6 best barcode scanners

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

One of the types of trade and cash register equipment is a barcode scanner. This device is becoming more and more affordable from year to year, so they are quite capable of equipping even a small retail outlet. And already there is no need to talk about the speed of customer service and automation of accounting. Today we will talk about these, almost irreplaceable assistants in trade and warehouse accounting and summarize a small rating of specific models based on the recommendations of our specialized experts.

How to choose a barcode scanner

To begin with, let's figure out what types of barcode scanners are in general, and in what conditions they will be most appropriate.

The main classifications of barcode scanners adopted in the professional environment include: stationary and hand-held scanners; LED photo and laser; wired and wireless.

1. Stationary (multi-plane), obviously, are more suitable for large points of sale and retail chains, where it is highly desirable to minimize the number of cashier manipulations with equipment. They are much faster and more accurate than manual ones.
2. With wired and wireless, everything is more or less obvious: they can be connected to control equipment (computer with the appropriate software, cash register, etc.) via Wi-Fi 'air' connection or Bluetooth.

As for the principle of reading (in fact, scanning a barcode), everything is a little more complicated here, and more on that below.

1. LED options are generally the most affordable, but also the least accurate and performant. They have increased requirements for the quality of the printed code, you need to bring the contact surface as close as possible, the scanner almost does not tolerate deformation of the surface of the barcode carrier, which is very common in retail chains.
2. A much more preferable option is a laser scanner. Such devices have significantly increased the acceptable distance to the scanned object, they are not so demanding on the image quality and the shape of the medium. Such a scanner can work from a stand (even being hand-held, it is not necessary to constantly hold it in your hands), and allows any tilt of the carrier. It is fair to say that laser scanners also have disadvantages: low shock resistance; sensitivity to media abrasion and glossy surfaces.
3. Finally, the third option, which is gaining more and more popularity and recognition lately, is photo scanning. Without going into the intricacies of technical details, let's say that scanners of this type read the entire barcode at once, and not its 'slice', and the built-in specialized software in a split second completes the rest of the work on correcting errors, analyzing the correctness of the received data, etc. .

Rating of the best barcode scanners

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best barcode scanners in terms of price-performance ratio	1	Honeywell 1910i Granit (1910iER-3USB)	34 600 RUB
	2	Datalogic QuickScan I QBT2400 (QBT2430-BK-BTK1)	RUB 14,400
	3	Datalogic Cobalto CO5300	RUB 10,500
Best barcode scanners with Aliexpress	1	NETUM NT-2028	RUB 2,950
	2	YK&SCAN YK-6200	RUB 5 490
	3	Aibecy 1D Wired Barcode Scanner	890 RUB

The best barcode scanners in terms of price-performance ratio

Now let's go directly to the rating, and first of all we will consider barcode scanners, which the specialized specialists considered optimal in terms of key parameters: quality, efficiency, functionality and cost.

Honeywell 1910i Granit (1910iER-3USB)

Rating: 4.9

The first line in our selection is one of the most expensive barcode scanners manufactured by the American company Honeywell. This is an industrial grade device despite its handcrafted form factor.

The device is made in a sturdy plastic case, protected from falls. Dimensions: 133x195x75 mm, weight – 300 g. Impact resistance has the following conditional quantitative expression: up to 5000 falls on a concrete floor from a height of 1 m and up to 50 falls on a concrete floor from a height of 2 m.

The 2D imager uses Adaptus 6.0 technology, which provides exceptional barcode reading accuracy and interpretation. Due to the proprietary improvements for this developer, this model is characterized by an expanded scanning field, increased perception range (linear codes with a stroke thickness of 0.508 mm are accurately read at a distance of up to 75 cm).

The delivery set also includes an interface cable. The manufacturer's warranty for this model is 36 months.

Advantages

• increased range;
• extended scanning area;
• accuracy;
• exceptional impact resistance.

disadvantages

• not found.

Datalogic QuickScan I QBT2400 (QBT2430-BK-BTK1)

Rating: 4.8

The second model in our rating is a high-quality and well-proven barcode scanner manufactured by Datalogic, a reputable global company with a half-century history. A nice bonus of this model is that the price is more than double the price compared to the previous scanner with similar characteristics.

The principle of reading in this scanner is almost similar to the previous one – 2D Image with a resolution of 752×480 at 610 nm illumination. The acceptable limit for the contrast of the printed barcode is 25%. The horizontal and vertical reading angles are 65 and 60 degrees, respectively, with a minimum error.

The device automatically recognizes and interprets all standard 1D barcodes, including line codes from the GS1 DataBar ™ family. The scanner also recognizes two-dimensional codes: the Aztec family, Data Matrix, all kinds of QR codes, etc. The exact list depends on the modification, you need to check it at the point of sale.

