I built this Top 5 Pens list originally to discuss what some of my favorite pens are in various categories. That worked well for a while, but as this page has grown I realized it was time for a change in how it is presented.

The Top 5 Pens list represents my recommendations in the categories below. That differentiates it from my personal favorites, while giving readers more clarity on products they may want to check out.

That said, just because I recommend a product doesn’t mean it is perfect for your needs. As I said previously: Use these lists as guidelines. Do your research. Ask questions. Test them out if at all possible. Only then will you find the pen that is the perfect match for you.

Aside from the lists below, here are some great places to get your research started:

JetPens Guide to Fine-Tip Gel Pens

Goldspot Guide to Perfect Pen Personalization

Over 2900 Inks from Vanness Pens

Dromgoole's Beginner Resources

Top 5 Micro Gel Ink Pens

uniball Signo DX 0.38 mm - The reigning champion for several years. The DX, also known as the UM-151, is the micro gel ink pen I compare all others to. I’ve found it to be the most consistent, and have the best performing non-Black ink options. It also has a nice stock barrel with a rubber grip. You can even take it down finer with the 0.28 mm tip, or bring it up to the 0.5 mm, which I don’t rate as highly. (Buy)
Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.4 mm - I think we are at an inflection point with the Sarasa Clip. uniball is dominating the sub-0.5mm space (I could fill this list with uniball products easily,) but I think the sharpness of the Sarasa Clip 0.4 mm line is still a differentiator. To that point, I would take the 0.3 mm Clip over the DX 0.28 mm. It flows better, despite the edgy feel on the page. Feel is one of the reasons I prefer the “one up” refill tip sizes over the extreme finest end of the scale. I think they are better writers almost universally. (Buy)
uniball One 0.38 mm - This pen is going to be a problem for those ahead of it on the list. I find the Black 0.38 mm One to be as good, if not better, than the DX, but the lineup falls short when it comes to colors. The DX and Sarasa Clip gel ink colors perform better. Is that due to the more pigmented (aka brighter) ink formulation of the One? Maybe. All I know is the color inks don’t flow as perfectly in this pen as I want them to. (Buy)
Pilot Juice Up 0.4 mm - Pilot gets a bit lost in the shuffle in this category, but the Juice is a solid pen, and deserves consideration. Its one differentiator is that it is a needle tip pen, giving it an even sharper look on the front end that the conical tip pens above. It also has a well-designed barrel with more of a modern touch compared to the DX, plus a wide range of ink colors, that are good performers. (Buy)
Pilot FriXion Synergy 0.4 mm - Hear me out: an erasable gel ink pen that actually works? Yes, that is what the Pilot FriXion lineup brings to the table. I’ve had my doubts over the years that this pen lineup was going to last, but not only has it, it keeps improving. There are many barrel types and tip sizes available, but the Synergy offers the best combination of them both. (Buy)

Notes: Zebra now has the Sarasa R, which is their uniball One competitor with a more saturated ink color. I have them, but haven’t tested them enough yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if they slotted in during the next update. Pentel also makes fantastic 0.35 mm and 0.4 mm pens with the Euro Needle and Clena, but they just don’t offer as many color options as the other pens on this list. (Updated 10/21/2025)

