Best lined spiral notebooks UK 2025

[Fountain_pen]

Looking for the smoothest lined A4 spiral notebooks that you can easily get in the UK. Seems to be Rhodia from Amazon at the minute coming in at around £6 a pad.
Anyone got anything cheaper or better quality? I write a lot of notes and £6 a pad adds up. That could be valuable pen or ink money.

Thanks for reading.

[Claes]

Check muji.co.uk, for instance their loose leaf system.

 

Also see what Oxford can offer in their Optik paper range.

 

Have fun!

Claes in Lund, Sweden

[Mercian]

59 minutes ago, Fountain_pen said:

I write a lot of notes and £6 a pad adds up.

 

Is there a particular reason why you need spiral-bound notebooks?

 

E.g. university students (a class of folk not famed for their profligacy when it comes to purchasing learning materials) almost all use hole-punched A4 refill pads, detaching pages one-by-one, and storing them in ring-binder folders (whether 'D'-rings, or 'Lever Arch files).

 

If I were you, I would spend a bit of money on buying an A4 folder that you like (various are available, bound in leather at the 'high end' of the market), and then buy A4 refill pads to supply the paper that you use in it.
You could e.g. re-stock it daily with only enough fresh sheets of A4 to get you through the day, and have Lever Arch files at home for any notes that merit long-term storage.

 

In terms of refill pads, for the last few years I have favoured the A4 pads of the 'Oxford' brand that @Claes mentioned. I love their 90gsm 'Optik' paper (even though I dislike the marks that are printed on every sheet to facilitate capture by the 'Sribzee' 'app').

 

I must warn you that they have recently 'reformulated' the paper (), to a version that they call 'Optik+'.
I have not yet used any of that stuff, so it might be a good idea to ask members for their opinions about it.

 

Oxford refill notepads (like most brands) can be bought in 'batches', which reduces the price-per pad.
E.g. ↓

https://oxfordnotebooks.co.uk/products/oxford-campus-a4-refill-pads-300p-assorted-colours-pack-of-3

 

At time of posting, a set of 3 pads of 300 sheets each (i.e. 900 sheets in total) will set you back £12.00.
Ordering three of those 3-packs would qualify one for free p&p.

 

Slàinte,
M.

[Lithium466]

12 minutes ago, Mercian said:

 

I must warn you that they have recently 'reformulated' the paper (), to a version that they call 'Optik+'.
I have not yet used any of that stuff, so it might be a good idea to ask members for their opinions about it.

Enthusiastic two thumbs down from me, compared to the previous 90gsm version.

 

Taken in isolation and without comparing to other paper, it's ok. But I'd put it all the way at the bottom of my list of mostly fp friendly papers I'd get.

[Mercian]

2 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Enthusiastic two thumbs down from me, compared to the previous 90gsm version.

 

So, 'tis as I feared it might be. Alas!

O tempora! O mores! Oh, bugger!  😢

 

A pox upon 'Shrinkflation'! 

[Fountain_pen]

1 hour ago, Mercian said:

 

Is there a particular reason why you need spiral-bound notebooks?

 

E.g. university students (a class of folk not famed for their profligacy when it comes to purchasing learning materials) almost all use hole-punched A4 refill pads, detaching pages one-by-one, and storing them in ring-binder folders (whether 'D'-rings, or 'Lever Arch files).

 

If I were you, I would spend a bit of money on buying an A4 folder that you like (various are available, bound in leather at the 'high end' of the market), and then buy A4 refill pads to supply the paper that you use in it.
You could e.g. re-stock it daily with only enough fresh sheets of A4 to get you through the day, and have Lever Arch files at home for any notes that merit long-term storage.

 

In terms of refill pads, for the last few years I have favoured the A4 pads of the 'Oxford' brand that @Claes mentioned. I love their 90gsm 'Optik' paper (even though I dislike the marks that are printed on every sheet to facilitate capture by the 'Sribzee' 'app').

