The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens(jetpens.com)
jetpens.com
The Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-42-Best-Pens-for-2023-Gel-Ballpoint-Rollerball-and-Fountain-Pens/pt/974
201 comments
I always look for small suppliers of a small niche. The people tend to know something about what they sell. It is worth paying a little more just to get good advice from someone who cares more than I do about the subject.
Agreed 100%. I have spent a ton of money with JetPens and I will continue to do so.
Not only is their store built, organized, and curated specifically for the items they sell and their customers, they also have knowledgeable and passionate staff members that write fantastic articles about high end stationery. I'm constantly learning new things.
Not only is their store built, organized, and curated specifically for the items they sell and their customers, they also have knowledgeable and passionate staff members that write fantastic articles about high end stationery. I'm constantly learning new things.
The best e-commerce sites are judged by the categories in their search filters. If I need a five pin female DIN 13A M16 connector rated for IP67…
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/connectors/circular-connector...
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/connectors/circular-connector...
When I was a student I think I read online that (for water based inks) laser printer paper works well and better than a lot of notebook paper. I think something about feathering or drying time but I don’t really remember. I’m not sure how true it was and I preferred having loose leaf paper with no lines so I was pretty happy feeling like I was getting well suited paper on the cheap.
A notebook isn't just about the paper, but also the binding.
If you're making your own notebook out of printer paper, I suggest you spend $10 on a 2-point hole punch and then buy the 2-point binders, which is far superior over staples. This should get you a good binding for personal use (sized for ~10 pages to 100 pages or so) with only 10-cents or so for the binding. Still, this gets you a "notebook" of size 8.5 x 11, which is too large for most purposes. (3-hole punch binders are a bit too big / heavy in most purposes in my experience, the 2-hole punch methods / folders / binders are superior for most purposes)
Folding in half is usable, but now you gotta cut the edge if you want the paper to line up right. I guess good for ~10 sheets (20 pages after folding), but any more and things are pretty bad in my experience.
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B5 notebooks are just the right size: fitting inside of purses, my desk on the go. They're also auto-numbered (If you're buying higher-priced ones like LEUCHTTURM1917), come with built-in bookmarks, and come in a variety of styles (lines, dots, or plain).
The main advantage to "making your own" is the ability to print out whatever design you want (ex: music sheets, or in my case... breadboarding plans for electronics). So I still make my own notes with 2-point binder + 8.5x11 paper these days.
But for typical note-taking / day-to-day use, nothing beats a properly sized B5 notebook or pocket "Field Notes".
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Auto-numbering is a surprisingly important thing in my experience, to the point that I have bought an automatic counting machine (aka: a stamp that auto-increments). This is useful not only for page numbers, but also for lists within a page. It turns a $2 Walmart notebook into something usable for work and is cheaper than buying a fancy pre-numbered notebook.
Still though, those higher-quality notebooks from Jetpens are just really, really nice. And the fact that they have tested their paper and pages with a variety of inks, pens, and pencils with photographic proof is proof of Jetpen's quality of information.
If you're making your own notebook out of printer paper, I suggest you spend $10 on a 2-point hole punch and then buy the 2-point binders, which is far superior over staples. This should get you a good binding for personal use (sized for ~10 pages to 100 pages or so) with only 10-cents or so for the binding. Still, this gets you a "notebook" of size 8.5 x 11, which is too large for most purposes. (3-hole punch binders are a bit too big / heavy in most purposes in my experience, the 2-hole punch methods / folders / binders are superior for most purposes)
Folding in half is usable, but now you gotta cut the edge if you want the paper to line up right. I guess good for ~10 sheets (20 pages after folding), but any more and things are pretty bad in my experience.
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B5 notebooks are just the right size: fitting inside of purses, my desk on the go. They're also auto-numbered (If you're buying higher-priced ones like LEUCHTTURM1917), come with built-in bookmarks, and come in a variety of styles (lines, dots, or plain).
The main advantage to "making your own" is the ability to print out whatever design you want (ex: music sheets, or in my case... breadboarding plans for electronics). So I still make my own notes with 2-point binder + 8.5x11 paper these days.
But for typical note-taking / day-to-day use, nothing beats a properly sized B5 notebook or pocket "Field Notes".
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Auto-numbering is a surprisingly important thing in my experience, to the point that I have bought an automatic counting machine (aka: a stamp that auto-increments). This is useful not only for page numbers, but also for lists within a page. It turns a $2 Walmart notebook into something usable for work and is cheaper than buying a fancy pre-numbered notebook.
Still though, those higher-quality notebooks from Jetpens are just really, really nice. And the fact that they have tested their paper and pages with a variety of inks, pens, and pencils with photographic proof is proof of Jetpen's quality of information.
A vintage Bates stamp auto-numbering machine is a perfect complement to paper journals. It makes a satisfying whirr-thunk sound; the polished handle and the reset cogs are a tactile delight; and even the ink has a distinctive aroma.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Bates-Numbering-Machines/57050/bn_812...
An incrementing number stamp sounds handy: faster than writing the numbers manually, which is what I do now.
For me, rounded outer corners are also essential. Hard to do with copier paper.
For me, rounded outer corners are also essential. Hard to do with copier paper.
Laser printer paper varies widely in quality. Most of the ones I've used have a lot of feathering. I have had good experiences with the Target brand papers.
Printer paper does work great. It's designed to be disposable, though, so the lightest weight will buckle under heavy ink, and it also yellows and fades more easily than "archival" papers designed for art.
The simplest kind of sketchbook I would make is a manila file cover for printer paper, bound by a binder clip. The manila is stiff enough to add some protection, and the clip makes it rigid.
The simplest kind of sketchbook I would make is a manila file cover for printer paper, bound by a binder clip. The manila is stiff enough to add some protection, and the clip makes it rigid.
How many people read the reviews on Jetpens and then buy the pen from Amazon though. Obviously not so many to put them out of business, but that's always the danger.
Hardly a danger. Amazon store is filled with counterfeits and scammers due to its comingling policy.
When you buy from a small shop where its reputation is on the line, you're assured you're getting what you ordered. When you buy from Amazon, it could be comingled scammer-goods from that one guy who ruined the collective commons for everyone.
Its clear how Amazon works. They merge SKUs together, and "Fulfilled by Amazon" means those goods are comingled with other marketplace sellers (possibly even "Sold by Amazon"). It only takes one bad actor in the marketplace for counterfeit goods to be mixed up with everyone.
When you buy from a small shop where its reputation is on the line, you're assured you're getting what you ordered. When you buy from Amazon, it could be comingled scammer-goods from that one guy who ruined the collective commons for everyone.
Its clear how Amazon works. They merge SKUs together, and "Fulfilled by Amazon" means those goods are comingled with other marketplace sellers (possibly even "Sold by Amazon"). It only takes one bad actor in the marketplace for counterfeit goods to be mixed up with everyone.
Most people don't know that the Amazon stores have counterfeits and they don't care because they will almost never actually get one. I place close to 100 orders a year and have yet to receive a single counterfeit product, or at least, one that substantially differed from the product advertised.
The most counterfeits come from books in my experience.
There seems to be counterfeit printers who will give lower-quality books (runny ink, editing errors, etc. etc.). This is a bigger deal for $100 to $200 textbooks. You're gonna get a lower quality product than the official printers if you buy enough books on Amazon.
https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202
No Starch Press was also complaining about it pretty loudly, but Amazon never made a response as far as I'm aware.
I've caught counterfeits of my own. Ligatures (ex: fi or fl) are completely missing from my Art of Electronics 3rd Edition... so my table-of-contents says "ip-ops" instead of "flip-flops". Among other multitudes of errors that is in no errata that I'm aware of.
It is also well published to be the case: https://artofelectronics.net/the-book/counterfeit-editions/
And I have one of these counterfeit books myself as proof. Amazon really does have crap counterfeit detection.
There seems to be counterfeit printers who will give lower-quality books (runny ink, editing errors, etc. etc.). This is a bigger deal for $100 to $200 textbooks. You're gonna get a lower quality product than the official printers if you buy enough books on Amazon.
https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202
No Starch Press was also complaining about it pretty loudly, but Amazon never made a response as far as I'm aware.
I've caught counterfeits of my own. Ligatures (ex: fi or fl) are completely missing from my Art of Electronics 3rd Edition... so my table-of-contents says "ip-ops" instead of "flip-flops". Among other multitudes of errors that is in no errata that I'm aware of.
It is also well published to be the case: https://artofelectronics.net/the-book/counterfeit-editions/
And I have one of these counterfeit books myself as proof. Amazon really does have crap counterfeit detection.
I believe lots of those counterfeits are actually pretty hard to tell apart from the real product. I've had a Samsung charger that was almost a perfect copy, I wouldn't have noticed it if hadn't started smoking one day because the insides were melting together into a burned mass. There were some details (quality of the printing etc.) but nothing I'd ever have noticed. I've also had a Shimano MTB chain that wore out in 1/20 of what I usually get out of a chain. Not sure how many "this product is kind of disappointing" situations I've had that were actually due to fakes that weren't obviously fake garbage, but kind of ok-ish.
I bought my first fountain pen on Amazon (didn't know about Jetpens/Goulet/others).
My second pen (Jinhao) - I think I got it from eBay.
I suspect my next pen was also from Amazon.
After that, though, all my pens came from niche stores. A number of PenBBS pens directly from the maker, etc.
I just compared one of the pens I bought: Amazon is not cheaper than Jetpens.
My second pen (Jinhao) - I think I got it from eBay.
I suspect my next pen was also from Amazon.
After that, though, all my pens came from niche stores. A number of PenBBS pens directly from the maker, etc.
I just compared one of the pens I bought: Amazon is not cheaper than Jetpens.
Not to beat this horse, but I know the items I get from JetPens are not counterfeit. I’ve seen too many fountain pens reviews on Amazon where pens were counterfeit or gold nip was swapped with stainless. I usually buy from sellers such as JetPens or Goulet. With that said, I’ve bought a few FP from Amazon and AliExpress as well over the years.
I think it's pretty unlikely. It's not easy to know what you're buying from Amazon, especially when you're buying a very specific pen with a very specific color in a very specific tip size that's not even sold in your home market. Even if you do find it on Amazon, the rarer items are unlikely to be sold by Amazon and you'll be paying shipping from an unknown seller, maybe even shipped from overseas - and you might as well skip the effort and just buy from Jetpens.
