With a wide range of printers on the market, many different types of printer paper are available to businesses. Determining the right printer paper for you can take some time, including choosing your printer model, make, the volume you are printing, and ink. Today, we will focus on legal size paper, a type of printer paper available in the United States and Canada.
What is legal size paper?
Legal size paper is a specific type of printer paper used for printers and copiers, primarily in the United States and Canada. The document size of legal size paper is roughly 8.5 x 14 inches and is used to print a wide range of documents. 8.5 x 14 inches is larger than the average paper size in the United States.
For reference, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) measures the standard paper size used daily by most people at 8.5 x 11 inches. Legal size paper gives you an advantage over the everyday printer user with a larger page.
Given that the size of legal size paper is larger than the national average, it is crucial that you only use this type of paper with compatible printers. If you print with an incompatible printer, you risk damaging your internal system and cause paper jams, further complicating your printer infrastructure.
How do I determine which printers are compatible with legal size paper?
Determining which type of printer is compatible with legal size paper can be as simple as performing a Google search to find compatible models. However, there are a few necessary factors you should consider before investing, including:
- Paper handling capabilities
- Cost of maintenance
- Print quality
- Speed and capacity
To get the most out of legal size paper, you must ensure that you use the best device possible for high-quality prints. It would be best to determine how often you will be printing, as that will affect your decision-making when looking for the right printer. For instance, if you regularly print daily, you will want to invest in a printer with a high PPM (Prints Per Minute) to ensure you can keep up with the demand.
Furthermore, cost is another crucial factor to consider beyond purchasing your equipment. You will need to maintain this device, and ensuring that you can afford both legal size paper and the maintenance cost regularly is vital to finding the right combination.
Legal size paper is nothing without high print quality. Generally, the best results come from a printer compatible with this type of paper and having high-speed printing capability. Depending on the materials you are printing, you will require high clarity and precision. Avoid poor ink quality by ensuring that you are using the correct ink and printer for your legal size paper.
Finally, speed and capacity are essential factors you should consider before purchasing the most compatible printer. Determining the appropriate speed for your needs will be highly individual, so you must calculate how often you print and how quickly you need your prints ready.
Why is paper size so important anyways?
As you can see from the previous examples, paper size can make or break your printer. Sometimes, businesses assume that all printers are compatible with all paper types and sizes. Eventually, they use incompatible paper and suffer from poor print quality, smudgy ink, or irreversible printer jams.
In those moments, the first logical reaction is to blame the printer. However, the cause is the actual paper! This is why we at ACT Group (A BDS company) diligently spread awareness for local New England and Florida businesses. If you are having difficulty determining the best printer paper for your business needs, let ACT Group (A BDS company) handle it for you.
Our service technicians go the extra mile to ensure that your needs are met and that you are satisfied with your partnership! We can even get you on a schedule for supply and ink replenishment! Learn more by clicking here.
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