What Is Your Favorite Cheap Pen? (<$30)

[migla9]

Muji make two aluminium pens - one a pocket pen, the other full size - which are absolutely fantastic. UK stores don't carry them, but both are available on Ebay for between £11 - £15 direct from Japan. Beautiful design, but only really suitable for people who like a fine line, (I think the nibs are JoWo no 3 F), they are terrific bargains. Wet and precise, I almost always have one of them inked.

 

John

 

Do these use standard international (long/short?) cartridges?

[owend]

Kaigelu 356 - looks Western restrained quality (Sonnet copy!), writes well with a smooth medium line, easy starter, £6 including post from China. And there's a kangaroo engraved on the nib, what more could you want?

[dip_n_flow]

My cheap everyday-troubleshooter is the Lamy Vista, you can see your ink-status at anytime you look at it.

 

http://www2.pic-upload.de/img/29544614/IMAG0314.jpg

[jmccarty3]

TWSBI Eco Stub

[crescent2]

Without a doubt, my favorite is the Pilot Metropolitan. I had four (black F, black dot M, white tiger stripe F, Retro grey houndstooth M) until I lost one recently. They are the pens I use most often and I've had no problems with any of them. Therefore, I think the quality is exceptional for their low price.

 

Reasons this is my favorite:

 

All four write very well with no skips and no blobs, and no tinkering required.

Consistent performance with different types and brands of inks.

Cost $15 and a converter is included!

Also take Pilot cartridges.

A different type converter is available if you don't like the squeeze type which is included with the pen.

Come in F and M nibs. These are Japanese nibs which run toward the fine side. I like both.

Good size, weight, balance for me, and attractive form.

Many colors and patterns available, from very conservative black to popping Retros. Something for just about every taste.

Durable--sturdy metal with a quality finish. Mine still look new.

 

Other cheap pens I like:

I also have a free Jinhao that I received as a bonus gift with an order. It writes well but is a little too heavy for me. Nice pen for $0, for sure!

I also have a free Noodler's Charlie pen that was included with some ink, but it sometimes still puts out a blob of ink, despite some tinkering.

And I like the Pilot Plumix, which is the cheapest stub-nib pen I've seen. (The Plumix nib will fit in the Metropolitans, but I've not done it.)

The disposable Pilot Varsity is good for the very low price, too.

The Lamy Safaris get mostly rave reviews, but I have one with a B nib, and every ink I've tried looks too washed out and the flow is also inconsistent, so I'm not a Safari fan. The converter is a separate purchase, pushing the cost to or above your $30 limit.

 

But the Metros are awesome, imo!

[Davjohn]

Holy Pockey Hucks, Batman!!

The options are too numerous to mention.

I'd start with the Pilot Varsity, and go to which ever pen I happen to be using. Parker Reflex? Jinhao 886? Sheaffer No Nonsense? Jinhao 599? Beifa AC9972, Jinhao 886.

The Varsity is a medium nib fountain pen that has a bigger ink capacity than any other pen. Load it like an eye dropper. It will hold 3ml.

 

If the Plumix nib will fit the Metropolitan, it stands to reason that the Metropolitan nibs will fit the Plumix. I'm not wild about the stub nib. Where can I find Metropolitan nibs?

[mwpannell]

I've enjoyed some Heroes. I truly love my old Sheaffer cartridge/"school" pens. There have been others, but all-in-all I'm utterly amazed by the quality, function and price of Pilot Metropolitans. I too would have to claim them as my under $30 favorite at this point.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Here's some I've tried, along with some pros and cons. My vote would be for the Lamy Safari followed closely by the Kaweco Sport.

 

1. Lamy Safari

 

Pros:

- Nearly indestructible.

- Ink window.

- Swappable nibs.

- Decent converter.

- Widely available.