Since you're into pencils, have you tried the Pentel GraphGear? Or, my personal favorite, the Rotring 800?
I don't like pencils, for my vision the color is too low contrast with the paper compared to black ink, or even blue ink, and for that reason I prefer a .7 nib to a .5, the thin lines also result in less contrast (they also make a scraping "sound/sensation" on the paper). but I didn't comment just to say that, but I selected your comment as a representative sample for a broader comment:
hey everybody, could you tell us why you like something rather than just that you like it? We had a mechanical pencil recommended, and then two more mechanical pencils recommended, but I'd have to do my own research to figure out why I would choose one over another. Whereas, you all already know what I'm looking for in a writing implement (high contrast and maximum smoothness)
even though I don't think I want a pencil, I do have opinions about mechanical pencils, for example I love when they can autofeed new leads.
hey everybody, could you tell us why you like something rather than just that you like it? We had a mechanical pencil recommended, and then two more mechanical pencils recommended, but I'd have to do my own research to figure out why I would choose one over another. Whereas, you all already know what I'm looking for in a writing implement (high contrast and maximum smoothness)
even though I don't think I want a pencil, I do have opinions about mechanical pencils, for example I love when they can autofeed new leads.
I like the rOtring 800 because it's heavy in my hand but the actual lead-on-paper "feel" is extremely smooth. Contrast depends entirely on the lead you put into the pencil. For max contrast there are versions of the 800 with thicker tips, (iirc) even going up to the regular pencil nibs that you can sharpen (if you know what I'm talking about, I don't really know how to properly explain it).
Basically, I like it because it's a high quality writing utensil that I won't get worried about.
A lot of people don't like the 800 because of the retractable tip, but as someone who has this pencil in their backpack all the time (and who has had the non-retractable version unfortunately ruined in a backpack) it is an absolute necessity.
Basically, I like it because it's a high quality writing utensil that I won't get worried about.
A lot of people don't like the 800 because of the retractable tip, but as someone who has this pencil in their backpack all the time (and who has had the non-retractable version unfortunately ruined in a backpack) it is an absolute necessity.
> Also, I tend to prefer pencil, and will recommend the Pentel Kerry.
You can pry my Zebra DelGuard from my cold, dead hands.
You can pry my Zebra DelGuard from my cold, dead hands.
Glad to know I’m not the only one, I spend an ungodly amount on JetPens…
As an aside, anybody got recommendations of good websites for Japanese stationery? That have the widest selection and can deliver globally.
What are you looking for that JetPens doesn't have?
I don't know! ^^ Basically collect all the cute and quirky things I can find.
https://www.amazon.com/PEXIZUAN-Kawaii-Erasable-Supplies-Sta...
https://usa.kinokuniya.com/featured-stationery
but it's best if you can go to one of their stores https://usa.kinokuniya.com/stores-kinokuniya
https://usa.kinokuniya.com/featured-stationery
but it's best if you can go to one of their stores https://usa.kinokuniya.com/stores-kinokuniya
> The future of online stores is jetpens and websites like it. Jetpens is useful because I trust their reviews.
Why does everything always have to be "the future of ____" or mutually exclusive one way or the other? Online specialty stores exist just like they did in real life in the past. They are not really competing for the same customers.
Why does everything always have to be "the future of ____" or mutually exclusive one way or the other? Online specialty stores exist just like they did in real life in the past. They are not really competing for the same customers.
Amazon doesn't even organize or allow you to search for SHOES by size. Their search is about forcing crap down your throat and is actively hostile to getting what you want. I wish the reviews were the worst of it.
I'm guessing that's the major reason for Amazon purchasing Zappos a few years ago.
There was probably a warehouse ops/tech angle to it too. Zappos was something of a pioneer in large-scale robotic warehouse automation, and Amazon ultimately also acquired the robotics vendor Zappos relied on (Kiva).
Jet Pens is a dangerous site. They'll convince you to part with your money far too easily.
Studio Ghibli pens. I mean, how can you not buy them?!
On a slightly more serious note - I agree with the Uniball Signo recommendations. They're good, reliable pens. I don't care for writing with Frixion pens, but they are the player in the erasable pen arena.
I really appreciate how they provide samples with metadata on how each pen/paper works. Even if you disagree with their "Best of" lists, they give you the data you need to make informed buying choices. Something all too absent for other online ordering.
And they have a better selection of really fine point pens than other sites.
Studio Ghibli pens. I mean, how can you not buy them?!
On a slightly more serious note - I agree with the Uniball Signo recommendations. They're good, reliable pens. I don't care for writing with Frixion pens, but they are the player in the erasable pen arena.
I really appreciate how they provide samples with metadata on how each pen/paper works. Even if you disagree with their "Best of" lists, they give you the data you need to make informed buying choices. Something all too absent for other online ordering.
And they have a better selection of really fine point pens than other sites.
I bought a couple of Frixion pens after reading a similar thread here. I like them. But keep them away from kids, Stiftung Warentest (essentially, German Consumer Affairs) found lead in the ink and recommends other pens.
https://www.test.de/Stifte-und-Tinten-im-Test-Unterm-Strich-...
https://www.test.de/Stifte-und-Tinten-im-Test-Unterm-Strich-...
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the uniball signo rt 0.38mm tip has been my goto pen since 2002 at least, to a degree that i do not purchase other pens.
Fountain pens completely changed how I write. I've always gripped ballpoints like my life depended on it and gotten hand cramps from how hard I press them down. I don't want to, and can temporarily stop doing that when I consciously notice, but then I forget and go back to trying to stab the desktop through the paper.
A Lamy Safari's triangular shape makes it physically hard to hold the "wrong" way. It nudges me to write with my fingertips, not my wrist. The effect on my hand pain, and my ability to hand-write long bits of test, was immediate and huge.
I wouldn't have thought that simply switching pens would make such an enormous difference in my ability to put ink on paper. It sure did, though.
A Lamy Safari's triangular shape makes it physically hard to hold the "wrong" way. It nudges me to write with my fingertips, not my wrist. The effect on my hand pain, and my ability to hand-write long bits of test, was immediate and huge.
I wouldn't have thought that simply switching pens would make such an enormous difference in my ability to put ink on paper. It sure did, though.
It's worth investigating the effect of ballpoint pen technology on society. Beyond cleanliness and general convenience, the ballpoint pen has stood as an example of technological innovation that makes the rounds in one form or another as the central figure of progress, yet there is a dark side to its past. The Fisher Space Pen did its part to promote the American space program of the 1960s and Xi used the lowly ballpoint as a sticking point to drive innovation into the 2020s, but you don't hear about the poor ergonomics, handwriting atrophy, or lack of cursive being taught in elementary school. We need to consider the analog along with the digital if we're going to elevate ourselves out of the mess we're wallowing in. The education system needs all the help it can get, but in addition to one laptop per child, it would be a good idea to give them analog clocks so they can tell time and fountain pens so they can learn the why and how to read cursive.
Does anyone actually care about cursive beyond personal interest? I haven’t used it since 5th grade and haven’t missed it one bit.
I care inasmuch as each of my kids had perfectly readable handwriting up until the moment their school wasted weeks teaching them cursive at which point their writing became a mess, which in turn caused them a fair bit of anxiety over the years. I would have rather they spent the time on literally anything else.
+1 to this
You’d never know it without asking me but my sloppy handwriting is the product of trying to add cursive concepts to my print writing style because everyone said cursive was good therefore it must only be able to enhance print writing. What a phenomenally useless skill. I could have spent those hours reading books.
You’d never know it without asking me but my sloppy handwriting is the product of trying to add cursive concepts to my print writing style because everyone said cursive was good therefore it must only be able to enhance print writing. What a phenomenally useless skill. I could have spent those hours reading books.
I wonder if the SAT still makes you write the anti-cheating pledge on the back of your answer book in cursive
What categories of concern are you interested in beyond “personal”? Social? Cultural? Functional? Economic?
The person I replied to seemed to imply it was bad that kids aren’t taught cursive. I’ve heard that opinion before, as if cursive were intrinsically valuable. I think it’s like any other hobby skill: if you like using it because of your own enjoyment, awesome! But that doesn’t mean it’s inherently worthwhile for anyone else.
If you write a bunch by hand it is worth it to invest a bit of time into developing a good cursive skill.
But I have to admit I agree with you, I have a very hard time reading cursive(mainly because I don't have to do it much) and I never did have the interest in developing a neat hand. so for what little hand writing I do block characters serve me well enough. hell, most of the time I drop the lowercase letters as well.
But I have to admit I agree with you, I have a very hard time reading cursive(mainly because I don't have to do it much) and I never did have the interest in developing a neat hand. so for what little hand writing I do block characters serve me well enough. hell, most of the time I drop the lowercase letters as well.
It's faster, so yes?
If you want speed, there are better options, not the least of which is a keyboard (or steno etc). I haven’t had a use case for cursive since it was required in elementary school. For most purposes that don’t care about speed it is inferior to the block writing styles I learned for engineering.
There are faster versions, but probably not so much the ones that are commonly taught. Also, most of the time one writes plenty fast enough. The only case I can think of where more speed is essential is steno and that is not cursive.
I swear, many years ago, there were papers published that showed print-style handwriting was quicker. Up until then I would have agreed with you; now I'm not so sure, and the sources have drifted into the mists of memory.
Worth a check.
Worth a check.
The whole nation of France :) . We learn to write in cursive and this is how most of us continue to write.
The difference with France is that kids (at least mine) learn cursive from a very young age - in the UK where I'm from we learnt cursive when I was around 9 or 10 by which time the bad habits have already been formed.
Yes, when I said "we learn to write in cursive" I should have said, this is the first and only way we learn to write :) .
We actually have the opposite issue. My script handwriting is awful because I never had to learn/use it. For paperwork we sometime have to write letter separately, but it is different than real script writing.
I similarly fell in love with fountain pens. My writing was finally legible.
That said, I just don't use pens often enough for it to be viable. Ink's dried, tip needs cleaning, etc. So I went back to my trusty old ball points I so hate.
That said, I just don't use pens often enough for it to be viable. Ink's dried, tip needs cleaning, etc. So I went back to my trusty old ball points I so hate.
I've had the same experience as you, and it turned out that I needed a pen that doesn't dry out. They exist for sure -- here's one that (100% of the time) will stay ready-to-write months after being used:
https://www.jetpens.com/TWSBI-ECO-Clear-Fountain-Pen-Extra-F...
