Which scanner to buy?

[davidft]

I would like to buy a new scanner to scan the odd document or two.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a fairly inexpensive easy to use scanner?

Thank you.

[familydar]

I don't mean to be flippant but freecycle and freegle are excellent sources for this type of thing.  People get rid of inkjet 3-in-ones when they stop printing reliably but the scanners still work absolutely fine.  Drivers are easily found online.  I came by an A3 one this way!

Jane :-)

[davidft]

Thank you I will keep that in mind.

[Nick_Ips]

I don't mean to be flippant but freecycle and freegle are excellent sources for this type of thing.

Not flippant at all... a brilliant suggestion, and one I've been practicing myself for several years. 

The only thing to watch out for is some people offer these items because they have upgraded to Windows 10 and the device isn't supported - which means the required drivers won't be available.

Obviously that only applies to older printers/scanners, but worth checking the Win10 compatibility before requesting the item. (if you use Win10 that is)

[Chris Doran]

Do they still make (or give away) flat-bed scanners that will handle slides and negatives? If you have any of these in your family archives, this could be a factor in your choice.

For occasional use, lack of Win10 support might not be too much of a drawback if you get an old giveaway laptop running XP or earlier, or use a Virtual PC.

[Treetotal]

You could also try Gumtree for your local area, they also have Freebies and sell unwanted items quite cheap, as people frequently update their accessories.
Carol

[Calverley Lad]

Treetotal: Then there are people like me, I don't throw working equipment away even when I update.
Photo/transparency A4 scanner bought 2003 originally run on XP, last used on Windows 7 prior to update to Windows 10.
Back in the day, all in ones printer and scanner didn't exist you had to buy 2 separate items.
These days an all in one is the better buy for copy/printer usage.
Back to the original request though, cheap scanner available at Argos £50 which I believe is just a one touch item to scan.
 Brian

[andrewalston]

If the old scanner connects through USB, you stand a good chance even if up-to-date software is not available.

Windows 10 comes with a "Fax and Scan" app which can access the basic functions of most scanners. They usually have a standard basic "command language" supported.

The software which came with my usual scanner was written for XP. I ended up with it because support for Windows 7 was iffy to say the least, so it was being thrown out.

I normally use it with a virtual machine running XP, but it does "ok" with the Windows 10 software. Not all features are available; the highest resolutions don't appear, for example, and I much prefer the user interface of the old XP stuff.

[Treetotal]

Treetotal: Then there are people like me, I don't throw working equipment away even when I update.
Photo/transparency A4 scanner bought 2003 originally run on XP, last used on Windows 7 prior to update to Windows 10.
Back in the day, all in ones printer and scanner didn't exist you had to buy 2 separate items.
These days an all in one is the better buy for copy/printer usage.
Back to the original request though, cheap scanner available at Argos £50 which I believe is just a one touch item to scan.
 Brian


Sorry Brian, I disagree, I bought a well known make of this type of scanner and only kept it for few months before taking it to the charity shop. When I looked at the online reviews the general feeling was that these were a waste of money.
Carol