 

Cons:

- Not professional looking. (although this may be a pro to some)

- Tripod grip section. (again, may be a pro to some)

- Proprietary filling system + Converter Costs Extra

 

 

2. Pilot Metropolitan

 

Pros:

- Professional look.

- Metal bodied and durable.

- Pilot makes great steel nibs.

- Widely Available.

 

Cons:

- Most annoying converter I've ever used. (holds very little ink and is a pain to clean).

- No ink window.

- Step down from barrel may annoy some.

- Limited nib selection.

- Replacement nibs are not available individually.

 

3. Jinhao X750

 

Pros:

- Super cheap.

- Fairly professional looking.

- Standard international filling system.

 

Cons:

- Terrible QC. (I've had pens that were perfect, pens that leaked, pens with lemon nibs, pens that were way too wet, exc.)

- Only available in medium nib.

- Taking the cap off the pen requires herculean force.

 

Platinum Preppy:

 

Pros:

- Super cheap.

- Eyedropper compatible.

- Excellent nibs.

- Demonstrator.

 

Cons:

- Cheap material that easily cracks.

- Not really professional looking.

- Proprietary filling system.

- Limited stock nib size options. (although better than the metro and jinhao)

 

Kaweco Sport:

 

Pros:

- Excellent nibs.

- Replaceable nibs.

- Wide variety of nib options.

- Standard internation filling system.

- A timeless design.

- Screw cap!!

- Comes in a demonstrator model.

- Can be fairly professional looking.

 

 

Cons:

- It's a plastic pen. A fairly hearty one at that but still plastic.

- Only fits a mini converter which holds very little ink.

- It's a pocket pen, which will appeal to some but turn off others.

- Clip is sold seperately.

[shea2812]

All my FPs qualify except perhaps for a Faber Castell Basic. I like the clinical and precise feel of Metro M steel nib and yet there are times that I do go for the waxy feel of Safari's F & M nibs. One other surprise at low price is Herlitz my.pen style calligraphy inked with Pelikan Brilliant Black.

[william2001]

My Pilot Varsity that costs around a dollar or so because I can let my friends borrow it and not care even if they break the nib.

 

William

[Blurred_Memories]

favourite sub 30 for me would have to by my lamy vista for several reasons.

 

1) looks great! (even though it hides the nib when capped which i don't prefer)

2) impossible to snag the nib on anything inside the cap unlike many pens, often more expensive, including the prera, custom 74, balance etc.

3) grip strongly encourages proper nib to paper alignment, making it less risky to loan to other newbies.

4) consistent and reliable, only trouble i've had was after leaving it stored nib up without use for a couple weeks. (not as air tight as it seems)

5) thought it might still be possible, i've yet to be able to force it to puke ink by thrusting it downwards with a sudden stop. this is easily done without trying with pens such as nib creeper.

6) funky clip is very clothing friendly and easy peasy slides in and out of thick and think pocket materials

7) external clip on nibs are easy to swap and very business looking, not business as in business attire but business as in its "all business"

8) external clip on nib leaves no question as to proper nib / feed / section relationships.

9) clear barrel, clear section lets you see all the juicy goodness.

10) does not snore when you accidentally fall asleep with the pen still in bed with you.

 

ok last one was a stretch but i was just so darn close to a top 10 list, i couldn't resist.

 

~b

 

 

[Mister5]

Nemosine Singularity with the 0.6 mm nib. Fantastic value - also came w/6 cartridges & a converter. This was the one that turned me on to stub nibs. My handwriting went from atrocious to semi-atrocious with a stub. Also you can swap out with another #6 nib.

[Mister5]

 

10) does not snore when you accidentally fall asleep with the pen still in bed with you.

 

ok last one was a stretch but i was just so darn close to a top 10 list, i couldn't resist.

 

~b

 

 

I can't tell you how many times I've fallen asleep with a pen in either my pants or shirt pocket. I thought I had a defective Pilot e95s when I ended up with a pretty inky cap when it was in my pocket all night.