Epson - WorkForce ES-C220 Compact Desktop Document Scanner - Black

This little baby is fast!! I love how easy it was to unbox and start using!

I'm not going to lie, I really like Epson products. Working in an office environment, you always look to improve your productivity or streamline the work process. Working in procurement, I need to be able to keep track of invoices and documents related to our purchases. A desktop document scanner made sense and this is where the Epson ES-C220 comes into play. The idea of a document scanner isn't new and has proven to be a valuable asset. The ES-C220 is one such device. The unboxing doesn't take long: remove blue tape here and there, download the drivers and utilities, plug the provided Type C to USB cable into a free port and you're pretty much ready to go. The setup process is easy and fast. The question you'll probably ask is "Why not use my printer's built in scanner instead?". The answer is simple: speed and a dedicated suite of software which can tie into your existing work flow. A desktop document scanner does one thing and it does it much better than any other device. One such thing is the OCR software which can recognize text and "transcribe" it into a variety of formats such as Word, Excel, PDF and more. It can even work with accounting software such as Quickbooks. The resulting files can be edited and modified which is what most users will be wanting to do. Here's a quick breakdown of what's good and what isn't that great with the ES-C220: Pros: + It scans fast. Very, very fast + The scans can be saved in various formats, such as MS Office files, PDF, images or sent to cloud storage providers, or emailed or scanned into accounting software (*note that this function will require a paid subscription after the 30 days of free trial) + It's compact and can work in 2 positions, up straight or laying back + The scans are clear and sharp + The OCR software does a wonderful job at recognizing text + The companion software offers a good amount of options and settings you can fiddle with + Affordable, this scanner won't break the bank and the return in productivity will make a significant difference Cons: - You'll have to pay a subscription fee to be able to use the accounting software function - The cables are a bit short In conclusion, whether you work from home or at an office, the Epson ES-C220 will make your life a whole lot easier and allow you to archive printed invoices, receipts and more directly and safely to files. It does so - and I know I'm repeating myself here - very, very fast and very well. I can only recommend this scanner and thank Epson for making my work a bit easier. Excellent product.

It is incredible how far technology has come when it comes to scanners. Years ago, work provided me with a portable scanner, which was then the lightest and fastest portable scanner, weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs. Back then, I thought that was great; it was so light and easy to carry around. Little did I know a decade later, the Epson ES C220 comes in less than 4 lbs and is equally fast, if not faster. I have been scanning sheets regularly as part of my job, and having a light, fast, easy-to-use scanner makes the day go by so much quicker. These days, while most of the work we do is electronic, there is a lot of information that is still printed and signed on paper, after which it needs to be scanned. The Epson ES C220 series fits the bill for people who scan, on average, 100-200 sheets a day. This scanner would be great for a business for you to scan your receipts, your purchase orders, and your payments - keep them organized for tax time. I could also see something like this being used by a notary signing agent to provide electronic copies of signed documents quickly. But that is just two use cases for this. I use a portable scanner on the field to scan documents on the go, and a lightweight scanner is a godsend when you go from location to location. In the last few days, I have scanned several documents, from legal invoices and agreements to family photographs. The Epson ES C220 is fast enough to make light work of heavy paperwork. It does require a bit of maintenance, and I found it fussy with older paper that had dust on it. It also is not as careful with vintage ‘airmail’ paper or carbon copy papers as I’d like and jammed. Many of these problems go away when you use the straight-through scan mode; the U mode breaks the ability of the scanner to scan documents without jamming. I scanned some photographs (4x6) images and it did a pretty decent quick job of scanning loose photographs. Care must be taken to make sure the pictures do not stick to each other, but this scanner does make quick work of photos even though it is not a photo scanner. In all the scans I did, my overall impression is that the scans that come out are crisp, colorful, and with good detail. So, where are the downsides? Well, the biggest one is the ADF feeder can only hold 20 sheets, and since it scans 30 pages a minute, that hopper would empty in 40 seconds or less. If you use the “U” path of scanning, the sheet capacity is limited, but if you use the straight pass-through, it does not have a paper holder to keep the scans from flying off the table. Other than that, this is a fantastic scanner. I used it to scan many business cards from previous conferences. With dual-side scanning, it scans it, fast and makes quick work of scanning business cards. A point to note, though, is that it's probably best to use straight-through mode as it bends your cards and sometimes jams rather quickly. The included Epson smart scan software is easy to use and does a rather good job of allowing you to adjust settings. The business card scanning software “Presto Bizcard” software will not only scan but also optically characterize the data into a spreadsheet allowing for import into CRM software. Overall this is a must have for a small business owner, a home owner, or anybody who wants to be organized and stay organized. Pros: Fast effective scanning with accurate scans Very lightweight scanner that is easy to carry Cons: There is no output tray for straight-through scanning It does not use an ultra-sonic motor, so care has to be taken with older / thin paper