What is the best paper to print on at home?

[Kimmy]

Hi,
This is fantastic!
I am very new to this.......But I was wondering if you could advise the best type of paper to print on at home as I live in Australia and don't have the option to order the prints from this site.
Thanks for you help!

[angelwithin]

i print 8x8 on normal photo paper, i have an epson printer

i find the pages look stunning with a little gloss

[*eng*]

I use glossy photo paper with an epson too.

[Verleen]

I have two Epson's, both Photo printers, a R380 and R800 which has archival ink. Both do wonderful photos.

[leafroberts]

Epson Printers

I also have two Epsons. I think they are the best. I have a C88+ for up to 8.5" paper and I just got an 1800 for 12X12 paper.

I have been doing lots of scrapbooks that are 8.5 inches by 8.5. For those I use premium photo paper, because I also think they look better with some gloss. I prefer semigloss, but that is just me. I prefer 8.5 by 8.5 instead of 8 by 8, because 1) you don't waste so much paper, 2) you only have to cut once, and 3) the width is always exact. (K&Company used to be the only 8.5 inch books I could find, but now Target has some great ones.)

One great thing about the Epson1800 is that it has a built-in gloss optimizer. Looks great. Also on it you don't have to switch the black cartridges when you change from semigloss to matte paper.

For 12 by 12 pages I have been using 12 by 12 paper bright white cardstock from Office Max because it is reasonably priced, but before that was easy to find I just used larger paper from a regular paper store, such as 12 by 18. Since the larger width Epsons print up to 13 inches wide, there are probably European sizes that would work, too. I just cut them down with a paper cutter. The problem with the plain paper is that it is great for backgrounds, but I like the pictures with a little gloss. (That is one reason that I have been doing more 8.5 by 8.5 books.) However, I can live with the results if need be.

I just got this new gadget called Photobook Creator, but I have not tried it out yet. The books for it do not come in 8.5 by 8.5, but they do come in 11 wide by 8.5 high, and my daughter and I are doing a scrapbook for my grandson in that size to try it out.

Leaf