I’ve posted many pen reviews over the years from my favorite gel pens, ballpoint pens, erasable pens, those that come in large rainbow packs, papermate inkjoy dupes and those with yellow ink you can actually see. My opinions of pens have changed over the years as I’ve tried more pens and become more critical with what I consider to be a ‘good’ pen. So take this as the most up to date list to refer to (which I’ll be updating as I try more pens).

Before I tell you my ratings for each pen, I should probably tell you my pen preferences as that influences my rating.

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What I look for when buying pens

• I prefer 0.7mm pen tip
• I like erasable, gel and ballpoint pens
• I don’t like needle tip pens
• I don’t like pens that smudge and show through the page
• I prefer packs of pens that come in all rainbow colors (bonus if it has less common colors like teal, a yellow you can actually see the ink and multiple shades of the same color)
• I like pens that come in large packs so I have plenty of options for color matching other supplies (e.g. washi tape) that I use in my spreads
• Readily available (whether it’s in an office supply store or online from somewhere like Amazon)
• Doesn’t dry out quickly
• I’m not too fussed about price. If it’s a good pen that’s expensive, I’ll pay it

5 star (The best)

In no particular order I have given these pens the highest rating. These are the pens I use most often and which write smoothly (no ink skipping). They have vibrant colors, come in packs with a large range of colors, last for years without drying out and most do not have bad ghosting or bleed through.

These are my must have pens!

Frixion erasable – no surprise that I rate this one a 5. Great colors to choose from, comes in a retractable or lid version, write and erase smoothly

Staedtler triplus – heaps of colors, write smoothly and come in a storage case

Paperchase fineliner – similar to the Staedtler triplus these come in heaps of colors

Kikki k fineliner – similar comments to the paperchase fineliner but come in less colors

Zebra sarasa – a bit sharper 0.7 tip than the others that I’ve rated 5 star but the colors are great and the ink never skips

Muji gel 0.5 size – I normally avoid a 0.5 as it’s usually too small, but these ones are more like a sharp 0.7 and write very smoothly.

Kaco pure green – smooth gel pen that isn’t prone to smudging

Uniball signo – same comments as the Kaco plus the uniball last for years without drying out

Sharpie Art pen fine – I normally avoid needle tips but these write smoothly, the ink has lasted years, great range of colors and they come in a sturdy storage case

Papermate inkjoy ballpoint – with a lid and RT (retractable). My go to ballpoint pens. They’re inexpensive, have all the basic colors you need plus black. They write smoothly. These were my go to study pens during university

Papermate inkjoy gel – one of my all time favorite pens. These are a bit expensive but they’ve lasted me years, come in the usual rainbow colors plus teal and you can actually see the yellow ink

Tombow dot marker – my favoite dot markers the rainbow colors are so nice!

Zig dot marker – while these aren’t pens I use them for checkboxes instead of writing in pen. They’re so handy and easy to use. The only con is that the ink bleeds through the page. The colors aren’t as nice as the Tombow dot markers but you can do different size dots with the Zig

Triplus broad liner – when you need a pen that’s sized between a normal writing pen and a marker pen, I reach for these. They’re good for headings and the colors are bright

Stabilo point 88 fine – fineliner pens that come in so many color options, the ink lasts for years and the hexagon shape is easy to write with

Staedtler twin tip handwriting pens – when you want to do thin and thick writing (e.g. checklist heading and then the checklist) in matching colors

Ooly bright writers ballpoint 1.0 – a ballpoint pen similar to the Papermate inkjoy ballpoint pens. The ink doesn’t skip

Muji hexa pen – if you want a marker pen in nice colors, comes in a storage containers, hexagon pen shape is easy to write with

4 star (Good)

These pens are good, I still use them all the time, they don’t make it to the very highest rating as I couldn’t give everything 5 stars! Some of these might have a great range of bright colors, but be more prone to smearing or ghosting. They are all still great pens I recommend buying if you can afford them.

Stabilo trio 2 in 1 – a good fine tip and marker pen, doesn’t make my top 5 as some of the shades of the colors are ones I wouldn’t normally use e.g. dark green and plum, no pink or purple in the pack

Schneider top liner – these pens write so smoothly. They would make it to 5 star but they’re quite inky and show through the other side of the page

Maped – ink is thicker than described on the packet. Says 0.4 but more like a 0.7 – 1.0

Ecobra

Sakura ball sign – Thin pen body that’s easy to write with

Big W fineliner – a cheap pen that’s a good alternative to the staedtler triplus

Monte marte fineliner – same comments as Big W fineliner

Paperchase needle tip – I rarely use a needle tip as I write on an angle but the ink doesn’t skip or feel scratchy to write with

Papermate flair – needle tip doesn’t suit me but the range of colors is great. They put out pen ranges in colors that are hard to find. I like the 0.7 tip the best, the medium is too fat for me

Blot gel – the closest match / the best dupe for the Papermate Inkjoy Gel 0.7. I found these on Amazon a few years ago but it appears they’re no longer available

