Compiled from 5 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
Pilot Color Eno is colored mechanical pencil lead from Japan: 0.7 mm, 10 leads of 60 mm per tube, in 8 colors from blue to violet. Pilot says it writes vividly with light pressure and, being made without wax, erases cleanly. Pilot's matching Color Eno pencil has a plastic chuck that is gentle on the softer lead.
On this page11 sections
The eight Color Eno colors, each lead 60 mm long and 0.7 mm thick (drawn at 1 mm = 3 px).
Product facts
Product
Pilot Neox Color Eno colored mechanical pencil lead, 0.7 mm (HRF7C-20)
Colored lead made without wax (Pilot); plastic tube
Price range
$$$5–20 per item
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Notes on these facts
Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese web catalog pages for the Neox Color Eno lead and Color Eno pencil (read in full on October 22, 2026) and Amazon US don't state a country of manufacture. Check the tube. 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
Pilot's Japanese catalog lists Neox Color Eno (HRF7C-20) as 0.7 mm leads, 60 mm long, 10 per tube, in 8 colors.
Pilot raised the Japanese list price to ¥385 (about US$2.40) with tax on July 1, 2026, from ¥330 (about US$2.10).
Pilot says the lead contains no wax, so it erases easily with a normal eraser.
The matching Color Eno pencil (HCR-12R-7) is 147 mm long, 11.2 mm across and 9.6 g, at ¥253 (about US$1.60).
On Amazon US, the blue tube ranked #24 in mechanical pencil refills with 565 ratings on October 22, 2026.
What is Pilot Color Eno?
It’s colored lead for mechanical pencils, made by Pilot in Japan and sold in 0.7 mm in eight colors. Pilot’s Japanese catalog calls it Neox Color Eno (ネオックス・カラーイーノ), product code HRF7C-20, and pairs it with a Color Eno mechanical pencil in matching colors.
JetPens picks Color Eno as the best colored lead in its 2026 pencil guide. On Amazon US the blue tube ranked #24 in mechanical pencil refills, with 565 ratings across the colors, on October 22, 2026.
The size and weight come from Pilot’s catalog. Pilot doesn’t publish a hardness grade for colored lead.
The eight Color Eno colors and their codes, from Pilot's Japanese catalog.
Can you erase Pilot Color Eno?
Yes: Pilot says the lead is made without wax, so it erases easily with a normal eraser. Older colored leads felt sticky and smeared when erased; Pilot says Color Eno removes that tacky feel.
Pilot also says the lead is stronger than before and breaks less, so it works for memos, underlining and notes. Light colors such as yellow will always be harder to see than graphite, so save them for highlighting rather than writing.
What is the Color Eno mechanical pencil?
It’s Pilot’s matching 0.7 mm pencil, sold in the same eight colors as the leads. Pilot’s catalog lists it as HCR-12R-7: 147 mm (5.8 in) long, 11.2 mm across, 9.6 g, with a resin barrel and a rubber grip.
Its chuck, the part that grips the lead, is plastic rather than metal, which Pilot says is gentler on colored lead. It costs ¥253 (about US$1.60) in Japan and takes HRF7C-20 refills and HERFN-10 replacement erasers.
How does Color Eno compare with graphite lead?
It’s for color, not for everyday writing; for that, graphite lead is darker and stronger.
Keep a second 0.7 mm pencil for Color Eno, so you don’t mix colored and graphite lead in one tube. Our best mechanical pencils roundup lists 0.7 mm options.
Which Color Eno colors work best?
Pilot doesn’t rank them, but the darker colors read more like writing and the light ones more like highlighting. Blue, red, green and violet are dark enough for small notes in the margin; soft blue, pink, orange and yellow suit underlining and boxing words.
A simple system is one color per job, for example red for corrections and blue for definitions. Because each color has its own tube, you only need to restock the ones you use.
How much is Color Eno lead?
In Japan, ¥385 (about US$2.40) per tube of 10 with tax, after Pilot’s July 1, 2026 price revision. Pilot’s price list shows the lead rising from ¥330 (about US$2.10) and the Color Eno pencil from ¥220 (about US$1.40) to ¥253 (about US$1.60).
In the US it’s sold as an import, so it costs more than in Japan; the Amazon US listing we checked falls in our $$ band.
Where is Pilot Color Eno made?
Pilot doesn’t state the factory country on its catalog pages, and Amazon US doesn’t either. Pilot Corporation is based in Tokyo.
Check the tube or its label if origin matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can you erase Pilot Color Eno lead?
Yes. Pilot says it uses no wax, which removes the sticky feel of older colored leads and lets an ordinary eraser lift it cleanly.
What colors does Color Eno come in?
Eight: blue, soft blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink and violet, each in its own tube of 10 leads (HRF7C-20-L, -SL, -G, -Y, -O, -R, -P and -V).
Will Color Eno lead fit my 0.7 mm mechanical pencil?
It's standard 0.7 mm lead, so it fits 0.7 mm pencils. Pilot fits its own Color Eno pencil with a plastic chuck that is gentler on colored lead than a metal one.
How many leads come in a tube of Color Eno?
Ten leads, each 60 mm (2.4 in) long, per Pilot's Japanese catalog.
Is Color Eno good for annotating textbooks?
It's made for it: Pilot sells it for memos and underlining, and says the lead is stronger than before, so it breaks less. Test the color you want on your paper first.
Is Pilot Color Eno made in the USA?
No. It's a Pilot Japan product; Pilot's catalog doesn't state the factory country.
