Best pens: picks & comparisons
Best pens: picks & comparisonsOur best-of roundups and head-to-head comparisons of pens, each with a direct answer and sourced specs. 58 Stationery Times guides, each with a direct answer and sourced specs.
Japan-Only Pens: 8 Hard-to-Find Pens Worth Importing
Eight Japanese pens their makers don't sell in the US, from the Pilot Juice Up to the quiet Pentel Calme: tip sizes, yen prices and where US buyers import them.
Most Expensive Fountain Pen in the World: Top 10 Checked
The Tibaldi Fulgor Nocturnus is called the most expensive fountain pen at a claimed US$8 million, but no record confirms it. Top verified sale: US$305,000.
Best Japanese Pens: Sarasa Clip, Jetstream & 7 More Picks
The best Japanese pens by type, with US prices checked October 26, 2026: Sarasa Clip gel, Jetstream ballpoint, Hi-Tec-C, fountain, brush and outdoor pens.
ZENTO Standard vs Signature: Same Ink, Which to Buy
uni-ball ZENTO Standard vs Signature: the same ZENTO ink and UBR-Z refill, but the Standard is an 11 g plastic click pen, the Signature a 22 g metal capped pen.
Best Fountain Pens Under $100 (2027): 8 Picks
The best fountain pens under $100 compared: TWSBI Diamond 580 and ECO, Pilot Custom 74, LAMY AL-star, Kaweco Sport, Pilot Prera and Pelikan M200.
Best Pens of All Time: 10 of the Best Pens in the World
The best pens of all time and the best pens in the world, judged on documented sales, years made and firsts: BIC Cristal, Parker 51, Montblanc 149 and more.
Pilot Hi-Tec-C vs G-Tec-C4: What Actually Differs
Pilot Hi-Tec-C vs G-Tec-C4: one needle-tip gel pen under two names. Sizes by region, colors, refills (BLS-GC4), body, price in Japan, Europe and the US.
Jetstream vs EnerGel: Quick-Dry Ballpoint or Gel Pen?
Pick the uni-ball Jetstream RT, an oil-based ballpoint, for checks, forms and least smearing; the Pentel EnerGel RTX gel pen for a darker line and needle tips.
Zebra Sarasa Clip vs Pentel EnerGel: Which Gel Pen to Buy
Pick the Pentel EnerGel RTX if you smear: its liquid gel ink is sold as quick-drying. Pick the Zebra Sarasa Clip for water-resistant pigment ink and colors.
Best Pens for Journaling: 8 That Don't Bleed or Ghost
Which pens are best for journaling? Eight picks for thin Hobonichi, Leuchtturm1917 and Moleskine pages, from the uni-ball One and Juice Up to the Kakuno.
Best Fountain Pens for Beginners: 6 Starter Pens
Which fountain pen should a beginner buy? Six starter pens compared, from the Pilot Metropolitan and Platinum Preppy to the LAMY safari and TWSBI ECO.
Best Highlighters That Don't Bleed Through Paper: 7 Picks
On maker specs, the Staedtler Textsurfer Gel is least likely to bleed through, as solid gel goes on dry. Plus no-bleed picks for Bibles, pastels and erasing.
Best Dip Pens for Beginners: Nikko G, Zebra G & Holders
Best dip pens for beginners on published specs: Nikko G and Zebra G nibs, the Tachikawa T-40 holder, the Brause 361 Blue Pumpkin, Speedball's set and Kakimori's nib.
Best Markers & Pens for Manga: Copic, Multiliner, G Nibs
Best markers and pens for manga on published specs: Copic Sketch and Multiliner Plus, Kuretake ZIG Mangaka, Sakura Pigma Micron, Pentel Pocket Brush, Ohuhu.
Best Pens & Markers for Coloring: Brush Pens to Alcohol
Best pens and markers for coloring on published specs: Tombow Dual Brush, Sakura Koi, Kuretake Real Brush, Pentel Color Brush, Ohuhu Honolulu and Maui, Pilot Juice.
Best Pens for Nurses: Click Pens That Survive a Shift
Best pens for nurses and healthcare workers: retractable, clipped pens that write on labels and tape, from the Zebra F-701 to the Fisher Space Pen.
Best Pens for Teachers: Grading, Marking & Worksheets
Best pens for teachers on published specs: erasable FriXion for grading, red and green gels that don't bleed through worksheets, and fine tips for margins.
Best Fine-Tip Pens for Small Handwriting (2026)
The best fine-tip pens for small handwriting compared: uni-ball Signo DX, Pilot Hi-Tec-C, Pentel Slicci, Zebra Sarasa Nano, Pilot Juice and Jetstream Edge.
