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Return to Buyer's
Guide/Advice Section
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Choosing The Right Printer Paper For
Your Needs
By Lucila Duchesne
Many people think that it isn't important what
kind of printer paper they use. Paper is paper right? I would have to
disagree. First, you need to figure out what you are going to use the paper
for. The second thing to determine is the right kind of paper for the kind
of printer you own. Not all paper is suitable for all kinds of printers.
When buying printer paper, there are a number of factors to consider. These
include the brightness rating, the weight of the paper and the purpose it
was designed for. We will consider each of these factors in turn below.
What is the brightness rating?
Brightness of the paper refers to how well the paper reflects light. Many
people confuse whiteness with brightness. The higher the brightness rating
of a page, the more vibrant and alive the colors printed on it will appear.
The brightness rating of the page can make the difference between a dull
looking picture and a picture that looks alive and ready to jump off the
page. Whiteness refers to the actual shade of color of the paper and how
close it is to pure white.
Paper weight – What does it matter?
The paper weight rating is determined by the weight in pounds of a ream of
500 sheets of that particular paper type. In most other countries other than
the United States, the weight rating is in grams instead of pounds.
The heavier the paper rating, the thicker and heavier each sheet of paper
will be. What does that mean in practical terms? First, the paper will feel
more substantial in your hand. The heavier the paper, the stiffer it will
feel in your hand. Second, it is less likely to jam in the printer while
printing. Third, it tends to feel more professional to the average person.
Combining a good paper weight with a high brightness rating makes for a good
foundation for printing that important presentation of yours on.
Choosing the right Paper on Purpose
To get the very best results, choose paper based on what
you plan to do with it. All purpose paper is generally the cheapest kind of
paper but it also tends to give you poorer results when printing pictures or
color on it. Printer paper designed to go through an inkjet printer will
generally perform better on an inkjet printer than general purpose paper
will. It is more expensive but the results speak for themselves. Inkjet
printer paper is also usually treated with a special coating that will allow
the color to stay bright and not simply get absorbed into the paper leading
to a dull photo. Remember the purpose of the paper when you make your next
paper purchase.
Understanding the paper brightness rating, the paper weight rating and the
papers' stated purpose will go a long way towards your being able to get the
most from your printer paper now and in the future.
About the author:
Lucila Duchesne is the webmaster of
PrinterInfoSite.com
with information on
printer ink and other printer related issues.
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Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™