Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Deluxe Bundle Scanner for PC (PA03656-B015) (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I swallowed hard, and dug deep, to invest, (ahem!) several hundred dollars in a scanner appliance to facilitate my New Year's resolution to go personal-accounting-paperless in 2013; but I did it, and I'm DELIGHTED with my Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500.FAST: This thing is LIGHTNING fast. Paper just basically drops right through it. Folded, rumpled papers are a bit challenging in any device, this thing is tolerant and feeds superbly, while well engineered and user-helpful when something does jam or misfeed.SMART: It installed easily with no glitches or needs-to-know. It automatically scans 2 sided, and is smart enough to leave out blank pages. With two clicks, you can tell it to scan one sided to skip the small print on the backs; --OR smarter yet, Fujitsu provides standard-with-every-ScanSnap software that allows you to very quickly and conveniently remove or reorganize pages in your pdf. You do have to tell it (once, ever) you want automatic OCR (optical character recognition) to read the text you are scanning and make the pdf files searchable (you can toggle this off easily as desired).I know it's hard to imagine if you're, say, a longtime Microsoft or HP customer, but this thing gives you actual helpful instructions if there is some kind of misfeed or jam, as opposed to the usual "Error #CGYxxfT77382745Pn" that we're all so sick of. I scanned this oddball multi-fold channel guide thingy I got from my cable company, which is an odd length and orientation, and a message came on my screen telling me how to take it out, hold the one-button on the scanner down until it blinks, then do it again, and voila, it scanned this super-long piece of paper.I won't damn Fujitsu with the faint praise of saying their included software puts wildly-user-hostile-Adobe (in this case Acrobat) to shame (though it does); but I will say that it's an all too rare and commendable joy to see a hardware manufacturer provide such a good software utility as an include with their gear! This also allows you tools for storing files in a file structure, but so far I just rename them, and move them in windows; and this software works very well with this methodology. NOTE: I also bought the extra "premium" software package they offer, with an organizer, but I haven't had time to play with that yet, I'm just talking about the BASE utility that comes with the scanner.UNOBTRUSIVE: When I got it, I was surprised at how compact and elegant this thing is. It's the first scanner I've ever had that isn't an ugly, clunky, misshapen function-the-only-consideration proposition. You open it up to use it, but when not in use, you close it up into a compact, elegant black geometric form. It is solid, and well built, and opens into a very functional and yet still elegant cradle for your documents, with a pleasing blue LED. It even has an elegant, near-silent page-feed sound in use, unlike other scanners that clunk, whir, and stutter. Because it's so unobtrusive, I've left it wired on my desk, but it can be used wirelessly and positioned wherever it's convenient.USEFUL: It's such a JOY to simply scan something in, file it, and shred it, rather than having to keep burdensome track of paper files, file cabinets, folders, boxes, cases, & etc. I still have a long way to go to digest my backlog, but eventually, I will literally lose several pounds of weight in paper files and binders I drag back and forth to the office & etc. This will take several cubic feet of boxes out of rented storage and "attic" space, and reclaim similar significant space in filing cabinets, and various other discreet containers (separating organizations, endeavors, projects) cluttering up my home office and environs.I am optimistic that the speed and ease and relative pleasure (it's almost.... FUN) of scanning and shredding will eliminate the discouraging clutter of the "toss it on an ever larger pile" syndrome; --and with any luck, this will make me more efficient and effective in managing my accounts, thereby saving me money and paying me back the non-trivial investment I have in this item.CONSI find it difficult to tolerate using any other scanner now. I want to buy another SnapScan for my office. Ugh! Woe is me! ;-)

I had no idea this scanner would be as great as it is. Super fast and accurate and multiple features i.e., save to pdf, Adobe Standard, and Rack2File are great. Before this scanner, I had been using my printer - slow and cumbersome.In 2012 our home was flooded and we lost all of our records, photos, etc. To keep this from happening again and to reduce the amount of paper I have to deal with I decided to get a scanner. After much research, I decided this was the scanner for us!!Update: I originally said it was not a wireless connection. I was mistaken. It does connect to my computer wirelessly. The connection is reliable and fast. I have been using it since 2012 and love it. I don't know what I would do without it. I also don't know anything else I've purchased that has performed above and beyond expectations as much as this scanner has. If anything happens to this one I'm buying the new updated model right away!!!Recently the scanned results began to have a vertical line down the page. After nearly 10 years of use, I'm not surprised!! I'd never cleaned it in all that time and frankly, I didn't know I was supposed to and how to do it. After some research, I found there are actually products to clean it with. I bought Fujitsu Moistened Cleaning Wipes Scanners (PA03950-0419) but there is also a spray bottle of cleaning solution and cloths to clean it with. I chose the wipes. For me, the wipes were the way to go since I only have one scanner. If I was in an office setting with multiple scanners I might have gone with the spray solution.Well, the wipes did the trick. It took a bit of time and effort to make sure everything was clean and no longer left the verticle line down the paper. I'm not surprised it took me a little longer after all it was my 1st try at it and after 10 yrs well what can you expect. But, it was easy to do.I once again confirm this is the best scanner ever especially for a home office. I use it all the time & it makes getting things all neat and tidy easy. I don't have the clutter of so much unneeded paper. I would buy this again in a heartbeat!!!!PS. I've become a bit paranoid about losing my photos and records. Having 8' of water in your house can do that to a person. Anyway, this has helped with that anxiety. My records can be stored at another location from my computer - a 2nd hard drive &/or online. I've also lost a computer with all the programs and files so I'm doubly cautious. Regardless, it's just a great way to keep records and not have to keep all that paper.I'd give it 10 stars if it was possible.