It took me a while to come around on Benu Pen. I like extreme designs and wild colors as much as anyone, but when Benu first launched, they didn’t grab me as a good match for what I like to experience when using a fountain pen.
As the brand continued to grow and gain in popularity, I kept an eye on the new designs, shapes, and materials, but remained on the sidelines for my own use. My thought process on Benu as a brand begin to change at a pen show several years ago when I was working at the Vanness Pens table. That weekend, we sold more Benu Pens than any other pen brand. Since then, I couldn’t help but think I was missing something.
Within the past year I have watched as Benu has gone bigger and bolder with their designs. In turn, my desire to try one out for the first time grew and grew. The shapes of the pens are just as unique, and the colors are even more wild than when Benu launched, and I started to understand what the brand was selling.
Benu Pens are fun. And who doesn’t want to have fun with their stationery?
The Scepter was the turning point for me. This is a pen that, while it isn’t my barrel shape of choice, was interesting enough to check out, especially with the perfect combination of colors chosen for the designs. The Grand Scepter kept the same style, but ramped up the size and colors of the Scepter, and I knew at that point I wouldn’t be able to hold off much longer.
Benu has always done a great job with community outreach, and I’ve been lucky to work with them on products that Pen Addict writers have reviewed over the years, and have used for giveaways. When they sent us the Grand Scepter that Sarah reviewed recently, the hook was set. Getting to check it out before I sent it off was all I needed to know that it was the one for me.
But, before I could pick out a Scepter for myself, Benu reached out with yet another new design and new shape that they wanted to send over for us to look at. And once I saw the new Euphoria model, I knew I wasn’t sending it out for review. This one was going to be mine.
The biggest change you will notice with the Euphoria is the introduction of a traditionally shaped fountain pen barrel. Well, at least as traditional as a non-traditional pen company could be. They have had plenty of close-to-traditional shapes in the past, but the Euphoria, with its more standard taper, build, and clip, could practically be called “classic” in relation to the rest of the Benu catalog.
And the best part? They kept the wild materials a focus throughout this new lineup.
I chose the French Poetry model to review, but that was far from an easy choice. Benu does such a great job with materials that there isn’t a single bad one in the bunch. The only choice you will have to make is do you want wild, or wild plus glow in the dark? That’s a lovely decision to have to make.
So, how does it perform? Wonderfully. When Benu first launched, I was always concerned with the sharp taper of the grip section, especially in relation to the size of the barrel. The Euphoria gets those dimensions correct for my hands, and it feels great to use. It is a fully resin barrel, so it is lightweight, but the material is dense enough to not feel like a feather, even unposted. Unposted is probably to correct choice with the Euphoria lineup as well. The cap and barrel are designed to post, but it makes an already large pen even larger in that configuration.
Benu uses Schmidt nibs, which I’ve always found to be firm and consistent. The Fine steel nib in this pen is no different. In comparison to other popular steel nib choices, it has more of a Jowo feel and line width (firm, fine) than Bock (soft, wide) in my mind. Of course, that is right up my alley. The only downside is the size range available, with the only choices being Fine, Medium, or Broad. I’d love to see an EF or 1.1 mm option eventually.
And finally, the price. At $118 for standard materials, and $128 for glow in the dark, the Euphoria is priced right. The same goes for the entirety of Benu’s lineup. Is there a lot of competition in that price range, and lower? Of course. But Benu brings a level of fun to the writing experience that is difficult to compete with. And for that, I say job well done.
To see everything that Benu has to offer, all of my site sponsors - JetPens, Goldspot, Pen Chalet, and Vanness Pens - carry a wide range of models in an even wider range of materials. Be sure to check out what they have in stock if you are interested in adding a Benu Pen to your library.
(Benu Pen provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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