There are others too, but this one costs less than $40, and is very well-made!
https://www.jetpens.com/TWSBI-ECO-Clear-Fountain-Pen-Extra-F...
There are others too, but this one costs less than $40, and is very well-made!
This. About a decade ago I switched to writing exclusively with fountain pens because of wrist and arm pain. I couldn’t get beyond maybe a paragraph until I’d be shaking out my hand from cramping. I tried different pens, grips, etc. but would always fall back to writing with my wrist. Switching to fountain pens stumbling through re-learning cursive has made a tremendous difference.
Isn't it amazing how different it is? It turned writing from something I completely despise to an activity I actually kind of enjoy.
I didn't bother with cursive, though.
I didn't bother with cursive, though.
What are some of your favorite goto pens?
Sorry I don’t check comments often — here’s my go to pens:
- pocket pen: Kaweco brass sport <F>. It’s built like a tank, and develops a unique patina.
- daily workhorse: Pilot VP <F>. Great solid pen. The retractable nib is so darn convenient that it’s my go to for anything where I may be intermittently taking notes (e.g. meetings)
- fancy pen for home: Pilot 823 <M>. I got a quite good deal on it, as it’s more than I’m comfortable spending, but it’s one of the best writing pens out there and the vac filler is fun. But it doesn’t leave my desk.
- recent pen: Moonman A1 <EF>. This is a “knockoff” of the Pilot VP, which had its patents expire. Quality is maybe 90% of the Pilot, but I paid <$25 shipped on AliExpress. Trying it out as a note taking pen since I’m a little over protective of my VP.
I also have a TWSBI Eco and a Lamy Safari. I use the eco for basically callouts (circling/adding comments in red) when I review meeting notes. The Safari isn’t really for me… maybe the nib never meshed with my handwriting but I’ve always had issues; however, a lot of folks give it a ton of praise.
[edit: formatting]
- pocket pen: Kaweco brass sport <F>. It’s built like a tank, and develops a unique patina.
- daily workhorse: Pilot VP <F>. Great solid pen. The retractable nib is so darn convenient that it’s my go to for anything where I may be intermittently taking notes (e.g. meetings)
- fancy pen for home: Pilot 823 <M>. I got a quite good deal on it, as it’s more than I’m comfortable spending, but it’s one of the best writing pens out there and the vac filler is fun. But it doesn’t leave my desk.
- recent pen: Moonman A1 <EF>. This is a “knockoff” of the Pilot VP, which had its patents expire. Quality is maybe 90% of the Pilot, but I paid <$25 shipped on AliExpress. Trying it out as a note taking pen since I’m a little over protective of my VP.
I also have a TWSBI Eco and a Lamy Safari. I use the eco for basically callouts (circling/adding comments in red) when I review meeting notes. The Safari isn’t really for me… maybe the nib never meshed with my handwriting but I’ve always had issues; however, a lot of folks give it a ton of praise.
[edit: formatting]
Not the person you replied to, but I mentioned earlier that I love my LAMY Safari. It's inexpensive as far as nice fountain pens go, but the quality-per-dollar value is immense. I'd recommend it to anyone who's considering trying fountain pens, doesn't want to break the bank on an experiment, and still wants to have a nice experience.
Your comment opened my eyes on the matter a little bit.
As some others in this page, I loathe the act of writing, but it's also a negative feedback loop where I use disposable ballpoint pen. I remember I used to prefer foutain pen in high school.
Still, for my case I see two potential downsides with foutain pen:
- mobility (train trips and bike commuting). I remember instances of leaks.
- Infrequent use. I'll keep being a keyboard-first note-taker. :)
I guess I need to shop for shake-proof, non-drying pen and cartridges.
As some others in this page, I loathe the act of writing, but it's also a negative feedback loop where I use disposable ballpoint pen. I remember I used to prefer foutain pen in high school.
Still, for my case I see two potential downsides with foutain pen:
- mobility (train trips and bike commuting). I remember instances of leaks.
- Infrequent use. I'll keep being a keyboard-first note-taker. :)
I guess I need to shop for shake-proof, non-drying pen and cartridges.
I have a Fisher Space Pen in my bag for when I really need to write something on the go. It's just that I wouldn't want to write a whole novel with it. By analogy, I think the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is an excellent portable keyboard. When I'm out and about, it does the job. But when I sit down at my desk, I much prefer my full-size mechanical keyboard.
I'd love to use fountain pens. Unfortunately, I'm left-handed.
Commenting with the others: I'm a left-handed writer and an avid fountain pen user. It isn't so bad.
The best thing I can say is: try to learn to write under the line (under-hand) as opposed to hookwriting or sidewriting. Those make things pretty tough. If not, there are things you can try: Prefer extra-fine (EF) or fine (F) nibbed pens. Private Reserve and Noodler's make some fast-drying ink. This combo will often allow the ink to dry faster than your hand can get to it.
The best thing I can say is: try to learn to write under the line (under-hand) as opposed to hookwriting or sidewriting. Those make things pretty tough. If not, there are things you can try: Prefer extra-fine (EF) or fine (F) nibbed pens. Private Reserve and Noodler's make some fast-drying ink. This combo will often allow the ink to dry faster than your hand can get to it.
I'm a leftie fountain pen user. It definitely can be done, but might need some adjustments to how you hold a pen / what inks you use. I've using a lamy safari with waterman ink for about 10 years with no trouble.
I use em Left Handed. A proper notebook with fast drying pages and ink will reduce smudging but I always have some ink on my hand lol.
As others have said, fast-drying ink. In fact, if I understand correctly, there are "left handed pens" that are mechanically identical to right-handed; the difference is fast-drying ink.
The "left handed pens" have a nib that's different so it doesn't scratch when you use it.
Think of a mirror-image of a regular nib.
Think of a mirror-image of a regular nib.
OK, but a ball-point pen has a symmetric nib, doesn't it?
Do left-handed pens also have faster drying ink?
Are there left-handed ballpoints? If so, is the ink the only difference?
Do left-handed pens also have faster drying ink?
Are there left-handed ballpoints? If so, is the ink the only difference?
Search site:www.fountainpennetwork.com for lefty/left-handed. Many discussions.
my recent forays into fountain pens (daily driver for 3+ years) haven't resulted in the smearing or tearing that riddled my fountain pen experiences of my youth.
Go Da Vinci style and write from right-to-left?
I bought the TWISBI ECO on a lark. I was hesitant because I already had the GO and the ECO was just more expensive.
Well boy-howdy is the ECO not only leagues better than the GO, but I much prefer to all my other pens.
Folks recommend the really cheap platinum preppy pens, but be warned they are super scratchy. I would go a size up from what you normally prefer wrt to nib (if you are new, try M as F and EF are extremely scratchy IMHO).
The opposite is true about the TWISBI in my experience. Go a size down. Their F nibs write quite fat.
Then again, I mostly write on cheap paper so this advice def doesn't apply to e.g. Rhodia pads.
Finally, I don't love the metropolitan. Feels great in the hand but I always find myself reaching for the smooth writing I get from my Eco.
Well boy-howdy is the ECO not only leagues better than the GO, but I much prefer to all my other pens.
Folks recommend the really cheap platinum preppy pens, but be warned they are super scratchy. I would go a size up from what you normally prefer wrt to nib (if you are new, try M as F and EF are extremely scratchy IMHO).
The opposite is true about the TWISBI in my experience. Go a size down. Their F nibs write quite fat.
Then again, I mostly write on cheap paper so this advice def doesn't apply to e.g. Rhodia pads.
Finally, I don't love the metropolitan. Feels great in the hand but I always find myself reaching for the smooth writing I get from my Eco.
> Folks recommend the really cheap platinum preppy pens, but be warned they are super scratchy.
The reason people recommend the platinum is that its cheap and its cap system is especially good for avoiding dry-out. To me, the platinum preppy feels like a rounded pencil. I think its a good pen, but my reservation is that the plastic is a bit brittle on the preppy. I'd personally probably go with the Pilot Kakuno, or the more expensive Platinum prefonte, or if you're really worried about costs, the interesting and fraught world of Chinese fountain pens
> I would go a size up from what you normally prefer wrt to nib (if you are new, try M as F and EF are extremely scratchy IMHO).
This is a feature of all the Japanese pens - they tend to have a finer grind. The European and other pens (e.g., Lamy) are about what you expect.
> Finally, I don't love the metropolitan. Feels great in the hand but I always find myself reaching for the smooth writing I get from my Eco.
The Metropolitan is a love-or-hate pen for some people, due to hand feel. I personally like it. If you can hold one, that'd be best. I think a couple of things make the Metro a better beginning pen than the Eco, if you like how it feels in your hand. It's cheaper; its got a metal body and cap (can be banged around), its got better QC (The first Eco I was given had the infamous 'barrel crack'. The second just flat didn't write. I'm a bit miffed at the brand), It can take cartridges or its included converter-sac, and it is by far one of the easiest pens to tear down and clean. The Eco can be taken apart with its special wrench too, but people commonly crack it in the process.
I just wish pilot sold the nibs separately for repair, like Lamy does, of TWSBI does with their more expensive pens.
For the crowd around here: I'd also say that one of the joys of a fountain pen is that you can tune, smooth, and even grind your own nibs if you're that adventurous.
The reason people recommend the platinum is that its cheap and its cap system is especially good for avoiding dry-out. To me, the platinum preppy feels like a rounded pencil. I think its a good pen, but my reservation is that the plastic is a bit brittle on the preppy. I'd personally probably go with the Pilot Kakuno, or the more expensive Platinum prefonte, or if you're really worried about costs, the interesting and fraught world of Chinese fountain pens
> I would go a size up from what you normally prefer wrt to nib (if you are new, try M as F and EF are extremely scratchy IMHO).
This is a feature of all the Japanese pens - they tend to have a finer grind. The European and other pens (e.g., Lamy) are about what you expect.
> Finally, I don't love the metropolitan. Feels great in the hand but I always find myself reaching for the smooth writing I get from my Eco.
The Metropolitan is a love-or-hate pen for some people, due to hand feel. I personally like it. If you can hold one, that'd be best. I think a couple of things make the Metro a better beginning pen than the Eco, if you like how it feels in your hand. It's cheaper; its got a metal body and cap (can be banged around), its got better QC (The first Eco I was given had the infamous 'barrel crack'. The second just flat didn't write. I'm a bit miffed at the brand), It can take cartridges or its included converter-sac, and it is by far one of the easiest pens to tear down and clean. The Eco can be taken apart with its special wrench too, but people commonly crack it in the process.
