Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Pentel EnerGel Pearl 0.7 mm Gel 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.)

The Pentel EnerGel is arguably one of the best pens you can find in any random stationery aisle. They're widely available, and they might even be stocked in your office supply closet at work. If not, I suggest sneaking some in there.

The EnerGel ink is a blend of gel and rollerball ink. It's known for writing smoothly and drying quickly. It is sometimes described as a smudge-free ink, though I found all of the colors smear a bit--some more than others. While it does dry more quickly than some gel inks and claims to be good for lefties, I worry that it may smear when a hand is dragged across. It does okay with highlighter, but not great. Even the dry ink smudges a little, and will leave a residue on the highlighter tip. But the text was still clear, and it didn't perform any worse than most pens under the circumstances.

The writing experience was smooth, for the most part. I did have a little stuttering with the black ink, but the other pens wrote beautifully. The .7 mm line is broader than I'm used to, but I enjoyed it, and it showed off the intensity of the ink colors. The ink is very well saturated and bright. The 8-color Pearl set includes black, red orange, lime, sky blue, blue, and violet. I also tried the pink ribbon edition of the black pen. I love that Pentel has this line that benefits breast cancer research. I did have some trouble telling the difference between the pink pen and the black-ink pen in the pink body. They are identical except that the tip size is outlined in black for the black-ink pen.

The pen body is a very good build. And it's responsibly made, being 54% post-consumer recycled plastic. The silicone grip is latex-free and comfortable to hold. This Pearl edition has a pearlescent white body with transparent color accents that indicate the ink color (except in the case of the pink ribbon edition). They have sturdy, flexible clips and a solid click mechanism. The click button does rattle a bit when depressed, which is one of my personal pen pet peeves, but the other features more than make up for that small flaw. The body appears to be identical to the RTX model, apart from the body color. The ink colors are the same and they both take the same refills.

At $22 for an 8-color pack, or $2.80 for open stock, I think these are a little on the pricey side. They're comparable to the Uni-ball Signo pens, but considerably more than the Pilot Juice—which is, in my opinion, a better pen. But there’s a lot to like about these, and they're way more fun than the usual office fare.

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

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Posted on November 9, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Pentel, Energel, Gel, Pen Reviews.

Pentel EnerGel 2-Color + Pencil Multi-Pen Review

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

Multi-pens are always fun to use and customize, and it's interesting to see how the multi-pen version of refills compare to their single refill cousins. In the case of the EnerGel, I'm happy to report that it's a stellar multi-pen option.

The Pentel EnerGel refill is a favorite for many people, and for good reason. The hybrid rollerball and gel ink formula lays down a dark, crisp line while also drying incredibly fast. Like most multi-pens, you can normally expect similar or identical results between the full-size and multi-pen variants. Luckily, Pentel nails it with this one as well.

The Pentel EnerGel 2S multi-pen packs two 0.5mm ink refills (in black and red) along with a 0.5mm pencil component. There's nothing fancy as far as the mechanics go for this pen — it's standard fare for multi-pens, which is to be expected for the sub-$10 price. Press down one of the clickers to extend a refill, and press down a different clicker to release and retract the extended refill. In the case of the pencil, you can also press the top of the pen to advance the lead.

Speaking of the pencil component, I've had a bit of trouble when using it. When the pencil is extended, the clicker mechanism is incredibly sensitive to touch, making it retract unexpectedly. It's been fairly common for me to accidentally retract the pencil while I re-grip the pen after depressing the pencil component for use. This can be frustrating, but it seems to work well enough as long as you don't bump the clip while using the pen. Since the clip is the pencil clicker, you can see how this might be problematic.

There's no eraser on this pen to accompany the pencil component, but that's normal for multi-pens of this price range.

The only complaint I have about the gel refills is that I can never remember which color is assigned to which clicker! Most multi-pens either use a clear body (or window) or colored clickers to indicate refill color, but the EnerGel has neither. This can be frustrating because in many cases I don't know what color I've selected until I start writing. I'm sure this has something to do with cost, but I'd like to see some kind of indication of ink color — even if it's small!

Apart from those minor issues, this is a great pen. It's not much larger in diameter than the regular EnerGel pens, so you should feel right at home if you're already accustomed to the weight and feel of the standard pen.

The EnerGel comes with 0.5mm black and red refills installed, and those appear to be the only colors and sizes offered by Pentel for this pen. But, not to worry! My all-time favorite multi-pen refill is compatible with this pen body: the Uni Style Fit. The Uni Style Fit refills come in a wide range of colors and sizes, so you can customize this pen as much as you want.

Aside from that, you can choose from a white, dark blue, dark gray, or black pen body. If you're a fan of the EnerGel and want the convenience of two colors in one body, this is a no-brainer! And at just under $9, the price is just right.

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

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Posted on November 8, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Pentel, Energel, Multi Pen, Pen Reviews.

Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen Review

Kaweco makes my favorite pocket fountain pens, bar none. I think I’ve tried just about all of them at this point, and even so, I’m always ready to get the latest model in my hands. The Kaweco Steel Sport is the latest model, and my current favorite. At least until the next one.

What I like so much about the Kaweco Sport lineup overall is they are rock solid in my pocket. It doesn’t matter if it is the plastic barrel Classic or something as strong as this stainless steel model. My pocket is where I carry the Sport most of the time, and despite all of the jostling around the cap stays secure and the ink never leaks from the nib.

Prior to the Steel model, the stock gray AL Sport was my favorite to use, and the Brass Sport was the best looking. The Steel sport is the best of both world for me.

For all of the Kaweco Sports I have used, I am experiencing something different with this one that I have with any other. When unscrewing the cap, I find the grip section gets loose - about 1/16th of a turn - on occasion. When the pen was brand new, I noticed at a higher rate than I do now. I think it’s just one of those metal on metal things that now I’ve started to break it in is getting better. It’s a minor thing, but I thought I’d point it out because I’ve used a lot of these pens and have never seen this.

This doesn’t affect the performance of the pen or my thoughts of this pen, but one thing with Kaweco sometimes can: The nib. The brand is known for sketchy quality control on their steel nibs, especially with what is referred to as a Baby’s Bottom. This causes skipping and poor line performance, and has plagued Kaweco for years. I almost never have a problem with my Kaweco nibs because I generally order them with extra fine nibs. You hear more reports of this issue with medium or broad nibs.

I’m happy to report the extra fine nib on my Steel Sport is perfect, but again, your mileage may vary.

To fill the Steel Sport, I used the Diamine 1864 Blue Black ink cartridges. I find Kaweco’s inks to be a little washed out, and there are a ton of short international cartridges on the market that I prefer.

Picking a Kaweco Sport comes down to personal preference. I find the experience of using one plus the portability of it keeps it at the top of my most used pens list. Plus, there are so many choices you are certain to find one in your price range that suits your style.

So, what’s next in the Sport lineup Kaweco? I’ll be anxiously waiting.

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

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