Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Document Scanners For Home Office

Epson FastFoto FF-680W vs Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about busy home office users — read the strengths below before deciding.

Epson FastFoto FF-680W
Ranked #2 in Best Document Scanners For Home Office
Epson FastFoto FF-680W
4 sources$629as of Aug 1

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W turns in excellent photo and document scan quality at high speed. TechGearLab ranked it #1 among 13 scanners tested, praising the intuitive software and professional-grade capabilities. Speed is where it shines: a 10-page double-sided black and white document took just 58 seconds. It's expensive, though, and the auto-dust removal is limited enough that dust lines call for manual cleaning. Professionals and enthusiasts willing to invest in premium scanning performance are the buyers.

Strengths
  • Excellent scan quality for both documents and photos
  • Fast scanning speeds with duplex capability
  • Intuitive and feature-rich software
Watch-outs
  • Expensive price point
  • Auto-dust removal in software is limited
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Document Scanners For Home Office
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500
5 sources

The Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 scans fast, feeding from a 100-page auto-feeder and running duplex at 90 IPM. TechRadar liked the large touchscreen and the range of connectivity, which covers Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, and Bluetooth. PCMag found it handled mixed-size batches and creased documents effectively. On the other hand, there's no flatbed scanning, and photo resolution at maximum settings is mediocre. Home offices and small businesses digitizing documents will get good use out of it; anyone who needs flatbed functionality won't.

Strengths
  • High-speed duplex scanning at 90 IPM
  • 100-page auto-feeder handles mixed-size batches
  • Large touchscreen interface for easy navigation
Watch-outs
  • No flatbed scanning capability
  • Photo resolution is mediocre at maximum settings

How they stack up

Epson FastFoto FF-680W

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W delivers superior photo scanning quality compared to the Ricoh iX2500 and Epson Perfection V39 II, making it the best choice for enthusiasts and professionals. While it's slower than the Brother ADS-4900W for documents and lacks the flatbed scanning of the Epson V39 II, it provides the most intuitive software and fastest scanning speeds for both documents and photos. Unlike the Brother DS-940DW, it's not portable but offers the highest performance in its class.

Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500

The Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 stands out with its impressive 90 IPM duplex scanning speed and 100-page auto-feeder, making it faster than the Epson Perfection V39 II and Brother DS-940DW for high-volume document processing. Unlike the Epson models, it lacks flatbed scanning but offers superior connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and USB-C, features the Brother ADS-4900W doesn't have. While the Epson FastFoto FF-680W provides better photo quality, the iX2500 excels in efficiency for busy home offices and small businesses.

Specs side-by-side

SpecEpson FastFoto FF-680WRicoh ScanSnap iX2500
Scan Speed14 seconds for colored 600 DPI scan45 PPM simplex, 90 IPM duplex
ADF Capacity36 photos or 100 sheets100 pages
Resolution600 DPIUp to 600 dpi
ConnectivityUSB 3.0Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, Bluetooth
Scanner TypeSheetfed, one-pass duplex color scannerCIS x2
Supported PlatformsWindows 7 onwards, macOS X 10.7 onwardsWindows 10/11, Android, macOS 10.15>, iOS
Dimensions11.7"D x 11.7"W x 6.9"H6.26"D x 11.5"W x 6.34"H
Wattage680 watts17 watts
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