Est. 2026 · Price: FreeEditor-at-large: The Hedgehog

Stationery Times

Brand: Pilot

Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1: Four-Color Pen With a Pencil

Compiled from 5 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 is a multi pen with four 0.5 mm ballpoint inks (black, blue, red, green), a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil and an eraser under the top cap. It pairs Pilot's Acro ink with the cushioned Dr. Grip grip, and takes BVRF refills. Yoseka Stationery sold it for US$14 in November 2026.

On this page12 sections
Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 multi pen with a cushioned grip and four ink-color tabs, beside ten body-color dots
The Dr. Grip 4+1 drawn in proportion from retailer photos; Pilot publishes no length; the row of dots shows the body colors listed. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Product facts

Product
Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 Multi Pen, 0.5 mm ballpoint + 0.5 mm pencil (BKHDF1SEF)
Brand
Pilot
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Not stated*
Material
Plastic body with a cushioned grip and a metal clip (not otherwise published)
Price range
$$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors

Ash Metal Brown

Ink colors

Black

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Notes on these facts
  • Made by Pilot Corporation (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Yoseka, Maruzen, Pilot's refill site and The Pen Addict don't state a country of manufacture. One reseller listing calls the Botanical series Made in Japan; we couldn't confirm it from a maker page. Price: example listing.
  • Colors: names per Yoseka Stationery, checked November 3, 2026. Yoseka lists ten body colors for the 0.5 mm model. Tints were set by hand from Yoseka's product photos. The Botanical Colors series is a separate release listed under Botanical colors below. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
  • How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
  • 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

  • It carries four 0.5 mm ballpoint colors and a 0.5 mm pencil with HB lead included, and a 0.7 mm ballpoint version is also sold in Japan.
  • The ballpoint ink is Pilot's Acro ink, which Yoseka says has about a fifth of the viscosity of Pilot's regular oil-based ink.
  • Its BVRF-8EF refill is 98.5 mm long and 3.1 mm across, and costs ¥88 (about US$0.55) with tax at Pilot's refill site.
  • Yoseka listed it at US$14.00 in 10 body colors on November 3, 2026; Tokyo Pen Shop sold a Botanical Colors series at US$18.40 in 5 colors.
  • Pilot began the Dr. Grip line in 1991, and The Pen Addict reviewed the 4+1 in June 2018 at US$14.

What is the Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1?

It is a multi pen that puts four ballpoint colors and a pencil in the cushioned body of Pilot’s Dr. Grip line. Yoseka Stationery lists four 0.5 mm ballpoint colors (black, blue, red and green), one 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with HB lead included, and an eraser. The Pen Addict’s reviewer wrote that the grip “shares the same excellent grip from the original Dr. Grip”, though less squishy than the single pens.

Pilot started the Dr. Grip line in 1991 with a ballpoint; our Dr. Grip mechanical pencil guide covers that history.

Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 specs

Spec Value
Maker Pilot Corporation (Japan)
Model BKHDF1SEF (0.5 mm ballpoint); a 0.7 mm version, BKHDF1SFN, is listed in Japan
Ink Pilot Acro ink, oil-based, in black, blue, red and green
Points 0.5 mm ballpoint, 0.5 mm mechanical pencil (HB lead included)
Switching Slim tab buttons at the top; the pencil shares a button with the clip
Eraser Under a small cap at the top
Refill BVRF-8EF, 98.5 mm long, 3.1 mm widest
Length and weight Not published by any source we read
Body colors Ten listed by Yoseka, plus a separate Botanical series
Made in Not stated
Labeled Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 showing the cushioned grip, barrel, clip that works as the pencil button, and four ink tabs
The Dr. Grip 4+1's parts, drawn in proportion. No source publishes the pen's size, so there is no scale. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

How do you switch colors and advance the pencil?

Press a slim tab at the top to extend a color, and half-press another tab to retract it. The Pen Addict describes tab buttons at the top of the pen. The mechanical pencil shares its button with the clip: a harder press on the clip extends the lead. The reviewer called the clip “quite strong”. To add lead, remove the cap at the top, which also covers the eraser.

What ink does the Dr. Grip 4+1 use?

It uses Pilot’s Acro ink in 0.5 mm. Yoseka says Acro ink has about a fifth of the viscosity of Pilot’s regular oil-based ink, for smoother, quicker writing. The Pen Addict called the colors “vibrant, bold, and clean” and singled out the red for its near-fluorescent glow. We haven’t tested the pen.

What refills does the Dr. Grip 4+1 take?

