Benu Talisman Dream Bean Fountain Pen Review

What’s the most important feature of a fountain pen? Design, nib, filling system, weight, balance … all of those things are important. But the most important feature, I’d argue, is happiness. Yes, all of those features combined contribute to the overall feel of any writing instrument, but does it make you happy when you pick it up and use it?

The Benu Talisman Dream Bean makes me happy. Downright giddy, in fact. And I can’t explain why.

Maybe it’s the Dream Bean itself? After all, these giant seeds are notorious for their ability to “induce lucid dreams that enable communication with the spirit world,” and some of their dust is infused into the barrel material.

That probably explains a lot of it.

The Talisman is one of my favorite Benu Fountain Pen shapes. My preference lies in the more traditional lines of the exterior barrel, which this pen has. It also has different notches and facets shaped into the barrel, giving it a unique look when the light hits different areas. I also like the tactile feel of these divots, not just on the barrel, but in the cap as I hold it in my hand when writing.

Brown and Black are the primary colors of the Dream Bean material, which is further infused with fine sparkles of Green, Gold, and Red. The glitter doesn’t take over the barrel, which is a feature of some other Benu models, so this more subtle one - subtle for Benu that is - may be more up your alley. It’s kind of perfect for the season, too, with full-on Christmas Pudding vibes.

What has turned up the happiness on this pen is how much I am enjoying the nib. It is a stock Fine Steel Schmidt nib, which is normally great out of the box, but something about this one sings. It suits my handwriting well, giving it the edge of a fineliner, which are some of my favorite pens to write with. I can go pages and pages with ease when my letters look as good as this.

I chose Teranishi Guitar Antique Black to ink this pen with, and I nailed it. The Black and Brown tones of the ink pair perfectly with the Black and Brown tones of the pen. Who knew? I knew, and now I’m thinking I need to add my own shimmer to this ink to go full Dream Bean on the page.

I wish I could explain in more detail why I am getting along with this pen so well, but it boils down to what I said up top: it makes me happy.

The Benu Talisman Dream Bean Fountain Pen is $162, along with 11 other stunning Talisman models. If you enjoy fun pens as much as I do, then everything Benu does should be on your radar. Happiness achieved!

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

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BENU Viper Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Not a year goes by where BENU doesn't get me at least once. Their irresistible creativity overrides my willpower on a very regular basis, and the most recent temptation to run away with me was the BENU Viper. I mean, look at it. Whether it's glitz and sparkles or these tactile gothic designs, they are always a match for my mood.

Made of acrylic resin with a snakeskin-like texture, this pen sports a fully 3D snake wrapping around the body and cap. The snake is hand painted, so it pops off the background in more ways than one. This model has a black pen body with a wonderfully iridescent green snake, the Bamboo Viper, but there are other combinations available, such as the Mangrove Viper that has a dark teal background with a gunmetal grey snake, or the Bush Viper--purple with a bright green snake. The BENU brand letters are hidden, scattered among the snake's coils.

It's spooky and elegant, but also practical. The snake's 3D form keeps the pen from rolling, and the coils are cleverly placed in such a way that they create a comfortable grip, stopping the pen from slipping in your hand. So often I wonder if these wildly textured pens will be comfortable to hold, but BENU has definitely considered that in the design of this pen. The acrylic body is also lightweight, so the design does not add uncomfortable weight. It's a very comfortable pen to write with for hours on end. About spooky things, of course, because mood.

It is cartridge-converter filled, and comes with a converter. The nib is a gold-toned stainless steel and comes in Fine, Medium, and Broad. For all the playfulness of BENU's pen bodies, I'd love to see them play a little more in their nib offerings. But despite the lack of variety, the nibs work well and are pleasant to write with.

In the past, I've reviewed a number of BENU pens that felt a bit underpriced for the quality they deliver, but in this case, I think we're creeping well into the "fair" category. This pen clocks in at $180, which is by no means a bargain, but it's in range for what I'd expect a pen like this to cost. BENU's recent offerings have really broadened their market, with affordable (by fountain pen standards) pens still coming in around $100, and some hand-painted works of art as high as $4000.

