Finally, we chose to focus primarily on .7 mm pens, which create medium-sized lines and are a good writing choice for a lot of people. However, we also tested some smaller and larger pens for those who want range. I recently shared my top 6 journaling supplies, which featured felt-tipped artist pens. I’m partial to felt pens in my journal, but it didn’t feel right to completely ignore gel pens, especially since they have a huge fan base. Gel pens have a number of pros and cons, but by the end of this post, you’ll be a bona fide gel pen aficionado! What is the difference between ballpoint and gel pens? uni-ball – Vision & Vision Elite (rollerball): Both uni-ball’s Vision and Vision Elite feathered, bled and smudged. The Vision also failed to deliver a smooth flow or a uniform line. The bottom line However, a rollerball’s intense ink can sometimes bleed through paper if you’re not careful, and the pen can leak if it’s left uncapped or taken to high altitudes. Conventional rollerball pens come in three sizes: micro (.5 mm), fine (.7 mm) and bold (.8 mm and wider). Important features to consider uni-ball – 207 Retractable (gel): uni-ball may be popular among writers everywhere, but they missed the mark on their 207 gel pen. Our testers found that uni-ball’s gel formula feathered and didn’t create very uniform lines.

BIC Gelocity Smooth Gel Pens, Fine Point (0.5mm), Black, 36 BIC Gelocity Smooth Gel Pens, Fine Point (0.5mm), Black, 36

Those who aim to be more eco-friendly will like that the Onyx is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled electronics — a fact uni-ball is proud of, as evidenced by the “eco” logo on each pen. uni-ball says that their Onyx ink also protects against “water, fading and fraud.” However, we didn’t test for this. The best ballpoint: Paper Mate – InkJoy I do favor fountain pens and gel pens for note-taking, though. They’re fast, reliable, and easy on the hand. Depending on what I’m doing, I choose different gel pens. Here are some great choices to consider… 8 Everyday Gel Pens Reviewed Bic Gelocity illusion Gel Pen Refills fit Bic Illusion erasable gel pens. The refills have a 0.7mm tip and a special ink that disappears when heat is applied via friction with its eraser. Bic – Round Stic Xtra Life (ballpoint): The Bic felt like a standard, uninspired office pen. It was uncomfortable to hold, required a decent amount of pressure to write with, and the ink often felt dry and uneven.

Pilot – Precise V5 (ballpoint): Pilot, the makers of our best pen overall, also did a good job with the V5. Our testers loved the way this pen writes, and appreciated its uniform and even ink flow. It didn’t bleed or feather, and it required only a small amount of pressure to write. Our only gripe with the V5? It doesn’t have much of a grip, which can make it hard to hold. Pens we don’t recommend Ballpoint” refers the the mechanism of the pen: a tiny ball in the tip transfers the ink to the paper. You probably already knew that. Every office supply closet has boxes of basic ballpoint pens. They’re utility pens. They get the job done. Good ballpoint pens write smoothly, though even the best have occasional skipping and ink globs (that’s a highly-technical term for a pen booger). A pen can seem like a deceptively simple product, but there’s a lot that goes into making one great. Ask any pen aficionado and they can wax poetic about nibs and ink flow for hours. However, for the purposes of the everyday pen user, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind: We consulted forums like /r/pens/ to find out what inexpensive pens the aficionados were recommending. We browsed through the Pen Addict’s blog for inspiration and consulted The Wirecutter’s pen review, too. It’s available in four sizes (.38 mm, .5 mm, .7 mm and 1.0 mm) and comes with a comfort grip. (Though, many pen enthusiasts will tell you that these included rubber grips don’t necessarily add to the comfort.)

BIC gel ink pens - Discover the range of BIC Gel-Ocity gel pens.

You can make your pen even more comfortable to hold by using it correctly. This may seem like an elementary skill, but many of us are doing it wrong (or have forgotten proper form in the age of the keyboard). Remember to: They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Tell this to the journaling community and they’ll ask, “Which pen?” We started by rounding up a group of designers at our content marketing agency in San Diego, and gave them each a few pens and a Moleskine notebook to call their own. In the weeks leading up to our formal focus group testing, they were encouraged to use the pens daily, whether it be for journaling, making grocery lists, signing cards or sketching out plans for the next photoshoot.If you’ve searched online for pens, you know that there are hundreds and hundreds from which to choose. So, we narrowed down our prospects by focusing only on gel, ballpoint and rollerball pens. These are the pens most commonly used in people’s everyday lives, rather than fountain or calligraphy pens. If you’re only interested in gel pens, we’ve also exclusively reviewed the best gel pens in another post. Like a popular celebrity, the Pilot- G2 inspires polarized opinions. People seem to either love or hate the G2 — and we have our suspicions that some hate it just because it’s so well-loved! But while there are a number of youthful-looking gel pens on the market (like the Gelly Roll we tested), there are also plenty of quality, businesslike pens that you may not know use gel ink. Gel ink is simply pigment in water-based gel. If you’re looking for strong colors and sharp, featherless lines, then a gel pen is probably a great choice for you.