So many dot grid notebooks have boring, plain black covers. And if they have a pretty cover instead, it usually comes at the expense of the quality of the inside pages. So let’s see how the Milko notebook stacks up!

This is not a sponsored post. I purchased the notebook myself and all opinions are my own.

Quick facts

• Size: Just under 5.75″ wide x 8.5″ high (14.5cm wide x 21.5cm high)
• Hardcover
• Sewn binding
• 5mm dot grid
• 100 GSM paper
• 100 double dot grid sided pages (no pre-printed pages)
• No page numbers

Price: I purchased this notebook on Amazon a while ago but they don’t appear to stock it anymore. If you live in the USA (where the company is based) they have their own website where the notebook is $11.50 USD with free shipping on USA orders over $20.

Let’s take a closer look!

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The Cover

I’ll be honest, the cover was the reason I purchased this notebook – finally a cover other than boring black!!

So I was very disappointed when I took it out of it’s packaging and there was a stain on the front cover 🙁 I got most of it off except for this bit

Approx 0.75″ thick

There are no pre-printed pages, the notebook has dot grid pages only.

5mm dot grid (same size as most dot grid notebooks)

I like the dot placement – none are cut off on the edges of the pages.

There’s a roomy pocket folder fixed to the back cover

Pen Testing

The paper is cream colored and only 100 GSM thick so I was sceptical about the company’s website raving about how great their paper was…

…And unfortunately I was right. It’s not able to withstand pens, highlighters or stamps without it showing through to the other side of the paper. 100 GSM is thin paper. If you want something that doesn’t show pen on the other side, look for 140 GSM thick (or thicker) paper.

Related post: Bullet Journal notebooks with the best paper (my top 7)

Pros of the Notebook

• Portable size
• Lightweight
• Pretty cover
• Cheap
• Cheap shipping (or free depending on how much you spend) if you buy via their website

Cons of the Planner

• Cover arrived stained
• Cream paper, not white
• Paper is thin and prone to ghosting and bleed through
• Only 1 ribbon bookmark
• No page numbers

Would I use this notebook?

I was hoping this would be the dream combination: pretty cover and good quality paper that’s not prone to ghosting or bleed through but that didn’t end up being the case. I’ll be using this notebook for drafting spread ideas or brain dumping to do lists, not my actual bullet journal spreads.

If you don’t mind seeing ghosting / bleed through and a pretty cover is important to you, this is one of the nicer sewn bound hardcover notebooks I’ve come across (actually has a pattern not just plain in one color).

More dot grid notebook reviews:

• Scribbles That Matter Notebook
• Jumping Fox Designs Dot Grid Notebook
• CEDON dot grid notebook

Bullet Journaling Tips:

• 7 Tips to keep your bullet journal neat
• 15 Quick and Simple Vertical Bullet Journal Weekly Spreads
• 50 Themes for your planner or bullet journal spreads

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