If you write or sign things a lot, get a couple decent pens. Not expensive ones you’d be upset if you lost them, but not sad, free office pens.
I’ve gotten numerous compliments on my Pilot Precise V5. It’s bold, but easy to read, and if anyone borrows it, they’ll notice it’s smooth and feels nice to use.
The Precise is a rollerball. If you need a ballpoint, Uni Jetstream is great. Pentel Energel or Bic Inkjoys for gel. Grab a pair of each and you can write on near anything.
Zebra Sarasa Grand is a nice metal body with binder clip type clip if you want an upgrade. The above pens all use the same size refill, so if you like one body but a different ink, you can swap them.
The Grand is around $10, the rest you can find for around $5 for a pair.
If you’re using a pen all day, it’s an upgrade you’ll notice whenever you grab a freebie pen and it’s scratchy, the ink skips, and it smudges. It’s a nice upgrade that will feel more luxurious than the price would imply.
The Jetstream is the way to go for an all purpose pen.
A lot of the others I mentioned edge it out in smoothness or line quality, but they’re water based ink pens, so anything that might get wet, or anything like a label or tape that isn’t absorbent like paper will need a ballpoint like the Jetstream.
Thankfully the Jetstream is as good as a ballpoint gets while still being inexpensive. Comes in a ton of styles, and refills are available if you want to toss one in your favorite pen body.
Those were my gateway drug pen!
I like the soft touch body of the Inkjoys more, and I feel Energels don’t last as long, but they’re still one of the top budget pens and I like they come in a number of body styles and colors.
Imma try like EVERYTHING you’ve recommended! My partner got me on the energels.
The Pilot Precice (V7 because I’m not a heathen) literally got me my first date with my current fiancée. I barely handwrite anymore since I graduated a few years ago but still make a note to grab a pack of those pens whenever I notice my home supply is getting a little thin. They’re really lovely things
