Pens guides
Pens guidesBallpoint, gel, rollerball, felt-tip and fountain pens, fineliners, markers and highlighters: how they write, what paper they need, and which to choose.
Monami 153: Korea's Hexagonal Ballpoint Since 1963
Monami 153 ballpoint explained: Korea's first ballpoint (1963), what 153 means, the hex barrel, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm points, size, premium versions and origin.
Monami Olika: Korea's Budget Cartridge Fountain Pen
Monami Olika fountain pen explained: F and EF steel nibs, the wick feed, which cartridges fit, 10 ink-matched colors, how it compares to the Preppy, and price.
Monami Plus Pen 3000: Korea's 0.4 mm Felt Tip Pen
Monami Plus Pen 3000 explained: the 0.4 mm water-based felt tip pen from Korea, set sizes up to 60 colors, the Pigment version, water-brush use and origin.
Caran d'Ache 849: The Swiss Hexagonal Ballpoint
Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint explained: hexagonal aluminum body, 127 mm size, Goliath refill rated for 600 pages, colors, Swiss price, and 849 vs Parker Jotter.
STAEDTLER triplus fineliner: 0.3 mm Triangle Pens
STAEDTLER triplus fineliner 334 explained: 0.3 mm metal-clad tip, triangular barrel, DRY SAFE cap-off claim, 161 mm size, colors, sets and where it's made.
Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush: Colors & Blending
Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush pen explained: polyester bristle tip, blendable dye ink, color counts and sets, 155 mm size, lightfastness, and origin.
Pilot Juice Up: Synergy Tip, Sizes & LP3RF Refills
Pilot Juice Up gel pen explained: the Synergy Tip, pigment gel ink, 0.3/0.4/0.5 mm sizes, 142.8 mm body, LP3RF refills, Juice Up vs Hi-Tec-C, and origin.
Zebra bLen: Low-Vibration Pen, Gel vs Emulsion Ink
Zebra bLen pen explained: the vibration-damping body with a metal weight, US gel vs Japanese emulsion ink, 143.6 mm size, 0.5/0.7 mm points and multi pens.
Pelikan M200: Piston Filler, Steel Nib & M205
Pelikan Classic M200 fountain pen explained: a German piston filler, 125 mm capped, 13.5 g, swappable gold-plated steel nibs EF to B, ink capacity and the M205.
Pilot Prera: Compact Size, CON-40 & Demonstrators
Pilot Prera fountain pen explained: a compact 120 mm, 15.4 g pen, steel F or M nib, Pilot cartridges or the CON-40, clear demonstrators and new solid colors.
TWSBI Diamond 580: Piston Capacity, Nibs & 580AL
TWSBI Diamond 580 fountain pen explained: a clear piston filler holding up to 1.98 ml, 142 mm capped and 28 g, swappable steel nibs, and the 580AL and 580ALR.
Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen: Brush Tips & India Ink
Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush explained: lightfast pigmented India ink, 1–5 mm brush line, Soft and Big Brush versions, 138 mm size, 59 colors and origin.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen: Bristles, Ink & Refills
Pentel Arts Pocket Brush Pen (GFKP3) explained: nylon bristle brush, waterproof pigment ink, FP10 cartridges, 14 cm size, ink colors and how it compares.
Tombow Fudenosuke: Hard vs Soft Tip Brush Pens
Tombow Fudenosuke brush pen explained: hard vs soft tip, waterproof pigment ink, the 62038 2-pack, 134 mm size, colors, and why letterers start with it.
Cross Classic Century: The Slim Twist Ballpoint
Cross Classic Century ballpoint explained: 133 mm slim chrome body, about 8 mm across, twist action, 8513 and 8511 refills, 1953 history, and where it's made.
Fisher Space Pen Bullet: Size, PR4 Refill & Claims
Fisher Space Pen Bullet explained: 96 mm closed and 136 mm posted, the pressurized PR4 refill, what 'writes upside down' means, the clip, and where it's made.
Parker Jotter: The Arrow-Clip Click Pen Since 1954
Parker Jotter ballpoint explained: 128 mm stainless steel body, arrow clip, Quinkflow refill codes, Jotter vs Jotter XL, its history since 1954 and origin.
LAMY AL-star: Aluminium Body, Nibs & T10 Cartridges
LAMY AL-star fountain pen explained: anodized aluminium body, 167.4 mm posted and 22 g, EF to B and LH steel nibs, T10 cartridges or Z28 converter, and origin.
Pilot Custom 74: 14k Gold Nib, CON-70 & Sizes
Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen explained: 14k gold No. 5 nib, CON-70 converter or cartridges, 143 mm and 17.4 g per Pilot, nib widths, the 1992 launch, origin.
Platinum #3776 Century: Slip & Seal Cap & Gold Nib
Platinum #3776 Century fountain pen explained: the Slip & Seal cap, 14k gold nib from UEF to C, 139.7 mm capped and about 20 g, Platinum cartridges, and origin.