As always, I can't wait to see what BENU will do next. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying writing with thisssss beauty.

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

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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!

BENU - Did someone say Bling? A Comparison Of All BENU Pen Models.

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

BENU: They’re either “omg, gimme all the sparkles” or they’re “too much” ==insert hand waving== ; but either way, they are definitely not boring! Originally founded in Russia and as of last year, now based in Armenia, BENU is known for their sparkly pens that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. After working a couple of shows with Luxury Brands of America (the US distributor for BENU Pens), I thought it would be cool for people to see the different models, though they really need to be seen in person to get the full effect. My poor photography skills will have to suffice 🙂 Thank you to Bryce Gillett of Luxury Brands of America for loaning these pens for review.

Sparkly, shimmery, colorful and not mistakable for other brands!

All BENU pens are packaged in a Benu-branded white box with an inner paper pen “pouch”, warranty information and a long standard international cartridge (pretty rare to find long carts!). Standard international converters are included for models that fit them.

Features:

• BENU uses stainless steel Schmidt nibs in sizes 5 or 6, and come in Extra Fine to Broad. Size 5 nibs come in silver or gold-tone, and size 6 only comes in silver-tone. 18kt Gold nibs are only available on some special editions only available on the BENU website.
• Nib units are screw-in and interchangeable with other pens that take the same size (e.g. you can swap size 5 unit into another size 5 pen)
• Entire grip sections are also interchangeable with each other as long as they fit the same size nib unit
• All models can be eyedropperable.
• Pen are primarily made of resin/acrylic so are fairly lightweight.
• Some of the models even glow-in-the-dark!!

Size 6 (left) vs 5 nib, also note that the tipping size is inside the square above the word “Schmidt” - in this case B and M, respectively.

Models:

Ambrosia

The Ambrosia model is typically only offered as direct from BENU exclusive, so I don’t have one to show off, but here is an example of the Blue Lotus Ambrosia. It is slightly shorter than the Minima and has a raised/textured cap band.

Nib: 5

Clip: No

Postable: No

Converter: No

Retail Price: $132+

BENU Ambrosia Blue Lotus. (PC: BENU)

Briolette

One of BENU’s most popular models, the Briolette sports gem-like facets on the cap and barrel with a black band at the base of the cap.

Size: 5

Clip: No

Postable: No

Converter: No

Price: $98-106 USD

BENU Briolette in Magenta Frost - bright colors and sparkles galore!

There is a fairly pronounced step down from the barrel but I don’t notice it because my fingers don’t touch it, and it’s also a smooth.edge.

Hexagon

The Hexagon model is named for its hexagon/honeycomb-textured barrel as well as the hexagonally “faceted” cap band.

Size: 5

Clip: No

Postable: Yes

Converter: Yes

Price: $119 (USD)

This is the Hexagon A, which is a subtly shimmering black with not-so-subtle gold shimmer flakes and grey transparent band and grip.

Minima

The Minima is one of the smallest pens in the BENU lineup. It is a slightly pointy, cigar-shaped pen that typically has a black cap band, but occasionally sports a metallic one.

Size 5:

Clip: No

Postable: No

Converter: No

Price: $106+ (Pen pictured retails for $152)

Minima Blazing Gold also sports a gold-colored cap band and nib.

This small pen still feels very comfortable to me, but then again I write with Kaweco Sports unposted, lol.

Skull & Roses

The Skull & Roses pen has, wait for it, skulls and roses on the pen and cap. There are textured skulls around the cap band while roses and branches adorn the rest of the cap and barrel. It is the same size as the Briolette but is not faceted due to the patterns in relief.

Size: 5

Clip: No

Postable: No

Converter: No

Price: $163

This Skull & Roses is called Smolder.

