best portable scanner on the market today. Connect to a laptop via USB, or use WiFi to upload straight to your Android or IOS device. Either way, you'll be able to see your scans within a matter of minutes!

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No.2

Brother
Document ScannerDS-740D

Document Scanner 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£127.72
Mid
Reference price
£127.72
Mid

A Premium Scanner Capable of High Quality Resolutions

Not to be confused with the more budget-friendly DS-640, the DS-740D is a premium machine capable of scanning up to 15 high-resolution images a minute. Thanks to Brother's unique U-path feeding system, you won't have to worry about taking up too much desk space while you work.


This is our top pick for a remote or shared workspace, as the quick set up means you'll be able to crack on with whatever task or project you're working on. The duplex scanner and 1200 DPI maximum setting alone make this option well worth the investment!

No.3

Canon
Duplex Document ScannerP-208II

Duplex Document Scanner 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Duplex Document Scanner 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
Duplex Document Scanner 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
Duplex Document Scanner 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£109.99
Mid
Reference price
£109.99
Mid

A True Plug and Scan Option

The Canon P-208II is an incredible scanner if you're looking to scan multiple double-sided documents. Capable of holding 10 sheets at a time, thanks to its automatic document feeder and duplex scanning, copying a stack of documents on the go will be hassle-free.


The optional WU10 WiFi and battery unit is a must buy if you're planning on using it in conjunction with a smartphone or tablet. This turns it into a truly portable scanner that can upload directly to cloud services like OneDrive, DropBox and more.

No.4

Brother
Document ScannerDS-640

Document Scanner 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
Document Scanner 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£89.99
Low Mid
Reference price
£89.99
Low Mid

Great Value for Money From a Leading Brand

If you're familiar with printers and scanners, you'll know that Brother is one of the most reliable brands in the business. The DS-640 is a fantastic budget option for scanning work documents, receipts and ID cards.


Awarded the Good Design Award in 2020, the DS-640 works flawlessly when you need it. Plus, having been designed with different sized documents in mind, the dedicated roller system is one of the best around!

No.5

Fujitsu
ScanSnap iX100PA03688-B001

ScanSnap iX100 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
ScanSnap iX100 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
ScanSnap iX100 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
ScanSnap iX100 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£183.60
High Mid
Reference price
£183.60
High Mid

Scan Directly to Cloud and Sync Across Devices

Fujitsu is a heavyweight in the printing and scanning world, and the ScanSnap iX100 is another in a long line of great products. Designed with complete portability in mind, its capable of up to 260 A4 scans on a full battery charge.


It features full wireless connectivity for both computers and smartphones, as well as a whole host of ScanSnap services. These include saving to your preferred cloud-based service, synchronisation across devices, and a useful program to extract data from receipts.

No.6

Munbyn
Portable Scanner

Portable Scanner 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Portable Scanner 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
Portable Scanner 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
Portable Scanner 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£61.99
Low Mid
Reference price
£61.99
Low Mid

Scan Photos and Documents Straight to an SD Card

If you're looking for something cheap and cheerful for both documents and photographs, then this portable scanner from Munbyn is a great all-around option for the price. Capable of scanning at resolutions of 300, 600 and 900 DPI, this wand-style scanner works well for enlarging photographs or recording receipts.


It's also got space to insert an SD card, allowing you to save files directly to the device itself, which is incredibly handy if you don't have your laptop nearby. It is worth noting, however, that it isn't compatible with smartphones due to the lack of wireless functionality.

No.7

Epson
WorkForce DS-80W

WorkForce  DS-80W 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce  DS-80W 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce  DS-80W 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce  DS-80W 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£167.94
High Mid
Reference price
£167.94
High Mid

Save Old Photos in a Variety of Formats

You may notice a lot of similarities between the WorkForce DS-80W and the ES-60W, but there are a few key differences to consider. This scanner attaches via micro USB, meaning that you can connect it to a smartphone via a cable.


You also get the option of more output file types, including BMP, TIFF and PNG, which are commonly used in graphic design. You may want a higher DPI if upscaling photos, but this is still a great way to digitise old photos in a variety of formats.

No.8

Houkiper
Portable Scanner

 Portable Scanner 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
 Portable Scanner 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
 Portable Scanner 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
 Portable Scanner 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£50.99
Low
Reference price
£50.99
Low

Light in Your Bag and on Your Wallet

Being able to buy a portable scanner capable of 900 DPI for under £50 is quite frankly astonishing, and we're happy to say that this offering from Houkiper doesn't disappoint. As well as the option of inserting a microSD card, it's incredibly lightweight compared to other portable scanners.


Just be aware that the savings are made partly due the fact it's powered by two AA batteries, rather than a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. So if you're after something cheap and portable, you really can't go wrong, but you won't be scanning a lot of documents quickly.

No.9

Epson
WorkForce ES-60WB11B253401

WorkForce ES-60W 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce ES-60W 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce ES-60W 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
WorkForce ES-60W 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£151.98
High Mid
Reference price
£151.98
High Mid

A Sleek Design That Ranks Among the Smallest

Epson is one of the biggest names in the world when it comes to printers and scanners, and the WorkForce ES-60W is one of the most compact portable scanners on the market today. This is an incredible model, and if you're a fan of Epson products, you won't be disappointed.


You'll be able to print wirelessly or via a USB connection on the go, thanks to an inbuilt rechargeable battery. However, at the higher end of the price spectrum, we're not sure it represents as much value for money as some of the others on our list.

No.10

Doxie
Go SE

Go SE 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Go SE 2
Source:amazon.co.uk
Go SE 3
Source:amazon.co.uk
Go SE 4
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£159.00
High Mid
Reference price
£159.00
High Mid

Fantastic Battery Power and Memory Capabilities

There's a lot to like about the Go SE from Doxie, such as the rechargeable battery and SD card, meaning that no computer will be required for you to make scans. You can scan up to 400 pages per charge, and save up to 4000 scans before needing to sync it up with a laptop.


Unfortunately, this portable scanner feels a bit too expensive for what you get. There isn't any WiFi connectivity and it lacks the software and reputation of some of the bigger brands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Use a Scanner Without a Computer?

Through WiFi, you can connect a scanner to devices like smartphones and tablets. You can also scan documents by using a flash drive in the USB port. Alternatively, depending on what type of scanner you have, you can take a photo of your document on the phone, send it to your email, and turn it into a PDF using the scanner itself.

Can I Use a Scanner Without WiFi?

Yes, it is possible to scan from a PC by just using a USB connection, yet you may need WiFi to use any additional features or online apps linked to the scanner. When choosing a scanner it is best to look into what your scanner can do without WiFi.

Additional Links

Written and researched by David Sexton

Top 5 Portable Scanners

No. 1: IrisIRIScan Book 5

No. 2: BrotherDocument ScannerDS-740D

No. 3: CanonDuplex Document ScannerP-208II

No. 4: BrotherDocument ScannerDS-640

No. 5: FujitsuScanSnap iX100PA03688-B001

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The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.

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