Best Fountain Pens Under $200 (2026): What US$200 Buys
The best fountain pens under US$200 in 2026: Pilot Vanishing Point, Pelikan M200, LAMY studio, TWSBI VAC700R and more, plus the pens that crossed US$200.
Best Fountain Pens Under $50 (2026): Kakuno to ECO
The best fountain pens under US$50 compared: Pilot Metropolitan and Kakuno, LAMY safari, Platinum Preppy and Plaisir, TWSBI ECO and GO, Kaweco Sport and Perkeo.
Best Multi Pens (2026): Jetstream 4&1, Coleto & More
The best multi pens compared: uni Jetstream 4&1, Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto, uni Style Fit, FriXion Synergy 3 and uni-ball One 3, with refills, sizes and bands.
Best Pens That Don't Smudge (2026): Fast-Drying Picks
The best pens that don't smudge, compared: uni Jetstream RT, Zebra Sarasa Dry, Pentel EnerGel, Pilot Acroball, Signo 207, Juice Up and Jetstream Edge.
Best Rollerball Pens (2026): Vision Elite, V5 & More
The best rollerball pens compared: uni-ball Vision Elite, Pilot Precise V5, OHTO CR01, Pentel EnerGel, Retro 51 Tornado and ZENTO, with tips and refills.
Best Waterproof Pens & Inks (2026): Archival Picks
The best waterproof pens and inks compared: Sakura Pigma Micron, uni PIN, STAEDTLER pigment liner 308, De Atramentis Document Black and Platinum Carbon Black.
Best Japanese Highlighters: Mildliner, Propus & More
The best Japanese highlighters compared: Zebra Mildliner, uni Propus Window, Zebra Mojini Line, Pilot FriXion Light and KOKUYO ANY LINER. Tips, inks, uses.
Best New Japanese Pens of 2026: FriXion Synergy 3 & More
The best new Japanese pens and pencils of 2026: FriXion Synergy 3 and Ball Switch, uni-ball One 3, AIRSTEP, LACONIC Solid Write, Sailor Casual L and ANY LINER.
Best Paint Markers: POSCA vs Sharpie Creative vs MOLOTOW
The best paint markers compared: uni POSCA PC-5M, Sharpie Creative Marker and MOLOTOW ONE4ALL 127HS. Ink, tips, start-up, surfaces, refills, colors and origin.
Visconti Homo Sapiens vs Mirage Mythos: Lava or Resin
Visconti Homo Sapiens vs Mirage Mythos compared: Etna lava vs faceted resin, 14k gold vs #6 steel nib, power filler vs cartridges, size, weight and price.
Best Erasable Pens: FriXion, Synergy & EraserMate
The best erasable pens compared: Pilot FriXion Clicker, FriXion Synergy Clicker, Paper Mate EraserMate and FriXion Light. How each erases, tips and limits.
Best White Gel Pens: Signo Broad, Gelly Roll & More
The best white pens for black paper: uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153, Sakura Gelly Roll, Pilot Juice Up and uni POSCA. Tip sizes, opacity, ink and price bands.
Pilot G2 vs Zebra Sarasa Clip: Sizes, Ink & Refills
Pilot G2 vs Zebra Sarasa Clip compared: tip sizes, ink, colors, clip, length and weight, refills and price, and which retractable gel pen to buy for school.
Pilot Metropolitan vs LAMY safari: Nibs, Weight & Ink
Pilot Metropolitan vs LAMY safari compared: brass vs plastic body, Japanese vs European nibs, cartridges and converters, weight, size, and which to buy.
TWSBI ECO vs LAMY safari: Piston vs Cartridge Filling
TWSBI ECO vs LAMY safari fountain pens compared: piston filler vs T10 cartridges and Z28 converter, ink capacity, nibs, grip, size and weight, and which to buy.
uni-ball Jetstream vs Pilot G2: Ballpoint vs Gel Pen
uni-ball Jetstream RT vs Pilot G2 compared: oil-based hybrid ballpoint vs gel ink, smearing, sizes, refills, water claims, and which one to buy for which job.
Pen Refills Explained: Formats, Codes and Swaps
Pen refills explained: Parker-style G2, Jetstream SXR, D1, Zebra JF and Signo formats, which pens take them, how to read a refill code and what a refill costs.
Sustainable Pens vs Disposable: What Really Helps
Refillable and recycled-plastic pens vs disposables: what EPA data shows, what recycled-content claims mean, fountain pen ink cost and where to recycle pens.
