Choosing the right colored paper for your inkjet printer can elevate your projects from ordinary to extraordinary. Whether you’re creating vibrant marketing flyers, organizing with a color-coded system, or helping with a child’s school project, the paper you use is just as important as the design you print. The perfect paper ensures crisp text, vivid colors, and smooth performance through your printer’s feed.
With so many options available, from subtle pastels to neon brights, finding the best fit for your needs can be a challenge. This roundup simplifies your search by highlighting ten excellent color printer papers, each offering unique benefits for different applications. We’ve considered factors like weight, color selection, and reliability to help you make an informed decision for your next creative or professional endeavor.
The Best Color Printer Papers for Your Projects
- Hammermill Colored Paper, 20 lb Blue Printer Paper
- Astrobrights Mega Collection, Punchy Pastel 5-Color Assortment
- Astrobrights Mega Collection, Brilliant 5-Color Assortment
- Astrobrights Colored Paper, Playful 6-Color Assortment
- A4 Colored Paper 100 Sheets, 20 Colors
- Astrobrights Color Paper, Sprinkle 5-Color Assortment
- Staples Pastel Color Copy Paper, 30% Recycled, Blue
- BAZIC 100 Sheets Pastel Color Multipurpose Paper
- Epson Premium Presentation Paper MATTE
- Hammermill 102467 Copy Paper, 20 Lb, 10 Ream Case
Hammermill Colored Paper, 20 lb Blue Printer Paper
For those who need a dependable single-color option, this Hammermill blue paper is a top choice. It is designed to run efficiently through all office imaging equipment, minimizing the risk of jams and misfeeds. The 20 lb weight provides a smooth, even surface with high opacity, which helps reduce show-through and creates a professional look for your documents.
This paper is ideal for a variety of applications, including newsletters, flyers, forms, and school projects. Its visual appeal helps your work stand out, whether used for color-coding files or creating eye-catching reports. Hammermill backs this product with a strong 99.99% jam-free guarantee, giving you confidence in its performance and quality.
Astrobrights Mega Collection, Punchy Pastel 5-Color Assortment
This Mega Collection from Astrobrights offers an impressive 625 sheets in a pleasing pastel color palette. You receive 125 sheets each of five distinct colors: Mint Twist, Blue Bliss, Lemon Twirl, Peach Pop, and Rose Rush. The 24 lb weight means this paper is 20% thicker than standard copy paper, providing a more substantial feel and better durability for your projects.
The paper is fully dyed throughout, which ensures a consistent color on the edges when you cut, fold, or tear it. This feature is particularly useful for crafting and school projects where a white core would be undesirable. It’s a versatile paper perfect for everything from professional documents to DIY crafting and color-coding systems.
Astrobrights Mega Collection, Brilliant 5-Color Assortment
If you want to make a bold statement, the Brilliant assortment from Astrobrights delivers vibrant, high-energy colors. This pack includes 625 sheets divided among five intense shades: Bright Blue, Bright Yellow, Bright Green, Bright Orange, and Ultra Pink. The 24 lb/89 gsm weight provides excellent durability for frequent handling.
A key benefit of using Astrobrights paper is the ability to create colorful documents using only black ink. The bright paper itself provides the color, saving you the cost and time associated with printing with color ink cartridges. This makes it an economical and effective solution for creating attention-grabbing flyers, signs, and organizational systems.
Astrobrights Colored Paper, Playful 6-Color Assortment
This Playful assortment is perfect for those who want variety without a massive sheet count. The pack contains 120 total sheets, with 20 sheets each of six different colors: Lunar Blue, Merry Mint, Lift-Off Lemon, Punchy Peach, Bubble Gum, and Peppy Purple. It’s an ideal size for testing out different colors or for smaller projects.
Like other Astrobrights products, this 24 lb paper allows you to produce vibrant materials using just your black ink cartridge. This can lead to significant savings on expensive colored inks. It’s a smart choice for everyday projects where you want the impact of color without the associated printing costs.
A4 Colored Paper 100 Sheets, 20 Colors
This product stands out for its incredible color variety, offering 100 sheets across 20 different vibrant colors. It’s an excellent option for crafting, origami, and art projects where a wide palette is needed. The paper is A4 size (8.5 x 11.7 inches), which is slightly longer than standard letter paper, and has a 70 gsm weight.
