We researched the most popular fountain pens available online, evaluating ease of use, quality, and value. Our favorite, the Dryden Designs Fountain Pen, is a hand-assembled writing tool that comes with ink refills and a converter. Here are the best fountain pens. Dryden Designs achieved the perfect combination of luxury and affordability with its Modern Classic Collection. For a reasonable price, this fountain pen glides across the page—no blotching, skipping or bleeding—while still looking stylish. It features a sleek metallic casing, available in seven different colors, and signature gold accents. It’s so eye-catching that you could use it simply as a showpiece. Of course, it’s the writing quality that makes Dryden our top choice. Dryden Modern Classic is one of the finest pens you can buy, fountain, or otherwise. Dryden sends this pen in an attractive pouch, making it gift-ready, and if you’re not satisfied with the product they offer a lifetime money-back guarantee. Price at time of publish: $31 This pen can make the most agonizing writing tasks (rent checks, rent checks, rent checks) pleasurable—or, at least, not so agonizing. Even its physical description has the ring of luxury: black lacquer finish, high-gloss chrome grip, interchangeable silver steel nib. And according to users, the writing experience is butter smooth and gives rich, evenly distributed ink to every letter. Price at time of publish: $87 The primary differences between the two, however, are the Studio’s larger size, even weight distribution, and ergonomic cylindrical grip. Deciding between the Safari and the Studio comes down to whether you’re willing to sacrifice a few luxuries for a cheaper cost. Lamy released the Safari in 1980, targeting younger buyers with its numerous color options, unique triangular grip, and signature metal clip. Think of it as a luxury car company making a vehicle specifically to compete with more affordable models. One five-star reviewer online wrote, “I have a few fountain pens, some that cost 10x this much. I have two of these [Safari’s] now and find myself gravitating to using these more than the others.” Price at time of publish: $36 While there are less expensive fountain pens on the market—Jinhao and Zebra are names you can turn to for the absolute cheapest fountain pens—the Pilot Metropolitan is our choice for beginners because its quality won’t leave you frustrated and wondering why someone would ever choose to write with anything other than a ballpoint. The Metropolitan is one of the most reviewed fountain pens online, receiving nearly universal praise for its dependability and ease of use. “While these pens are inexpensive, they work very well and are comfortable to write with,” one reviewer wrote. “I now own five of these pens in various colors and nib widths.” Price at time of publish: $19 Plotube packs this set with the works: one rosewood fountain pen, 10 stainless steel nibs, one golden nib, a pen holder and a bottle of black ink. Packaged in an elegant gift box, Plotube makes a great present (even if it’s a present for yourself). Each item is handcrafted and covered under Plotube’s 100% money back guarantee. Keep in mind that this pen must be dipped in ink before use, unlike most of today’s fountain pens, which typically contain an ink cartridge. For some, dipping the Plotube pen in a bottle of ink might only add to the experience, as it harkens back to earlier days, giving the writing experience a wonderful old-fashioned feel with modern smoothness. Price at time of publish: $18 The Pelikan Pelikano Fountain Pen can be purchased with a special left-handed nib, designed to help southpaws from constantly adjusting their wrists to find the perfect writing angle or from smearing ink across the page while they write. The Pelikano comes in junior sizes too, which may provide greater control while writing. Price at time of publish: $30 Some customers note that it doesn’t last as long as other products and that it can occasionally bleed, but overall the Varsity has received widespread acclaim, with most customers agreeing that it’s a wonderful pen at a wonderful price. Price at time of publish: $15 Along with the elegant and timeless feather, this set comes with 11 different-sized nibs, a gilt pen holder and a bottle of black ink. And it’s all wrapped up in a beautiful box, making it an excellent gift for artists, writers, history buffs, and more. Price at time of publish: $15
Style
Whether you wish to purchase a more traditional fountain pen versus a novelty one is also a key decision. Novelty pens can make for great gifts should you wish to present your recipient with a piece that has extra personality. However, those working in more formal environments may prefer to go the traditional route.
Dominant Hand
Those who are right handed will be confronted with a large range of pens to choose from, whereas those who are left handed will want to take this into consideration when selecting a pen to ensure that writing with it is as comfortable as possible.
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