by Charles Simmins

Created on: January 28, 2009   Last Updated: April 24, 2010

How do you decide what kind of paper to use in your copier or printer? The manufacturer has some great suggestions. Somewhere in your user manual the manufacturer has spelled out what kinds of paper will work in the machine.

The paper's weight range is given. Most ordinary copy paper is 20 pound. High quality stationary might be 24 pound. If the paper is too heavy or too light it will not feed properly or it may jam the copier / printer.

The manual will tell you the sizes that the machine can accept. Ordinary copy paper is 8.5 by 11 inches. Legal sized paper is 8.5 by 14 inches and then there is a larger size for big jobs at 11 by 17 inches.

One more important fact that the manual will tell you is how many sheets the feeder can hold. Too many and you risk a jam or none being fed into the equipment at all. Very occasionally machines will be sensitive to only having one or two sheets in the feeder and create a problem as well.

The manual may suggest the "rag" content for paper or the "brightness".

"Rag" content describes what the paper was made from. That affects how the paper handles the ink or toner that is applied by the machine. Poor quality paper can allow the ink to bleed through to the back of the sheet.

The "brightness" of the paper is just that, a measure of just how white it is. You may not be able to see a difference between a 92 bright sheet and a 96 bright sheet but there is one. The measurement allows you to purchase the brightness you want without the subjective filter of your eyes. Brighter paper appears more professional and is easier to read.

The manufacturer will have one final suggestion about the paper to buy for the printer or copier. Their paper. Most manufacturers also sell paper, just as they sell toner or printer ink. The profit margin on supplies is far greater than that on the equipment itself. That would be a word to the wise.

When you pick up a ream of paper in the store, you will see its weight, its brightness, its size and perhaps its content. Now that you know what paper your printer or copier can use, what paper do you buy?

The final decision point is the intended use of the paper. Most photocopies end up in a file and may be read once. Much printer output is handled the same way. For routine printing or copying, you will not need bright paper and that will reduce your cost a great deal.

A 20 pound 92 bright sheet of paper will meet most of your printing or copying needs. The least expensive reams of this paper will not have been manufactured by the company that made your machine.

A 96 or 98 bright paper will be suitable for presentations, professional printing and other uses where making an impression is critical. For highly important printing, consider if a 24 pound sheet would be better than a 20 pound sheet. As you increase brightness, or sheet weight, the cost will increase. Very high quality paper may cost double that of the standard 20 pound 92 bright paper.

The market for paper for use in copiers and printers can have wild price swings. Buying in bulk when the price is low is always a good idea. Buying a case rather than a ream will also give you a price break. Bulk paper takes up some room and is more difficult to handle due to its weight.

When it comes time to decide which paper to buy for your copier or printer, start with the machine's specifications. Look at the alternatives and decide which meet your needs for price and type of use.

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