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Get a NeatDesk document scanner for $249.99

It's refurbished, but it's also one of the lowest prices I've ever seen for this coveted scanner/digital filing system.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
The NeatDesk scans documents, receipts, and business cards in a flash.
The NeatDesk scans documents, receipts, and business cards in a flash. Neat Company

This is an update of a deal I wrote about many moons ago. Like, 19 moons.

If you're still chasing that pipe dream known as the paperless office, you know that half the battle is digitizing all your paper documents. It can be a major hassle, especially if you're working with a flatbed scanner (i.e., one that lacks an auto document feeder).

That's what makes the NeatDesk such a cool tool: it quickly batch-scans documents, receipts, and business cards, then organizes them into digital filing cabinets. Though it's been around for years, there's no other product quite like it.

Alas, such efficiency doesn't come cheap. The NeatDesk still retails for $399.95, and it's rare to find it selling for much less. Today, however, Woot has a refurbished NeatDesk desktop scanner for $249.99, plus $5 for shipping.

That's still pretty pricey for a scanner, but as I said, the NeatDesk is fairly unique when it comes to digitizing documents. Just plug it into a USB port, fire up the software, and start feeding your paper. A few clicks is all it takes to route scanned documents into folders (or tag them for tax time, a handy perk).

CNET hasn't reviewed the scanner, but do check out the user reviews over at Amazon. They're mixed, to be sure, with some valid complaints regarding scan alignment and the limitations/complexity of the bundled software. (Speaking of which, make sure you choose the Windows or Mac version of the product when you put the NeatDesk in your cart.)

I've used the NeatDesk myself, and it's pretty sweet -- fast, quiet, and good at OCR (which saves a lot of time when scanning receipts). If you have one already, or you've found another document-scanning solution you like better, hit the comments and let your fellow cheeps know about it.

This refurb comes with a 90-day warranty.

Bonus deal: Ho! Hey! Amazon is once again giving away MP3 credit, this time two dollars' worth when you answer a question about saving money on textbooks (and agree to share that answer on Facebook). Lumineers, anyone?

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