Device dimensions: 16.3×9.1×4.1 cm, weight – 200 g. Input power supply – 1400 mAh. The scanner is made of high-quality black plastic with separate artifacts of other shades. There is no moisture protection.

Wireless communication with the receiving party is carried out by Bluetooth. The device has a three-year manufacturer's warranty.

Advantages

• reputable brand;
• attractive design;
• relatively affordable price;
• hardy enough.

disadvantages

• no moisture protection;
• no Wi-Fi connection.

Datalogic Cobalto CO5300

Rating: 4.7

And the final item in the selection of the rating of the best barcode scanners – the Cobalto CO5300 model is also from Datalogic, like the previous model, only in this case we are already dealing with a different reading principle.

In terms of its form factor, this model is somewhere in between a stationary and a hand-held scanner, namely a desktop one. By the principle of reading – laser, which is a definite plus.

The functionality in terms of the sensitivity of various barcode standards in this model is significantly limited in comparison with the two scanners described above, but the performance is truly outstanding – 1500 'runs' of the beam in the image per second. The resolution in this case is within 0.130 mm / 5 mils.

The body of the device is made of rather strong plastic, so that the barcode scanner can easily and without consequences withstand falls onto a hard floor from a height of 1.5 m. Connection to the receiving station is only wired via USB.

Advantages

• high performance;
• stability and shock resistance;
• relatively affordable price;
• laser reading principle.

disadvantages

• limited coverage of barcode standards.

Best barcode scanners with Aliexpress

Now, within the framework of our rating, we will make a somewhat unexpected move and consider the three options for barcode scanners, the Chinese origin of which is beyond doubt. But, however, we are not going to mislead our readers, and all three presented models have been tested and thoroughly studied by our experts.

The motivation for this approach in this case is obvious. Barcode scanners, especially hand-held scanners, no matter how high-quality they are, is a product that in terms of wear and tear is almost equal to consumables. This means that if there is an opportunity to buy a scanner that will cost ten to fifteen times cheaper than a 'branded' one, but will last the same, then simple mathematics suggests a reasonable solution.

NETUM NT-2028

Rating: 4.7

Let's start with a simple, uncomplicated, but convenient solution of the NETUM trademark. This is a compact wireless scanner measuring 170x70x100 and weighing 170 g. The body is made of rubberized ABS plastic.

The principle of reading the scanner is laser. The range of recognition distances is from 10 to 800 mm. The speed of the 'run' of the laser beam over the image is 120 times per second. It is read with an accuracy of 0.1 mm. Reading angles – from 45 to 60 degrees. The range with a line of sight without interference is up to 300 m, with obstacles – up to 150 m. In the presence of external lighting, the scanner demonstrates resistance to the diffused light of 4000 lm fluorescent lamps.

The barcode scanner is powered by lithium batteries with a consumption of 68mA in operation and 48mA in standby. Supports many encodings including EAN, Plessey, Interleave and others.

Advantages

• laser reading principle;
• resistance to light interference;
• outstanding 'range';
• affordable price.

disadvantages

• almost 'zero' maintainability.

YK&SCAN YK-6200

Rating: 4.6

The second number in the top three in the ranking of the 'good Chinese' is the YK-6200. Its fundamental difference from the previous versions is that it is an omnidirectional desktop laser-type scanner. The active beam is a high brightness laser produced by a special LED.

The operating parameters of the device are as follows: crankshaft rotation speed – 2100 times / sec; scanning angles – 72 and 82 degrees horizontally and vertically, respectively; operating temperature – from 0 to 55 degrees above zero; power consumption – 3.9 W.

The device is housed in a durable plastic casing that can withstand drops from a height of up to 2 meters. The scanner is equipped with a sound source. Supports all commonly used codes from EAN-8 to postal codes.

Advantages

• omnidirectional;
• desktop form factor;
• shockproof housing.

disadvantages

• poor maintainability.

Aibecy 1D Wired Barcode Scanner

Rating: 4.5

And at the end of this rating group, and at the same time our entire review, a Chinese scanner, which, in fact, is a whole series of hand-held scanners, similar in basic parameters and technical characteristics.

There is a '1D' code in the nomenclature of this series, but in fact, most of the models available on Aliexpress support much more advanced scanning capabilities – 2D, QR, etc.

Technologically, the model is a simple and uncomplicated device with a comfortable grip. According to user reviews in various countries, the scanner is perfectly adaptable to PCs, cash registers and POS terminals of various models and series.

Supports automatic and manual scanning, can work wirelessly. Autonomy is provided by a 2000mAh battery. There is a built-in flash memory for 2100 barcodes. Compatible with all popular operating systems, including family systems Linux.

Advantages

• ease of use;
• memory for more than 2 thousand barcodes;
• capacious battery.

disadvantages

• maintainability is practically zero – only replacement.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.