Amazon Basics Copy Paper: What 20 lb & 92 Bright Mean
Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper is Amazon's house-brand letter-size office paper: 8.5 × 11 in sheets, 20 lb bond weight (about 75 gsm), 92 brightness on the US GE scale, 500 sheets per ream, sold in multi-ream packs. Its listing describes it as acid-free and made for laser and inkjet printers, copiers and fax machines.
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Product facts
- Product
- Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper, 8.5 x 11 in, 20 lb, 92 Bright (AZ8511201R)
- Brand
- Amazon Basics
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- 20 lb (75 g/m²) acid-free copy paper
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per ream or pad
Notes on these facts
- Made by Amazon. Country of manufacture not stated: Amazon's own listing, read on October 20, 2026, doesn't name the mill or a country of origin. Some eBay seller listings say United States, but those fields are entered by resellers, so we don't treat them as reliable. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Each ream holds 500 sheets of 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm) paper; the single ream is model AZ8511201R and the 3-ream pack is AZ8511203R.
- 20 lb is a US bond weight, equal to about 75 gsm. Heavier bond grades are 24 lb (90 gsm), 28 lb (105 gsm) and 32 lb (120 gsm).
- 92 bright is measured on the North American GE (TAPPI T 452) scale at 457 nm, so it can't be compared directly with ISO or CIE numbers.
- HP Copy&Print20 and Hammermill Copy Plus share the same 20 lb, 92 bright headline specs; both are sold as made in the USA.
- Amazon doesn't name the mill, and we found no reliable source for the country of origin.
What is Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper?
It is Amazon’s own-brand everyday office paper: white, letter-size (8.5 × 11 in), 20 lb, 92 bright, 500 sheets per ream. Mirrored listing data names Amazon as the manufacturer and Amazon Basics as the brand. The single ream is model AZ8511201R (ASIN B01FV0F8H8).
Amazon’s listing describes it as smooth virgin paper, acid-free to prevent yellowing, for laser and inkjet printers, copiers and fax machines, and shows 4.8 out of 5 stars from 231,277 ratings as of October 20, 2026. It’s a plain multipurpose sheet, not a premium or color-laser paper.
Amazon Basics copy paper specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand / listed manufacturer | Amazon Basics / Amazon |
| Model numbers | AZ8511201R (1 ream) · AZ8511203R (3 reams) |
| Sheet size | 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm), US letter |
| Weight | 20 lb bond, about 75 gsm |
| Brightness | 92 (GE scale) |
| Sheets per ream | 500 |
| Pack sizes | 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10 reams (500 to 5,000 sheets), plus pallets |
| Ream weight | 5 lb (2.3 kg), per the listing |
| Finish | Smooth |
| Paper | Virgin fiber, acid-free (per the listing) |
| Use | Laser and inkjet printers, copiers, fax |
| Made in | Not stated |
Specs come from Amazon’s own listing, read on October 20, 2026; model numbers come from retailer copies of the listing. Amazon’s page shows no mill or country of origin. The 5 lb ream weight is consistent with 500 letter sheets at 75 gsm, which works out to about 2.26 kg (4.98 lb).
What do 20 lb and 92 bright mean?
20 lb is the paper’s US bond weight, about 75 gsm. 92 bright is its brightness on the North American GE scale.
- 20 lb: US bond paper is weighed as a ream of 500 sheets of the 17 × 22 in basis size. If that ream weighs 20 pounds, the paper is “20 lb”. Conversion tables put it at 75 gsm, with roughly 3.76 gsm per pound of bond weight. That’s slightly lighter than the 80 gsm A4 paper common in Europe.
- 92 bright: the GE brightness scale (TAPPI T 452) measures how much blue light at 457 nm the paper reflects. Sappi, a paper maker, notes that GE, ISO and other methods each give a different number for the same sheet, so don’t compare a GE 92 with an ISO or CIE figure from another brand.
| Bond weight | gsm |
|---|---|
| 20 lb | 75 |
| 24 lb | 90 |
| 28 lb | 105 |
| 32 lb | 120 |
How does Amazon Basics compare to HP and Hammermill paper?
On paper the three are the same grade: 20 lb (75 gsm), 92 bright and acid-free. The differences are what the makers add and say. HP Copy&Print20 is made by Sylvamo, which states it is manufactured in the USA. Hammermill Copy Plus is listed by US retailers with a US country of origin.
| Amazon Basics Multipurpose | HP Copy&Print20 | Hammermill Copy Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 20 lb (75 gsm) | 20 lb (75 gsm) | 20 lb (75 gsm) |
| Brightness (GE) | 92 | 92 | 92 |
| Acid-free | Yes (per listing) | Yes (per Sylvamo) | Yes (per retailers) |
| ColorLok | Not claimed | Yes | Yes |
| FSC certified | Not stated by Amazon | Yes | Yes |
| Made in | Not stated | USA (per Sylvamo) | USA (per retailers) |
Sylvamo also lists a whiteness of 155 for HP Copy&Print20. Hammermill claims a 99.99% jam-free guarantee for Copy Plus. These are maker claims we haven’t tested.
