When preparing to purchase a multifunction or all-in-one printer, you may want to consider one with an Automatic Document Feeder, or ADF. This takes several pages and feeds the paper one page at a time into your scanner, allowing you to scan (and thereby copy, print, or fax) multiple-page documents without having to manually replace each page.
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An ADF can be a great convenience, but there are several things you have to take into consideration. First, it will add to the total amount of room the printer will take up. Some add to the width, and some to the height. If space is limited, I recommend that you figure out in advance where the machine will live, and take those dimensions into account.
Some printers do allow you to add an attachable ADF after you’ve bought the printer. However, you’ll usually do better with one integrated into the machine – there are less chances of problems, and it will cost less as well.
Here are a few tips when considering and using an ADF:
- Be aware of any paper size or weight limitations.
In the manual that came with the device, check the manufacturer’s specifications. If the paper is too light, it may tear while being fed to the scanner. Too heavy, and it may jam the rollers. And some printers may not be able to output legal-sized sheets. - When feeding in originals, be sure the pages are in good condition.
The paper going in should be clean, without any stains that might wrinkle the paper (or hurt the machinery) Similarly, the paper should be completely crease-free. If your paper is dog-eared or crased, it may not feed well, and you stand a good chance of not only destroying your original, but of harming the operation of the ADF as well. - In case of doubt, be conservative what you feed in.
Labels, for example, can peel off and literally gum up the works, causing potential damage to the ADF.