Pilot’s BVRF-8EF refills, in black, red, blue and green. Pilot’s refill site lists a 0.5 mm ball, 98.5 mm total length and 3.1 mm maximum diameter, at ¥88 (about US$0.55) with tax. Tokyo Pen Shop adds that the eraser refills with Pilot’s HERFNS-10 and the pencil takes Pilot Neox graphite lead. The Pen Addict wrote that uni Style Fit gel refills also fit the body, which Pilot doesn’t list.

What are the Botanical Colors?

They are a separate color series of the same pen. Tokyo Pen Shop listed the 0.5 mm Dr. Grip 4+1 Botanical Colors at US$18.40 on November 3, 2026 in five body colors: Old Rose, Linen Beige, Cotton White, Sage Green and Hydrangea Blue, with the same Acro ink and 0.5 mm pencil. We couldn’t read a Pilot page for the series, so release dates and any limited-run claims are unconfirmed.

How does the Dr. Grip 4+1 compare with other multi pens?

It is the multi pen to pick for a cushioned grip and a pencil in one body. The Pen Addict said the body is close to Pilot’s Acroball multi pen, which has no pencil module, and that the Dr. Grip cost a little more for the grip and branding. For a build-your-own alternative, see the uni Style Fit, and for a four-color-plus-pencil rival see the uni Jetstream 4&1. Our best multi pens roundup lists the field.

How much does the Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 cost?

It sits in our $$ band ($5–20). Yoseka Stationery sold the 0.5 mm pen for US$14.00 in all ten body colors on November 3, 2026, and The Pen Addict gave about US$14 in June 2018. Tokyo Pen Shop listed the Botanical Colors at US$18.40. In Japan, Maruzen lists it at ¥1,100 (about US$7.00) with tax.

Where is the Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 made?

The sources we read don’t say. Pilot is a Japanese company; see our Pilot history. We don’t give a country of manufacture.

Frequently asked questions

What does the 4+1 in Dr. Grip 4+1 mean?

Four ballpoint colors (black, blue, red and green) plus one 0.5 mm mechanical pencil, in a single Dr. Grip body, per Yoseka Stationery and The Pen Addict.

Which refills fit the Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1?

Pilot's BVRF-8EF refills in 0.5 mm black, red, blue and green fit it. The Pen Addict says the 0.7 mm refills that came with its 0.7 mm model also fit Acroball multi pens and that uni Style Fit gel refills fit the body too.

How do you advance the pencil lead on the Dr. Grip 4+1?

Press the clip a bit harder than you would to switch colors, per The Pen Addict: the pencil shares its button with the clip. Yoseka says clicking the clip advances the lead.

Is there an eraser on the Dr. Grip 4+1?

Yes, a small eraser sits under a cap at the top of the pen. The reviewer worried the cap might come off but found it firm after a few weeks.

How is the Dr. Grip 4+1 different from the Pilot Acroball multi pen?

The Pen Addict says the grip and the Dr. Grip name are the only unique features, and that the Acroball version has no pencil module. It cost about US$14 for the Dr. Grip in 2018, more than the Acroball.

What are the Botanical Colors Dr. Grip 4+1 pens?

A color series that Tokyo Pen Shop listed at US$18.40 in November 2026 in five body colors: Old Rose, Linen Beige, Cotton White, Sage Green and Hydrangea Blue. Pilot's own page for it wasn't readable.

Does the Dr. Grip 4+1 come in colors besides black?

Yes. Yoseka lists ten body colors for the 0.5 mm model, including Ash Metal Brown, Olive, Bordeaux and Navy, Gray, Lavender, Shell Pink, Ice Blue and Mint Green.

Did the Arthritis Foundation approve the Dr. Grip 4+1?

Yoseka says the original Dr. Grip pencil was awarded the Arthritis Foundation's Commendation for Ease-of-Use. We found no such claim for the 4+1, so we don't make one.

Sources (5)

  1. Yoseka Stationery: Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 Multi Pen 0.5 mm (four colors plus 0.5 mm pencil, Acro ink, eraser under the cap, US$14.00, ten body colors; read in full)
  2. The Pen Addict: Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 4-color multi pen review (June 13, 2018)
  3. Pilot Corporation: BVRF Acro ink refills for multicolor and multifunction pens (0.5 mm, 98.5 mm, 3.1 mm, ¥88 with tax, black red blue green)
  4. Maruzen & Junkudo: Dr. Grip 4+1 multifunction pen, ballpoint 0.5 mm + pencil 0.5 mm, item BKHDF1SEF (retail price ¥1,100 with tax)
  5. Tokyo Pen Shop: Dr. Grip 4 + 1 .5mm Botanical Colors (five colors, US$18.40, refill part numbers; checked November 3, 2026)

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