Parkoo gel – not as good as the Frixion erasable but my 2nd favorite erasable gel pens. The ink is prone to skipping and they dry out faster than the Frixion, I don’t think they’re as well made / good quality as the Frixion

Tombow twin tone – expensive, the colors aren’t a good variety but the pack does have a teal color

Triplus Color – nice colors, marker tip pen

Ooly color connect fine tip – write smoothly, a solid pen, can be hard to find the Ooly (I’ve only seen them onlne)

Metallic color pen guang na – I only use these when writing on black paper. They’re not a must have for everyday planning but if you like doodling and decorative planning, these are a good option

The Paper Studio – black pens in 7 different thicknesses conveniently in the one pen pack. The thicker tips have ghosting and show through. These are ideal for minimalist planning or when you want a variety of pen thicknesses without buying an entire pack of colors in each thickness

Uni Pi’s – nice colors but almost always bleed through )even the fine tip end), ink never skips though

Faber castell broad pen – nice pen but hard to find in bulk / different colors

Creative devotion – these pens have a very unique appearance, they write smoothly, ink never skips, have only found online

Caliart – a cheap alternative to the statedtler Triplus. I found these on Amazon a few years ago but it appears they’re no longer available

Pure color f c-land – vibrant colors, no ink skipping, good contrast between the fine tip and the marker tip however prone to ghosting

Marvy Japan Le pen – Good variety of colors, thin pen but there is resistance so I’m forced to write slow with these pens

Paperchase fineliner medium – good variety of colors which can be hard to find in thicker pens that are good for headings. But these dried out after about 3 years. I no longer buy these pens

Crayola gel 0.7 – write well but they do dry out quicker than other gel pens

Ink lab – cheap knock off of the Papermate flair ultra fine

Not pictured – Stabilo pen 68 mini marker – same comments as the stabilo 2 in one marker

3 star (Average)

These pens are ok but once the ink runs out I won’t be buying them again.

Pilot twin marker – good vibrant colors and they write well, but the ink has really bad ghosting and / or bleeds through the page

Tul – dries out too fast. Mine only lasted about 6 months. They did write smoothly and the ink came out fine when I wrote on an angle with the needle tips

Pilot juice pens – colors are too light to see on the page, the pen tip feels scratchy, the pilot pop lol are much better

Pilot pop lol pastel and Pilot juice pastel – the pastel colors are too light, it’s really hard to see the ink

Pilot pop lol 0.38 or 0.5 – only the 0.7 is good, the other sizes are way too small

Daiso smooth color ballpoint pens – average pens, nothing special

Stabilo sensor – rated a 3 purely because they’re expensive and hard to find in set with other colors

Faber castell ballpoint pens – nothing special, ink skips, overpriced for a good brand name, I expected better quality

Uni jet steam 1.0 – Too inky

Pilot multi ball – Also too inky

Pentel RSVP – the pen tip and the pen body are too fat for me

J burrows – that cheap pen that you can lend and not care if someone doesn’t give it back but still good enough for you to write with

Schneider line up – Needle tip, I prefer gel or ballpoint

Scribbles that matter fineliner 0.4 – Nothing special not a big color pack it was a free pen that came with the Scribbles that Matter Notebook

Uniball signo 0.5 – pen tip is too small, the 0.7 is better

Uniball vision elite – not that great and not worth $5 per pen

Artline 200 fine tip – color comes out great but there’s a lot of resistance when I write with these, I have to write slow

Staples fine 0.5 – cheaper version of the Artline 200

Artline flow 1.0 – nothing special about this pen, comes in limited colors and not readily available

Artline supreme fine pen – same comments as Artline flow 1.0

Kmart fineliner pens – basic fineliner pens, if you don’t want all the colors in the Staedtler Triplus pack this set will do

Texta the original fineliner burst – Really clunky pen body I don’t like writing with

Kikki k metallic gel – expensive price but the the quality is no better than what everyone else has

The craft stall from the Reject Shop – alternate to the Staedtler Triplus, they come in a sturdy case for easy storage

Not pictured – Faber Castell 20 fibre tip colored pens – good variety of colors but annoying packaging which isn’t structured, the pens slide around so I just store them in a pencil case

Not pictured – Faber Castell 20 grip fineliner pen – same comments as the fibre tip Faber castell pens

Not pictured – Staedtler Norris club – not a bad pen, just nothing special either

1 – 2 star (don’t buy)

A lot of these were impulse buy when I found them cheap, and before I had done a ‘stocktake’ of my pen collection. These are pens that I wouldn’t buy again and will probably just end up donating as I don’t use them.