I just wish pilot sold the nibs separately for repair, like Lamy does, of TWSBI does with their more expensive pens.
For the crowd around here: I'd also say that one of the joys of a fountain pen is that you can tune, smooth, and even grind your own nibs if you're that adventurous.
I started with a Metropolitan and then bought the Eco as an upgrade. Returned the Eco - too scratchy for me.
The Metropolitan was my favorite until I got a PenBBS and custom nib for it.
The Metropolitan was my favorite until I got a PenBBS and custom nib for it.
If anyone from JetPens is reading this(?) - would love to hear about the effects of this article ending up on HN today.
Why? Because I'm about to drop ~$40 on pens as a result of the post, and discussion here.
Echoing other people's sentiments here - love the site, love the density, love the niche'ness, love the information.
Why? Because I'm about to drop ~$40 on pens as a result of the post, and discussion here.
Echoing other people's sentiments here - love the site, love the density, love the niche'ness, love the information.
My unsolicited advice to JetPens owner: This is the first time I've ever seen the Jetpens site, and it's amazing. The guides are great, and I instantly trust the advice.
I have a $100 cart though, and I'm not going to checkout because there is no Apple Pay or Shop Pay or Amazon Pay option. Sorry I'm too lazy to add my data to yet another e-com site!
I have a $100 cart though, and I'm not going to checkout because there is no Apple Pay or Shop Pay or Amazon Pay option. Sorry I'm too lazy to add my data to yet another e-com site!
There is an Apple Pay option. I just used it!
I get it, but just do it.
I honestly don't even consider my credit card information that sensitive anymore. If it gets stolen, VISA will reimburse me and reissue a new card.
I have VISA too, does this apply to me aswell?
I've never heard of someone having their credit card stolen, reporting it promptly, and being out of pocket for any amount.
I've heard several stories of that happening with regular bank debit cards here in Canada. I almost never use my debit card outside of the actual bank branch, and definitely never at high risk locations like convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Always credit.
I've heard several stories of that happening with regular bank debit cards here in Canada. I almost never use my debit card outside of the actual bank branch, and definitely never at high risk locations like convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Always credit.
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Wow, I'm shocked at the level of depth in this site. I thought for sure something like "best pens for your lab notebook" would be SEO drivel, but they actually test against things like alcohol and acetone, and consider writing on vials and containers and such.
Hi, writer of the Best Pens for the Lab blog here in an unofficial capacity—I made an account to respond to this comment! For the record, it's a real joy to get to put information online that's actually in the realm of thoughtful and helpful. The Best XYZ title format is a SEO choice, though, totally correct there ;)
20 years ago the internet was brimming with such sites, on all possible topics.
Ah jeez. I have 9 tabs open on JetPens now. 30 minutes ago I was reading the linked article and now I'm comparing pocket planner dimensions and researching the practicality of retractable fountain pens. I've been thoroughly nerd-sniped.
Featured in this list are two of my favorite fountain pens, the Pilot Vanishing Point and the Lamy 2000. Both of these in my collection write very well and both have unique and interesting designs.
The Pilot Vanishing Point doesn't need a cap, the nib is exposed and protected in a manner akin to clicking a ball point in and out. Mine works perfectly.
The Lamy 2000 is sleek and modern looking with a sophisticated design. It looks like a fountain pen that one might see in a Star Trek movie, but this model has been around since the mid 1960's. After half a century, the design is still the favorite of my collection. It operates flawlessly.
I own the other, less expensive fountain pens mentioned as well; they would be good choices too. I started out with some of these and I still like them, but it is easy to get hooked on buying more fountain pens and fancy inks.
The Pilot Vanishing Point doesn't need a cap, the nib is exposed and protected in a manner akin to clicking a ball point in and out. Mine works perfectly.
The Lamy 2000 is sleek and modern looking with a sophisticated design. It looks like a fountain pen that one might see in a Star Trek movie, but this model has been around since the mid 1960's. After half a century, the design is still the favorite of my collection. It operates flawlessly.
I own the other, less expensive fountain pens mentioned as well; they would be good choices too. I started out with some of these and I still like them, but it is easy to get hooked on buying more fountain pens and fancy inks.
My Pilot vanishing broke on me within about 2 months of use, sadly. I've since purchased a Sailor 1911 demonstrator which writes super smoothly. It's been my main pen for the past couple years, love it.
I’ve found my VP (which I like a lot though) dries up very quickly. I recently got a Lamy Dialog and it behaves way better (and even though it looks bulky it is a joy to use). For more “casual” (throw-in-the-bag) I really dig the plasticky Pelican Twists (they feel extremely comfortable, I have 3 or 4) and a trusty Kaweco Liliput in brass I always carry on my backpack.
> The Lamy 2000 is sleek and modern looking with a sophisticated design.
Have mine inked right now, I'd say it's my favorite pen currently.
Have mine inked right now, I'd say it's my favorite pen currently.
I've tried a few fancy pens, but still prefer my Pilot G2 07s.
>Pilot G2
I like Pilot G2 pens but unfortunately, they have a limited shelf life as the gel ink inside dries out.
I just found this out recently when I went to get some more "new" Pilot pens from my supply closet and noticed every one of them was dried out. I bought them 7 years ago. Various websites and youtube hacks suggested putting the tips in boiling water for a while to try and revive them but that didn't work.
I had 3 boxes of black, blue, and red Pilot pens so I guess that's about $30 wasted.
I like Pilot G2 pens but unfortunately, they have a limited shelf life as the gel ink inside dries out.
I just found this out recently when I went to get some more "new" Pilot pens from my supply closet and noticed every one of them was dried out. I bought them 7 years ago. Various websites and youtube hacks suggested putting the tips in boiling water for a while to try and revive them but that didn't work.
I had 3 boxes of black, blue, and red Pilot pens so I guess that's about $30 wasted.
The thing about the Pilot G2 is that you can usually find it on the same shelves as school-grade Bics. Grocery stores, pharmacies, big-box stores, you never need to special-order them.
Many of the pens discussed here are very nice. If I bought a few, I'd want to keep them at home or in an office.
Pilot G2s, though, are everywhere. Sure they dry eventually, but you can buy refills, and I usually lose them or have them stolen before that happens anyways.
I wonder if you could make a pen humidor to prolong the ink's shelf life.
Many of the pens discussed here are very nice. If I bought a few, I'd want to keep them at home or in an office.
Pilot G2s, though, are everywhere. Sure they dry eventually, but you can buy refills, and I usually lose them or have them stolen before that happens anyways.
I wonder if you could make a pen humidor to prolong the ink's shelf life.
Pilot G2 .38 or .5 for me
Did Pilot ever fix the G2's failed rollerball retention issue? I had a few pop loose before I gave up on the line.
I've been a uniball signo 0.25 (math/subscripts) and 0.38 (text) fan for years now. It's one of the few pens that actually makes my handwriting better.
I've been a uniball signo 0.25 (math/subscripts) and 0.38 (text) fan for years now. It's one of the few pens that actually makes my handwriting better.
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As someone who loves the writing feel of fountain pens I have to say the a pilot G2 is not an unfancy pen. The writing feel and ink quality is superb.
Yes the G2 is cheap, but evaluated along metrics of writing feel and ink quality the G2 is a fancy pen in my opinion. Everytime I pick up a G2 I enjoy the experience immensely.
I mean, I love my fountain pens more but the G2 deserves respect as a premium writing tool you can buy in grocery store.
Yes the G2 is cheap, but evaluated along metrics of writing feel and ink quality the G2 is a fancy pen in my opinion. Everytime I pick up a G2 I enjoy the experience immensely.
I mean, I love my fountain pens more but the G2 deserves respect as a premium writing tool you can buy in grocery store.
I can vouch for the Pentel EnerGel recommendation.
As a left-handed person who tends to smudge a lot of other inks, EnerGels write smoothly without smudging. They're also cheap enough to buy a whole pack and not worry about losing them.
As a left-handed person who tends to smudge a lot of other inks, EnerGels write smoothly without smudging. They're also cheap enough to buy a whole pack and not worry about losing them.
Pentel Energel 0.7mm is the best pen I've ever used, period. Effortless writing with almost no friction. Clear contrasty quick-drying ink. Never too much ink (blotchy) or too little (streaky).
I don't trust the recommendations of this page. They recommend pens as blanket statements not mentioning size, and that's just... wrong. and imprecise. For example, the Pentel Energel 1.0mm is too blotchy. The 0.5mm is too scratchy. The 0.7mm is just right. Also their uniball recommendation is strange. I've tried all kinds of uniball pens and never liked any of them. They seemed to require too much effort, or had ink that wouldn't go down cleanly.
I don't trust the recommendations of this page. They recommend pens as blanket statements not mentioning size, and that's just... wrong. and imprecise. For example, the Pentel Energel 1.0mm is too blotchy. The 0.5mm is too scratchy. The 0.7mm is just right. Also their uniball recommendation is strange. I've tried all kinds of uniball pens and never liked any of them. They seemed to require too much effort, or had ink that wouldn't go down cleanly.
Agreed. These are gold for lefties. I have yet to find a better pen. It's a joy to use and the .5mm ball also makes my writing look very neat and tidy.
I had a friend of mine recommend them a while back. I was extremely dubious -- a gel pen? For lefties?? No way.
Well, he was right. I've been converted to the church of EnerGel.
Well, he was right. I've been converted to the church of EnerGel.
I adore gel pens. I go through a good number since I'm writing a book and am also an artist. I searched for "Pentel EnerGel" on jetpens.com...
971 results!
Haha. Let me get my coffee...
Thanks!
971 results!
Haha. Let me get my coffee...
Thanks!
You'll pry my EnerGels out of my cold, dead left hand.
+1
Additionally, they come in a number of colors, all of which are quite rich. Big fan!
Additionally, they come in a number of colors, all of which are quite rich. Big fan!
I can't describe the feeling I feel when I view a website like JetPens, but it's there.
It's the same feeling I had when I visited my first website.
It's that same feeling I got when we had software instead of web apps.
Tangible springs to mind.
It's the same feeling I had when I visited my first website.
It's that same feeling I got when we had software instead of web apps.
