Rhodia No.16 and No.18 solve different space problems before any difference in ruling is considered. A larger writing surface is useful only if it fits where you work and where the resulting notes will go.
The Rhodia complete size chart, checked on 24 October 2026, identifies No.16 as A5 at 14.8 × 21cm and No.18 as A4 at 21 × 29.7cm. Use the model number together with the dimensions: the two-digit pad number is not a width in centimetres.
Mock up the footprint
Use a piece of scrap paper cut or folded to the listed format. Put it in the position where you normally write, alongside your keyboard, book or other working material. Then imagine the cover in the position it must occupy while you use the actual pad. A sheet-sized rectangle alone does not model every cover or binding arrangement.
For a desk with a narrow clear area, A5 may allow notes to stay beside the main task. For a diagram that must hold several related sections at once, the A4 format may reduce page switching. Neither advantage requires a claim that one paper is better.
Decide what happens to the finished page
- Filed notes: check the folder or sleeve’s usable dimensions and any binding margin.
- Scanned notes: consider whether the complete diagram needs to remain on one page.
- Loose working notes: choose a size that can remain visible without covering other essential material.
Only after settling that footprint would we select blank, graph, lined or dot-grid paper from the exact available reference. The chart distinguishes rulings and product references; not every photograph or retailer shorthand reliably identifies the variation you will receive.
A common buying error
A listing may use an attractive orange-pad image while offering a different numbered size in its selector. Read the selected number, dimensions and ruling together before ordering. Do not transfer the dimensions of an A4+ product or another Rhodia notebook to No.18 merely because the cover style is familiar.
Our view: a simple size mock-up is more informative for this decision than a general “best notebook” ranking. It answers whether the pad supports your actual working arrangement, while leaving paper feel and ink response for an appropriate sample.
Size-chart comparison without hands-on, paper-performance, page-count or price claims. Related: comparisons.
Leave a Reply