Top 10 Reviews of 2011

In what has become an annual tradition at The Pen Addict (see 2008, 2009, and 2010), here are the top 10 pen reviews of 2011. The rankings below consist of the top 10 pen review posts for the 2011 calendar year as determined by Google Analytics. This list isn’t my top 10 favorite pens, but rather a snapshot of what was popular over the last 12 months.

1. 
   

   Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3 mm Blue

   
   

   This has become one of my new favorite every day writers. The 0.3 mm tip is super sharp although some would call it scratchy. That doesn’t faze me, but it is something to consider when shopping for pens.

   
   


2. 
   

   Uni-ball Signo 207 Micro Needle Tip

   
   

   Why this pen hasn’t become more common on store shelves I have no idea. I check my local Staples for it every single time I go and to this date I have NEVER seen this pen for sale. Office Max generally stocks them but I don’t have one nearby. Hello Amazon.

   
   


3. 
   

   County Comm Embassy Pen

   
   

   One of three pens with a permanent home in my backpack. I swapped out the 1.0 mm black Fisher Space Pen refill with the 0.7 mm blue and never looked back. I haven’t used many tactical pens, but this one is going to be hard to beat.

   
   


4. 
   

   Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen

   
   

   The one and only fountain pen I feel safe leaving the house with. The aluminum construction is strong and durable, and the threaded cap gives me peace of mind that the cap is going to stay put. One of my favorite pens ever.

   
   


5. 
   

   Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3 mm Grip Black

   
   

   Speaking of favorite pens ever, this is my go to daily writer. I love the clean, consistent, and quick drying lines. The rubber grip makes it more comfortable during long writing sessions.

   
   


6. 
   

   Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen Super Fine

   
   

   A brush pen for taking notes? I thought that was a ridiculous idea until I tried the Kuretake for that exact task. If you are looking for more style and uniqueness than with a traditional felt or plastic tip pen give it a try. You might be as surprised as I was.

   
   


7. 
   

   Uni-ball Jetstream 101

   
   

   Is it a sad state of affairs that this pen is the only one of the top ten found regularly on store shelves? I don’t think so, but it is something I am trying to change one review at a time. The smooth-writing Jetstream 101 is a workhorse office supply cabinet filler.

   
   


8. 
   

   Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Five Cartridge Barrel

   
   

   I am amazed at how popular the Coleto line still is. It helps that Pilot keeps pushing out so many new barrel designs each year, and each year they are better. The best customizable multi pen on the market.

   
   


9. 
   

   Pilot Delful Double Knock Double Knock Mechanical Pencil

   
   

   This was another big surprise for me. I generally stick to my Uni-ball Kuru Toga when a mechanical pencil is required, but the Pilot Delful was a pretty impressive tool. I still use it from time to time which says a lot considering the options within arms reach.

   
   


10. 
    

    Moleskine Classic Roller Pen

    
    

    Sometimes having no expectations lead to the best discoveries. I swore off Moleskine paper years ago, and the rectangular body design of the pen is admittedly odd. But guess what? This is a damn good pen.

    
    

Kuretake Zig Letter Pen CocoIro Roller Ball Review

Artists have enjoyed the customization of the Kuretake CocoIro Letter Pen system since it was introduced last year. 16 different barrel colors and 13 brush pen refills are at your disposal to mix and match as you see fit. Earlier this year, Kuretake snuck in a 0.3 mm roller ball refill so I figured it was about time for me to check it out.

You don’t hear 0.3 mm and roller ball in the same sentence too often. Gel ink yes, but pretty uncommon for liquid ink pens. With the CocoIro system, I was able to pick out the barrel color that I wanted - Chestnut Brown - and the refill just screws right in. I found it odd at first how the end of the refill pokes out the end of the barrel, but it doesn’t really affect anything. It is more useful if you are constantly swapping out brush pen inks so you can see which color is currently loaded.

The line and the ink quality is similar to the Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38 mm. The liquid ink is going to bleed a little more of course, but it is not a major issue. This might be a good option for lefties looking for a micro tip pen since it dries quickly.

I find myself reaching for CocoIro more than I thought I would. It is a fun option when you are bored with your standard stick or retractable pen. Be sure to check out Geminica’s original brush pen review as well.

Pilot Better Retractable Ballpoint Review

The Pilot Better Ballpoint was one of my favorite pens in high school. I used the fine blue ballpoint almost exclusively, and I liked the fact it came in purple as well. There was something about the design and the fine tip that I enjoyed.

I grabbed a two-pack of the Pilot Better Retractable at Staples recently trying to bring back old memories of incessant notebook cover doodling. This was a great pen back in the day and the design is timeless. Unfortunately, the ballpoint quality has been lapped by even some of Pilot’s own products.

Because of the basic ink performance, the Pilot Better Ballpoint falls in to the “just a pen” category. The black ink is light, there is white space in the lines, and there is ink build up around the tip frequently. Have I used worse ballpoint pens? Absolutely. Can I recommend other ballpoints that are better than this? Dozens.

I understand its place in Pilot’s product line - they need an office supply cabinet filler. But when I see Uni-ball making an effort with the Jetstream 101 to have a lower cost, higher quality ballpoint, I think Pilot could do the same with this pen. How much of a design change would it take to get the EasyTouch Pro (aka Acroball) ink into the Better Ballpoint?

Make that change and the Pilot Better Ballpoint might live up to its name once again.