Zebra Disposable 0.6mm Fountain Pen Review

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

There are many reasons that Zebra is a household stationery name, but fountain pens aren't among them. Gel pen, ballpoints, pencils, and multi-pens are easy to come by in Zebra's product line, and there only a couple of fountain pen options to pick from. But just because there aren't many options doesn't mean what they do offer isn't any good. At least with the entry level disposable fountain pen, it definitely serves a good purpose.

The Pilot Varsity is probably the most well-recognized disposable fountain pen. It's also very similar in size, design, and price to the Zebra featured here today. With both of these pens, I think they fill an important spot for two kinds of people: those that are apprehensive to trying fountain pens, and those that want a disposable fountain pen that they don't have to worry about losing or maintaining.

At just under $3.50 a piece, these pens are a dollar or so more than comparable gel refill counterparts. What you get for those three and half dollars is a fantastic writing experience with zero fuss.

For many of us, the fountain pen platform is so alluring because of how customizable and infinite it can seem. You can choose practically every small element of your writing experience and dial in your personal preferences to an exact point. That same endless intersection of choices can be daunting for someone who isn't entirely sure if they want to test the water. For anyone in that situation, this really is one of the best ways to try it out.

While the Zebra fountain pen is a great fountain pen for what it costs, it's not difficult to spend just a few more dollars to find a superior pen — and one that you can refill and keep for many, many years. What I really appreciate about this pen is that it offers a great introduction to what you can expect from other fountain pens in terms of how they write and operate. It would be a shame if this entry-level experimental pen was so cheaply made that it failed to deliver a decent writing experience. That would turn away any would-be fountain pen fans immediately. I appreciate that Zebra and Pilot put enough cost into these disposable pens so that you can test drive a fountain and determine if you want to go deeper or not. Well done on that front.

And this is where I think the pen excels — it's perfect for someone who doesn't mind spending a few bucks to see what the fuss is about, or for fountain pen fans to keep on hand to give out to people that are interested in testing the water. It's simple because all you have to do is uncap the pen and start writing. There's no ink cartridge to install, no waiting several seconds for the ink to reach the tines, no chance of user error.

The writing experience with the Zebra fountain pen is good. The nib and feed system are fantastic, but the grip and body materials feel cheap and don't provide the best gripping performance. Still, it works as well as any other pens that fit in the same price bracket. Visually, these pens are similar (look and feel) to the Uni-ball Vision rollerball pens, but the Zebra writes so much better than those rollerballs.

The steel nib lays down a 0.6mm line, which is close to a Japanese medium nib. I'm not sure why Zebra went with 0.6mm instead of using a traditional nib size nomenclature, but at least they went with a good average size. The nib is stiff and smooth. There's not much in the way of flex, and the lines are crisp and dark. The turquoise version that I have is a beautiful, bright blue that looks really good. The feed system integrated into the pen does a great job at feeding the ink into the nib regardless of how fast I write or scribble. And, the good seal that the cap provides means it should last quite a while when not in use (and capped).

Overall, the Zebra fountain pen (and the Pilot Varsity) is a great fountain pen that fits a specific need. Want to try out a decent fountain pen for minimal money and zero hassle? This pen is a great choice for you or your fountain-pen-curious friend. Want a fountain pen that you won't mourn being stolen or lost? This is also a suitable pen as long as you like the ink options and 0.6mm nib size. Already have fountain pens and inks? This pen isn't for you (unless you want it just to give away)!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Zebra CLiCKART Retractable Marker Pen Review

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

It's been years since I've tried a new type of marker, and after trying the Zebra CLiCKART markers, I can only conclude that I need to try markers more often. Felt tip markers aren't my favorite writing instrument for day-to-day notes and doodles, but they're just so much fun to use.

The particular variant I have is a 12-pack of CLiCKART markers that cover a basic range of colors. At around $14, this set is a great value for what I consider to be excellent markers.

Taking a look at the exterior, each marker features a white body paired with a color-coordinated nose cone and click mechanism. There isn't a clip, but there is a nub where a clip would be that prevents the markers from rolling on your desk.

There's also a round window in the barrel (close to the nock) that is black when the marker tip is retracted, but red when the tip is extended. This is a cool feature, but I'm a little confused as to why it was included since you can tell the tip is extended by looking at the length of the nock button (and also by looking at the tip). The nock button sits low when the tip is extended, but it looks fully extended if you turn the pen upside down. Either way, I'm not complaining about the little window — it's a great feature!

The pen barrel diameter is a great size that fits comfortably in my hand. The plastic material provides plenty of grip without getting slippery after a little use. The nose cone is short and doesn't cause me any issues with the way I grip the marker. I actually found myself wanting the nose cone to be smaller so I could use the broad side of the felt tip to make a wider line. The large nose makes this nearly impossible.

Now, getting to the felt tip that makes this pen so great. Out of the box, the felt tips lay down a 0.6mm line that is a sharp and crisp. I imagine the line definition may get a little larger and maybe a little fuzzy as the felt tip wears down with use. I've been drawing and writing with these pens for a couple weeks, and the tips show no sign of wear yet. That said, I've been consciously trying to use light pressure when using them.

The colors are vibrant and solid. No wishy-washy colors here. A couple of the colors are light by design, but the only one that is hard to see on white paper is the yellow. This color works best on a dark paper or in conjunction with other dark inks on a light paper. Still, when you use the right paper or approach, the yellow is vibrant.

Felt tip pens are great, but most of them use caps. Caps are easy to lose — especially when you have several different colors on your desk at once while working on something. The convenience and practicality of a retractable felt tip marker is amazing. The only downside I can think of is the felt tips drying out prematurely since they're exposed to air constantly. Well, Zebra have thought that through and claim that these markers don't dry out. In fact, they supposedly absorb moisture through the air to remain viable. I haven't had these markers long enough to vouch for this claim, but I hope that the marketing lines up with real-world performance because markers deserve some popularity and notoriety.

Like I said at the beginning, felt tip markers aren't really my thing, but I've really enjoyed using these Zebra CLiCKART markers over the past couple of weeks. My drawings aren't any better for it, but at least I've had a lot of fun making them!

Zebra CLiCKART Markers are available as individual colors for $1.75 each, and in various 12-color multi-packs, and one 36-pack of all the colors, both of which bring the price down closer to $1 per pen.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Zebra bLen 0.7mm Gel Pen Review

The Zebra bLen ballpoint is a fairly new pen that has quickly risen to the top of many stationery lists. And now, the newer gel variant of the bLen is here to compete with the Pilot Juice, G2, EnerGels, and Uno Signos that you can find on many store shelves.

At around $7 for a pack of two pens, the bLen is a great value that is comparable to other gel pens that have been on stationery shelves for decades. The version I have uses a black 0.7mm gel refill that leaves a delightfully dark and saturated line on the page.

According to the marketing materials, the bLen provides an "innovative vibration-free writing experience" due to a "gap-free internal system to reduce noise and a brass weight at the tip to lower the center of gravity." The pen is silent when writing, meaning there isn't any rattling or other noises as you move the pen across the page. You can also sense the lower sense of gravity, which is a nice touch and makes the pen easier to handle when writing.

These are nice features, but I wouldn't call them unique. I have plenty of gel pens that don't make noise while writing, but they don't tout quiet operation in their marketing materials. In all, it's a great feature even if the marketing is a little heavy handed.

It all comes down to simple questions that anyone can answer after a few seconds with any new pen: does it write well, and does it feel good in my hand?

In the case of the bLen gel pen, the answer is "absolutely" to both questions.

The pen is really lightweight overall, and it requires little effort to hold and control. The contoured grip is covered in a grippy silicone material that feels great. And, it's nice that the pen makes zero noise or vibration when in use.

The refill produces a smooth, dark line with crisp edges, and it dries really quickly. In my tests, it was smudge-proof within 3 seconds. The 0.7mm tip size is quite bold, and I'm glad it's still able to dry quickly while laying down so much ink. I don't choose black ink first in most cases, but this is exactly what I want from a black ink. It's bold, dark as night, and crisp at the edges of the line. It's fantastic.

The refill also starts up immediately and flows consistently. There aren't any globs or skips with this refill. It really is a great refill.

Comparing this pen to other comparable pens, it stacks up well. It performs similarly, so it will likely come down to a decision of personal taste and availability. All I know is that if you have a chance to pick up a Zebra bLen, you definitely should. If you can't find any locally, you can pick up a pack from Zebra directly or from Amazon (US store affiliate link).

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