 

I must warn you that they have recently 'reformulated' the paper (), to a version that they call 'Optik+'.
I have not yet used any of that stuff, so it might be a good idea to ask members for their opinions about it.

 

Oxford refill notepads (like most brands) can be bought in 'batches', which reduces the price-per pad.
E.g. ↓

https://oxfordnotebooks.co.uk/products/oxford-campus-a4-refill-pads-300p-assorted-colours-pack-of-3

 

At time of posting, a set of 3 pads of 300 sheets each (i.e. 900 sheets in total) will set you back £12.00.
Ordering three of those 3-packs would qualify one for free p&p.

 

Slàinte,
M.

Thanks for the reply, haha I guess I could use refill pads. I was just used to spiral notebooks as I liked it being able to use the rest of the notebook as a backrest while writing. 
Is that the new recipe optik?

Edit: it looks like it. https://amzn.eu/d/hSkev4N
This looks like the old stuff

Edited March 29 by Fountain_pen

[Fountain_pen]

2 hours ago, Claes said:

Check muji.co.uk, for instance their loose leaf system.

 

Also see what Oxford can offer in their Optik paper range.

 

Have fun!

Claes in Lund, Sweden

Thanks, I’ll have a glance.

[Fountain_pen]

Is Oxford optik the best lined paper for the price point? 

[Mercian]

28 minutes ago, Fountain_pen said:

Is Oxford optik the best lined paper for the price point? 

 

The original, 90gsm Oxford 'Optik' was fantastic stuff IMO, and was better than e.g. the white paper in Rhodia bloc pads and refill pads, BUT:

 

When I said this ↓ about the new version of the paper...

 

4 hours ago, Mercian said:

I must warn you that they have recently 'reformulated' the paper (), to a version that they call 'Optik+'.
I have not yet used any of that stuff, so it might be a good idea to ask members for their opinions about it.

 

... @Lithium466 replied to say ↓ this:

 

4 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Enthusiastic two thumbs down from me, compared to the previous 90gsm version.

 

Taken in isolation and without comparing to other paper, it's ok. But I'd put it all the way at the bottom of my list of mostly fp friendly papers I'd get.

 

As such, I advise you to find a way to 'sample' the new 'Optik+' paper before you go ahead and order any pads of it in bulk!

 

You could perhaps do so by buying a single small pad of it, or a 'Black 'n' Red' brand notebook (these contain it) from your nearest WH Smith.
N.b. you would need to do this soon, before all the High Street stores in that chain close in order to be rebranded, which their new owner announced just this Wednesday.
After all, who can predict what type/quality of products the rebranded stores will stock?
I fear that another 'race to the bottom' might well be imminent, followed in short order by total closure of the chain. Let's hope that I am wrong about that 🤞

[Fountain_pen]

1 hour ago, Mercian said:

 

The original, 90gsm Oxford 'Optik' was fantastic stuff IMO, and was better than e.g. the white paper in Rhodia bloc pads and refill pads, BUT:

 

When I said this ↓ about the new version of the paper...

 

 

... @Lithium466 replied to say ↓ this:

 

 

As such, I advise you to find a way to 'sample' the new 'Optik+' paper before you go ahead and order any pads of it in bulk!

 

You could perhaps do so by buying a single small pad of it, or a 'Black 'n' Red' brand notebook (these contain it) from your nearest WH Smith.
N.b. you would need to do this soon, before all the High Street stores in that chain close in order to be rebranded, which their new owner announced just this Wednesday.
After all, who can predict what type/quality of products the rebranded stores will stock?
I fear that another 'race to the bottom' might well be imminent, followed in short order by total closure of the chain. Let's hope that I am wrong about that 🤞

The stuff from Amazon mentions plain old optik paper, not optik+ in the description, like in some newer listings. Time for a gamble.

[tde44x]

I like and use Rhodia. Best price I have found for A4+ has been with Appelboom - if you search for Rhodia A4+ they have a quantity discount listed.

