Compiled from 8 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Zebra Z-Grip is a cheap, clear-barreled retractable ballpoint with a rubber grip and a metal clip, which Zebra Pen calls the #1 retractable ballpoint. It writes with low-viscosity oil-based ink in a 1.0 mm Medium or 0.7 mm Fine point, and since 2025 its barrel is made with 68% recycled material. US spec sheets list China as the origin.
On this page12 sections
The black-ink Zebra Z-Grip, 1.0 mm Medium, drawn in proportion.
Product facts
Product
Zebra Z-Grip Retractable Ballpoint Pen, 1.0 mm Medium (item 22218, black, 18-pack)
Plastic barrel (68% recycled content in the Z-Grip Recycled), latex-free rubber grip, metal clip
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink colors
Black
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Notes on these facts
Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in China: per OnTimeSupplies' spec sheet for item 22218 (country of origin China) and Unsharpen's spec table (China). A search-result summary of an Austrian RS listing for a Z-Grip gave Japan; we couldn't confirm it on the page. Zebra Pen's US site doesn't state it. Source. Price: example listing.
Colors: names per Zebra Pen (US), checked October 24, 2026. Zebra Pen's Z-Grip Recycled page lists Black and Blue in 1.0 and 0.7 mm and pictures a red dozen (20630); on the standard pen the grip matches the ink. Pastel and bright versions are separate products. Tints were sampled from Zebra Pen's product photos; black was set by hand. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Two point sizes: 1.0 mm Medium, the standard Z-Grip, and 0.7 mm Fine; the Z-Grip Flight uses a 1.2 mm point.
Zebra Pen says the Z-Grip Recycled, listed from June 2025, uses 68% recycled material in the barrel, clip holder, clip dot and cone.
Unsharpen measures an 11.1 mm barrel, a 10.3 mm grip and 11 g; Zebra doesn't publish a length.
The black 18-pack (item 22218) ranked #7 in Amazon's Ballpoint Pens best sellers on October 21, 2026.
OnTimeSupplies' spec sheet for item 22218 lists China as the country of origin and the pen as not refillable.
What is the Zebra Z-Grip?
The Zebra Z-Grip is a low-cost retractable ballpoint with a clear barrel, a ribbed rubber grip and a metal clip. Zebra Pen, the US arm of Japan’s Zebra Co., calls it the “#1 Retractable Ballpoint”. That is the maker’s claim, but it is consistently a best seller: the black 18-pack ranked #7 in Amazon’s Ballpoint Pens best sellers on October 21, 2026.
Since June 2025 Zebra Pen has listed the Z-Grip Recycled, which uses 68% recycled material in the barrel, clip holder, clip dot and cone. Zebra says the grip, clip and ink are the same as before.
Zebra Z-Grip specs
Spec
Value
Brand
Zebra (Japan); US seller Zebra Pen Corporation, Edison, New Jersey
Latex-free rubber; on the standard pen its color matches the ink
Clip
Metal
Barrel
11.1 mm (Amazon, Unsharpen); grip 10.3 mm (Unsharpen)
Weight
11 g (Unsharpen)
Length
Not published by Zebra in the sources we found
Recycled content
68% (Z-Grip Recycled, per Zebra Pen)
Black 18-pack
Item 22218, UPC 045888222182
Made in
China (per US spec sheets)
Which point size should you choose?
Choose the 1.0 mm Medium for a bold, easy line and the 0.7 mm Fine for smaller handwriting and forms. The 1.0 mm is the standard Z-Grip and the size most packs carry. A ballpoint’s line is usually narrower than its ball, so the 1.0 mm writes a finer line than a 1.0 mm gel pen.
The three Z-Grip point sizes, from Fine to the Flight's 1.2 mm.
Which Z-Grip versions are there?
Zebra Pen sells several Z-Grip ballpoints that share the name but differ in barrel and point.
Version
What differs (per Zebra Pen)
Z-Grip Recycled
The current standard pen: 68% recycled parts, 0.7 or 1.0 mm
Z-Grip Pastels
Pastel barrels, black ink, 1.0 mm
Z-Grip Recycled Bright
Barrel color matches the ink color, 1.0 mm
Z-Grip Flight
Bolder 1.2 mm point, low-viscosity ink
Z-Grip Max
Wider barrel (Amazon listing)
How does the Z-Grip compare with other cheap ballpoints?
The Z-Grip is the cushioned, retractable step up from a stick pen; for a smoother line, the uni-ball Jetstream RT is the usual upgrade.
It is a pen for people who lose pens: cheap enough to buy in bulk, comfortable enough to write with all day. Packs of 18 to 48 make it a classroom and office staple, and the clear barrel shows when the ink is running low.
If you write a lot by hand and want a smoother, darker line, step up to a hybrid-ink pen such as the Jetstream. If you want a pen to keep, a metal-bodied refillable such as the F-301 lasts longer than a disposable.
Is the Z-Grip refillable?
Not officially. OnTimeSupplies lists the Z-Grip as nonrefillable, and Unsharpen notes that it isn’t sold as refillable, though the refill can be pulled out if the pen is damaged. If you want a refillable Zebra, the steel-barreled F-301 takes F-refills.
OnTimeSupplies’ spec sheet for the black 18-pack, item 22218, lists China as the country of origin. Unsharpen also gives China. Zebra is a Japanese company, and Zebra Pen Corporation sells the pen in the US from Edison, New Jersey; its site doesn’t state where the pen is made.
How much does a Zebra Z-Grip cost?
It falls in our lowest band, $ (under $5 per pen). Zebra Pen sells it in packs from 5 to 48 pens.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zebra Z-Grip a gel pen?
No, the standard Z-Grip is a ballpoint. Zebra describes its ink as a low-viscosity ballpoint ink, and Amazon lists the ink base as oil. Zebra sells gel pens separately, such as the Sarasa Clip.
What point sizes does the Z-Grip come in?
Zebra lists 1.0 mm Medium and 0.7 mm Fine for the Z-Grip Recycled. The Z-Grip Flight uses a bolder 1.2 mm point, and the Z-Grip Max is a wider-barreled version with a 1.0 mm point.
How heavy is the Zebra Z-Grip?
Unsharpen measures it at 11 g, with an 11.1 mm barrel and a 10.3 mm grip. Zebra doesn't publish a length.
Why does the Z-Grip grip have different colors?
On the standard Z-Grip, the rubber grip matches the ink color, so a black grip means black ink, per OnTimeSupplies' listing. Pastel and bright versions use colored barrels instead.
Is the Zebra Z-Grip better than the BIC Cristal?
It's the step up if you want a click mechanism and a rubber grip, while the Cristal is a capped stick pen with no grip. Neither is refillable, and both sit in our $ band.
What is the Z-Grip Recycled?
The current Z-Grip, which Zebra Pen lists from June 2025, is made with 68% recycled material in the barrel, clip holder, clip dot and cone. Zebra says the grip, clip and ink are unchanged.
Is the Z-Grip good for left-handed writers?
Its ballpoint ink smears less than wet gel or liquid inks, which helps left-handed writers. Our left-handed pen roundup compares quicker-drying options.