Anything from a cheap shop. I’ve only ever found one good pen from a cheap shop, and it was a random find

Office one

Target gel pens – smearing is so bad

Target glitter – dry out too fast and they smear

Dong a miffy – needle tip is too small, these are overpriced

Daiso fineliner – nothing special about these

Daiso glitter pens – ink smudges easily

Ooly just write super fine 0.4 – needle tip is too small for me

Ooly petite point 0.7mm fine needle tip – needle tip feels smaller than a 0.7, too thin for me

Ryman ball pens – awful pens, the ink skips and feels so cheaply made

Chosch – very thin needle tip, writes scratchy and dries out quick

Itsi bitsi from the Reject Shop – dried out within 3 months, who knows how long were sitting on the shelf in the store before I bought them

Jumbo sets of fineliner 0.4 pens you find on amazon with no brand and all look the same with the black pen body – these dry out quickly and I’ve also had some leak

Hema pastel pens – way too bright, I’d only use these on black paper or you won’t be able to see the ink

Any pastel pen – too bright to see on the page

Creative devotion erasable – colors are gross compare to other pens, there are better erasable pen options e.g. Frixion

Pilot hi tec maica c – the worst needle tip pen I’ve ever bought. The needle tip is so fine you basically have to write with the pen perfectly upright, any angle and the ink won’t come out. The ink also ran out within about 6 months of me buying these

Anko ballpoint pens (these are from Kmart Australia) – cheap pen, the ink always skips

Typo pens – dry out too quickly and are overpriced

Office one fineliners and ballpoint – cheap quality, feel poorly made

Kmart kids and co fine point – the colors aren’t very nice

Kaisercraft glitter fine point – dry out too quickly

Kikki k write in rainbow 0.4 – ink dries out quickly and the needle tip won’t let you write on an angle

Aldi scholar pens – ink dries out quickly and they smudge

Dats markers fineliner

Smiggle scented twin tip – overpriced

Staedtler Norris club dual tip markers – nothing special, there are other dual tip markers that are better ^refer above^

J burrows – dries out too quick

Frixion 0.38 – too thin and more like a needle tip

Staedtler ball 432M – there are better ballpoint pens with less skipping ^refer above^

Maxum 1.0 – is more like 2.0 – too fat and bulky pen body to write with too

Bic Bu3 grip – the ink skips

Pilot g-2 – too inky for me

Kingart fineliner – these are easy to write with despite the needle tip. However the colors aren’t as nice as other pens of the same type

Milan from Officeworks – dried out really quick and was a pen you really had to push down on the page to get the ink to come out to begin with, so could never write on the back side of the page due to heavy indenting

Smiggle color pop ballpoint – Really poorly made pen body that feels like it’s going to break when I use it

Jellies twin tip – Too fat and having different colored ends is annoying e.g. pink on one end and green on the other end

Kokuyo – horrible pens. Have to really push down to get the ink to come out, the ink skips and the pen feels cheaply made

IKEA pens Mala – really bad bleed through on the page

J burrows erasable pen – don’t erase cleanly, no match for the Frixion erasable pens

Libro fineliner – I don’t like the assortment of dull colors in the pack

Overall best brands & brands I avoid

Oddly, Ooly ballpoint pens make it to the top of my list but other pens from Ooly are on my ‘do not buy’ list. Same with Staedtler. I normally hate needle tip but I really like the Staedtler Triplus fine tip (which has a needle tip) and don’t like their ballpoint pens (as the ink skips). So there’s not really a ‘perfect’ pen brand.

If I had to choose, I’d say my all time favorite brands are:

• Papermate
• Pilot / Frixion
• Staedtler
• Tombow
• Muji

Brands I avoid:

• Anything from a cheap store
• Kokoyu
• J Burrows
• Kaisercraft
• Daiso
• Target
• Chosch
• Kikki K (used to be good quality but not anymore)

How to store pens

I used to store them in their packaging upright in various stationery organizers and baskets. While convenient and a good use of space, that makes the pens dry out faster.

Pens should be stored horizontally so the ink is distributed evenly. If there is annoying packaging (e.g. cardboard instead of a plastic storage case), I store the pens in acrylic drawers on my desk which are clear so I can see exactly what is in each drawer. I also turn all my pen cups on their side so the pens are horizontal instead of vertical.

I prefer to keep pens in their original packaging where I can. At the moment, those pens are stored horizontally in my IKEA Raskog trolley. It doesn’t look neat and it can be annoying to find things, but I hate using large drawers to organize things so this will do for now.

How much should you pay for pens?

A reader asked me this a while back and it’s a very subjective question! I’m happy to pay an expensive price for good pens.

I hope that the list above is helpful in your decision on whether it’s worth spending sometimes (not always) more money on expensive pens versus a cheaper ‘dupe’ pen.

Where I buy all these pens

• My sister’s planner supplies store, Carefully Crafted
• Amazon
• Officeworks
• Direct from the brand’s own website
• Jet Pens
• Pens I randomly find in stationery stores on my travels

Related post: Favorite London Stationery shops for planner supplies

More stationery recommendations

I’m thinking about doing another post like this for my highlighters and brush pen collection if anyone would be interested in that? Let me know in the comments below.

• Best highlighters for bullet journaling
• 5 Planner supplies you should never skimp on
• Favorite brands with functional sticker books for planning and bullet journaling

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