[Fountain_pen]

27 minutes ago, tde44x said:

I like and use Rhodia. Best price I have found for A4+ has been with Appelboom - if you search for Rhodia A4+ they have a quantity discount listed.

That does seem to be the best price for Rhodia spiral bound. I do want to try different papers out though. If Rhodia ends up being my favourite I’ll likely use that site. Thank you.

[Lithium466]

On 3/30/2025 at 5:29 AM, Fountain_pen said:

The stuff from Amazon mentions plain old optik paper, not optik+ in the description, like in some newer listings. Time for a gamble.

Good luck and I hope you win this one, I lost.

If you're particularly unlucky you'll get the Scribzee version. I hope I am not a bearer of bad news!

[Lithium466]

10 hours ago, Mercian said:

 

The original, 90gsm Oxford 'Optik' was fantastic stuff IMO, and was better than e.g. the white paper in Rhodia bloc pads and refill pads, BUT:

 

When I said this ↓ about the new version of the paper...

 

 

... @Lithium466 replied to say ↓ this:

 

 

As such, I advise you to find a way to 'sample' the new 'Optik+' paper before you go ahead and order any pads of it in bulk!

 

You could perhaps do so by buying a single small pad of it, or a 'Black 'n' Red' brand notebook (these contain it) from your nearest WH Smith.
N.b. you would need to do this soon, before all the High Street stores in that chain close in order to be rebranded, which their new owner announced just this Wednesday.
After all, who can predict what type/quality of products the rebranded stores will stock?
I fear that another 'race to the bottom' might well be imminent, followed in short order by total closure of the chain. Let's hope that I am wrong about that 🤞

Like I said in other posts, Optik+ really isn't bad paper, and it will handle most inks really well, and be really good at show through.

 

It's just killed (for me) by the comparison with Optik (90gsm), that was IMO a fantastic paper, which also happened to be everything I liked in paper (not everybody has the same tastes!), that I used extensively for many years (including whatever their previous 90gsm versions were, since at least the late 90's when I discovered the brand).

 

Sad to hear about WH Smith as well, but it didn't look too good for the last several years (at least with my once a year visits as a foreigner).

[Fountain_pen]

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Good luck and I hope you win this one, I lost.

If you're particularly unlucky you'll get the Scribzee version. I hope I al not a bearer of bad news!

I’ll keep you updated. Is the scribzee version also optik+? I’m a little confused on the history.

[Mercian]

6 hours ago, Fountain_pen said:

Is the scribzee version also optik+?

 

Well, the old 'Optik' paper had the 'Scribzee' marks on it, so I expect that the new 'Optik+' paper will still have the marks on it.

[Fountain_pen]

50 minutes ago, Mercian said:

 

Well, the old 'Optik' paper had the 'Scribzee' marks on it, so I expect that the new 'Optik+' paper will still have the marks on it.

Ah cool, so what I gather apart from the difference in writing experience, the only way for me to tell which I’ve got is if it advertises 90gsm on the front.

[Fountain_pen]

Just got it and looks like it’s Optik+, it feels smooth and looks nice. The scribzee marks aren’t that noticeable.

I have to say, I think I do prefer Rhodia though. It’s a touch smoother. They are pretty close though.

Edit: Just noticed some bleeding on my Rhodia. Quite disappointing as I’m not using a particularly Wet ink pen combo(Perle noire in an Asvine EF) another point to Optik+ which doesn’t have any bleeding yet.

Edited March 31 by Fountain_pen

[Lithium466]

I have been writing in my Optik+ with dark lines and dark Scribzee marks notebook at work today. A few notes in an expiring Optik 90gsm notebook with no Scribzee and light ruling made me very sad in comparison.

 

Rhodia can be inconsistent at time, and I am glad you are happy with the Optik+. Like I said it's not bad paper! Just not what Optik was.

[Fountain_pen]

Haha your comments make me mourn for a paper I’ve never touched.