Tangible springs to mind.
this isn't the first time i've seen this article (or the version from another year i guess) and it always brings me a lot of joy to see a list of "the best" of something, clearly written by somebody who cares a lot about the subject and really believes that what they're writing is the truth.
and the conclusion is that the best ones are the normal ones you can get in every store, you don't need to custom order weird stuff from japan. you don't need to hack together something out of the parts of two different things. the best rollerball pen is the one i've got a dozen of in my cupboard, and i can buy more of at the office supply store down the street.
and the conclusion is that the best ones are the normal ones you can get in every store, you don't need to custom order weird stuff from japan. you don't need to hack together something out of the parts of two different things. the best rollerball pen is the one i've got a dozen of in my cupboard, and i can buy more of at the office supply store down the street.
Tangent: When it comes to mechanical pencils, the Pentel GraphGear 1000 is really, really good. Let alone for like $10.
Depends. Its a heavy pencil with a sharp-ish point, making it ill-suited for carrying in your pocket.
I'd say the GraphGear 1000 is great as a "stay on the table" kind of mechanical pencil. But if you plan to carry it around with you all day, Pentel Kerry is far superior.
GraphGear 1000 might be good for a backpack or purse though.
I'd say the GraphGear 1000 is great as a "stay on the table" kind of mechanical pencil. But if you plan to carry it around with you all day, Pentel Kerry is far superior.
GraphGear 1000 might be good for a backpack or purse though.
Maybe you're thinking of the GraphGear 500? The 1000 has a retractable point -- the clip is actually part of the retraction mechanism, so it's impossible to clip it to your pocket with the point out. (Since around 2016 I've carried at least one GraphGear 1000 in my jeans pocket on a daily basis, and they've never let me down.)
The retractable point does nothing. If your leg moves in such a way that squeezes the top, you'll end up with a hole in your pocket. I know, because I did this and ruined my pocket in one of my jeans.
The heavy metal construction is also extremely abrasive. If I ever accidentally put my phone into the pocket with the GraphGear 1000, the screen protector would crack.
As I said earlier: its a great pencil for writing / desk usage. But in my experience, its terrible to carry it around all day, especially in a pocket.
---------
Pentel Kerry still has a sharp point... but the cap mechanism is just more "correctly braindead" in regards to protecting your pockets from the sharp point. The cap also balances out the Kerry to an appropriate "swing-weight / balance" for writing.
GraphGear 1000 is actually very well balanced for writing, though the heft / weight might surprise someone. Its a joy to use, until you get a hole in your pocket.
The heavy metal construction is also extremely abrasive. If I ever accidentally put my phone into the pocket with the GraphGear 1000, the screen protector would crack.
As I said earlier: its a great pencil for writing / desk usage. But in my experience, its terrible to carry it around all day, especially in a pocket.
---------
Pentel Kerry still has a sharp point... but the cap mechanism is just more "correctly braindead" in regards to protecting your pockets from the sharp point. The cap also balances out the Kerry to an appropriate "swing-weight / balance" for writing.
GraphGear 1000 is actually very well balanced for writing, though the heft / weight might surprise someone. Its a joy to use, until you get a hole in your pocket.
I used to advocate for the sharp kerry but I've had two completely stop feeding official pentel leads and need replacement from pentel for no reason. They are shorter lived than even the graphgear 1000s, and I've broken the plastic parts on those too.
The graphgear's retractable tip has never put a hole in my pocket, and I can always clip it to the top of my pocket (with the pen in the pocket) if I'm really concerned.
The biggest issue I have with the graphgear 1000s is that the texturing on the barrel just isn't very comfortable for extended duration use. I always end up putting a stupid puffy piece to make them easier to use for long periods of time.
Lately I've just given up on all of those and end up using 2mm lead holders. I've probably got $150-200 worth of fancy pencils and the 2mm leadholders get the most use.
The graphgear's retractable tip has never put a hole in my pocket, and I can always clip it to the top of my pocket (with the pen in the pocket) if I'm really concerned.
The biggest issue I have with the graphgear 1000s is that the texturing on the barrel just isn't very comfortable for extended duration use. I always end up putting a stupid puffy piece to make them easier to use for long periods of time.
Lately I've just given up on all of those and end up using 2mm lead holders. I've probably got $150-200 worth of fancy pencils and the 2mm leadholders get the most use.
(chuckle)
Is the corollary to "damn with faint praise" to "praise with faint criticism"?
I use it to write in my Moleskine Cahier journal, and it stashes perfectly nestled in the inner folio cover. I don't recall ever putting a pencil in my pants pocket, but if I did, its tip retracts. But whatever works for you, different strokes...
I use it to write in my Moleskine Cahier journal, and it stashes perfectly nestled in the inner folio cover. I don't recall ever putting a pencil in my pants pocket, but if I did, its tip retracts. But whatever works for you, different strokes...
I heartily agree with their fountain pen choices. The Pilot Metropolitan is insanely good for a cheap pen that you can take anywhere and the TWSBI GO is my go-to daily driver. It leads me to believe that the rest of the reviews are likely good.
I bought a moonman m2 a long time ago and really love it but also if I travel with it I end up bringing a whole cleanup kit because even with care I tend to have at least once where ink comes out into the cap.
Is this just a fact of life with fountain pens in general? I love the writing but keeping them clean & operational has been non-trivial for me.
Is this just a fact of life with fountain pens in general? I love the writing but keeping them clean & operational has been non-trivial for me.
If you drop one or bang it hard you'll usually get some ink in the cap yeah. Finer or more recessed nibs reduce the effect. Pilot also has a line of retractable fountain pens that almost completely eliminate it.
The pressure changes when flying can force ink out the nib as well. I've heard people say you can prevent it by having the reservoir completely full but I fly with it empty or usually just leave it at home.
The pressure changes when flying can force ink out the nib as well. I've heard people say you can prevent it by having the reservoir completely full but I fly with it empty or usually just leave it at home.
Not in my experience. Though ink seepage definitely seems to be related to how it's stored (and probably shaken). I've had one seep when stored point down, and dozens not seep when stored horizontally or point up.
That said, I don't travel with them, practically speaking.
That said, I don't travel with them, practically speaking.
Flying can cause the ink to come out (happened only once with me).
Otherwise, ink shouldn't come out unless there is a flaw in the pen (which many ultra cheap pens have).
I've not tried the Moonman, but Jinhao/PenBBS are solid for me. Rarely do they "leak".
Otherwise, ink shouldn't come out unless there is a flaw in the pen (which many ultra cheap pens have).
I've not tried the Moonman, but Jinhao/PenBBS are solid for me. Rarely do they "leak".
it seems to depend on the pen for me. some deposit substantial ink in the cap and some don't (except flying, that's always gonna be a mess unless you prepare).
The vanishing point is an amazing pen too, if a little pricy.
How TF did Pilot be the company to create such great inexpensive fountain pens? I mean, I'm not upset about it, I love them.
In the early 1900s, three Japanese fountain pen companies were founded: Sailor (1911), Namiki (1918), and Platinum (1919). Namiki changed its name to Pilot in the 1930s, but some Pilot pens are still sold under the Namiki brand.
I have pens from all of these companies and they are some of my favorite brands.
I have pens from all of these companies and they are some of my favorite brands.
The Nevada State Bank once recommended a Uni-ball 207 (any pigment ink pen will probably do) to prevent check washing fraud: [video] https://youtu.be/zhR-koBU4zM
I've seen Uni-ball 207 recommended too. I also have some Mont Blanc fountain pen ink that claims to forgery resistant (meeting ISO 14145-2) that I've used to for check writing. Here's a YouTube video about the subject [1].
Noodlers ink (also available on jetpens.com) is said to have forgery resistant inks as well. I don't have any of it, but I do have some of Noodlers invisible ink--you need an ultraviolet light source to see it.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH_Yb4-0p0o
Noodlers ink (also available on jetpens.com) is said to have forgery resistant inks as well. I don't have any of it, but I do have some of Noodlers invisible ink--you need an ultraviolet light source to see it.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH_Yb4-0p0o
Gel pens in general are recommended over ballpoint, because the ink is water-based and resistant to solvents.
I have a bag of BIC Cristal pens that I've been working through for over a decade now. There are still a few left. What am I missing?
I've used a lot of random pens when signing my name at various places of business, and none of them seemed better to me than a BIC Cristal. In fact, many are so much worse that I usually bring my own BIC Cristal to places where I know I'll be filling out paperwork.
I've used a lot of random pens when signing my name at various places of business, and none of them seemed better to me than a BIC Cristal. In fact, many are so much worse that I usually bring my own BIC Cristal to places where I know I'll be filling out paperwork.
My favorite are the Bic Round Stic pens. I like to write small, and I find that most other pens have more flow than I want.
It also helps that they're dirt cheap, so I can just get a big bunch like you and I don't have to care if I lose one here or there.
Ironically, I find that if I only have a few pens, I start to lose them over time, but if I have a large amount, I actually accumulate pens. Not sure how that works.
It also helps that they're dirt cheap, so I can just get a big bunch like you and I don't have to care if I lose one here or there.
Ironically, I find that if I only have a few pens, I start to lose them over time, but if I have a large amount, I actually accumulate pens. Not sure how that works.
I have been using the same Bic Round Stic pen for almost ten years. Whenever the ink is used up, I just switch the ink out from a brand new one.
It has almost a decade of battle scars and character.
It has almost a decade of battle scars and character.
Surprised no one has mentioned …The main practical one is line thickness. You can’t physically write as small. You can pack a ton of information with a 0.3mm or 0.25 ball point that is not possible with the bic where nearly triple that is considered “fine” by comparison.
Those pens have considerable resistance but I find pilot hi-tec-c 0.4mm write as smoothly as a Bic but a far cleaner line and is a good compromise for everyday use. It’s not like most of these pens are particularly expensive or anything either.
Those pens have considerable resistance but I find pilot hi-tec-c 0.4mm write as smoothly as a Bic but a far cleaner line and is a good compromise for everyday use. It’s not like most of these pens are particularly expensive or anything either.
Well, that's sort of like "I only use tools from Harbor Freight. What am I missing?" :-)
Tactile experience and aesthetics mostly. If you're fine with what you use don't worry about it.
Highly agree on tactile experience. I have Zebra Blen 0.7 and 0.5 for everyday use and they are much better than my BIC pens to me.
you've never used a better pen? a hi-tecpoint v5? A pilot fineliner?
There's nothing wrong with bic cristals except that its kind of the most basic pen. Are there better pen experiences out there? many many better experiences. But it sounds like thats not interesting to you, so there's no reason for you to seek them out.