Pentel R.S.V.P.: Fine vs Medium, Refills & Grip
Pentel R.S.V.P. ballpoint explained: 0.7 mm Fine (BK90) and 1.0 mm Medium (BK91), BKL7 and BKL10 refills, 156 mm capped size, RT versions, and where it's made.
Stabilo Point 88: Fineliner Colors, Tip & Dry-Out
Stabilo Point 88 fineliner explained: the 0.4 mm metal-encased tip, 65 colors, the cap-off claim, 167 mm hexagonal barrel, Micron comparison, and origin.
Zebra F-301: Steel Barrel, Point Sizes & Refills
Zebra F-301 ballpoint explained: 129 mm stainless steel barrel, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.6 mm points, the F-Refill it takes, weight, F-301 vs F-701, and where it's made.
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel: Sizes, Dry Time & Color Packs
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel pen explained: 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm points, the 3x-faster-drying claim vs the Pilot G2, color packs, refills, size, and where it's made.
Sakura Gelly Roll: White Gel Pen Sizes & Moonlight Inks
Sakura Gelly Roll gel pen explained: 05, 08 and 10 sizes with ball and line widths, the opaque white ink, Moonlight colors for dark paper, and where it's made.
uni Jetstream 4&1: Multi Pen Refills, Sizes & Pencil
uni Jetstream 4&1 multi pen explained: four Jetstream ballpoint colors plus a 0.5 mm pencil, SXR-80 refills, 0.38 to 0.7 mm, size, Lite touch, and origin.
Kaweco Sport: Pocket Size, Cartridges & Nib Sizes
Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen explained: 105 mm capped and 130 mm posted, about 11 g, EF to BB steel nibs, short international cartridges, the clip, origin.
LAMY 2000: Piston Filler, Hooded Nib & Makrolon
LAMY 2000 fountain pen explained: the 1966 Gerd A. Müller design, Makrolon and steel body, 14k gold nib, 1.35 ml piston filler, 140 mm and 26 g, and origin.
Pilot Vanishing Point: Retractable Nib & Converter
Pilot Vanishing Point (Capless) explained: the click-out 18k gold nib, trap door, CON-40 converter and cartridges, 140 mm and about 30 g, nib sizes, and origin.
uni-ball One: Pigment Gel Ink, Sizes & Refills
uni-ball One gel pen explained: pigment ink that sits on the paper, 0.38/0.5/0.7 mm tips, US item numbers, UMR refills, One F and One P versions, and origin.
Tombow Dual Brush Pen: Tips, Colors & Blending
Tombow Dual Brush Pen (ABT) explained: flexible nylon brush and 0.8 mm fine tip, water-based dye ink, 108 colors and blender, 190 mm size and where it's made.
Pilot Hi-Tec-C: Needle Tips from 0.25 mm Explained
Pilot Hi-Tec-C gel pen explained: 0.25 to 0.5 mm needle tips, LH-20C model codes, biopolymer ink, skipping fixes, G-Tec-C4 name, refills, and where it's made.
uni-ball Signo 207: Fraud-Resistant Gel Pen Guide
uni-ball Signo 207 gel pen explained: pigment Super Ink for checks, 0.38 to 1.0 mm tips, UMR-87 refills, 142 mm size, 207 vs 307, and where it's made.
Zebra F-701: The Stainless Steel EDC Ballpoint
Zebra F-701 ballpoint explained: 133 mm stainless steel body, knurled grip, 0.7 mm F-Refill, weight, plastic parts inside, F-301 vs F-701, and where it's made.
Best Pens of All Time (2027): 10 Icons Since 1941
The best pens of all time, judged on documented sales, years in production and firsts: BIC Cristal, Parker 51, Jotter, Montblanc 149, Fisher Space Pen and more.
Best Pocket Pens for 2027: Kaweco Sport, Fisher & More
The best pocket pens compared by use: Kaweco Sport, Fisher Space Pen Bullet, Rite in the Rain, Zebra T-3 and Jetstream 4&1, with closed and posted lengths.
Best Fountain Pens for Beginners (2027): 6 Picks
The best beginner fountain pens compared: Pilot Metropolitan, Platinum Preppy, Pilot Kakuno, LAMY safari, TWSBI ECO & Kaweco Sport. Nibs, filling, size, price.
Best Gel Pens for 2027: G2, EnerGel, Sarasa & More
The best gel pens compared by use: Pilot G2, Pentel EnerGel, Hi-Tec-C, Sharpie S-Gel, FriXion, ZENTO, Signo 207 and Sarasa Clip. Tip sizes, ink, refills, price.
Best Highlighters That Don't Bleed (2027): 7 Compared
Which highlighter doesn't bleed through paper? Seven compared by ink type: gel, pigment and liquid picks for Bibles, pastels, erasing and bulk, with tip sizes.
Best Pens for Left-Handed Writers (2027): 6 Picks
The best pens for left-handed writers compared: Pentel EnerGel, Zebra Sarasa Dry, Jetstream, Acroball, LAMY safari LH and Micron, with dry-time claims and tests
Pentel Sign Pen: The 1963 Fiber-Tip Pen Explained
Pentel Sign Pen S520 explained: the acrylic fiber tip, 0.8–1.0 mm line, water-based ink, size and weight, its 1963 and Gemini history, and where it's made.
