Best Ink Advent Calendars 2026: Inkvent vs Colorvent

Four 2026 advent calendars side by side, each labelled with its pick: the burgundy Diamine Inkvent, the navy Colorverse Colorvent, the Harlequin Cult Pens calendar and Archer & Olive's present-print box — One pick per kind of buyer; boxes drawn in proportion, since only Colorverse publishes a box size.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2026, Burgundy Edition (25 fountain pen inks)Diamine	United Kingdom	United Kingdom^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item
Colorverse Colorvent Calendar 2026 (24 × 15 ml fountain pen inks)Colorverse	South Korea	South Korea^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item
Cult Pens 2026 Stationery Advent Calendar (24 days, Harlequin theme)Cult Pens	United Kingdom	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item
Archer & Olive Paper Packages Advent Box, 2026 (12 days)Archer & Olive	United States	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item

Notes on these facts

Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2026, Burgundy Edition (25 fountain pen inks): Made by Diamine-Speciality Inks Limited, Merseyside, England. Made in United Kingdom: Hunter Paper Co's listing for the 2026 Burgundy Edition says "Made in the UK". Diamine's history page says it makes its inks at its own facility near Aintree Racecourse, on the edge of Liverpool. Diamine's own shop had not listed the 2026 calendar when we checked on October 22, 2026. Source. Price: example listing. Released: UK retailers opened pre-orders in June and July 2026 and expected stock in mid-to-late October 2026.
Colorverse Colorvent Calendar 2026 (24 × 15 ml fountain pen inks): Made by PLNBEE (Colorverse), South Korea. Made in South Korea: Yoseka Stationery's listing says "Made in South Korea" and The Gentleman Stationer's says "Made in Korea". Colorverse's own store, run by the Korean company PLNBEE, doesn't state a country on the product page. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Colorverse's Korean product page images are dated June 15, 2026; Goulet Pens published its listing on August 24, 2026, and The Gentleman Stationer announced arrivals on August 25, 2026.
Cult Pens 2026 Stationery Advent Calendar (24 days, Harlequin theme): Made by Cult Pens, Tiverton, Devon, England. Country of manufacture not stated: Cult Pens assembles the calendar from many brands' products and doesn't give a country of origin for the box or its contents. It ships from Cult Pens in Tiverton, Devon, England. Price: example listing.
Archer & Olive Paper Packages Advent Box, 2026 (12 days): Country of manufacture not stated: Archer & Olive's listing says orders ship from Georgetown, Texas, but doesn't say where the box or its contents are made. A Swedish retailer lists Archer & Olive's A5 notebooks as made in China; we found no origin for these pocket notebooks. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Diamine Inkvent 2026 holds 25 inks, 24 × 12 ml plus one 30 ml bottle, 318 ml in all; Colorvent 2026 holds 24 × 15 ml glass bottles, 360 ml.
Only the Inkvent includes waterproof pigment inks; JetPens describes the Colorvent's 24 inks as dye-based.
UK shops list the Inkvent at £99 (about US$131); Colorverse's Korean store lists the Colorvent at ₩198,000 (about US$149).
Cult Pens' 24-day calendar mixes 2 fountain pens, 6 other pens, 5 pencils and 2 notebooks, and costs £100 (about US$132).
All four sit in our $$$$ band (over $75); Archer & Olive's 12-day box had sold out by October 22, 2026.

What is the best ink advent calendar for 2026?

For most fountain pen users, the Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2026: 25 new inks, including waterproof pigment and shimmer inks, behind 26 doors. The Colorverse Colorvent is the close second, with more ink per bottle and glass bottles. The Inkvent is #1 because it has the most variety, ten ink types including waterproof pigment and shimmer, and 25 new inks to the Colorvent’s 24.

Best ink calendar: Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2026, the Burgundy Edition. Why it’s here: the most variety, ten ink types from standard to pigment chameleon in 24 bottles of 12 ml and one of 30 ml, plus swatch cards and a 26th door.
Most ink per colour: Colorverse Colorvent Calendar 2026. Why it’s here: more ink per colour than the Inkvent, 15 ml against 12 ml, in glass bottles, though all 24 inks are dye-based.
Pens and pencils, not just ink: Cult Pens 2026 Stationery Advent Calendar. Why it’s here: the pick for someone who doesn’t use fountain pens: only 2 of its 24 gifts are fountain pens, ending with one made for Cult Pens.
For journalers: Archer & Olive Paper Packages Advent Box. Why it’s here: the only paper-focused box, 12 days with two XL pocket notebooks on 160 gsm paper, 8-inch scissors and 10 colored pencils.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ published contents, US and UK retailer listings (Goulet, JetPens, The Journal Shop, Dromgoole’s), availability to US buyers and price band. All four sit in our $$$$ band, so we compared what’s behind the doors: ink types, bottle sizes and non-ink gifts.

How do the 2026 calendars compare?

The two ink calendars are close in size and price; the other two trade ink for pens, pencils and paper.

