At the office, on the go, or in the junk drawer at home, you never know when you’ll need a pen and having a good pen can make all the difference. If you have used a quality one, you know that not all pens are created equal. With so many different styles, features, materials, and performance, there are plenty of choices out there. In this guide, we will explore the top options for pens you can carry with you every day that won’t let you down.
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When trying to find the best everyday pen for your needs, there are several factors to consider. Where will you be using it? Are you on a job site? Are you writing in a journal in your recliner each morning? Does it live in your work bag to use in signing documents? All of these will require different types of pens for each use case.
Think of the writing experience. Do you just want something to sit in a cup at the office or do you want something that is a joy to write with? Whether it’s the smoothness of a ballpoint pen or fluidity and elegance of a fountain pen, each brings something to the table. Comfort, weight, durability, aesthetic – every aspect matters if you care.
Best for all-around everyday writing
$3.25
Affordable, smooth, comfortable. What more do you want?
Uniball’s Jetstream RT is easily available wherever you may be looking. It comes in the standard black, blue, and red, quick-drying ink, has a solid grip, and is very smooth.
$10
I have this Zebra F-701 pen personally and it has been in the rotation for quite some time. It’s a bit on the hefty side but some peolpe like that. Plenty smooth and reliable.
$36
A great intro to the world. of fountain pens, the Lamy Safari is a great everyday use fountain pen. It’s light enough to bring with you anywhere, has a great clip on it, and an ink window to see when you’re running low. It can be refilled easily with cartridges, eliminating the intimidating concept of refilling with ink. It’s a great overall pen that’s fun to use.
$32
Anyone a Seinfeld fan? If so, you’ll already be familiar with this pen from an episode titled “The Pen.” Started in 1948 by Paul Fisher, the Fisher Space Pen not only sounds cool but is an engineering marvel. It will write upside down, underwater, and even in space. It collapses down to a very small size to fit just about anywhere and is tough as a rock. They sell refills and it is a joy to write with. I always carry this with me when I travel and everyone I let use it wants to keep it. While it may be small put away, when in writing mode (pictured above), it’s a normal sized pen that fits in any hand.
$5 (pack of 4)
Not usually a fan of many gel pens, this is an exception. The Sharpie S-Gel is great and affordable option. Forget what yo’re thinking about the Sharpie marker right now, this is a normal pen that looks great and writes well. It has a contoured rubber grip that’s not cushy but still comfortable and comes in multiple tip sizes. A cheap pen that performs well and feels good is a great all around pen.
While I’m not an expert in pens, I do my best to do in-depth research to come up with suggestions. I’m not here to gatekeep only the products that I think are the best or pay the highest commission, so please take a look at the research I have done and come up with your own conclusion. Below are some of the related links that I looked into from publishers and content creators that I admire from their own perspectives. For instance, Chase Reeves is the man. Watch his video on pens below and check out all the awesome hands-on videos he has on his channel.
Research Links
- NYT Wirecutter agrees with my top pick
- Gear Patrol mentions two on my list
- Everyday Carry is an obvious related article and great publication
- Hi Consumption has 3 of the 5 on the list, fancy!
- Tom’s Guide also agrees with #1
- Best Products has good research – it’s in the name
- If you want all sorts of opinions, you’ll find them Reddit’s r/pens
- Pen Addict has the best breakdown and most options. It’s not specific for everyday use but this is a good one to read!
There are obviously a million pens out there that didn’t make the list and everyone is going to have very specific needs. Maybe you even want one for each one of your use cases. No matter the situation, it’s always better to find one that works for you and that you enjoy using so you can do things like buy refills and waste less.
What are your favorites? I already know I’m going to get a lot of “but the Pilot G2” comments and that’s fine. Are there any others that deserve to be on the shortlist?
A lot of research and consideration goes into each recommendation. If you find my over-researching helpful and you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, I might earn a little coffee can money that I promise reinvest into making more guides. It does not cost you anything and it does not influence any recommendations either. For more, see the affiliate disclosure.