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Pilot – Precise V5 (ballpoint): Pilot, the makers of our best pen overall, also did a good job with the V5. Our testers loved the way this pen writes, and appreciated its uniform and even ink flow. It didn’t bleed or feather, and it required only a small amount of pressure to write. Our only gripe with the V5? It doesn’t have much of a grip, which can make it hard to hold. Pens we don’t recommend You can make your pen even more comfortable to hold by using it correctly. This may seem like an elementary skill, but many of us are doing it wrong (or have forgotten proper form in the age of the keyboard). Remember to: We consulted forums like /r/pens/ to find out what inexpensive pens the aficionados were recommending. We browsed through the Pen Addict’s blog for inspiration and consulted The Wirecutter’s pen review, too.
The Best Pens of 2023 - Reviews by Your Best Digs The Best Pens of 2023 - Reviews by Your Best Digs
Paper Mate – InkJoy (gel): Though Paper Mate’s ballpoint version of the InkJoy was the best in our tests, we weren’t as impressed by the gel version. We found that it feathered, bled and tended to smudge. uni-ball – Vision & Vision Elite (rollerball): Both uni-ball’s Vision and Vision Elite feathered, bled and smudged. The Vision also failed to deliver a smooth flow or a uniform line. The bottom line
It’s available in four sizes (.38 mm, .5 mm, .7 mm and 1.0 mm) and comes with a comfort grip. (Though, many pen enthusiasts will tell you that these included rubber grips don’t necessarily add to the comfort.)
Paper Mate InkJoy 100ST Ballpoint Stick Pens Assorted (Pack
They found that the pen didn’t bleed or feather, and it didn’t smudge either. They thought the pen’s grip was solid and comfortable, which led to nice, uniform lines. The one minor discrepancy with the Paper Mate was that each new pen requires a bit of “warming up” the first time around before it stops skipping and starts writing smoothly. At most retailers, the InkJoy will cost you well under a dollar per pen. Other finalists we tested Pens we recommend It should be noted that while some of our testers used the pens to freehand draw or doodle, we did not test pens that were created explicitly for drawing purposes. (That’s another review for another time!) Compare the best pens Penuni-ball – 207 Retractable (gel): uni-ball may be popular among writers everywhere, but they missed the mark on their 207 gel pen. Our testers found that uni-ball’s gel formula feathered and didn’t create very uniform lines.