Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens

I have been getting several emails a week asking for pen recommendations, so I have decided to break down some of the questions into very specific lists. This is not my personal Top 5 List, but like that list, it will be constantly changing and evolving, so I will try to update as needed.

One of the main questions I get is concerning gel ink pens and all of the micro tip options. I consider a micro tip a pen with an 0.5mm tip size or less. 0.5mm is really pushing it on the upper end, but since some manufacturers actually market that size as micro, I’ll go with the flow.

My recommendations for the Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens are:

1. 
   

   Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm Black
   If you have never bought a pen under 0.7mm, much less 0.5mm or smaller, this is where you should start if you want to get into the world of micro tip pens. The Signo DX writes incredibly well, with sharp lines and a dark black ink. The barrel is the perfect combination of minimalism and durability. I never have any issues with this pen, which makes it my top reccomendation.

   
   


2. 
   

   Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.4mm Blue Black
   Many readers require that their pens be retractable, and the Sarasa Clip fits that bill as well as any. The blue black gel ink is one of the most popular around, and at just $2.00 per pen, the Sarasa Clip is a great value.

   
   


3. 
   

   Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle 0.35mm Blue
   This pen has been a real sleeper hit. Admittedly, the 0.35 needle tip lays down a line closer to some 0.5mm pens, but wow does it write well. It is a wonderfully designed pen, and the blue ink is my favorite of the bunch.

   
   


4. 
   

   Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.4mm Grip Black
   While this would rank higher on my personal list, I almost never recommend the Hi-Tec-C to first time buyers. The pens tend to be a little finicky on occasion, mainly the ink flow when starting to write. If you are willing to work past that, they are awesome to write with, and are the best sketching/drawing pen of the bunch.

   
   


5. 
   

   Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm Lavender Black
   Why not have some fun? The Lavender Black is one of my favorite non-standard colors. And if the regular RT barrel isn’t for you, these refills pop right into any Uni-Ball 207 barrel, including the Premier.

   
   

Those are my recommendations for the Top 5 Micro Tip Gel Ink Pens. What are your favorites in this category? What other categories would you like me to cover next?

Top 5 Pens Update - New #1

_{#1 with a bullet tip}

It has been a long time since my last Top 5 pens update (too long in fact), so there has been quite a shakeup within the list. If you have followed any of my lists before, you know that this doesn't repesent what I think are the best pens of all time, but rather a current snapshot of the pens I am enjoying and using the most. I always say I need to do a better job of keeping this list up to date because my tastes change so rapidly, so I will try to make this at least a quarterly update. Enjoy the list!

1) Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm

A new number one, with a bullet at that. The 0.4mm Clip has long been one of my favorites, and the recent addition of the 0.3mm Clip at JetPens really sealed the deal for me. I compare this pen to the Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.28mm, but it writes more consistently, and is retractable to boot. I am getting heavy use out of the black ink at work, and have already ordered several other colors of this great pen, including the excellent Viridian Green.

2) Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point Gel Ink Pen 0.35mm

Another new entry, and another pen in heavy rotation now that the black model has been released. For an 0.35mm tipped pen, it writes exceptionally smooth, just as you would expect from the Energel family. The needle tip is great, and the barrel is very comfortable to write with for long periods of time. This will probably now be the pen I recommend to first time buyers of sub-0.5mm pens.

3) Uni-Ball Signo 207 Micro Needle Tip Black

I didn't think this pen existed for the longest time, but a reader sent me a few, and then I saw that they were available on Amazon.com, and the rest is Pen Addict history! The review links to the blue ink version, but it is rather weak compared to the black. The black is a great everyday writer, and since I bought a dozen from Amazon, I have found myself leaving one laying in many of the places I find myself needing quick access to a pen. I have been really happy with it so far.

4) Zebra Sharbo X

I never get tired of this pen. The outstanding design never fails to get comments from co-workers, and the multi pen/pencil aspect keeps this pen in heavy rotation for me. Zebra does a great job with its micro tip pens, and these refills are no exception. Just know in advance that the refills aren't going to last forever, and aren't exactly cheap to replace. I think I am going to break down and add a third barrel to the collection this year.

5) Pilot Acroball

It may be blasphemous around these parts, but I have been using my Acroball pens more than my Jetstreams recently. You can't go wrong with either - they are both some of the best pens in their category - but the comfort, feel, and consistency of the Acroball has been winning out of late.