Calendar	Pick	Days	What’s inside	Made in	Band
Diamine Inkvent 2026	Best ink calendar	25 + bonus door	24 × 12 ml + 1 × 30 ml (318 ml), swatch cards, collectible	United Kingdom	$$$$
Colorverse Colorvent 2026	Most ink per colour	24	24 × 15 ml glass (360 ml), colouring sheets, coupons	South Korea	$$$$
Cult Pens 2026	Pens and pencils	24	2 fountain pens, 6 pens, 5 pencils, ink, 2 notebooks and more	Not stated	$$$$
Archer & Olive Paper Packages	Journalers	12	2 XL pocket notebooks, scissors, 10 colored pencils, 9 surprises	Not stated	$$$$

Contents are from the makers’ pages and US and UK retailers (Goulet, JetPens, The Journal Shop, Dromgoole’s); see each guide for the detail.

Ink in each 2026 ink advent calendar to scale: Diamine Inkvent 318 ml in 25 bottles (24 × 12 ml + 30 ml) and Colorverse Colorvent 360 ml in 24 × 15 ml bottles — The Colorvent has 42 ml more ink; the Inkvent has one more colour and a bigger Christmas Day bottle.

Inkvent or Colorvent: which ink calendar should you buy?

Buy the Inkvent for variety, including waterproof inks; buy the Colorvent for larger bottles and glass. Dromgoole’s and Hunter Paper Co list ten ink types in the Inkvent, from standard and sheen to shimmer, chameleon and three kinds of pigment ink.

JetPens describes all 24 Colorvent inks as dye-based, and Goulet says they run from standard to sheening and shimmering inks. Its 15 ml bottles hold 3 ml more than the Inkvent’s 12 ml ones, about 18 converter fills against 15.

Both have a way to bring a favourite back. Diamine later sells Inkvent colours in 50 ml bottles, and Colorverse’s buyers vote three inks into its regular range for 2027.

Which calendar suits someone who doesn’t use fountain pens?

The Cult Pens calendar, because only 2 of its 24 gifts are fountain pens. Its spoiler page also lists 6 ballpoint and rollerball pens, 5 pencils, 2 erasers, 2 notebooks, washi tape, a sharpener, a brush pen and a highlighter.

Cult Pens ships to the US from Devon, England, and its US store shows the price in dollars; check duties at checkout. Archer & Olive’s box is the other non-ink choice, for someone who decorates a journal more than they write in one.

How much do they cost, and are they still in stock?

All four sit in our $$$$ band, over $75, and stock was running low by late October. UK shops list the Inkvent at £99 (about US$131) and Cult Pens’ calendar is £100 (about US$132).

On October 22, 2026, Colorverse’s Korean store showed the Colorvent sold out at ₩198,000 (about US$149), and JetPens said it would not restock. Archer & Olive’s box had sold out the same day, while Goulet had the Inkvent in stock.

Where are these calendars made?

The Inkvent in the UK and the Colorvent in South Korea; Cult Pens and Archer & Olive don’t say. Hunter Paper Co lists the Inkvent as made in the UK, where Diamine makes its inks near Aintree.

Yoseka Stationery and The Gentleman Stationer list the Colorvent as made in South Korea. Cult Pens builds its calendar from many brands’ products, each with its own origin.

What else makes a good fountain pen gift?

A converter, so the small bottles are easy to use. A LAMY Z28 converter holds about 0.8 ml, and a syringe helps with large nibs in a 12 ml bottle.

For single gifts rather than a calendar, see our fountain pen lover gifts and stationery gifts for 2026. For calendars of pens, notebooks and paper rather than ink, including Papier’s, see our best stationery advent calendars of 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which has more ink, Inkvent or Colorvent?

The Colorvent: 24 bottles of 15 ml make 360 ml, against 318 ml in the Inkvent's 24 × 12 ml bottles plus one 30 ml bottle. The Inkvent has one more colour, 25 against 24.

Are there waterproof inks in the 2026 Inkvent?

Yes. Retailers say its pigment, pigment shimmer and pigment chameleon inks are permanent, waterproof and lightfast. The other Inkvent colours, and the Colorvent's dye-based inks, wash out.

Can you buy the Diamine Inkvent and Colorvent in the US?

Yes. Goulet Pens, Dromgoole's, Goldspot and The Paper Mouse list the Inkvent, and Goulet, Yoseka and Dick Blick list the Colorvent; several US shops showed one or both backordered on October 22, 2026.

What is the Colorverse golden ticket?

A ticket hidden in 30 Colorvent calendars that wins a Colorverse Premium Gift Set, which Colorverse values at ₩300,000 (about US$226). It can be redeemed until January 31, 2027.

Is there an advent calendar for someone without a fountain pen?

Yes. The Cult Pens calendar covers ballpoints, rollerballs, pencils, erasers and notebooks as well as two fountain pens, and Archer & Olive's box holds notebooks, scissors and colored pencils.

Do the inks come in full-size bottles later?

Often. Diamine later sells earlier Inkvent colours in 50 ml bottles, and Colorverse releases the three inks buyers vote for in larger bottles the next year.

How many fills is a 12 ml ink bottle?

About 15 fills of a 0.8 ml converter such as the LAMY Z28; a 15 ml Colorvent bottle gives about 18.

Sources (10)

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