Discontinued Pens People Still Want (2027 List)
Discontinued pens people still hunt for, from the Pilot Explorer to the 78G: when each ended, the closest current pen and where to find leftover stock.
Best Pocket Pens: 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 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
Best Gifts for Fountain Pen Lovers (2027): 9 Picks
The best gifts for fountain pen lovers: a pen at each price band, Iroshizuku and Shikiori inks, MD and Tomoe River paper, a LAMY converter and a leather case.
Fountain Pen vs Gel Pen: Feel, Line, Paper and Cost
Fountain pen vs gel pen: how they feel, line width, which paper each needs, ink cost per page, cleaning, refills and who should pick which, with 8 example pens.
Japanese vs Western Nib Sizes: Why a Japanese F Is Finer
Why Japanese nibs write finer: Pilot, Sailor and Platinum against LAMY, Pelikan and Kaweco, with measured line widths, the kanji reason and which size to buy.
Best Calligraphy Pens for Beginners (2027): 6 Picks
The best calligraphy pens for beginners: Pilot Parallel, LAMY joy, Pigma Calligrapher, Tombow Fudenosuke, Pentel Touch Sign Pen and Kuretake Fudegokochi.
Best Alcohol Markers (2027): Ohuhu vs Copic and More
Ohuhu vs Copic and the best alcohol markers for 2027: Ohuhu Honolulu, Copic Sketch, Copic Ciao, Prismacolor and Arteza compared by nibs, colors and refills.
Best Pens for Bible Journaling (2027): No Bleed Picks
The best pens for Bible journaling that don't bleed through thin pages: Pigma Micron, Micron PN, STAEDTLER pigment liner, Prismacolor, Mildliner and more.
How to Clean a Fountain Pen: Flush, Soak and Dry
How to clean a fountain pen, from maker manuals: flushing cartridge, converter, piston and eyedropper pens, when to use pen flush, staining inks and how often.
How to Fill a Fountain Pen: Cartridges to Pistons
How to fill a fountain pen: cartridges, converters (international vs proprietary), piston, vacuum and eyedropper fillers, step by step, and which pens use each.
Pilot G2 vs uni-ball Signo 207: Ink, Sizes & Refills
Pilot G2 vs uni-ball Signo 207 gel pens compared: ink type, line widths, smearing and drying, water and fraud resistance, refills and their Japanese specs.
Fountain Pen Nib Sizes Explained: EF, F, M and B
What EF, F, M and B nibs mean, measured line widths in mm, why Japanese nibs write finer, and stub, italic and flex nibs for small or left-handed writing.
Gel vs Ballpoint vs Rollerball: How the Inks Differ
Gel, ballpoint and rollerball pens compared: ink type and viscosity, smearing and dry time, bleed and feathering, left-handed use, refill life and cost.
Best Pens for Note-Taking (2027): 7 Picks by Use
The best pens for taking notes, one per job: Pilot G2, Pentel EnerGel, Juice Up, FriXion, Jetstream 4&1, BIC Cristal and Jetstream RT. Tips, ink and price.
Best Luxury Pens (2027): 10 Gift & Heirloom Picks
The best luxury pens to give or keep: Pelikan Souverän M800, Montblanc Meisterstück 149, Pilot Custom 823, Sailor 1911, LAMY 2000, Caran d'Ache Léman and more.
Best Fineliner Pens: Micron, Point 88 & More
The best fineliner pens by use: Sakura Pigma Micron, Stabilo Point 88, Paper Mate Flair, uni PIN, STAEDTLER pigment liner, triplus and Sign Pen compared.
Most Collectible Pens: 9 Modern Editions
The most collectible modern pens: Montblanc Writers and Patron of Art editions, Namiki maki-e, Nakaya, Pelikan Toledo and more, with dated auction records.
Best Vintage Fountain Pens to Buy (2027): 9 Classics
The best vintage fountain pens to buy and use: Parker 51, Vacumatic, Duofold, Sheaffer Snorkel, Esterbrook J, Pelikan 400 and more, with years and dated prices.
Best Ballpoint Pen: Jetstream, Acroball & 10 More
Which ballpoint pen is best? The uni-ball Jetstream RT overall, plus the smoothest, cheapest, metal and multi-color picks of 12, with refills and origin.
Best Brush Pens: Fudenosuke, ABT & Pocket Brush
The best brush pens by use: Tombow Fudenosuke, Pentel Touch Sign Pen, Tombow Dual Brush, Kuretake Real Brush, Pentel Pocket Brush, PITT and Sign Pen compared.
Best Gel Pens: 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.