There's nothing wrong with bic cristals except that its kind of the most basic pen. Are there better pen experiences out there? many many better experiences. But it sounds like thats not interesting to you, so there's no reason for you to seek them out.
A bic pen isn't a bad pen, it is stunningly successful type of pen.
There are meaningful differences between how it feels to write with a fountain pen or other type of nice pen vs a bic but there is no reason you might not just prefer how a bic writes.
I like the relaxed, but controlled feeling of a fountain pen. Writing with bic like pens my whole life I got into the habit of gripping the pen hard and pressing down hard and it made me hate writing.
There are meaningful differences between how it feels to write with a fountain pen or other type of nice pen vs a bic but there is no reason you might not just prefer how a bic writes.
I like the relaxed, but controlled feeling of a fountain pen. Writing with bic like pens my whole life I got into the habit of gripping the pen hard and pressing down hard and it made me hate writing.
I'm left handed and have used this site before.
I have a bunch of Uni-ball Jetstream pens that I'm real happy about. I learned about those from this site in one of their previous articles.
I can't tell if they're saying the Jetstream is no longer as good as it was, or these other new pens are even better, or they're just kind of pushing something new.
I'm tempted to order some of the Pentel Energels, Pilot Multiball, etc.. I'm not a highlighter person so don't care about that one. I guess the other thing is knowing some other options to look for in a pinch. The Uni-ball Jetstream is not commonly found in stores near me. I generally have to order them. If the Pentel/Pilot options are more common I need to keep that in mind.
Their specific articles on left handedness explain a ton.. I never connected any of the effects (cramping, calluses, scraping the paper, etc..) other than smudging because I never really thought about how righties are pulling across the paper in left-to-right languages and lefties are pushing across the paper. It also explains why fountain pens are so brutal for lefties. They're so annoying maybe it explains why they used to try so hard to get left handed people to learn to switch for writing. I actually think I'd have been fine if forced to switch.
My silliest pen story was walking into a fancy pen store and the sales person was a total snob. He lost a sure fire sale instantly based on judging me on my clothes or something. None of the pens had prices and when I asked about one he said if I had to ask I couldn't afford it. I wanted to come back and say I could buy every pen in the store or maybe the whole store, which I might have very well been able to. They went out of business. (Part of this was they were renting space in the mall, they didn't own their premises)
I have a bunch of Uni-ball Jetstream pens that I'm real happy about. I learned about those from this site in one of their previous articles.
I can't tell if they're saying the Jetstream is no longer as good as it was, or these other new pens are even better, or they're just kind of pushing something new.
I'm tempted to order some of the Pentel Energels, Pilot Multiball, etc.. I'm not a highlighter person so don't care about that one. I guess the other thing is knowing some other options to look for in a pinch. The Uni-ball Jetstream is not commonly found in stores near me. I generally have to order them. If the Pentel/Pilot options are more common I need to keep that in mind.
Their specific articles on left handedness explain a ton.. I never connected any of the effects (cramping, calluses, scraping the paper, etc..) other than smudging because I never really thought about how righties are pulling across the paper in left-to-right languages and lefties are pushing across the paper. It also explains why fountain pens are so brutal for lefties. They're so annoying maybe it explains why they used to try so hard to get left handed people to learn to switch for writing. I actually think I'd have been fine if forced to switch.
My silliest pen story was walking into a fancy pen store and the sales person was a total snob. He lost a sure fire sale instantly based on judging me on my clothes or something. None of the pens had prices and when I asked about one he said if I had to ask I couldn't afford it. I wanted to come back and say I could buy every pen in the store or maybe the whole store, which I might have very well been able to. They went out of business. (Part of this was they were renting space in the mall, they didn't own their premises)
> he said if I had to ask I couldn't afford it
When people act that way to me, I just laugh and walk away. It feels much better than being mad, and they often look confused rather than smug. I have no problem with not rewarding them with a sale. Sometimes they'll even backpedal, I just say "Have a great day, bye!"
When people act that way to me, I just laugh and walk away. It feels much better than being mad, and they often look confused rather than smug. I have no problem with not rewarding them with a sale. Sometimes they'll even backpedal, I just say "Have a great day, bye!"
It was pretty much a laugh and walk away thing. Way way too silly to get mad. They didn’t really sell anything truly exotic or expensive.
As a fellow southpaw, I was convinced to buy a bunch of their recommended pens (IIRC their standalone "best pens for lefties" article is more thorough than the left section in the "best pens of $current_year" article).
The Pentel EnerGel (specifically, the "Pentel EnerGel Alloy Gel Pen - 0.7 mm - Black Ink - Silver Body") is the best pen I've ever used. It feels magically smooth with minimal smudging. For me it writes much better than the Jetstream, although if you do a ton of writing you might prefer the grip on those. I also really like the multiball (for writing on non-paper surfaces), the power tank (aka the poor man's space pen) and the Sarasa dry gel pens (less smooth than the Energel but the designs are fun)
The Pentel EnerGel (specifically, the "Pentel EnerGel Alloy Gel Pen - 0.7 mm - Black Ink - Silver Body") is the best pen I've ever used. It feels magically smooth with minimal smudging. For me it writes much better than the Jetstream, although if you do a ton of writing you might prefer the grip on those. I also really like the multiball (for writing on non-paper surfaces), the power tank (aka the poor man's space pen) and the Sarasa dry gel pens (less smooth than the Energel but the designs are fun)
Some of my Jerstreams do tend to gunk up.
I wouldn’t say I write a ton.
I wouldn’t say I write a ton.
Jetpens is an evil website, truly. Spent so much money on fountain pens on brands I didnt even know existed until I saw it on that site.
Ahh I went down this rabbit hole recently - wanting to find what was good but also affordable from Amazon Canada.
Ended up landing on sharpie s-gel metal pen bodies (there's a blacked out variation that is appealing) with pentel energel refills.
I am really fond of the zebra G-750 (all metal gel pen, also blacked out) but I'm able to get a dozen of the above combo very, very cheap.
Ended up landing on sharpie s-gel metal pen bodies (there's a blacked out variation that is appealing) with pentel energel refills.
I am really fond of the zebra G-750 (all metal gel pen, also blacked out) but I'm able to get a dozen of the above combo very, very cheap.
I did this rabbit hole about 15 years ago and have a couple vanishing points as a result. Today Zebra Sarasa at work. Fountain pens are fun but fiddly with refills and blots. Fun to write with.
I had no idea that some pens are way better than normal ballpoints for writing checks. They have another whole article on the best pens for that:
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Pens-for-Writing-Check...
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Pens-for-Writing-Check...
I love these pens, but my hobby lately has been pen turning. Here's a pen just finished today: https://ibb.co/59bhKP7
I'd love a source of reviews like this for the refills. This pen takes a Parker style refill (Cross is another common refill style), and the ones that come with the kit doesn't last long anyway. So a nice source of reviews for the inserts would be really valuable.
I'd love a source of reviews like this for the refills. This pen takes a Parker style refill (Cross is another common refill style), and the ones that come with the kit doesn't last long anyway. So a nice source of reviews for the inserts would be really valuable.
Fun fact!
> It’s important to keep in mind that Pilot FriXion ink will “erase” with any heat, so we don’t recommend storing your notebooks on top of a radiator or in cars during the summer. Additionally, don’t use FriXion ink to take tests or write on important documents. If your writing disappears inadvertently, you may be able to get it to reappear by placing the paper in a freezer that reaches below 14°F, or -10°C.
> It’s important to keep in mind that Pilot FriXion ink will “erase” with any heat, so we don’t recommend storing your notebooks on top of a radiator or in cars during the summer. Additionally, don’t use FriXion ink to take tests or write on important documents. If your writing disappears inadvertently, you may be able to get it to reappear by placing the paper in a freezer that reaches below 14°F, or -10°C.
I’ve been working my way through Kawecos, started with a Brass Sport with F nib which I’ve still got, then I bought a stainless steel Sport with BB nib that I ended up selling. Next I tried a copper Liliput with B nib and a plastic sport with M nib. I love the Liliput more than any of the sports so I think I’m going to buy the fireblue one with a M nib and I might end up selling all the rest.
I've tried a bunch of the "entry" fountain pens, but I agree, the Liliput is my favorite by far. It fits my hand a lot better than the Pilot Metro / ECO / Lamy Safari, and it writes so consistently how I expect it to. Only real downside is smaller ink capacity, but it's still been a convenience upgrade overall.
Pens, pah. Wait until you hold a stainless or matte metal retro1951 tornado pencil, then use it on a pad of graph paper from Edward Tufte, or the reporter notebook (flip) or music art notebook with staff lines from Moleskine.
I have pens and pads that were gifts from luxury companies like Montblanc, and Hermés but nothing quite compares to those pencils and pads above.
I have pens and pads that were gifts from luxury companies like Montblanc, and Hermés but nothing quite compares to those pencils and pads above.
I know you were mentioning pencils, but Retro1951 pens are my favorite pens. They're ergonomic and I love the refills, and they'll accept other refills in a pinch.
My personal favourites are:Pilot V5 Roller Ball Pen ( https://www.amazon.in/Pilot-Roller-Ball-Pack-Black/dp/B08JVF... ) and this one: https://www.amazon.in/Reynolds-045-Lightweight-Comfortable-S...
I have been using these for years now and they are the most comfortable for me to write with.
I have been using these for years now and they are the most comfortable for me to write with.
Oh I still write with a Pilot Hi-Techpoint 05 (not the V5 really; but very similar) almost everyday https://www.amazon.in/dp/B00LOD6BKU/.
I have many other pens that I keep buying losing/using/forgetting/discarding but they have been constant. And god Reynolds 045 were the "professional pen" for students when we meant business - that means even writing in the exams or board exams. I still have it one or two in my house.
There was one from from Mitsubishi. I can't find a link for that.
All the fancy fountain pens keep coming and going (or staying in some pen cases) in my life these were the best.
I have many other pens that I keep buying losing/using/forgetting/discarding but they have been constant. And god Reynolds 045 were the "professional pen" for students when we meant business - that means even writing in the exams or board exams. I still have it one or two in my house.
There was one from from Mitsubishi. I can't find a link for that.
All the fancy fountain pens keep coming and going (or staying in some pen cases) in my life these were the best.
I'm pretty surprised the Pilot G-2 .38 is not on there. I buy them in bulk because I enjoy writing with them so much.
Can someone recommend something like a Micron pen but with a chisel rather than round tip?
