Top 5 Micro Gel Ink Pens

(Notes: In my dream scenario, Pentel kills off the Slicci lineup, and adds a sub-0.5 mm refill to the EnerGel lineup. Preferably, in the barrel they refer to as the Euro Needle. Do that, and it would be the number two pen in this list I believe. Updated 2/11/2020.)

Top 5 Pens In The Store

(Notes: If you want to argue that the Pilot Precise is better than any pen on this list I won’t disagree. I’ll just say that it is difficult to recommend any liquid ink pen ahead of these in the current market we are in.)

Top 5 Fountain Pens Under $50

Lamy Safari - It’s universally great. Yes, the molded grip section could be an issue for some, but I don’t believe it is enough to move it out of the top spot. (Buy) Pilot Metropolitan - A 30% price increase last year slowed down the hype train, but it is the most traditional fountain pen on this list. (Buy) TWSBI ECO - My personal favorite in this range, but the piston filling mechanism is a turn off for new users. If you are fine with it, then this is number one. (Buy) Kaweco Sport - It isn't just a great portable, pocketable fountain pen. It's a great fountain pen period. (Buy) Platinum Preppy - Is there such a thing as a quality fountain pen under $5? Yes. Yes there is. (Buy)

(Notes: The Kaweco Sport is a personal favorite, but an odd pen for a beginner. The Platinum Preppy almost has to make the list strictly from a value perspective. The Pilot Kakuno is always in consideration, along with the Pilot Prera. I need to spend more time with the Platinum Prefounte to see if should be ahead of the Preppy. Updated 2/18/2020.)

Top 5 Fountain Pens $50-$100

TWSBI 580AL - The same as the 580 before it, but improved with aluminum parts. (Buy) Kaweco AL Sport - The durable aluminum barrel makes this one of the best portable fountain pens on the market. (Buy) Lamy Studio - The Studio is the perfect step up for Lamy Safari fans. The nibs are identical and the metal barrel is much nicer. (Buy) Faber-Castell Ambition - I’m glad to see Faber-Castell making waves in a somewhat desolate category. Great style, build, and fantastic nib. (Buy) Lamy Aion - The latest from Lamy, and not without its detractors. I think it is a solid workhorse of a pen, and fun to use. (Buy)

(Notes: If I had my druthers this category wouldn’t exist. The only pen even remotely interesting to me is the Kaweco AL Sport. I’d be fine spending down or spending up and skipping this range completely.)

Top 5 Fountain Pens $100-$200

Platinum 3776 - It’s been years in the making, and the 3776 is finally on top. The nibs are the best, and the styles have caught up to the rest of the market. (Buy) Sailor 1911 Standard - I’m calling an audible here: The 1911 Standard is better than the Pro Gear Slim. (Buy) Pilot Vanishing Point - An engineering marvel, the Vanishing Point is as fascinating to use as it is to look at. (Buy) Lamy 2000 - One of the most beautiful fountain pens ever designed and the perfect entry point into gold nib pens. (Buy) Pelikan M205 - Steel nib or not, this pen deserves a spot on this list. The quality of this pen, and the writing experience overall, justifies its placement. (Buy)

(Notes: If and when you get into fountain pens, this category gives you everything you need. Quality, performance, style, options - everything. I’d skip the $50-$100 range in all honesty. This is also where you can branch out into more custom brands like Franklin-Christoph and Edison.)

Top 5 Fountain Pens $200-$500

Pilot Custom 823 - It’s expensive, and the barrel colors are limited, but I have a hard time not saying this is the best pen in this price range. The quality is superior. (Buy) Sailor Professional Gear - This is where I like the Pro Gear over the 1911 style. So much fun, so much quality. (Buy) Pilot Custom 912 - This is a workhorse of a pen. And like the Pro Gear, it has a wide variety of nibs available, including the Falcon. (Buy) Aurora Optima - These last two on the list are this low because they are on the upper end of this wide price range. The Optima is a new pen to me and I have been very impressed so far. (Buy) Pelikan Souveran 600 - The sweet spot for many in Pelikan’s lineup, the 600 series is just the right size all the way around with wonderful gold nibs. (Buy)

(Notes: Personal taste comes into play here more than anywhere else. You are spending a lot of money on a pen in this category, so be sure to get everything you want here, including style.)

