Your Best Cheap Pen?

[nanahcub]

oh dear - my 'expensive' pen fits into this category...

 

My best cheap pen is also my best, and most expensive pen. Pelikan M150, £26.75 9 (purchased 2005). Totally reliable in every way, comfortable, writes brilliantly. Only (tiny) gripe is that my handwriting is quite small and the the fine nib is not quite fine enough for me. I'd prefer an extra fine.

 

Otherwise, My Kaweco Sport at £15 is pretty difficult to find fault with.

[Sunbird]

Pilot 78G or Lamy Safari

[keswickmouse]

Waterman Apostrophe!

[djpyle]

I think the biggest bang for the buck pen has to be the Pilot Petit1.

 

+1

 

I have a handful of the original Petit1s, and they are pretty fantastic. I've literally left some of them in drawers for months without using them, and they've always started up immediately.

[myn]

My best "cheap" pen is the free one that came in my bottle of Noodler's Borealis Black - it's a fine nib and very smooth. It

is excellent for sketching, as well as writing. I have been absolutely astounded with it's quality. The name on the cap is

Noodler's Ink.

[todayilearned]

TWSBI 540. It's so amazing...

[sunrise]

Pelikano P450.

[Sasha Royale]

"CHEAP" is a subjective term.

Parker 45 @ $15

Reform 1745 @ $7

Pilot Varsity @ $1.40 ($16.95 for 12, free shipping)

[Blade Runner]

Parker "51" $4 at yard sale + $25 to restore. It's a faithful beater.

[51ISH]

Some folks' cheap is very nearly my most expensive... :hmm1:

[wastelanded]

Some folks' cheap is very nearly my most expensive... :hmm1:

 

Same here. Just like 'feedback' and 'scratchiness', 'cheap' and 'expensive' are subjective terms. I have one pen worth $100 that was a gift. Of the others, the most expensive was about $40. And I love every one of them.

[DET]

Some folks' cheap is very nearly my most expensive... :hmm1:

 

Same here! I'm expecting someone to eventually name the Mont Blanc 149 as their favorite cheap pen.

[derevaun]

I like my Sailor HighAce Neo best; its un-ostentatious design edges it ahead of the 78g and 1745, which are equal if not better writers. I'm also on board with the praise sporadically heaped above on the Petit1.

 

But I have to acknowledge the lowly Platinum Riviere, which goes for US$1.50 at Daiso. It writes a thicker line than I like, but it's reliable and understated, which I like more. I've tried a few of the Daiso-branded FPs, but after cleaning and tinkering, none have proven reliable enough to bother with for very long. The Riviere comes randomly with various color sections, end plugs and clips, so I often can't resist.

[pienaar]

I have one of these Guanlemings in black plastic. It is simple and always writes well. You can see I used Isellpens photo. Judging from the one I have, these are really great working pens (these are a very good value) for really no money. I am thinking I will have to get the clear one too.

 

http://www.isellpens.com/Images/Guanleming/Glm2001%2004%20sm.jpg

[jslallar]

Schneider Base

Lamy Safari

Parker Frontier

Parker 45

Diplomat Attache XL

Reform Calligraphy (1745?)

Dollar 717i

 

 

All under $30

All reliable and good pens.

[Marlow]

Parker 45 flighter - bout £3 when i bought it new.

Lamy Joy - £10ish

 

Both awesome.

[Sunbird]

Parker Frontier Free

Parker 45 $10

Lamy Safari $23

Jinhao X450 $8

Jinhao X750 $8

Hero 616 $1 (10 for $9.90)

Pilot 78g $6

 

I flush all new pens with a drop (2 or 3)of detergent in a glass of water, fresh water and dry before inking. I have not had any problems with over 20 cheapie pens. They all write nicely. This compares with an expensive Parker which was returned to the vendor in the US to get it to write at all!

[reval]

My favourite cheap pen is a Jinhao 159. Smooth writer, its shape fits well in my hand.

[tonybelding]

Well.... There's the Sheaffer Imperial VI that I found on eBay in NOS/stickered condition with the matching pencil for $34, and it turned out to be one of the nicest writing pens that I've ever seen at any price. But you know, that's not really a "cheap" pen... It's more of a sumgai pen.

 

I've found it's not that uncommon to get Sheaffer cartridge-filling 14K nib Imperials on eBay for around $15-20. They are typically excellent writers and can hang in the same crowd with a Parker "51" or a Lamy 2000, IMHO.

[MOVIESTAR]

Lamy Safari Charcoal Fine Nib