I greatly prefer chisel tips/nibs but I like the convenience of felt tip pens as well as waterproof ink that dries quickly and doesn't smear.
The closest thing I've found is a fine tip calligraphy marker, but they don't seem to last very long.
Alternately something like a Flair pen but with a chisel tip and waterproof ink.
I haven't tried the Pilot Parallel, but the finest nib is 1.5mm which seems too bold, and it's basically a fountain pen so is likely to have the same issues of messiness and running out of ink.
edit: the Staedtler Pigment Liner Marker has a 2mm chisel tip but I'd like something smaller.
I greatly prefer chisel tips/nibs but I like the convenience of felt tip pens as well as waterproof ink that dries quickly and doesn't smear.
The closest thing I've found is a fine tip calligraphy marker, but they don't seem to last very long.
Alternately something like a Flair pen but with a chisel tip and waterproof ink.
I haven't tried the Pilot Parallel, but the finest nib is 1.5mm which seems too bold, and it's basically a fountain pen so is likely to have the same issues of messiness and running out of ink.
edit: the Staedtler Pigment Liner Marker has a 2mm chisel tip but I'd like something smaller.
Just this week I bought some J. Herbin Perle Noire ink for my Muji Fountain Pen. I loved the shopping experience on JetPens and the reviews were comprehensive.
As for the Muji, loving this thing. It's so great for math, it's saving my linear algebra grade.
As for the Muji, loving this thing. It's so great for math, it's saving my linear algebra grade.
I bought the Muji fountain pen a few years ago and it's an amazing pen, especially for only $17! I've been looking for a new ink to try, I'll give J. Herbin Perle Noire a shot.
Which converter do you use?
Which converter do you use?
I didn’t use converters this time around. I’m moving to Seattle in a couple of weeks, so I can’t buy ink glasses yet. For now I just purchased the ink in prefilled international cartridges, which they sell in packs of six. :)
Chose Perle Noire because it’s widely regarded as a really deep black ink, which is something I like in my daily use ink. It’s also a good balance between quick drying and good waterproofing.
As for the converter, I’ve heard that the FP accepts any international converter as well. Make sure to check the subreddit though for compatibility reviews!
EDIT: Link https://www.jetpens.com/J.-Herbin-Perle-Noire-Ink-Pearl-Blac...
Chose Perle Noire because it’s widely regarded as a really deep black ink, which is something I like in my daily use ink. It’s also a good balance between quick drying and good waterproofing.
As for the converter, I’ve heard that the FP accepts any international converter as well. Make sure to check the subreddit though for compatibility reviews!
EDIT: Link https://www.jetpens.com/J.-Herbin-Perle-Noire-Ink-Pearl-Blac...
After trying a few hundred types years ago, I have been using Pilot's V ball pen black 0.5 / 0.7, which is close to perfect, except I never looked into refill options to reduce plastic waste (I suspect this one cannot be refilled).
Pilot no longer seems to offer the original model, which I insist on, but I was able to acquire large quantities from several Amazon stores.
Any B5 notebook with squares, blank pages or dots will do (Leuchtturm ones are nice), as long as the pages are numbered. I have laptops and paper notebooks everywhere, so I do not use one linearly until it is filled, but hop between them. Each entry is dated, though, so this does not cause a problem.
Pilot no longer seems to offer the original model, which I insist on, but I was able to acquire large quantities from several Amazon stores.
Any B5 notebook with squares, blank pages or dots will do (Leuchtturm ones are nice), as long as the pages are numbered. I have laptops and paper notebooks everywhere, so I do not use one linearly until it is filled, but hop between them. Each entry is dated, though, so this does not cause a problem.
I use a noodles Ahab for my daily work. It's got a flexible nib so i can do artistic stuff from time to time.
I searched for the brand and the first hit on ddg was jetpens. Never knew of the site till now
I searched for the brand and the first hit on ddg was jetpens. Never knew of the site till now
For most of us the best pen is the one that is functional and within reach when we need it. Everything else is just for fun or for show. It's nice to know what artists and people who regularly spend hours writing things out by hand think about specific brands/models, but I can't justify the expense of getting anything too fancy when I can go many many months without even touching a pen or a pencil and none of them are so advanced that they can make up for my bad handwriting.
And honestly some of the expensive pens don't write that well. I was given a Waterman pen and its ink cartridge was crap until I replaced it with a compatible cartridge from a cheap gel pen. And it still pretty much sits in a pen holder on my desk because the gel pens I like are lighter and cheap.
I mostly go with the Uniball Signos at this point. Though based on the article I should probably investigate more of the variants.
I mostly go with the Uniball Signos at this point. Though based on the article I should probably investigate more of the variants.
I recently got a rhodia notebook to go with my Pelikan Souveran FP and recently acquired MB LeGrand rollerball. I've been using the RB more and more because it's just a lot easier to keep inked and ready to go (and the size is perfect for my hands). That said, it skips a lot - not sure if I got a bad refill or if that's just the way MB rollerballs are.
Definitely invest in a good notebook if you get a nice pen. The pelikan is a pain to write with on regular paper.
Definitely invest in a good notebook if you get a nice pen. The pelikan is a pain to write with on regular paper.
They forgot the best of all(for general use, fountain pens are still fun): The uni-ball powertank.
It's a pressurized pen for less than $2 in the ten packs!!
It's not the most luxurious feeling to write with, but that doesn't matter when you just need a few quick sentences and checkboxes now and again. Pressurized pens are ideal for the modern use case of occasionally filling out something, usually in a hurry, with a pen you haven't touched in a week.
It's a pressurized pen for less than $2 in the ten packs!!
It's not the most luxurious feeling to write with, but that doesn't matter when you just need a few quick sentences and checkboxes now and again. Pressurized pens are ideal for the modern use case of occasionally filling out something, usually in a hurry, with a pen you haven't touched in a week.
I own a LAMY ST Steel Fountain Pen and I love it. I really like its steel, simple bauhaus-like design. Feels like something Dieter Rams would've designed.
I really appreciate the information density (site design).
This is a very dangerous thing for me to see...
I really like the Mitsubishi Uni-ball Protech pen UB-155. I can't find them here in the states. If anyone knows where to get them, please let me know!
Here is a blog post about them: https://penvibe.com/uni-ball-ub-155-micro-deluxe-review/
I really like the Mitsubishi Uni-ball Protech pen UB-155. I can't find them here in the states. If anyone knows where to get them, please let me know!
Here is a blog post about them: https://penvibe.com/uni-ball-ub-155-micro-deluxe-review/
Interesting. I spent about a year trying different cheap notebooks and pens in Japan and what I ended up choosing as my favorite was Midori MD notebooks and uni-ball Signo pens. Both are highly rated on this site. The notebooks are 2.5x the price as amazon.co.jp though. I've yet to find a good source for these in Europe.
> The TWSBI ECO offers phenomenal value in the under $50 bracket. Most piston-filling fountain pens cost north of $100,
Does anyone know why fountain pens are just so expensive? I figure its a low volume niche but a piston filling pen really I'd think would cost a few cents to make. You can get good smartphones for $50.
Does anyone know why fountain pens are just so expensive? I figure its a low volume niche but a piston filling pen really I'd think would cost a few cents to make. You can get good smartphones for $50.
I guess they’re more popular in China - you can get good quality Chinese fountain pens online for a lot less than these brands.
I'll add my $0.02 here -- I exclusively bought these Chinese fountain pens for a while, before I upgraded to some better ones (like TWSBI Eco).
My experience was that these ultra-cheap Chinese pens are fun to play with, but extremely unreliable. The number-one issue was that they'd dry up after a day without use, which renders them annoying as writing tools (but they're still fun to look at and play with!)
My experience was that these ultra-cheap Chinese pens are fun to play with, but extremely unreliable. The number-one issue was that they'd dry up after a day without use, which renders them annoying as writing tools (but they're still fun to look at and play with!)
Yeah I don’t think it’s worth the money, the extra QC is worth a lot to me.
The best pens are found at Pen Island.
http://penisland.net
http://penisland.net
I used to laugh at this website maybe 15 years ago and I am surprised it still exists. Their logo makes everyone think exactly about pens.
I'm sad that Goulet Pen Company isn't getting any love here.
They've been absolutely fantastic and are a darling of /r/fountainpens over at reddit.
https://www.gouletpens.com/
They've been absolutely fantastic and are a darling of /r/fountainpens over at reddit.
https://www.gouletpens.com/
And if you're after old & classic pens (including New Old Stock), Peyton Street Pens is an awesome source
https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/
Jetpens is a nice site. My impulse purchase fountain pens were one off jetpens, one directly from a vendor in Europe and the third I can’t recall where.
I need to keep myself from browsing too much for fear of parting with $$$
I purchased my daily writer, a Lamy, was also from jetpens.
I need to keep myself from browsing too much for fear of parting with $$$
I purchased my daily writer, a Lamy, was also from jetpens.
Glad to see fountain pen enthusiasts here. I'm embarrassed to say how much I've spent on them over the years.
I agree with their recommendations, especially the TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen - would recommend that over the Pilot Metropolitan, but both are great.
I agree with their recommendations, especially the TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen - would recommend that over the Pilot Metropolitan, but both are great.
Original headline: >The 42 Best Pens for 2023
I dunno, I always have trouble with "Best" lists that feature double figures; it's as if the maker of the lists isn't willing to use their expertise to winnow it down to a few.
How do you realistically compare a fountain pen, and never mention or compare the ink? That makes an enormous difference - as much as the body and nib itself. Some inks feel very wet and runny while others feel kinda like paste.
The Pilot Manhattan fountain pen in medium nib is the best fountain pen I've ever used. Combined with a Maruman Mnemosyne notebook (also from Jet Pens) it's perfect for journaling.
I am a huge fan of the Pilot Frixion Clicker, the weight felt good and writing with it felt so smooth.
Are there any other pens that have a bit of weight to it? Any Recommendations?
Are there any other pens that have a bit of weight to it? Any Recommendations?
I am kind of glad that there is no equivalent fountain pen seller portal in India otherwise I would have been spending too much on fountain pens that I would have never used anyway.
I've got a few of the fountain pens mentioned. Without a doubt the best is the TWSBI eco. It feels nice in your hand writes so smoothly. I can see why it's so highly rated.
I strongly recommend Parker pens, they're not as good for spinning/flipping as Pilot G2s, but they last longer and are higher quality overall
I love my pilot vanishing point pen. Had it for years and it is one of my all time favorite writing utensils. Glad to see it on the list.
