Compiled from 9 sources; we haven't tested these products ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
On published specs, the best pens for teachers are the Pilot FriXion Clicker for grading you may need to change, the Zebra Sarasa Clip and Pilot Juice for red, green and purple marking in dozens of colors, the uni-ball Signo DX for small margin notes, and the Pentel EnerGel for fast comments that don't smear on handed-back work.
On this page9 sections
Drawn to scale · 1 mm = 1.2 px · click pens retracted
uni-ball Signo 207 retractable gel pen (0.38–1.0 mm)uni-ball
Japan
Japan*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pentel EnerGel RTX retractable gel pen (0.3–1.0 mm)Pentel
Japan
Japan or Mexico*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pilot G2 retractable gel pen (0.38–1.0 mm)Pilot
Japan
Japan*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter (SFL-10SL)Pilot
Japan
Not stated*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Notes on these facts
Pilot FriXion Clicker erasable gel pen (0.7 / 1.0 mm): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's US product page and Pilot Japan's catalog don't state the country, and the Amazon listing for item 31450 we read on October 20, 2026 gives none. An earlier version of this guide cited Japan from McKesson and OnTimeSupplies listings, but on October 20, 2026 the McKesson page required a business login and the OnTimeSupplies page was gone, so we couldn't confirm it.
Pilot FriXion Ball Switch (3 erasable inks + 1 permanent; LB31FBS): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese press release and web catalog, JetPens and the Amazon.com listing we read on October 22, 2026 don't state a country of manufacture. Released: Japanese launch date in Pilot's press release of February 10, 2026.
Zebra Sarasa Clip gel pen (0.3–1.0 mm, JF refills): Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in Japan: per retailer spec sheets: FairPrice (Singapore) lists Japan for the 0.7 mm pen and the JF-0.5 refills, Carrefour UAE lists Japan for the Sarasa Push Clip, and SM Stationery (Philippines) says made in Japan. Zebra's Japanese and global product pages don't state a country of manufacture. Source.
Pilot Juice gel pen (0.38–1.0 mm, 48 colors): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese web catalog and press releases for the Juice don't state a country of manufacture, and the US importer listings we read don't either. Check the packaging. Released: Pilot's February 13, 2024 press release says the Juice launched in November 2012 in Japan.
uni-ball Signo DX / UM-151 gel pen (0.28 / 0.38 / 0.5 mm): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state a country of manufacture, and the JetPens listing as shown in search results doesn't either. Check the pen or package.
uni-ball Signo 207 retractable gel pen (0.38–1.0 mm): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: OnTimeSupplies gives country of origin Japan (JP) for the 0.7 mm black 8-pack and a 0.5 mm 4-pack. uni-ball UK and Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese pages don't state it. Source.
Pentel EnerGel RTX retractable gel pen (0.3–1.0 mm): Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Made in Japan or Mexico: Pentel of America's 2022 product catalog gives the origin of the EnerGel RTX (BL77 metal tip and BLN73/75/77 needle tips) as 'Japan / Mexico' without saying which SKU comes from where. Retailer listings match: OfficeSupply.com lists Mexico for one RTX listing. Pentel's Japanese product page doesn't state a country. Check the package of the exact pen you buy. Source. Released: Year the EnerGel line launched, per Pentel's Japanese news release of August 7, 2026. Pentel's Japanese magazine says it was sold only outside Japan at first, with Japanese sales starting in 2003. We found no separate debut date for the US RTX model.
Pilot G2 retractable gel pen (0.38–1.0 mm): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: per US retailer spec sheets (Stop & Shop, OnTimeSupplies for item 31171). Some grocery listings for a 4-pack say "Japan, USA", so origin may vary by pack. Pilot's US site doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source. Price: example listing.
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter (SFL-10SL): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese catalogue page and the US Amazon listing don't state a country of manufacture. Some US and European retailers list Japan, but we didn't read a reliable page that says so, so check the pack.
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
Pilot's FriXion ink turns invisible above 60 °C and can return below about −10 °C, so it suits draft grades, not permanent records.
The Zebra Sarasa Clip comes in 0.3 to 1.0 mm and has been Japan's best-selling gel pen for 14 years; the Pilot Juice offers 48 standard colors.
The uni-ball Signo DX writes 0.28, 0.38 or 0.5 mm with pigment ink, in 31 colors at 0.38 mm, and costs ¥165 (about US$1.00) in Japan.
The uni-ball Signo 207's pigment Super Ink is sold as water- and fade-resistant, which suits grade books that must last.
Every pick is in our $ band (under $5) except the FriXion Ball Switch at $$ ($5–20).
What are the best pens for teachers?
On published specs, the best pens for teachers are the Pilot FriXion Clicker for grades you may revise, the Zebra Sarasa Clip and Pilot Juice for marking in red, green and purple, the uni-ball Signo DX for small margin notes, and the Pentel EnerGel for fast comments that dry before the paper is handed back. There’s no single #1 for grading, so we list the FriXion Clicker first: it’s the simplest pen here that lets you change a provisional mark.
Best for grades you might change:Pilot FriXion Clicker. Why it’s here: erasable with the end cap, so a provisional mark can change; 0.7 or 1.0 mm, 15 colors in the US.
Best erasable plus permanent:Pilot FriXion Ball Switch. Why it’s here: the only pick with erasable and permanent ink in one body: three FriXion inks plus an oil-based black, chosen by sliding the clip.
Best for colored marking:Zebra Sarasa Clip. Why it’s here: the most tip sizes here (five), dozens of colors, and a binder clip that holds a stack of papers.
Most colors:Pilot Juice. Why it’s here: the most colors here, 48 standard colors in 0.38 to 1.0 mm.
