Paper Buyers Guide
Paper types |
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Multifunctional Paper – the most popular type of paper as it can be used with a wide range of devices: inkjet and laser printers, copiers, fax machines. It is a good option when using a variety of machines as this paper will fit them all. |
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Laser Paper – this is paper that is especially designed to work with the toner used in laser printers. It guarantees the best print results and the print outs are crisp and of high quality. |
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Inkjet Paper – the standard inkjet paper is the white matte one and is best for printing raw text – emails, documents and reports. It’s designed to absorb ink in a way that guarantees the best print quality. There is a wide range of speciality inkjet paper such as photo paper, glossy paper, coloured paper, etc. |
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Copier Paper – as it is mostly used with copy machines it is usually thinner and less transparent than other types of paper – the printouts wouldn’t be as clear and crisp as when using laser or inkjet paper. Things worth minding when buying paper: |
| Brand – branded paper such as Hewlett Packard, Xerox, Canon, Navigator is usually a bit more expensive but it usually is of higher quality then unbranded paper. There are some low cost brands on the market that are a great option for anyone who is printing in high volumes – the paper might not be as bright or smooth as the more expensive ones but if you are not that much into detail it will work perfect and you can cut the costs on printing or copying. | |
| Paper Density – a standard paper density is 80gsm and most of office purpose paper is set at that value. This expresses mass of the product per unit of area – in this case it is grams per square metre and it is a measure used in most of the world. The higher density, the heavier the paper and smaller light pass through. The standard 80gsm paper is ideal for everyday printing but if you want to achieve the best quality you should go for a bit heavier paper (100 gsm, 120gsm and 160gsm). | |
| Paper Size – far the most popular size of paper is the A4 one and that is what you will find in every office supplies shop. The next popular size is A3 which is a larger format and requires A3 printer which can take such size. Less popular is the A5 paper which is half the size of A4 and isn’t stocked with all suppliers. | |
| Packaging Size – a standard packaging size for any paper is a ream, which holds 500 sheets. Other common paper packaging is box of 2500 sheets which can either be 5 wrapped reams or loose 2500 pages (this is usually cheaper since no extra packaging is used). | |