For more on HP’s range, see our HP printer paper guide.
Is Amazon Basics copy paper acid-free?
Its listing says it is acid-free virgin paper. Acid-free paper resists yellowing, which matters if you file documents for years. Amazon doesn’t publish a test standard or archival rating for the claim, so treat it as the seller’s description.
Does it work in inkjet and laser printers?
Yes. The listing names laser and inkjet printers, copiers and fax machines. It’s a general-purpose sheet.
One reviewer noticed slight show-through with dense ink on double-sided prints, which is typical of 20 lb paper. For heavy color or two-sided printing, 24 lb (90 gsm) paper is the usual step up.
Can you use fountain pens on Amazon Basics copy paper?
You can, but expect some feathering or bleed with wet inks or broad nibs. We found no fountain-pen test of this exact paper. Fountain Pen Network users report that most cheap 20 lb copy paper feathers or bleeds, and some say 24 lb office paper behaves better. Pure Pens’ paper guide suggests 80 gsm as a practical minimum for fountain pens, and this paper is about 75 gsm.
For daily notes with a gel pen like the Pilot G2 or Pentel EnerGel, plain copy paper is usually fine. For fountain pens, a notebook such as the Moleskine Classic or heavier paper is a safer bet.
Where is Amazon Basics copy paper made?
Amazon doesn’t say. The listing names Amazon as manufacturer and Amazon Basics as brand, but no mill or country of origin. Some eBay seller listings fill in “United States”, but resellers enter those fields themselves, so we don’t treat them as reliable. Check the end panel of your ream wrapper for a “Made in” line or mill code.
Frequently asked questions
What does 20 lb mean on copy paper?
It is the US bond weight: 500 sheets of the 17 × 22 in bond basis size weigh 20 pounds. In metric terms that is about 75 gsm (grams per square meter), slightly lighter than the 80 gsm A4 paper common in Europe.
What does 92 bright mean?
It is a brightness score on the GE (TAPPI T 452) scale used in North America, which measures how much blue light at 457 nm the paper reflects. Higher is brighter. Different scales give different numbers, so 92 GE can't be compared with an ISO or CIE figure.
How many sheets are in a ream of Amazon Basics copy paper?
500 sheets. Amazon sells packs of 1 ream (500 sheets), 3 reams (1,500 sheets), 5 reams (2,500 sheets), 8 reams (4,000 sheets) and 10 reams (5,000 sheets), plus pallet quantities.
Is Amazon Basics copy paper acid-free?
Amazon's listing describes it as virgin copy paper that is acid-free to prevent yellowing. Amazon doesn't publish a test standard for the claim.
Can you use Amazon Basics copy paper in an inkjet printer?
Yes. The listing says it is made for laser and inkjet printers, copiers and fax machines. One reviewer noted slight show-through with dense ink when printing on both sides.
Where is Amazon Basics copy paper made?
Amazon doesn't say. The listing names Amazon as manufacturer but not the mill or country. Some eBay sellers list United States, but we found no reliable source, so check the ream wrapper of your own pack.
Is Amazon Basics copy paper good for fountain pens?
It isn't sold as fountain-pen paper. Fountain pen forum users report that most cheap 20 lb copy paper feathers or bleeds, and one pen retailer's guide suggests 80 gsm as a practical minimum; this paper is about 75 gsm.
Is Amazon Basics paper the same as HP or Hammermill paper?
The headline specs match: HP Copy&Print20 and Hammermill Copy Plus are also 20 lb (75 gsm), 92 bright and acid-free. HP and Hammermill add ColorLok technology and state US manufacture; Amazon claims neither.
Sources
- Amazon.com: Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper, 8.5 x 11 in, 20 lb, 92 Bright, 1 Ream (B01FV0F8H8; acid-free virgin paper, pack sizes, 5 lb item weight)
- Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper (ASIN B01FV0F8H8, model AZ8511201R): listing details mirrored by manuals.plus
- device.report: Amazon Basics AZ8511201R
- Retailer listing: Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper, 1 ream (acid-free, virgin, model, EAN)
- Retailer listing: Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper, 10 reams (5,000 sheets)
- Slickdeals: 5,000-sheet Amazon Basics copy paper, 20 lb, 92 brightness (July 2025)
- Best CAD Papers: best bulk printer paper (Amazon Basics 4,000-sheet pack)
- Papersizes.org: US to UK and international paper weights
- Cloudprinter: lb to gsm paper weight conversion
- Sappi: Understanding Paper Brightness (PDF)
- Sylvamo: HP Copy&Print20 product page
- Sylvamo shop: HP Copy&Print20 (acid-free, made in USA)
- Staples: Hammermill Copy Plus 20 lb, 92 brightness (105500)
- Walmart: Hammermill 105500 Copy Plus, 92 bright, 20 lb (country of origin)
- Fountain Pen Network: 20-ish lb US letter printer paper that's inexpensive and not terrible
- Fountain Pen Network: fountain pen friendly printer paper
- Pure Pens: Fountain pen paper guide (GSM, bleed, feathering)