Of course, you expect your state of the art (or maybe not quite so) printer to produce the best copies possible. However, while most people tend to focus on the printer itself as the reason their copies do not quite measure up they often forget that their printer supplies are equally important in producing that ‘perfect’ copy.

Whether you are printing in black or in color, remember that focusing on the quality of ink as well as the quality of the paper can be the difference between a fuzzy, blurry copy and a crystal clear, crisp copy. Of course, as with most people, who use their printers on a daily basis, the quality of the copies does not always have to be exceptional – especially if you are printing ‘drafts’ or internal documents. However, you need to be well prepared and well equipped for those times where the quality of the document you print will be crucial – and this is especially true if you are printing with color.

Ink Cartridges

Always make sure that you have the right ink cartridge to match your printer. This becomes especially important if you are using refill cartridges or refilling your ink cartridges yourself. Remember that while these methods are cheaper, they may not always be better alternatives – as they will almost definitely reduce the quality of the printing. However, depending on your needs, you could think about using a more expensive ink cartridge for ‘high level’ printing or when printing pictures. If you are unsure which cartridge you should use with your printer, read the printer’s manual carefully.

Installing the ink cartridge properly is also extremely important and remember to clean the inside of the machine, on a regular basis with a specially designed brush, this will help the quality of your printing as nothing can damage a printer faster than spilled ink.

Don’t forget that proper storage of ‘extra’ cartridges is also crucial. Make sure that your cartridges are stores in a cool and dry area.

Paper

Unfortunately, not all printer paper is created equally – and like the ink cartridges, you can probably get by using regular standard paper for your everyday printing, although again, the quality of the print can be affected. Reading the manual that comes with your printer will give you a better idea of which quality paper to choose. For good quality printing, choose a 24-lb up to 40-lb white paper which has a high ISO brightness and if you are looking to print graphics or color pictures, you might want to consider using paper that is coated. This is paper that has been coated by a certain compound which provides that paper with certain qualities, including surface gloss and weight, in addition to ink absorbency or smoothness. Calcium carbonate and Kaolinite are the two compounds that are most often used in commercial printing for coating paper.

When it comes to your printing needs, fortunately, you do have choices that will make a difference to your bottom line.

Oyyy.co.uk are the UK's biggest suppliers of ink cartridges and other printer supplies, with over £8 million worth of stock available for next day delivery.