Parker Jotter 60th Anniversary Ballpoint Pen Review

I had a bad time with my first Parker Jotter. Readers had been on me for years to review it and I kept putting it off for one reason or another. Mostly because I kept forgetting to order one. When I finally got it in hand I was not impressed. The ballpoint ink cartridge was terrible, and while yes, I could swap it out for a superior refill, the as-sold impression was not a good one.

Enter the Parker Jotter 60th Anniversary Ballpoint Pen.

Hesitant is how I would describe myself adding this pen to my cart at JetPens. I'm open to second chances though, and really, who could pass up these great barrel colors reminiscent of the heydey of the Jotter. This is a classic pen, recognizable anywhere. Even Don Draper would approve.

I approve this time around too. After using the blue 1.0 mm refill in this model I'm starting to wonder if the 1.0 mm black refill in my first Jotter was a dud. It was horribly scratchy and felt like the tip was diggining into the page. The refill in the 60th Anniversary model was smooth, solid, and clean. Pretty much everything you could ask for in a standard ballpoint refill.

Deciding on which barrel color to go with was not an easy task. I opted for Gray Green, but Pink and Coral were both options, and Whiteness may be the most classic of them all. The Gray Green looks great in person, and all the pens ship in a nice two-tone box, making it perfect for giving to your favorite stationery challenged friend.

All in all, the Parker 60th Anniversary Jotter is an excellent pen. Does it write as well as a Jetstream? No. Is it as good a value as an Acroball? No. But the Jotter has that little something extra that is hard to pinpoint. It's been around for 60 years for a reason, right?

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

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Pentel Slicci Techo Mini Review

The Pentel Slicci Techo Mini is one of those pens that doesn't look like much at first glance. But once you pick it up and start using it, you realize it was made to do a specific job. And it's pretty good at doing that job.

What job is that specifically? The Slicci's job is to be a dependable, well-built, portable gel pen with a super fine, smooth point. It's perfect for those of us that want a tiny gel pen that writes well. To boot, it's also really affordable.

One of the first things I noticed upon first picking the pen up is how well-built it feels. The body is aluminum and the tip is also metal. It feels really solid for such a small pen.

Clicking the knock also feels more solid than it should for such a small, portable pen. It takes a bit of pressure and locks into place securely. The clip is also decently strong and has a soft, rubber-like material on the clip end to provide some extra grip. Once this pen is clipped to something, it isn't going to shake loose.

Personally, I love the orange body, but that's just me. It's a great color and it's easy to find in a dark bag.

On the writing end of things, the Techo Mini is actually really nice. The body is incredibly slim, and that takes a while to get used to if you normally write with "normal" pens. Even though it's slim, it's easy to control and get used to. The length is also a good fit for me. The part of the body just below the clip attachment point is where the pen falls on my hand to rest. It feels good, but you never really forget about the pen. It doesn't blend into the writing experience, but that's not really the purpose. It's tiny, and it writes great for this category.

The gel refill is smooth and dependable. I've never had a problem with skipping or starting. At 0.3 mm, it's a really fine line. It's not as smooth as writing with a Signo DX, but it's still a great refill.

I'm not sure if you can swap in other refills, but JetPens only lists the proprietary Pentel Slicci refill on their site. It looks unique, so you might stuck with these refills if you buy the pen. Also, it only comes with black ink. Bummer. If anyone has tried another refill for this pen, let us know.

Overall, for an $8 mini pen, the Slicci Techo Mini is fantastic. I've taken it with me on trips and always enjoy using it. With six colors to choose from, there's something for everyone. Like I said, I think orange is the right choice, but there's also copper, purple, green, pink, and navy.

If you're in the mood for a delightful pocket/travel pen that has a great gel refill, this is a great start.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)