Notes: It’s never wrong to start with an in-house ink to match your pen-for example Lamy ink in your Safari. But once you get a look at what else is out there on the market, this list is a great place to begin expanding your color palette. (Updated 1/12/2023.)) Top 5 Plastic Tip Pens Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto - If you are someone who needs lots of color choices, then the Coleto should be your number one choice. The refills are also gel, which gives those brighter colors on your notes even more pop. Barrel options range from 3 to 5 refill capacity. ( Buy) It comes with the Schmidt Easy Flow 9000 refill, which gives very dark ink and a smooth writing experience. Papier Plume Sazerac - I didn’t realize what I was in for when I was handed a sample of Sazerac a couple of years ago in San Francisco. The most unique orange I use on a regular basis. ( Buy) Pilot Juice Up 3 Gel - Pilot is on to something with this barrel design, and 0.4 mm Juice gel ink option. It doesn’t have the color variety of the Coleto, but the quality is as good as any. ( Buy)

Pens that Engineers Would Definitely Love to Own 15 Pens that Engineers Would Definitely Love to Own

Sakura Pigma Micron - This list is one of the few where you could take all five entries, shake them up, sort them blindly, and still have a solid ranking. The Micron gets the top spot because it has the most options for tip size and color, and is the most widely available. Oh, and it is really freaking good, too. ( Buy) This is a pen that truly embodies its name, the Nano Pen. Measuring at just 57mm in height and weighing only 4.5 grams, the Nano Pen is an advanced yet ultra-portable pen that doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality. The Dyson Biro looks stylish and sleek. The machined clip blends in with the overall design, and it is separately weighted to prevent rolling.

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From basic math to calculus, convert your handwritten equations to text you can edit. Then get step-by-step instructions to help you find the solution. It's everything you wished a calculator could do. Pilot Custom 823 - It may not be for you, but I at least think you should consider it first, and then move on from there. Why? This is a writers pen. Built for smooth lines, high ink capacity, and long sessions. It also has the best filling system in this group with Pilot’s Vacuum filler. As great as it is, it is also priced very well for all it has to offer. (Buy) There is something increasingly alluring about pressured pens in the eyes of an engineer. Pressured pens need far more engineering investment when compared to ordinary pens.

Fidget Spinner Think Ink Pen 6 Colours Magnetic Metal Roller

Tombow Mono 100 HB - If you don’t have an eraser, you can’t be penalized for the eraser. (Taps forehead.) The eraser-less Mono 100 is a work of art from a design perspective, with the internal graphite core matching the external beauty. Like the 602, it is well into premium pencil pricing, but worth it. ( Buy) Ajoto The Pen - This is such a well-made product it delights every time I use it. Only downside is the price. ( Buy) Uni-ball Kuru Toga - A decade in the trenches makes the Kuru Toga a relative newbie in the mechanical pencil world. If you find the lead-rotating mechanism idea compelling, let me be the first to tell you that it works flawlessly. It is the modern standard. ( Buy)

Ink works on any device or platform

Rohrer & Klinger Salix - Maybe the best iron gall ink I have ever used. The words iron gall turn off some people, but if you make this your first, you will be happy. ( Buy) Kaweco Perkeo - If there is an underdog on an underdog-filled list, then it is the Perkeo. Kaweco makes quality, affordable pens, and this full-sized barrel is a better choice for beginners than the more popular Kaweco Sport. ( Buy)

Think Ink Pens - Facebook Think Ink Pens - Facebook

Pilot Custom 74 - From unlisted, to the top recommendation-for a pen over a decade old? How did you overlook that, Brad? I goofed, but I’m correcting it now. The Custom 74 is number one in this list, with a bullet. ( Buy) This entry is solely dedicated to design engineers, who conceptualize marvelous designs and bring them to life on paper. The Jetride is the result of 3 years of hard work aimed at helping you to never draw a messy line.

Rulers and engineers share a special bond as it comes as the most used engineering drawing and measuring instrument. So why not construct a pen around it? Right of the bat, the housing of the Ti2 is made from Titanium. It is a costly design element, however, this choice adds to the Ti2’s function rather than form. Sharpie Permanent Marker - This pen doesn’t fit on any of the other lists, but it belongs in the conversation. When you need it, it is because it’s the only pen that can do the job. ( Buy)

Think Ink Pen - Etsy UK Think Ink Pen - Etsy UK

Pilot Precise V5/V7 - It’s so darn good. I tend to recommend gel or hybrid ballpoint ink pens before rollerball ink pens, but it’s hard to argue with a 40 year run of this great pen. ( Buy) The Ti2 Pen is made for engineers and designers alike. At first glance, the Ti2 might not fall into the usual lineup of beautifully designed pens. But solely basing the looks as a deal breaker would be like judging a book by its cover because when you start using this pen, it will surely win you over. Sailor Pro Gear Standard/1911 Large - Despite some of the largest price increases in the industry, I still think Sailor makes great pens. They also make the most personal pens, with a huge array of colors to match any style or preference. The only decision to make is if they are worth the premium they require. (Buy) Feature availability varies by platform. Ink replay, ink effects, and ink math assistant are available in OneNote for Windows 10 and require an Office 365 subscription. The Tactical Pen isn’t your average daily driver pen, but it is a tool that can save your life in certain survival situations.

Lamy Safari - The Safari could have easily made the Beginner’s list if it weren’t for one thing: the molded grip section. That makes it perfect for this list, as that is a feature that you have to consider if it works for you. If it does, you will find yourself with a new workhorse pen. ( Buy) Paper Mate InkJoy - Surprise! But only if you haven’t used one before. If you have, then you might argue for it higher up the list. For colorful gel ink, it ranks only behind the EnerGel. ( Buy) Akkerman #16 Oranje Boven - My idea of a pure orange. Few, if any, undertones of yellow, red, or brown, which are common. Not here. It’s just orange. ( Buy) The body of the pen is made from high-quality stainless steel and the PHX pen uses Pilot Hi-Tec-C for ink (also compatible with Uni-Ball Signo DX). The designers gave the pen a simplistic look as it does not contain any insignia or branding. Coming to the nib, there is a reason why it has a truncated nose cone design element to make it easy to use with rulers and other engineering drawing apparatuses. With this design, the housing won’t touch the sides of the ruler while the user is drawing or drafting.