Posts filed under Energel

Pentel Energel RTX 0.7 mm Lilac Gel Ink Pen Review

Lilac is my wife’s fourth favorite Pentel Energel RTX color.

How do I know this? She told me yesterday, when sharing that she was out of her favorites.

On Mother’s Day.

R.I.P., Mr. Pen Addict.

I should have been more prepared. But hey, if I was, I wouldn’t have this article to write, late on Sunday night.

We had a great weekend. We were at a Pickleball tournament all day Saturday (duh,) and Sunday, I spent all day with her, the kids, and our respective moms, both of whom live nearby. I usually sneak in a few hours of work during the weekend, finalizing whatever review post I’m planning on for Monday. But I was still running behind this weekend, with the Chicago Pen Show and Grand Jury Duty still in the rear-view mirror. And, I was having too much fun otherwise.

Around 7 p.m. Sunday night I told her I needed to work for a bit, at least settle on a topic for Monday - even if I finish in the morning. She said “Why don’t you write about my favorite pen?” Dang, she is a smart one.

I already knew what the pen was, the aforementioned Pentel Energel RTX. So I said, “Great idea! Grab me your favorite color and I’ll write it up.”

She couldn’t find Navy Blue.

She couldn’t find Turquoise.

She couldn’t find Violet.

With every miss, my guilt increased.

She finally settled on Lilac, which she told me was her second favorite purple, and still one she liked a lot. So, Lilac it is!

Any Pentel EnerGel is easy to review. I already love them, and they are my favorite gel ink pen to recommend for most users looking for a high-quality 0.7 mm gel ink line, and a wide variety of colors. Is this pen my favorite gel ink pen? No, that honor goes to the Uni-ball Signo UM-151, which I can get in my favorite 0.38 mm tip size, and the same variety of ink colors.

Most people aren’t me, “fortunately,” my wife would interject, and the Pentel EnerGel is the best of the rest for the wider audience.

She has used this pen for years, putting them through the wringer at her job on a daily basis. Not once has she had a bad word to say about it. The refill writes smoothly and consistently, the barrel is sturdy, the knock never fails, the clip always works, and so on. The only complaint is that she can’t keep people from stealing them.

Maybe that is the next frontier for pens - in-barrel tracking devices to reclaim your favorite from grabby hands. (Cross tried, but it didn’t stick.)

When I use one of her EnerGels around the house - mainly for grocery lists, or on sticky notes on her desk - I always enjoy them. They are a real treat to use, and the ink colors are fun. Pentel has made other options that are close to making my every day rotation, like the Euro or Clena, but never the perfect one to land in that rare S-tier air. They are A-tier all day long, which is a pretty great place to be.

Myself, I’m not in as good of a place. I’m in the doghouse until I get her pens ordered, and delivered. Time to make that happen!


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Posted on May 15, 2023 and filed under Pentel, Energel, Pen Reviews.

Pentel EnerGel Infree Gel Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

We're all familiar with the Pentel EnerGel lineup, and for good reason. This iconic pen has been around for years and years, and it's one of the best pens you can pick up at your local big box store. But just because the EnerGel is a popular pen doesn't mean Pentel can let the line grow stagnant! To me, that's where the Infree line comes in.

The Pentel EnerGel Infree is a new style that features a clear barrel and lots of silver and chrome accents. It's the same refill inside that we all love, but there's so much more to like about this new barrel design.

The particular version I'm using in this review is the 0.7mm in Turquoise Blue, and I am smitten. The color is amazing, and it's just as smooth and reliable as every other EnerGel I've used. The color is a dark turquoise with plenty of beautiful green to play along with the medium blue. There's no shading, but it's a lovely shade of blue-green. The 0.7mm tip is wide enough to really show off the color of this ink, and I've really enjoyed using it.

The ink looks great when writing on the page, but it also looks great inside the pen. The crystal clear barrel on this pen shows off the ink cartridge inside, allowing you to see how much ink is left as well as what color it is (in the case where you have several of these pens with different colored refills). As an added bonus, it just looks cool. I love the crystal clear body and how it shows off the refill, but it also shows off the nock mechanism and even the grip threads. It's a great touch, and it reminds me of the demonstrator fountain pens I love so much.

The clip is a shiny chrome accent, and it's strong enough to keep this pen sturdily attached to anything the clip jaw can get around. The grip section has a textured rubber grip that is comfortable to hold, and it's also a nice gray color to compliment the clear plastic and chrome accents. The nock mechanism has a solid chunk when you use it, letting you know for sure when it's been used. All in all, it lines up exactly the same with every other EnerGel retractable pen I've used, just with a different aesthetic.

I'm a big fan of the look of this pen, and I'll heartily recommend it to anyone. My personal favorite is the Turquoise Blue, but there are several other colors available, including Blue Black, Orange, Blue, and Black. At just $3 per pen, it's a great deal for an attractive and stellar performer.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on March 6, 2019 and filed under Pentel, Energel, Pen Reviews.