Pens of the Year, 2023
I'm a bit of an obsessive personality, having assembled many collections of tools over the years. Some are more useful than others, but none so more than my absurd collection of pens. Pens are great. They're cheap, forever useful, infinitely lendable, and--most importantly--diverse. You will never run out of new pens, and with a free desk drawer, you never have to. I've been trying to find the perfect pen my entire life. Something cheap and readily accessible. I'm not against luxury pens, but at the end of the day it's a tool. It's not really the perfect pen if you're afraid to use it.
That being said, there are some biases I'd like to elucidate before passing judgment. Namely, I don't like ball-point pens. They’re uncomfortable to write with after long durations resulting from the necessary pressure required to impart their ink. I much prefer the typical scrapping of roller balls or the gentle glide of gel. The inks are also poor, often leaving striated lines. I prefer gel in this regard, though I’m not against the solid soaked-in look of a nice felt tip.
Now that we know ball-point pens won’t be getting a fair shake, let’s review the top three pens I use.
1. Pilot G-2 (0.7mm)
The Pilot G-2 (0.7mm) is the best selling pen in America and for good reason. Present at nearly every office supply store, affordable, and with a body that doesn’t feel like fragile plastic, the G-2 has smooth consistent lines, regardless of ink color. I use a G-2 almost daily and it’s the only pen I’ve ever completely used. The pen also doesn’t have issue writing at extreme angles, like on your knee or a wall, and maintains a consistent look regardless of the paper you write on. It also doesn’t bleed, nor have I ever had one fail on me. Even accidentally going through a was resulted in less of my clothes being ruined because less ink leaked onto my shirts and pants–admittedly a little hard to tell as I wear black jeans almost daily.
The Pilot is also the only pen on this list with archival quality inks. If you didn’t know, most inks and papers contain acids that over time degradation the quality of your writing and the medium. Paper is surprisingly resilient, and often better for archival purposes than any digital medium. We all know of books that are thousands of years old, and still safe to handle. Yet, ink won’t last forever. Though typically what you write on paper will last a lifetime as long as it’s stored properly, if you want to write words as resilient as the ideas they hold, the G-2 offers archival quality ink. Just make sure you’re writing on high-quality paper, as the acids in printer paper and cheap notebook paper will fade quicker in sunlight and humid environments.
2. Sharpie S-Gel (0.7mm)
The only reason why the Sharpie S-Gel isn’t my favorite pen, despite its high-quality build, comfortable grip, and solid ink, is its less-reliable writing experience compared to Pilot’s flagship.
Though rare, I find myself having to write vertically, and even at upward angles with my pens. Be it on the fridge calendar, a sticky note, or just a scrap of paper, the S-Gel does not handle verticality well. Often failing after a few words. A brief flip around and scribble will usually set the pen right, but when you’re writing in a silly way, why settle for less than perfect? If you don’t see yourself writing upside-down often, feel free to give the S-Gel a try. The comfort and strong look of the nib are a constant comfort that this tool is simply dependable.
3. Uni-Ball Signo
The Signo’s a bit of an odd ball on this list. A cheap ballpoint without any particularly outstanding traits. The entire pen is crafted with the parts quality of any high-volume good. Maximizing cost-savings per unit to make the most of economics of scale. Yet, the pen writes surprisingly well, maintaining the most consistent lines I’ve found on a ball-point, with vibrant–again, for a ball-point–inks. They suffer from similar performance issues as the S-Gel line, and are more fragile than both of the previous listees. However, if you’re looking for a high-quality writing experience at a low low price, the Signo is a reliable pick for any occasion.
I hope you found this list helpful. I’ll update it if there are any noticeable changes next year. I’m always keeping my eyes peeled for my next daily carry, and would love to hear more about the pens you use. Please leave a comment!