The paper is made from premium materials, featuring a smooth surface that is easy to fold and resistant to tearing. It is neatly cut with no burrs, making it safe for use by children under supervision. Its versatility makes it suitable for everything from school art projects to creative office presentations.
Astrobrights Color Paper, Sprinkle 5-Color Assortment
The Sprinkle assortment provides a generous 300 sheets of reliable Astrobrights paper. This pack includes 60 sheets each of five popular colors: Bubble Gum, Punchy Peach, Lift-Off Lemon, Merry Mint, and Lunar Blue. It’s a great middle-ground option, offering more paper than a small pack but a more manageable quantity than the mega collections.
This 24 lb paper is perfect for color-coding files, creating classroom materials, or designing flyers and invitations. The “Just Add Black Ink” principle applies here, allowing you to create professional-looking, colorful outputs while conserving your printer’s color ink. The consistent quality ensures smooth performance in all types of inkjet printers.
Staples Pastel Color Copy Paper, 30% Recycled, Blue
Staples Pastel Color Copy Paper offers an eco-friendly option, as it contains 30% recycled content. This 20 lb blue paper is designed for everyday use in home, office, or classroom settings. Its premium quality brings eye-catching contrast to your printed materials, helping them stand out.
The paper has a smooth, even surface and is acid-free, which helps prevent crumbling or yellowing over time, making it suitable for archival storage. This vibrant pastel color is ideal for printing high-quality documents, presentations, newsletters, and reports. It provides a simple way to add a professional touch of color to any project.
BAZIC 100 Sheets Pastel Color Multipurpose Paper
The BAZIC Pastel Color Multipurpose Paper pack includes 100 sheets in an adorable assortment of pastel shades. With a 75 gsm thickness, this paper is a versatile choice for a wide range of applications. Its charming colors are perfect for adding a creative flair to art projects, documents, and presentations.
This paper is fully recyclable, allowing you to feel good about your paper usage. It is compatible with most office and home printing equipment, including copiers, laser printers, inkjet printers, and fax machines. This makes it a practical and planet-friendly option for everyday printing needs.
Epson Premium Presentation Paper MATTE
Epson’s Premium Presentation Paper is in a different class, designed for projects that require a high-quality, professional finish. This is a double-sided matte paper, making it perfect for non-glare photographs, craft projects, and signage. The matte finish ensures that your work is easy to view from any angle without distracting reflections.
A significant advantage of this Epson paper is its exceptional fade resistance, with prints that can last up to 72 years. It is specifically engineered to work seamlessly with all inkjet printers, guaranteeing optimal results with Epson and other brands of ink. This paper is the go-to choice for important presentations and archival projects.
Hammermill 102467 Copy Paper, 20 Lb, 10 Ream Case
While this is a white paper option, it’s included for those who need a massive quantity of reliable paper for everyday printing, which can be paired with colored papers for specific projects. This Hammermill case contains 10 reams, totaling 5,000 sheets of 20 lb copy paper. It’s an economical choice for high-volume printing environments.
This paper is known for its smooth performance and high-quality finish, making it suitable for everything from text documents to graphics. Having a bulk supply of dependable white paper on hand ensures you are always prepared for standard printing jobs, allowing you to reserve your specialty colored papers for projects that require a visual pop.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Color Printer Papers for Inkjet Printers
When I need to print something in color, the paper I choose makes all the difference. It’s not just a blank sheet; it’s the canvas that brings my photos and projects to life. With so many options for color printer papers for inkjet printers, figuring out what to buy can feel overwhelming. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve learned to focus on a few key things to get the results I want.
First, consider the paper weight, which is measured in grams per square meter (gsm). This isn’t about physical heaviness but the paper’s thickness and sturdiness. For standard documents or drafts, a lighter paper around 80-100 gsm is fine and cost-effective. But for things I care about, like a photo for a frame or a project portfolio, I always go for a heavier paper, typically 180 gsm or more. This heavier paper feels more substantial, lies flatter, and resists curling when the ink hits it, giving a much more professional feel.