What a beautifully organized website. There’s a bit of 90s throwback to it. May I know how this is hosted? Is there a CMS behind it?
Unoriginal sales trainer: Sell me this pen
Jetpens: Sure! Here’s 10,000 words on why it’s the best pen
Jetpens: Sure! Here’s 10,000 words on why it’s the best pen
Anyone tried the Sharpie "S-gels"? How do they hold up to pilot?
As a leftie, I value a quick-dry ink. The Sharpie gels have become a quick favorite.
The s-gel ink cartridge is compatible with the Energel line, so I usually remove them from the plastic Sharpie body and put them in my metal Energel RT which has a much nicer weight and balance.
The s-gel ink cartridge is compatible with the Energel line, so I usually remove them from the plastic Sharpie body and put them in my metal Energel RT which has a much nicer weight and balance.
My past year involved a lot of pen collecting, and these have been the biggest hits for me:
1. Pentel Kerry. There are slightly more convenient mechanical pencils around for writing, with an autoadvance clicker and rotation. But the Kerry has a cap that posts nicely, and is made to last forever, so now I have three in different colors. Pair with a lead of your preference(I like Nanodia 4H because the harder lead won't smudge and erases well). I will also use regular wood pencils, because they're lighter, but mechanical is good for getting the same line every time.
2. Uni-Pin brush. This is a slightly softer style of felt tip than the Tombow Fudenosuke recommended in the article(which are also good and easy to learn with). It's excellent for learning brush techniques - more forgiving than real bristles but still springy and expressive, and it writes dry enough that most paper will withstand it. It also comes in various shades of grey/sepia. The values on those are pretty dark so they aren't really suitable for highlighting, but they can add some character to a brush drawing.
3. Tombow Mono Stick Eraser - among the plastic erasers, I looked up comparison videos and Tombow probably has the strongest formulation - it immediately grabs graphite and makes it really disappear. In some niche cases you don't actually want that and would rather have a Pink Pearl to fade something with gradually, but the Mono is excellent at cleaning up a page without much effort - and the stick form is good for precision.
3. Papermate Inkjoy Quattro. This is something I picked up because it was the only kind of multipen offered in Office Depot. And it's fine. The Inkjoy refills are decent, and when you want one pen for all your notetaking, a multi is the right thing to keep in your pocket.
4. Uni-ball Signo 207 Plus+. The Plus+ has a new formulation of ink that I find is one of the most consistent gel pens I have - it's smooth enough, handles well, flow is consistent, it doesn't get slippery.
5. Uni-ball One F. This is a much more scratchy and skippy pen than the 207+, but it has the benefit of being the darkest gel I have ever used, and capable of dialing in some super fine lines in the 0.38 version. That makes it a good drawing pen. The F(Feel) body is weighted at the tip which makes it a little less plasticy, but I also use the original One bodies still. All gel refills tend to flow better after having some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer applied to their tip, so I recommend always doing that with these.
5. "Aen Arts" gel set - this is one of those whitelabel things you can find on Alibaba, but also shows up on Amazon under various seller names. For under $30 you get an array of Gelly Roll knockoffs. And they are pretty good!
6. Ohuhu water-based dual brush marker set. Like with the gel set, this appears to be a whitelabel of Tombow Dual Brush knockoffs. Again, cheap, pretty good for coloring and highlighting, though the tips definitely aren't all that durable.
7. Pilot Kakuno. Like the Metropolitan featured in the article, it's just a well made fountain at an intro price. The ink feed is a relatively difficult thing to QC, and Pilot is one of the best at just making it work out of the box.
8. Uni-ball Vision Needle. Of the different Uni rollers, this is the one I tend to pick up the most. The needle tip design gives extra visibility, and the refill is smooth enough, though if you want to try one that is buttery smooth and gushes ink, get a Schneider One Business. Also worth a mention here is the Uni-Ball Air, which makes more expressive, inky lines. The downside of going for smooth rollers is that you can lose control more easily.
1. Pentel Kerry. There are slightly more convenient mechanical pencils around for writing, with an autoadvance clicker and rotation. But the Kerry has a cap that posts nicely, and is made to last forever, so now I have three in different colors. Pair with a lead of your preference(I like Nanodia 4H because the harder lead won't smudge and erases well). I will also use regular wood pencils, because they're lighter, but mechanical is good for getting the same line every time.
2. Uni-Pin brush. This is a slightly softer style of felt tip than the Tombow Fudenosuke recommended in the article(which are also good and easy to learn with). It's excellent for learning brush techniques - more forgiving than real bristles but still springy and expressive, and it writes dry enough that most paper will withstand it. It also comes in various shades of grey/sepia. The values on those are pretty dark so they aren't really suitable for highlighting, but they can add some character to a brush drawing.
3. Tombow Mono Stick Eraser - among the plastic erasers, I looked up comparison videos and Tombow probably has the strongest formulation - it immediately grabs graphite and makes it really disappear. In some niche cases you don't actually want that and would rather have a Pink Pearl to fade something with gradually, but the Mono is excellent at cleaning up a page without much effort - and the stick form is good for precision.
3. Papermate Inkjoy Quattro. This is something I picked up because it was the only kind of multipen offered in Office Depot. And it's fine. The Inkjoy refills are decent, and when you want one pen for all your notetaking, a multi is the right thing to keep in your pocket.
4. Uni-ball Signo 207 Plus+. The Plus+ has a new formulation of ink that I find is one of the most consistent gel pens I have - it's smooth enough, handles well, flow is consistent, it doesn't get slippery.
5. Uni-ball One F. This is a much more scratchy and skippy pen than the 207+, but it has the benefit of being the darkest gel I have ever used, and capable of dialing in some super fine lines in the 0.38 version. That makes it a good drawing pen. The F(Feel) body is weighted at the tip which makes it a little less plasticy, but I also use the original One bodies still. All gel refills tend to flow better after having some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer applied to their tip, so I recommend always doing that with these.
5. "Aen Arts" gel set - this is one of those whitelabel things you can find on Alibaba, but also shows up on Amazon under various seller names. For under $30 you get an array of Gelly Roll knockoffs. And they are pretty good!
6. Ohuhu water-based dual brush marker set. Like with the gel set, this appears to be a whitelabel of Tombow Dual Brush knockoffs. Again, cheap, pretty good for coloring and highlighting, though the tips definitely aren't all that durable.
7. Pilot Kakuno. Like the Metropolitan featured in the article, it's just a well made fountain at an intro price. The ink feed is a relatively difficult thing to QC, and Pilot is one of the best at just making it work out of the box.
8. Uni-ball Vision Needle. Of the different Uni rollers, this is the one I tend to pick up the most. The needle tip design gives extra visibility, and the refill is smooth enough, though if you want to try one that is buttery smooth and gushes ink, get a Schneider One Business. Also worth a mention here is the Uni-Ball Air, which makes more expressive, inky lines. The downside of going for smooth rollers is that you can lose control more easily.
I used to like the pentel sharp kerry but I've had two with feed issues so I can't recommend them. I don't consider them last forever. If you use them a lot, maybe 2 years or so. I still own one but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to someone who uses it a lot.
I do most graphite stuff with 2mm lead holders these days - I've never had a lead holder break, ever. Staedtler standard is like $8 but I find the metal grip part less than comfortable for hours of usage. I tend to put a silly grip softener thing on them. I use the Mutsibishi DPS6001P to sharpen them - some people love that rotary style of sharpeners for them but I hate the rotary ones. for art purposes I also have 2mm in many many lead softnesses and even a few different colours.
I use my tombow fudenosukes for brush like techniques for inking. I'll have to keep an eye out for a uni-pin and try it.
the tombow monos are great for art. I get really annoyed dealing with kneaded erasers and sometimes having a thin eraser to just soften or erase a small area is great compared to trying to shape a kneaded eraser. the refills are pricey for the limited amount of eraser you get, though.
I dont use gel pens at all so not familiar with those. I have some fountain pens but I feel like its not worth the hassle most of the time.
The uni ball vision needle is just uni-ball's version of the classic pilot hitechpoint, which is my go-to technical pen for many activities. I checked and I have some of these visions - I prefer the hi-tecpoints but that might be some internal preference because I've used them for many years.
I've got a set of copic multiliners but I only use those for inking art. I like the pilot fineliners for writing every day stuff.
I do most graphite stuff with 2mm lead holders these days - I've never had a lead holder break, ever. Staedtler standard is like $8 but I find the metal grip part less than comfortable for hours of usage. I tend to put a silly grip softener thing on them. I use the Mutsibishi DPS6001P to sharpen them - some people love that rotary style of sharpeners for them but I hate the rotary ones. for art purposes I also have 2mm in many many lead softnesses and even a few different colours.
I use my tombow fudenosukes for brush like techniques for inking. I'll have to keep an eye out for a uni-pin and try it.
the tombow monos are great for art. I get really annoyed dealing with kneaded erasers and sometimes having a thin eraser to just soften or erase a small area is great compared to trying to shape a kneaded eraser. the refills are pricey for the limited amount of eraser you get, though.
I dont use gel pens at all so not familiar with those. I have some fountain pens but I feel like its not worth the hassle most of the time.
The uni ball vision needle is just uni-ball's version of the classic pilot hitechpoint, which is my go-to technical pen for many activities. I checked and I have some of these visions - I prefer the hi-tecpoints but that might be some internal preference because I've used them for many years.
I've got a set of copic multiliners but I only use those for inking art. I like the pilot fineliners for writing every day stuff.
Looking for best gel pen for anti-check tampering.
jetpens is the best. Please go there first for your stationary and writing needs. Amazon gets enough of our money.
Both EDC pens need two hands to get going!
... what do yall scribe so much?
Pilot hi tec c forever!!
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I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The future of online stores is jetpens and websites like it. Jetpens is useful because I trust their reviews.
They're a store, yes, but more importantly, they're a trustworthy source of information. Amazon reviews are no longer trusted by me, but all of the discussion / reviews from Jetpens has been 100% accurate in my experience. They've managed to build up this relationship with their customers (such as myself) where I will trust their reviews and prefer to buy from them.
Bonus points: a shop like Jetpens organizes their journals in A5, B5, A4, (etc. etc.) sizes. Amazon does not. Custom browsing experiences / categorizations is a big deal. Logically presenting Jetpen's catalog to the user makes me more likely to use their site and end up buying something.