Why this page exists
A printing help site is only useful if you can tell what has been checked and what has not. This page states our method plainly, including its current limits.
How the test sheets are made
- Generated by script. Each sheet is a vector PDF produced by a script, not drawn by hand. This keeps lines, text and bars sharp at any size.
- DeviceCMYK values. Colors are specified directly in DeviceCMYK, so ink amounts do not depend on an embedded profile or a screen conversion.
- Page size and scale checked by script. A script confirms that each PDF has the intended page size (Letter or A4) and that the scale bar measures what it should, such as 100 mm.
- Rendered and inspected. We render the PDFs and look at them to check layout, clipping and legibility before they are published.
The files are available from the PDF download hub.
How we check instructions
How-to steps are checked against official manufacturer and operating system support pages. When we cannot confirm a step for a given model or software version, we write a generic, safe version and link to the official page instead of guessing. We do not invent menu paths or button combinations.
Printer models and software versions differ, so some steps may not match what you see. In that case the manufacturer’s own guide for your model takes priority. See the how-to section for the pages we have.
What we label as estimates
- Ink use and cost figures from the ink cost estimator.
- Scale diagnoses from the scale check.
- Results from the camera nozzle check, which is in beta.
These are aids to your own judgment. Looking at the paper is always the final check.
Defect illustrations
The images that show print defects, such as streaks, banding and faded print, are currently illustrative placeholders. They are not photographs of real prints. We plan to replace them with photos of real prints, and this page will be updated when that is done.
Real printer test log
No printer test results are published yet. We have not listed any printer model as tested, and nothing on this site should be read as a claim that we tested a specific printer. Models will be listed here only after they are actually tested, together with what was tested and what we found. Until then, this section stays empty on purpose.
Corrections
If you find something wrong, such as a step that does not match the manufacturer’s guide or a sheet that prints at the wrong size, please tell us through the contact page. We will check it and correct the page.
Related pages
See about, the terms of use and the privacy policy.