Even though the barrel is textured, it isn’t very noticeable for me because of the smooth grip section.

Scepter

Clip: No The Scepter is a spirally-faceted pen, which is tapered in the center (where the cap meets the barrel). It is definitely one of the more unique pen designs!

Size: 5

Postable: No

Converter: Yes

Price: $117

This blue and silver pen is the Scepter VIII.

The spiral facets did not interfere with my grip. It was comfortable to hold.

Grand Scepter

The Grand Scepter is the same length as the Scepter but has a slightly girthier grip section to accommodate the size 6 nib.

Size: 6

Clip: No

Postable: No

Converter: Yes

Price: $140

Grand Scepter X.

It is difficult to tell the difference between the regular (left) and Grand Scepters when they are capped.

The grip section of the Grand Scepter barely feels larger than the regular Scepter.

Euphoria

The Euphoria is the largest pen in the BENU lineup and is typically the model for BENU exclusives, including their hand-painted limited editions. It has a 10-sided faceted pen & cap. Even though it is postable, doing so makes the pen quite long, since the barrel already has some length to it.

Size: 6

Clip: Yes

Postable: Yes

Converter: Yes

Retail Price: $149

These are the only two BENU that I own - the Pen Addict exclusive (top) and Jazz. Jazz was my first BENU because it was less “out there” than the others.

It is comically long when posted.

Talisman

The Talisman series was created “as a tribute to the ancient myths, legends, and tales that were used as inspiration for the design”. The material of each Talisman pen is infused with the actual item that it is named after. For example, there is powder from the foxglove flower in the Foxglove pen, peacock ore mineral powder in the Peacock Ore pen and so on. Each pen also includes an information sheet about the item which inspired its creation.

The texture of the Talisman is unlike any of the other BENU or even other pens. The best way I can describe it is that it has alternating gentle facets, but pictures are more helpful.

Size: 6

Clip: Yes

Postable: Yes

Converter: No

Price: Starts at $154

There is actual Dream Bean powder in the BENU Tasliman Dream Bean pen!

Luxury Brands has a handy chart with the dimensions of the pens.

I laid out the pens in the same order as the above chart (minus the Ambrosia) - Talisman, Jazz, Scepter, Grand Scepter, Briolette, Skull & Roses, Minima, Hexagon.

Here are comparisons with other pens (L to R): Diplomat Aero, TWSBI Eco, BENU Talisman, Leonardo Momento Zero, LAMY Vista, Pelikan M800, Pilot Custom 823, BENU Euphoria, Scepter, Grand Scepter, Briolette, Skull & Roses, Sailor Pro Gear, Pro Gear Slim, BENU Minima, Pelikan M800, BENU Hexagon, Platinum 3776.

Same lineup as above but I moved the Sailor Pro Gear to be in between the Scepters and the Briolette.

The Schmidt nibs write well, though they did take a wee bit of priming to get the ink to the nib. If you are using a cartridge for the smaller pens, you might need to set it nib side down for a bit in order for the ink to flow or dip it into water to get the capillary action going. As you can see below, the EF and F had nice fine lines but the Medium and Broad were quite a bit broader. The steel Pelikan Broad nib gave similar lines to the Medium Benu nib! If you like a wetter/broader line, the Medium and Broad nibs are both great options. I generally don’t use many EF nibs, but was surprised at how nicely the EF wrote.

BENU pens were inked up with Kaweco Blue so you can see the line differences are based on nib size, not ink. Comparison with several Fine to Broad nibs in steel and gold.

If the color, sparkle, and shapes of the BENU line of pens are right up your alley, consider checking out BENU pens. They are fun pens that also write well and don’t hit the wallet too hard either. I’m happy with my two BENU pens and am relieved that these sparkling beauties didn’t tempt me too much (though I might need to look at other Hexagons).

(Disclaimer: All BENU (except the two Euphorias) were loaned to us for review by Luxury Brands of America. All other pens were purchased by me.)