Pilot Acroball: Acro Ink, Tip Sizes & BRFV-10 Refills
Pilot Acroball explained: low-viscosity Acro ink, 0.3 to 1.0 mm tips, BRFV-10 refills, how it compares with the Jetstream RT, and where it's made.
Platinum Preppy: The Slip & Seal Starter Fountain Pen
Platinum Preppy fountain pen explained: 02, 03 and 05 steel nibs, the Slip & Seal cap, Platinum cartridges and converter, how it compares, and where it's made.
Zebra Sarasa Clip: The Binder-Clip Gel Pen Explained
Zebra Sarasa Clip gel pen explained: 0.3 to 1.0 mm tips, pigment gel ink, the binder clip, JF refills, how it compares with the Pilot G2, and where it's made.
Pilot Precise V5: Liquid Ink, Needle Tip & V5 RT
Pilot Precise V5 rollerball explained: 0.5 mm needle tip and line width, liquid ink, V5 vs V7 and V5 RT, refills, smearing and water, and where it's made.
Sharpie Fine Point: Permanent Ink, Tip Size & Uses
Sharpie Fine Point permanent marker explained: line width, alcohol-based ink, which surfaces it marks, Fine vs Ultra Fine, bleed-through and where it's made.
Zebra Mildliner: Mild Colors, Twin Tips & Ink
Zebra Mildliner highlighter explained: 4.0 mm chisel and 1.0–1.4 mm bullet tips, pigment ink, how many mild colors exist, bleed and where it's made.
Pilot Kakuno: The Smiley-Nib Beginner Fountain Pen
Pilot Kakuno fountain pen explained: the smiley-face steel nib in EF, F or M, Pilot cartridges and CON-40 converter, 130.9 mm and 11 g, and why it suits kids.
Pilot Metropolitan: Nibs, Converters & Brass Body
Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen explained: F, M and 1.0 mm stub steel nibs, Pilot cartridges and CON-B or CON-40 converter, 138 mm and 26 g, and the Cocoon.
TWSBI ECO: Piston Filler, Ink Capacity & Nib Sizes
TWSBI ECO fountain pen explained: a piston filler holding about 1.76 ml, EF to B and 1.1 mm stub steel nibs, 138.8 mm and 21 g, the ECO-T, and where it's made.
BIC Cristal: The Hexagonal Ballpoint Since 1950
The BIC Cristal ballpoint explained: 1.0 mm medium and 0.8 mm fine points, line width, the 1950 design, Cristal vs Xtra Smooth, and where it's made.
LAMY safari: Nib Sizes, Cartridges & Converter
LAMY safari fountain pen explained: EF to B and left-hand nibs, T10 cartridges and Z28 converter, 139.5 mm length and 17 g weight, the 1980 design, and origin.
Paper Mate Flair: Felt Tip Sizes & Point Guard
Paper Mate Flair felt tip pen explained: 0.4, 0.7 and 1.2 mm point sizes, what Point Guard does, water-based ink and bleed-through, and where it's made.
Pilot FriXion Clicker: How Erasable Gel Ink Works
Pilot FriXion Clicker erasable gel pen explained: why the ink vanishes at 60 °C, when it comes back, 0.7 and 1.0 mm sizes, refill numbers and where it's made.
Sakura Pigma Micron: Line Widths from 003 to 12
Sakura Pigma Micron fineliner explained: what sizes 003 to 12 mean in mm, Pigma archival pigment ink, which size to choose for drawing or writing, and origin.
uni-ball Jetstream RT: Hybrid Ink, Tip Sizes & Refills
The uni-ball Jetstream RT explained: what hybrid oil-based ink is, 0.5/0.7/1.0 mm tips, SXR refills, Jetstream vs Pilot G2 and ZENTO, and where it's made.
Pentel EnerGel RTX: Liquid Gel Ink, Tips & Refills
Pentel EnerGel RTX explained: liquid gel ink, 0.3–1.0 mm needle and metal tips, LR and LRN refills, RTX vs Pearl vs EnerGel-X, and where it's made.
Pilot G2: Tip Sizes, Refills & Ink Colors
Pilot G2 gel pen explained: 0.38/0.5/0.7/1.0 mm tip names, refill codes, ink colors, G2 vs G2 Limited and G2 Pro, smudging, and where it's made.
Sharpie S-Gel: Tip Sizes, Smear Claims & Refills
Sharpie S-Gel gel pen explained: 0.38 to 1.0 mm tip sizes, smear claims, refills, colors, how it compares with the Pilot G2, and where it's made.
uni-ball ZENTO Signature: Specs, Ink, Refills & Sizes
The uni-ball ZENTO Signature explained: metal body, magnetic cap, 0.38/0.5/0.7 mm sizes, refills, price, where it's made, and whether it's a gel pen.