Best for margins:uni-ball Signo DX. Why it’s here: the finest lines here, 0.28 or 0.38 mm pigment gel, small enough to fit between a student’s lines.
Best for the grade book:uni-ball Signo 207. Why it’s here: the only pick sold as water- and fade-resistant, Super Ink for records that must last.
Best fast comments:Pentel EnerGel RTX and the Pilot G2, Why it’s here: the two gel pens every office store stocks in red, and Pentel markets the EnerGel’s ink as quick-drying.
Best for marking texts:Pilot FriXion Light, Why it’s here: the only highlighter here, erasable, for texts you’ll mark again next year.
How did we choose these picks?
We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ current tip sizes, colors and ink claims, US availability and price band. We chose gel and hybrid inks that sit on copier paper rather than soak through, in the colors and tip sizes grading needs; we haven’t graded a class set with them.
How do the pens compare?
Eight of nine picks sit in our $ band (under $5); the four-ink Ball Switch is $$ ($5–20). Tip sizes and colors are the makers’ current lists.
Pen
Ink
Tip sizes
Colors
Erasable?
Band
Pilot FriXion Clicker
Thermo-sensitive gel
0.7, 1.0 mm (US)
15
Yes
$ (under $5)
Pilot FriXion Ball Switch
3 FriXion + 1 oil-based
0.38 + 0.5 or 0.5 + 0.7 mm
4 in one
3 of 4 inks
$$ ($5–20)
Zebra Sarasa Clip
Pigment gel
0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
Dozens
No
$
Pilot Juice
Pigment gel
0.38, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
48
No
$
uni-ball Signo DX
Pigment gel, capped
0.28, 0.38, 0.5 mm
31 at 0.38 mm
No
$
uni-ball Signo 207
Pigment gel
0.38, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
Several
No
$
Pentel EnerGel RTX
Liquid gel
0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
Many
No
$
Pilot G2
Gel
0.38, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
Many
No
$
Pilot FriXion Light
Erasable highlighter
3.3 mm chisel
6 in Japan
Yes
$
Should a teacher grade with an erasable pen?
For drafts and provisional marks, yes; for anything that must stay on record, no. Pilot says FriXion ink turns invisible above 60 °C (140 °F), which is what rubbing with the end cap produces, and that erased writing starts to return below about −10 °C (14 °F). A graded paper left on a car seat in summer or in a cold mailbox can change, so keep the grade book in pigment ink.
The Ball Switch solves this in one pen: slide the clip for an oil-based black that Pilot says resists rubbing, water and alcohol, and switch back to erasable for comments.
Which pen doesn’t bleed through worksheets?
Gel and ballpoint inks sit on the surface of copier paper; it is felt-tip markers and fountain pen inks that soak through. Every pick here is a gel or hybrid with a 0.28 to 1.0 mm ball, which puts down far less ink than a marker. For thin duplicated worksheets, the finer tips, the Signo DX 0.28 or 0.38 mm and the Sarasa Clip 0.3 or 0.4 mm, leave the least ink. We haven’t run a bleed test on worksheet paper; our highlighters that don’t bleed guide covers the markers.
Which color should you mark in?
Red reads as correction, green and purple as comment; the Sarasa Clip, Juice and Signo DX give you all three in the same tip size. The Juice offers 48 standard colors and the Sarasa Clip five tip sizes, so a teacher can keep one pen per purpose: red 0.7 mm for scores, green 0.5 mm for comments, purple 0.38 mm for margins.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best red pen for grading?
For a bold line, the Pilot G2 or Pentel EnerGel in 0.7 mm red; for small margins, the uni-ball Signo DX 0.38 mm; for grades you might change, the FriXion Clicker in red. All are in our $ band (under $5).
Do erasable pens work for grading?
Yes for drafts, with one caution: Pilot's FriXion ink turns invisible above 60 °C and can reappear below about −10 °C, so a graded paper left in a hot car or a cold mailbox can change. Keep permanent records in a pigment gel such as the Signo 207.
Do gel pens bleed through thin worksheet paper?
Gel and ballpoint inks generally stay on the surface of copier paper; felt-tip markers and fountain pen inks are what bleed. The Sarasa Clip, Juice, Signo and EnerGel are all water-based pigment gels that sit on the page, though we haven't tested them on thin worksheets.
What colors besides red can teachers mark in?
Zebra sells the Sarasa Clip in dozens of colors and five tip sizes, Pilot the Juice in 48 standard colors, and the Signo DX comes in 31 colors at 0.38 mm. Green and purple are common choices for students who find red discouraging.
What is the best pen for writing on sticky notes and labels?
An oil-based or hybrid ballpoint such as the uni-ball Jetstream, which grips glossy surfaces; gel ink can skip on coated labels. Our guide to pens that don't smudge covers the quick-drying options.
Is there an erasable highlighter for marking texts?
Yes. The Pilot FriXion Light erases with its rubber end the same way the pens do, leaving no crumbs, with a 3.3 mm line. Like all FriXion ink, the mark can come back in freezing cold.
Which pen is best for a grade book?
A pigment gel that resists water and fading: the uni-ball Signo 207, whose Super Ink is sold as fraud- and fade-resistant, or the Signo DX. Avoid erasable ink in any record you must keep.
Pilot FriXion Clicker erasable gel pen
Pilot FriXion Ball Switch
Zebra Sarasa Clip gel pen
Pilot Juice gel pen
uni-ball Signo DX / UM-151 gel pen
uni-ball Signo 207 retractable gel pen
Pentel EnerGel RTX retractable gel pen
Pilot G2 retractable gel pen
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter