Pentel EnerGel Infree Gel Pen Review

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

We're all familiar with the Pentel EnerGel lineup, and for good reason. This iconic pen has been around for years and years, and it's one of the best pens you can pick up at your local big box store. But just because the EnerGel is a popular pen doesn't mean Pentel can let the line grow stagnant! To me, that's where the Infree line comes in.

The Pentel EnerGel Infree is a new style that features a clear barrel and lots of silver and chrome accents. It's the same refill inside that we all love, but there's so much more to like about this new barrel design.

The particular version I'm using in this review is the 0.7mm in Turquoise Blue, and I am smitten. The color is amazing, and it's just as smooth and reliable as every other EnerGel I've used. The color is a dark turquoise with plenty of beautiful green to play along with the medium blue. There's no shading, but it's a lovely shade of blue-green. The 0.7mm tip is wide enough to really show off the color of this ink, and I've really enjoyed using it.

The ink looks great when writing on the page, but it also looks great inside the pen. The crystal clear barrel on this pen shows off the ink cartridge inside, allowing you to see how much ink is left as well as what color it is (in the case where you have several of these pens with different colored refills). As an added bonus, it just looks cool. I love the crystal clear body and how it shows off the refill, but it also shows off the nock mechanism and even the grip threads. It's a great touch, and it reminds me of the demonstrator fountain pens I love so much.

The clip is a shiny chrome accent, and it's strong enough to keep this pen sturdily attached to anything the clip jaw can get around. The grip section has a textured rubber grip that is comfortable to hold, and it's also a nice gray color to compliment the clear plastic and chrome accents. The nock mechanism has a solid chunk when you use it, letting you know for sure when it's been used. All in all, it lines up exactly the same with every other EnerGel retractable pen I've used, just with a different aesthetic.

I'm a big fan of the look of this pen, and I'll heartily recommend it to anyone. My personal favorite is the Turquoise Blue, but there are several other colors available, including Blue Black, Orange, Blue, and Black. At just $3 per pen, it's a great deal for an attractive and stellar performer.

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

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Pentel Kerry: A "postable" mechanical pencil with an unchanging design since 1971

(Original Mai-bun.com article, published 02/10/2019. Written by Takuya Takahashi. Translated by Bruce Eimon.)

I have started noticing "older" business people mingling amongst students in the mechanical pencil section of stationery stores in Japan. It may be that people are rediscovering the value of being able to erase what they have written, thanks to the popularity of Pilot's erasable Frixion pens. Pencils and mechanical pencils have long been tools for students, but we may be seeing a resurgence of these instruments amongst business people.

Many of the recent mechanical pencils embed advance technology, such as mechanisms that automatically twist the lead to maintain a sharp tip, or shock absorption that prevents the lead from breaking. However, when it comes to the design of these pencils, they are better suited for the classroom than the board room.

Today I would like to feature a mechanical pencil that will look right in place in the hands of any business woman or business man - the "postable" mechanical pencil, the Kerry.

The Pentel Kerry was first released in 1971. It is long seller that has been on the market for nearly 50 years.

The engraving on the cap proudly proclaims "SINCE 1971"

If you look at the Japanese product home page, its official name is listed as "Mannenncil Kerry." "Mannenncil" is an amalgamation of the Japanese word for fountain pen "Mannennhitsu" and "Pencil." You can tell from the name that they envisioned this product to be a mechanical pencil worthy of being carried along with your expensive fountain pens.

You can see how the designers tried to make it resemble an elegant fountain pen. Some may feel that the look is somewhat dated, in a nice vintage kind of way.

You may not have thought about this, but you hardly ever come across mechanical pencils with caps.

To my knowledge, even in Japan there are only a few with such a design.

By having a cap, you do not have to worry about scratching things in your pocket or having graphite dust flake out of its tip.

Unlike expensive fountain pens that have screw on caps, the Kerry has a snap-on cap. The key point of this product is that you can still click the lead out even when the cap is posted. There is a surprising amount of engineering in this cap. When the pen is capped or the cap is removed from the pen, the click-tip protrudes only slightly.

When the cap is posted on the pen, however, the tip extends out by a fraction of an inch to give you the length needed for a satisfying click.

This is a product designed with a lot of attention to detail. The pen can be used without the cap posted, so some people like to keep the cap hooked in their pen loop.

Compared to standard mechanical pencils, this is a rather compact pen. When not posted, it may be barely long enough to fit in your hand.

The whole point of this pen though, is that it can be used posted.

Most people will want to use it posted, as this gives you much more stability. The compactness of this pen when capped makes it an ideal companion for an A6 or passport sized planner.

The beautiful mold of the tip of this pen is also what makes the Kerry unique. This is a design choice that enables a nice balance between the thick grip and the thin lead tip.

By offering a thin tip, it makes it easier to see what you are writing too.

While the 0.5mm size is standard in Japan, Pentel also makes a 0.7mm version for the overseas market. I was able to buy the Navy 0.7mm version on my last trip to Taiwan. It gives you a different feel on the paper, and is especially good for sketching.

With a timeless design that appeals to people of all ages, the Kerry can be a great gift item. At a price point of $15-$20+, it is a good looking pen at a reasonable price. In Japan it shouldn't be hard to find a store that will personalize it for you for that extra touch.

There is a reason why this product has been around for nearly 50 years. If you have never used one, I suggest you give it a try!

Recommended for:

• People who like to use mechanical pencils
• People who are looking for a mechanical pencil that looks more "adult"
• People who want to carry a mechanical pencil with their planners

Information: Sharp Kerry™ Mechanical Pencil

Pentel B100 45th Anniversary Pen Set Review

When the Pentel B100 45th Anniversary Pen Set first crossed my eyeballs sometime last year I knew I would have to get a set, but that wouldn’t be the easiest task. They were made in France for the Japanese market and ended up being bought at a shop in England. How’s that for worldwide!

My good buddy Myke stopped by Present & Correct in London last year before I arrived for his wedding to buy me a set. I’m not sure what I was more excited about - these pens, his wedding, or exploring London for a few days with my wife. Oh, who am I kidding. It was the pens!

These pens bring back memories of a young Brad rummaging through unused desks in my dad’s workplace in search of stationery gold. Often times, I left empty handed, but on a good day I’d score a few pens and mechanical pencils. The Pentel Sharp Mechanical Pencil was always a big score, followed closely by the Pentel B100. Why the B100? It was like a marker in rollerball from.

It still is, which is both its good side, and its bad side. It is designed to be a writing, editing, and sign pen for those times when big, bold lettering is required. It is more consistent and durable than most markers, and stands out on the page more than a ballpoint.

For this set, Pentel produced 7 colors in retro-styled barrels. Black, red, and blue are the standards, with orange, green, purple, and brown added to the mix. And they are all fantastically saturated without running or bleeding all over the page - similar to what I would expect from a marker.

The rollerball tip is marked as 0.8 mm on the barrel, but the actual line on the page is in more of the 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm width. If you are looking to write in small places, this is not the pen for you. But everyone - even me - needs a good marking pen from time to time.

(Note: You can find discussion about my R.E.M. Top 10 on Instagram, and listen to the playlist on Spotify.)

As I alluded to up top, the only real kicker is availability. Present & Correct still has them in stock for £22, but a quick Google search shows them available at the London Graphic Centre for a MUCH cheaper £9. If you don’t need all of the colors and want only black, Amazon has a 10-pack for under $10. With a bit more digging you may be able to do even better.

The Pentel B100 is a trip down memory lane for me. It’s not the best pen, and it’s not the best price, and it’s not easy to acquire, but it makes me smile. I have fun when I break this set out to draw, doodle, and highlight, and they are something I always want to keep handy on my desk. Now, if I could only get my hands on a half dozen of the orange ones I would be thrilled.

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