Difference Between Inkjet Paper & Laser Paper

Inkjet and laser printers do not require different paper. A ream of cheap office copy paper will produce adequate results for most purposes. However, because the two types of paper use different technologies, getting the best performance requires special papers. Furthermore, using the incorrect media can cause laser printers to malfunction.

Inkjets and Liquid
Although moisture and paper do not always mix well, inkjet printers work by spraying liquid onto paper. With regular paper, the liquid sinks in, spreads like watercolour, and produces images with blurred edges. Coatings or special formulations on special inkjet papers promote rapid drying and prevent ink blurring.

Laser Printers and Heat
Toner is a solid powder that laser printers melt onto a piece of paper. The high level of heat generated by the printer’s fuser rollers makes choosing laser printer paper difficult. This is why laser printer papers are extremely heat resistant. They also have few, if any, coatings because anything applied to the paper could melt in the printer, destroying the sheet and possibly the printer.

Special Media for Laser or Inkjets
Labels and transfer sheets, for example, are frequently labelled to indicate whether they are intended for inkjet or laser printers. Laser printer media is typically designed to be heat resistant. Laser labels, for example, have the wax backing paper covered to prevent the wax from melting. While inkjet papers are not designed to be laser-friendly, many have special coatings or paper technology to improve print quality. Because ink is transparent, many inkjet papers have a higher brightness to ensure that the paper does not interfere with the vibrancy of the printed image.

ColorLok Papers for Laser and Inkjet
Some papers are embossed with the “ColorLok” seal. These papers are designed to improve inkjet print quality by separating the liquid from the colourant in ink, leaving the colourant on the paper’s surface and sucking the liquid away. At the same time, they have less dust and friction, which helps to extend the life of laser printers.

Plain Office Paper
Laser printers are superior if your goal is to print on whatever paper you have lying around or find for the lowest price. A laser printer can usually produce excellent image quality on any type of paper as long as it does not damage it. Inkjet printers can also do a better-than-adequate job of printing on regular paper, though they are not the best choice for prints where quality is critical.