Next up is brightness. This is a measure of how much light the paper reflects. A higher brightness rating, usually on a scale of 1 to 100, means whiter paper and sharper contrast. For text-heavy documents with color graphs, a high-brightness paper makes the black text pop and the colors appear more vivid. For artistic prints or photos where I want a warmer, more classic look, I sometimes opt for a slightly lower brightness or an “ivory” tone. It’s all about the effect I’m going for.
The finish is probably the most noticeable characteristic. I keep a few types on hand because they serve completely different purposes. Glossy finish is my go-to for photographs. It makes colors super vibrant and provides a shiny, reflective surface that looks just like a professional lab print. The downside is that it’s a fingerprint magnet and can be hard to view under bright lights because of glare. Matte finish is the opposite; it has no glare, which makes it perfect for text documents, brochures, or art prints where I want a more subtle, artistic feel. It’s also easy to write on with a pen. Semi-Gloss or Satin is a fantastic middle ground. It offers rich color without the high shine of a full gloss, reducing fingerprints and glare. I use this for general purpose photo printing and presentation handouts.
Finally, I always check that the paper is specifically designed for inkjet printers. Inkjet papers have a special coating that absorbs the liquid ink properly, preventing smudging and ensuring the colors look sharp. Using the wrong paper can lead to blurry images, smeared text, and even damage my printer over time. By thinking about the project’s purpose first—is it a photo, a report, or a flyer?—I can narrow down the weight, brightness, and finish needed to make my work look its best.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between inkjet paper and laser printer paper?
The main difference is in the surface coating. Paper made for inkjet printers has a special, slightly porous coating designed to absorb the liquid ink droplets and hold them in place. This prevents the ink from smudging or bleeding, giving you a crisp image. Laser paper, on the other hand, is designed for toner, which is a fine powder that is heat-fused onto the paper. It has no special coating. If you use laser paper in an inkjet printer, the ink will likely spread out, look dull, and take a long time to dry, resulting in a messy print.
Can I use photo paper for everyday documents?
You physically can, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a few reasons. First, it’s expensive. Using premium photo paper for a text document is a waste of money. Second, the glossy surface of most photo papers is not ideal for writing on with a pen, and the thick, rigid paper might not feed through your printer as easily as standard multipurpose paper. It’s best to reserve your specialty papers, like glossy photo paper, for projects where the enhanced image quality is actually needed.
Why do my photos look dull or have streaks on certain papers?
This is usually a sign that the paper isn’t a good match for your printer or the project. Dull colors often mean the paper lacks the bright, white base and the proper coating to make inks appear vibrant. Streaks or blurry edges can happen if the paper coating isn’t absorbing the ink correctly, causing it to spread. This is why using paper specifically designed for inkjet printers is so important. It’s also a good idea to make sure you’ve selected the correct paper type in your printer’s settings before you print, as this adjusts how much ink is laid down.
How important is paper weight, and what should I choose?
Paper weight is very important because it dictates the feel and durability of your final print. For letters and internal documents, standard 20 lb. (75-80 gsm) copy paper is perfectly fine. For important reports, resumes, or presentation slides, I move up to a 24 lb. (90-100 gsm) paper; it feels more substantial and professional. For high-quality photos or flyers, you’ll want a heavy paper, typically 180 gsm or more. This thicker paper resists curling and feels like what you’d get from a professional print shop.
What does “brightness” mean when referring to printer paper?
Brightness refers to how much light the paper’s surface reflects. It’s measured on a scale from 1 to 100. A higher number means a brighter, whiter sheet of paper. This whiter background creates a greater contrast with the ink, making black text look sharper and colors appear more vivid and true-to-life. For most of my important color projects, I look for a brightness rating of 96 or higher to get that pop.
Is there an all-purpose color printer paper for inkjet printers I can use for everything?
While you can use a basic multipurpose paper for everything, the results won’t be optimal across the board. If I had to choose one paper to handle a variety of tasks reasonably well, I would pick a premium multipurpose paper with a 24 lb. weight and a high brightness. Even better would be a matte presentation paper. It’s heavy enough for handouts, has no glare for easy reading, and usually has a good coating that produces decent photo quality if you aren’t looking for a glossy finish. It’s the most versatile option in my supply closet.