(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
It's always great to find a comparable product that provides an excellent experience at a fraction of the price to its inspiration. The Pilot Custom 823 is a holy grail pen for some — it's a larger fountain pen that boasts a 14k gold nib, a large vacuum filled ink reservoir, and the prestige of the Pilot name (and quality) behind it. But at nearly $300, it can be difficult to obtain for some. Just in the genre of vacuum filled fountain pens, your options are few and far between. No one wants to start at the $300 mark just to experiment with a vacuum filled pen.
For a while now, TWSBI has had the Vac700 and Vac Mini, which provide the same basic functionality as the Custom 823, but at a much more affordable sub-$100 price point. At a price between $62 (for the Mini) and up to $82 for the full size 700, you can have a well-made vacuum filler for a much better price. At this price, it's easy to justify for experimenting with the filling mechanism to see if you want to wade deeper into the pool. The only problem with the TWSBI options is the lack of color. They're just demonstrators that allow a little bit of color on the grip and knob pieces. Luckily, PenBBS has a strong entry to this genre with the 456 — a fantastic fountain pen with a vacuum filling system.
The 456 is a full-size pen with a large ink reservoir, a large and smooth nib, and a comfortable grip. But what's special about this is they offer eight colorful options to choose from. You can definitely pick the demonstrator if that's your thing, but there's also plenty of blues, ambers, grays, purples, whites, silvers, and pinks to add personality to the pen.
Regardless of the colorway you pick, they all use chrome trim (something you can't get easily in the US if you're looking for a Pilot Custom 823). The pen feels well-built and has a nice weight. It doesn't feel cheap even though it only costs $56. The vacuum piston system works smoothly (as well as my TWSBI and Pilot as a comparison) and operates exactly as I'd expect. I haven't measured to be completely sure, but I think the reservoir easily holds 2-3 ml of ink. Compared to a standard cartridge or converter, this is a massive upgrade in terms of ink capacity. Even a large piston filling pen can't hold as much ink as a vacuum filler. Something like the Opus 88 Demo might hold more ink, but that's also a really large pen and it's also technically an eyedropper system.
Now, this pen does only cost a little over $50 — you can't expect it to compete directly with the Pilot Custom 823, but that doesn't stop it from trying. I'm surprised by how much I like using this pen, and I'm lucky enough to have a Custom 823 nearby to directly compare. The 823 has a 14k gold nib, so it automatically just feels nicer to use when writing. It has a soft flex and smoothness on paper that a steel nib can't touch. The body and materials feel more solid and higher quality. The knob mechanism is smooth and feels durable.
That being said, the 456 feels good in its own way. The steel nib writes flawlessly and feels great for a steel nib. It's a great size that matches the rest of the pen. The materials don't feel as nice in the hand, but they feel really good — better than they should for the price. The knob mechanism isn't as smooth, but it feels like it will last quite a while before developing any problems. Visually, I like the 456 over the 823. The 823 has a dull workhorse vibe, and I love it for that. It will outlive me and still write flawlessly, but it just isn't a pretty pen with the translucent amber body and gold trim. The 456 colors excite me — I had a hard time picking a color because I liked them all. They're made of acrylic resin, so you know they'll be durable.
The main question that I keep coming back to when using this pen is simple: can this pen replace the Custom 823 for me? My answer is simple because I already own an 823: No. But, I think Pilot should pay attention to what's happening here. TWSBI's offerings weren't exciting and had quality issues. The PenBBS 456 is still new, so quality and durability are an unknown at this point. But the fact that they've managed to produce a pen that has a solid vacuum filler mechanism, a fantastic nib, and plenty of color options at a price of $56 should make Pilot at least consider a response. Top of mind for me? Give us more color options with the 823. It's best-of-class and it deserves some more love in the way of colorways. But more interesting is possibly offering a new pen that uses the tried-and-true 823 mechanics at a smaller size, lower cost, and more fun colors. If they could offer this at a sub-$100 price with the Pilot standard of quality we all love, I imagine they'd fly off the shelves.
I know it's unlikely that Pilot will do any of this, but it's fun to dream. I think the PenBBS 456 is an incredibly easy choice for anyone that's interested in trying out a vacuum filler. There aren't a ton of options in this area, and this price is unbeatable. The color options are just icing on the cake.
Time will tell, but if the 456 turns out to be a long-lasting, durable pen, it will certainly take a chunk out of the Pilot Custom 823 market and possibly obliterate the TWSBI Vac line. This is a fantastic pen and I highly recommend picking one up if you're even remotely interested in owning a vacuum filler fountain pen. There's something so satisfying about dipping the nib into an ink bottle, plunging the piston, and watching the ink fill up the reservoir while you just hold the pen still. Check out all the exciting colorway options, and best of luck on making a decision!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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