Top 5 Fountain Pen Ink Brands

Robert Oster - There are very few ink brands that I can recommend across the board with no caveats, and Robert Oster is one of them. In fact, they may be the only one. The colors are great, the performance is great, the price is great, heck, even the shimmer is great! They are doing all of the right things. (Buy) (Disclosure: Robert Oster manufactures the Pen Addict ink I sell, for good reason.) Sailor - Speaking of doing the right thing, Sailor had a moment where I was concerned they were heading down the wrong path with their ink lineups. They went from a point where I could say the same things about them as I did Robert Oster above, to a place where the inks were so overpriced for what you got that they weren’t worth it. Their recent Manyo series release saved them in my eyes. (Buy) Pilot Iroshizuku - With all of the new brands and crazy prices we see for fountain pen inks, Iroshizuku has gone from a premium price point to standard, or even cheap for the quality and quantity you get. They rarely introduce new colors, but when your base offerings are this good, do they really need to? (Buy) P.W. Akkerman - Copy/paste everything I said about Iroshizuku above into this section. The only difference is more ink in their standard bottle (60 ml vs 50 ml) and the best looking ink bottle in the business. (Buy) Montblanc - I am very serious when I say this: Montblanc standard inks are a good value. I know, as a brand they don’t want to hear it, but it’s true. Their special editions are more on the pricey side, but are unique enough to command respect. (Buy)

(Notes: If any list on this page deserves to be expanded to 10 entries, it’s this one. Classics such as Diamine, Faber-Castell, Pelikan, and Rohrer & Klingner all make great inks, as do relative newcomers such as Colorverse and Vinta. It’s a good time to be an ink fan. Updated 3/24/2020.)

Top 5 Plastic Tip Pens

Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Mangaka - There will come a point when the lack of color choices will catch up to it, but not here, and not now. (Buy) Sakura Pigma Micron - Seen anywhere and everywhere fineliners are sold. And for good reason. Far more colors and tip sizes than the Kuretake, but not quite on par with performance. (Buy) Staedtler Pigment Liner - Number three on my list, but number one with the artists I follow on Instagram. Especially artists who focus on tiny, detailed drawing. (Buy) Copic Multiliner SP - If it weren’t so damn good I would have taken it off the list during the last price increase. You can buy 4 to 5 of the other pens on this list for every one SP. The standard Multiliner isn’t a good pivot either. (Buy) Paper Mate Flair - I could have gone many different directions in this last spot, but the Flair is a great pen and adds a more utilitarian option to the list. The Ultra Fine Model is great too. (Buy)

(Notes: This is a big category, as seen by solid entrants like the Uni Pen, Sharpie Pen, Stabilo 88, and more being left off. Updated 2/25/2020.)

Top 5 Paper Brands

Rhodia - The best all around writing paper in nearly every format you can imagine. (Buy) Apica - This brand keeps moving up the charts and I find myself reaching for it constantly. (Buy) Midori - The Travelers Notebook has shown people what good paper should feel like, and the growth of the MD lineup pushes them up the list. (Buy) Maruman - Slightly more expensive than Rhodia and slightly fewer options, but the quality is elite. (Buy) Leuchtturm1917 - High quality and wide availability make this a popular choice no matter your writing instrument. (Buy)

(Notes: Life and Kyokuto are two of my favorite Japanese brands. Field Notes and Write Notepads both make amazing pocket notebooks.)

Top 5 Multi Pens

(Notes: Anything by Pilot, Uni-ball, or Zebra in this category is a good choice.)

Top 5 Ballpoint Pens

(Notes: The Parker Jotter is an all-time classic that is a decent option. It will never crack the Top 5, but it is fun to use.)

Top 5 Liquid Ink (aka Roller Ball) Pens

(Notes: The remainder of Pilot’s V-Series should be on the list, as they are all tried and true writers and easy to get.)

Top 5 Machined Pens

(Notes: The Pen Type-B is my personal favorite, and the Tactile Turn Mover is another great build that is Pilot Juice compatible.)

Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

Rotring 600 - What, you thought that lead-in meant the number one spot changed? Not so fast my friend! I think the Rotring 600 is the best mechanical pen on the market. It’s also the most expensive mechanical pencil on this list. That doesn’t always translate into best, but in this case it does. The brass barrel is weighted perfectly, the grip knurling is properly edgy, and it can take a beating. (Buy) Pentel Sharp - This pencil is more of the reason for the above commentary. Like the Rotring, the Sharp has been around for decades, but at a much different price point. In fact, this was a primary office supply pencil as recently as the 1990’s. Something about this traditional design and overall feel scream mechanical pencil to me and make me want to pick it up and use it. (Buy) Pentel Kerry - If you think mechanical pencils are boring, then you haven’t seen the Pentel Kerry. I’ve been on the bandwagon for years, but I need to be louder and more vocal about how great this capped mechanical pencil is. That’s right: Capped! (Buy) Uni-ball Kuru Toga - There it is! You can argue this should be number one on the list, and you will get no argument from me. In fact, I’m sure I’ve had it there myself over the years. The mechanics work flawlessly, and if the lead rotation mechanism is something you need, then go for it. I just rarely pick it up compared to the rest of these. Bonus point for tons of design variety. (Buy) Uni Shift-Pipe Lock - When it comes to mechanical pencils, pipe protection is important. This pencil does it effectively, and beautifully. Give me more color options and I might rank it ahead of the Kuru Toga. (Buy)

(Notes: If I’m feeling frisky one year I may knock the Kuru Toga off completely and replace it with the Tombow Mono Graph Shaker. It’s one of the best bang-for-your-buck mechanical pencils on the market. Updated 3/17/2020.)

Top 5 Wooden Pencils

Blackwing 602 - The modern pencil that all other modern pencils are measured against. The perfect amount of firmness and darkness. (Buy) Tombow Mono 100 - This was my gateway pencil from the fountain pen world into Japanese pencils. I was spoiled from the word go. (Buy) Caran D’Ache Swiss Wood - Pen lovers love to show off their fancy pens. This is the pencil equivalent. Plus, it smells wonderful. (Buy) Camel Pencil HB - What appears to be a simple pencil is a master class in Japanese design. Perfect form and function. (Buy) Mitsubishi Office 9850 HB - Don’t let the basic appearance and “Office Use” branding fool you. This isn’t your basic office pencil. Every time I use it, I give it the “Really?’ look. Yes, really. (Buy)

(Notes: The Mitsubishi Mark Sheet is a new fascination, as is the 2H Tajima Carpenter Pencil. The Caran d’Ache Natura School Pencil is another good one too.)

Top 5 Most Useful Pens

Fisher Space Pen - This is more about the pressurized refill that the pen barrel, although the standard barrel is perfect for how this pen needs to be used. I use the refill in my Schon DSGN pen, which is the pen I carry the most on a daily basis. (Buy) Uni-ball Signo DX 0.38 - My love for micro-tipped gel ink pen knows no bounds, and the DX is the runaway winner in this category. (Buy) Sakura Pigma Micron - The Micron is not actually my top pick for best plastic tip pen, but for some reason I find it with me the most because it can take a beating. (Buy) Uni-ball Jetstream 0.7 mm - Regardless of your opinion on ballpoint pens, there are situations in life where they are the best tool for the job. Make it the Jetstream. (Buy) Sharpie Permanent Marker - This pen doesn’t fit on any of the other lists, but it belongs in the conversation. When you need it, it is because it’s the only pen that can do the job. (Buy)

Top 5 Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks

Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-Kai - It’s rare when the premium ink is also my top recommendation, but with the Iroshizuku price drop, Shin-kai is hard to beat. One of the best color ranges in a blue black ink while remaining traditional. (Buy) Pilot Blue Black - A smart man once told me that this is the only ink he trusts explicitly in all of his pens. And, with Sailor doing who knows what with it’s stock blue black, this is the easy stock ink choice. (Buy) Rohrer & Klinger Salix - Maybe the best iron gall ink I have ever used. The words iron gall turn off some people, but if you make this your first, you will be happy. (Buy) Akkerman #8 Diep-Duinwaterblauw - There is a brightness that peeks out from under the covers that many other blue blacks don’t possess. The bottle alone is worth the price of admission. (Buy) Lamy Blue Black - I think this ink has been on and off the list more than any other over the years. It’s a bit drier and lighter than some of the inks up top, but is such a classic color it sneaks into the back of the list when there is a shake up. (Buy)

(Notes: What happened to Sailor Blue Black, the former number one on this list? That’s a great question! Sailor has been reshuffling its ink lineup over the past couple of years, and their stock ink colors appear and disappear at random intervals, and at different prices and sizes. If they made it easier to sort out, they would still be near the top of the list. Updated 2/4/2020.)

Top 5 Orange Fountain Pen Inks