HP Office 20 Printer Paper Review: Reliable but Thin
A single complaint about slow ink drying barely dented its near-perfect ratings. HP Printer Paper 8.5 x 11 Office 20 lb 1 Ream 500 Sheets holds an 8.6/10 score across thousands of reviews, with “superior quality” and “no paper jams” cropping up in praise from office managers, students, and home users alike.
Quick Verdict: Yes, if you value reliable everyday printing with sharp text and consistent feed; conditional for heavy ink coverage projects.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Smooth feed, resists jams | Can feel thin for graphic-heavy jobs |
| Vivid colors and bolder blacks via ColorLok® | Occasional poor shipping/packaging protection |
| Works with laser, inkjet, and copiers | Drying time longer for heavy ink saturation |
| FSC-certified & acid-free | Price creeping upward per some buyers |
| Widely available in bulk | In rare cases, stock arrives partially opened |
| Consistent 92 brightness for clear readability | Recycled variant can jam in certain printer models |
Claims vs Reality
HP markets this paper as “perfect for everyday black and white printing” with ColorLok® for “more vivid colors, bolder blacks, and faster drying.” On the whole, users echo those claims. A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “The 92 brightness ensures text is clear and easy to read. Presentations, graphs, and charts look sharp every time.”
However, the “faster drying” promise didn’t pan out for everyone. One Amazon customer wrote: “Paper is so thin it takes a couple of mins for ink to fully dry. Printed binder covers at 80% coverage came out damp and smeared if touched.” While this didn’t impact casual text printing, graphic designers or educators printing full-page artwork saw limitations.
The durability claim—acid-free to “prevent yellowing over time”—received support from long-time users. On Trustpilot, a reviewer explained: “I use this paper for charts and diagrams archived for years—no fading, still crisp.” This mirrors HP’s archival intent.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
Reliability is a recurring theme. Amazon reviewers consistently praised its trouble-free feed: “It doesn't jam in my printer, unlike other brands I’ve tried,” one wrote after multiple years of use on both inkjet and laser models. Trustpilot verified buyers said it “never jams the printer… charts and graphs look professionally printed.”
Offices and schools benefit most from this jam resistance. Reddit educators shared how the paper holds up under daily craft and assignment use: “Great paper, used for classroom assignments, art, crafts, and printing so much.”
The 92 brightness feature was more than a stat—law firms and accountants called it ideal for contracts because text ‘pops’ sharply. A Staples customer confirmed: “Creates a crisp, neutral background to bring out the best in graphics, charts and text.”
Environmental certifications also drew praise. FSC certification and US-made production were valued by eco-conscious buyers: “In my attempt to become greener, it was exactly what I was looking for,” a Staples reviewer said of the recycled variant.
Common Complaints
Packaging and shipping woes surfaced occasionally. One Amazon customer described: “Box was sturdy, but the paper was already open—someone took sheets before shipping.” Others noted scuffed wrapping due to insufficient packing protection.
Thickness—or perceived lack thereof—was another point: “It’s a bit thin for my preference… damp with heavy ink coverage,” said an Amazon user. Graphic-heavy designers found themselves opting for heavier grades.
The recycled variant’s performance varied. A Staples shopper sharply warned: “Big mistake for my printer… jammed repeatedly, came out crooked and with bent corners.” This aligns with reports that while standard Office 20 runs smoothly, 30% recycled paper may require printer-specific compatibility.
Divisive Features
ColorLok® technology split opinions. Many loved the “bolder blacks” and “vivid colors” in PowerPoint handouts. Yet for full-color, borderless jobs, drying time proved problematic, especially with dense ink.
Price perception also divided buyers. Some saw bulk deals as unbeatable—"At under $6 a ream plus free Prime delivery, you can’t beat this price,"—while others noted steady price increases without proportional quality improvements.
Trust & Reliability
Trustpilot patterns showed minimal complaints about authenticity or product substitution. HP’s “100% performance guarantee” was rarely invoked, suggesting confidence in product consistency. Long-term durability also held up; an Amazon reviewer revisiting after two years reported their stock printed “with nary a paper jam” and looked identical in brightness to older sheets.
Where reliability faltered, it was almost always due to handling in transit rather than the paper itself. Damaged wrapper or missing sheets were fulfillment issues rather than defects from HP.
Alternatives
When compared in community discussions, Hammermill Copy Plus appeared as a competitive alternative for similar specs (92 brightness, 20 lb) but is sometimes priced higher per ream. Staples 92 Bright Copy Paper matched on performance but lacked the ColorLok® technology, potentially impacting vibrancy for colored prints.
Those printing heavy graphics leaned toward HP’s heavier Premium Choice Laser 32 lb paper, sacrificing cost savings for superior saturation handling.
Price & Value
At the time of writing, eBay listings show a range from NZD 12.45 to 20.27 per ream, with bulk packs in the NZD 24–35 range for two to three reams. Staples offers recycled variants at around USD 10.35 (down from USD 13.99), while Amazon buyers found reams under USD $6 with Prime.
Community buying tips emphasize timing purchases during office supply clearance periods and stocking multiples to offset shipping unpredictability. As one Amazon buyer put it: “Probably should have ordered a couple more while the getting was good.”
FAQ
Q: Does HP Office 20 work well with both inkjet and laser printers?
A: Yes. Multiple users confirmed smooth performance on HP DeskJet, HP OfficeJet Pro, Brother laser models, and older Epson inkjets, with minimal jamming.
Q: How bright is the paper compared to premium grades?
A: Office 20 has a 92 brightness rating—perfect for text clarity, though premium 100-bright white papers can offer slightly higher contrast for presentations.
Q: Is the recycled version as good as the standard one?
A: Opinions are split. Many found no performance difference, while others saw repeated jams and rougher texture, especially in HP Envy series printers.
Q: Does ColorLok® actually speed up drying times?
A: For light to moderate ink coverage, yes—users report smudge resistance within seconds. Heavy saturation jobs may still require extra drying.
Q: How durable is it for archiving documents?
A: Acid-free composition means documents retain whiteness and resist yellowing for years, supported by long-term storage stories from users.
Final Verdict: Buy if you’re an office, student, or home user printing text-heavy documents and want reliability with clean results. Avoid if your workflow involves full-page, graphic-heavy prints on thin stock. Pro tip from community: stock up during sales, and consider heavier HP Premium grades for saturated imagery.
