Ultra-cheap paper tends to be thinner, meaning that the paper is less opaque and therefore is not so effective for double-sided printing – potentially doubling the REAL cost of the paper, where thicker paper would have worked in duplex mode. It also can have an uneven surface, making your printing messy and inconsistent.

Some cheap paper is not made from wood paper pulp at all but instead from agricultural residues such as straw, corn husks, or sugar cane. While this might be a win for the environment, such paper tends to produce a lot more dust than more traditional paper and can cause significant reliability and consistency issues.

Cheap paper will often produce more dust. This might not sound like a big deal but it's a massive contributor to messing with the internals on your copier - increasing the frequency of jams.

Paying less for copier paper often means less has been spent on producing the paper. Cheap paper usually has flaws, such as not being the exact advertised size or cut at a perfect angle. Both of these factors increase the likelihood of paper jams, printing errors and problems in the paper tray.

Cutting corners on paper production can result in paper with a higher moisture level. This makes it more susceptible to cause jams by curling at the edges during the printing process.