Ricoh fi-8170 Review: A small desktop scanner that behaves like a production workhorse
The quick take
If you are looking for a small footprint document scanner that can handle large volume of scans and different document types—IDs, receipts, invoices, multi-page contracts—then, the Ricoh fi-8170 is the rare “set it and forget it” desktop scanner. It marries blistering throughput with excellent text/receipt fidelity, strong jam prevention, and enterprise-friendly software. It’s overkill for casual photo archiving, and the learning curve is steeper than consumer models, but for daily office capture it’s a class leader as agreed by industry experts (GearLab, StateTech Magazine, Healthcare IT Today, Ricoh PFU)
Speed & throughput
Independent tests consistently place the fi-8170 among the fastest desktop scanners. In TechGearLab’s timing, it chewed through a duplex 10-page job in ~33 seconds and a 600-dpi color sheet in ~7 seconds—performance that keeps pace with far pricier units. The 100-sheet ADF means long batches don’t need constant babysitting. Rated speed is 70 ppm / 140 ipm, which aligns with real-world results observed by multiple reviewers. (GearLab) (Ricoh PFU)
Image quality (documents vs. photos)
For office documents, the output is superb: crisp OCR-ready text, clean receipts, and accurate handwriting capture. That’s exactly what most businesses need. For photo reproduction, reviewers noted lighter images and occasional color shifts—fine for filing, not for photo enthusiasts. Clear Image Capture (Ricoh’s processing pipeline) helps preserve fine details on forms and receipts, but you’ll still want a flatbed/photo-focused device if photo fidelity is mission-critical. (GearLab, Ricoh PFU)
Paper handling & reliability
This is where the fi-8170 earns its keep. It combines multi-feed detection with acoustic/image monitoring and an improved exit stacker, so mixed batches feed predictably and land neatly. Manual Feed Mode handles thick items up to 7 mm (think plastic IDs, pamphlets, folded booklets in carriers), reducing trips to a copier. Government/education testers specifically called out jam-free runs even with mixed stocks. (Ricoh PFU, StateTech Magazine)
Software & IT friendliness
Out of the box you get the PaperStream suite (IP driver + Capture/ClickScan), which is designed for clean OCR, easy profile creation, and batch separation. It’s TWAIN/ISIS/SANE compliant (broad app compatibility), and it now includes a 3-year Advance Exchange warranty that’s attractive for fleets. Admins can standardize profiles and manage devices centrally with PaperStream Central Admin or NX Manager in networked setups. (Ricoh PFU)
Connectivity & footprint
You can run it via USB 3.2 or wire it to Ethernet for shared capture stations, which is a win for departmental workflows. Despite the throughput, it’s compact enough for a desk, so you don’t need a dedicated capture room to hit serious volumes. (Ricoh PFU)
Real-world verticals
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Government/Records: Reviewers digitizing retention archives reported sustained speeds >60 ppm with mixed paper sizes and praised fidelity on faint receipts—a classic public-sector pain point. (StateTech Magazine)
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Healthcare: Health IT evaluators highlighted “straight fast” performance and features that make high-quality scanning simpler for staff across departments. (Healthcare IT Today)
Drawbacks to note
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Setup/user experience: Enthusiast labs found the initial setup more involved than consumer ScanSnap-class devices and dinged the tiny LCD/menu text. Power users won’t mind; casual users may prefer simpler UIs. (GearLab)
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Photos aren’t its forte: It’s optimized for business documents, not gallery-grade photo capture. (GearLab)
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Price: It sits at a professional price point; the value shows up when you’re scanning daily, not monthly. (Official store lists it around the mid-$1,000s.) (store.pfu-us.ricoh.com)
Key specs (highlights)
Competitors & alternatives
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Need a flatbed built in? Consider the fi-8270 (same engine + integrated flatbed) to protect delicate photos/books without carriers. (GearLab)
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Lighter, cheaper home-office use? The ScanSnap iX1600 is easier to live with and sufficient for lower volumes, but it won’t match the fi-8170’s batch speed or software depth. (GearLab)
Conclusion
For teams that scan every day—accounting, HR, legal, clinics, registries, admissions—the Ricoh fi-8170 hits a rare sweet spot: production-grade speed and feeding reliability in a desktop footprint, with software that scales from “one-click” to enterprise policy-driven capture. If your workload is real and recurring, it’s an excellent buy; if you mostly scan the occasional photo, it’s more machine than you need. (GearLab, StateTech Magazine, Healthcare IT Today)
Sources consulted: TechGearLab’s in-depth timing and analysis; StateTech Magazine’s high-volume retention review; Healthcare IT Today’s healthcare-focused review; and Ricoh’s official fi-8170 product page/specs. (GearLab, StateTech Magazine, Healthcare IT Today, Ricoh PFU)
