Top 2 Scanners for 2004

1. Epson Perfection 2480/2580

These days, when multifunctions are offering scanner functions along with printing and faxing, a scanner has to be either (a) very cheap, or (b) very good in order to merit a purchase. The dynamic duo of the Epson Perfections 2480 and 2580 seems to cover both categories. At $99, the 2480 offers quality scanning at a very low price, while the 2580 adds an automatic film loader for those shutterbugs who have a large backload of negatives to store.

2. Fujitsu ScanSoft

If you use a lot of documents in your business, you know that there's got to be a better way to store them than to throw them in a bunch of boxes. The Fujitsu ScanSnap allows you to scan large numbers of documents quickly into PDF format, which makes an accurate, and searchable, copy of each. The price may put off some potential purchasers, but most of the reviewers said that, for many offices, it's worth it -- this makes storing documents as easy as it gets.