Top 5 Pens In The Store

Pentel EnerGel - Why is the Pilot G2 the number one selling gel ink pen worldwide, yet it doesn’t make my list of recommendations? Because pens like the Pentel EnerGel are clearly better. The 0.7 mm tip (the most popular size seen on shelves,) is an elite performer, with smooth lines and vibrant ink colors. The barrel is comfortable, well-made, looks nice, and it will absolutely be stolen if you leave one unattended on your desk. That’s the sign of a good pen. (Buy)
uniball Jetstream - Not as flashy as some of the other pens on the list, the Jetstream earns its position as a workhorse of a pen. The hybrid ballpoint ink found inside is smoother, darker, and more consistent than any other ballpoint or hybrid ballpoint pen on the market. The 0.7 mm tip is the sweet spot for this lineup - I’d skip the 1.0 mm. I wouldn’t skip the new Lite Touch formulation, though. It’s fantastic as well. (Buy)
uniball One - Is the One the successor to the uniball 207/307 lineup, or will they continue to co-exist? The One has a superior gel ink formulation, giving its lines a richer color on the page, even with the Black refill. It’s noticeable side-by-side, so at some point will it take over the bulk buying lead (12-packs of pens for office supply cabinets, for example,) or will the 207/307 be the value option, and the One the premium choice? Regardless, the One is the better pen. (Buy)
Sharpie S-Gel - Pilot G2 killer! Ok, not really, because Sharpie still focuses on the marker side of the ledger, but they clearly have something here. It’s been out for several years now, and keeps grabbing more real estate on the shelf, and on the page. They are going to have to expand the lineup to keep up, but they have made a dent in the market, I believe. (Buy)
uniball Zento - In a year or two, we might see the Zento at the top of the list. Like the One and uniball’s gel ink pens, will the Zento overtake their rollerball ink products as the best choice? I hope so, because it is that good. The only hangups right now are access and ink color range, but they are beginning to appear as blister packs on the shelves it seems. I want to see uniball dig in with this one and push on the expansion of the lineup. (Buy)

Notes: I think we are in as good a place as we have ever been on the store shelf. That should come as no surprise, because there are many other pens deserving of consideration, like the Pilot Precise V5/V7, Paper Mate InkJoy, Pilot G2, Zebra bLen, Paper Mate Flair, uniball Vision Elite and on and on. I’m still waiting for Zebra to do more in the US market with the Sarasa Clip, or the new Sarasa Clip R, so we will see on that one. (Updated 10/22/2025)

Top 5 Fountain Pens For Beginners

Platinum Preppy - A $7 fountain pen shouldn’t be this good. Beginners love it for its ease of use and excellent performance. Experts love it because of the fantastic steel nib choices, and the option to use cartridges, converters, or even eyedropper it. This is the pen you should buy if you want to see if fountain pens are for you. (Buy)
Pilot Kakuno - The Kakuno is only second to the Preppy because it would cost a beginner $5 more just to test if they like fountain pens or not. On pure performance, that price upgrade is worth it, and makes the Kakuno an easy recommendation if you are new to fountain pens, and want a pen that is a little more fun and stylish than the Preppy. (Buy)
Kaweco Perkeo - The more I think about the Perkeo, the more I am happy with Kaweco’s decision to make a full-sized fountain pen at an entry level price. Yes, at $17 it keeps on moving up the charts, but I think it is a worthwhile choice for the quality of pen you can get. (Buy)
Platinum Prefounte - The Preppy’s cooler older sibling. There isn’t any difference in the nib, feed or filling system compared to the less expensive Preppy, but if you want a more stylish pen take a look at this one. It would be completely at home as number two on this list. (Buy)
Pilot Explorer - We are getting into a different price bracket with the $25 Explorer, but there is something about this pen that works in a beginners hand. Pilot’s steel nibs never disappoint, and while yes, there aren’t that many differences between this pen and the Prefounte at less than half the cost, I think the Explorer is a great choice, especially if you are looking to give someone their first fountain pen experience. (Buy)

Notes: Where is the Pilot Metropolitan, Brad? Great question, and if you want to argue that it should be number one on this list, that’s a perfectly fair argument. Or, if you at least say it should be ahead of the similarly priced Explorer because it is a Brass barrel and the Explorer is plastic, that’s fair, too. Where I fall on the Metropolitan is that while yes, it is an excellent pen, I’m not seeing Pilot give it the love it once did. The Kakuno and Explorer seem to be getting their focus in this price bracket, and mine as well. (Updated 10/22/2025)

Top 5 “Next” Fountain Pens

TWSBI ECO - Once you have decided you like fountain pens, maybe with a pen from the above Beginners list, you are then ready to explore bottled fountain pen inks. The ECO has long been my recommendation in this spot, and I think the gap might be getting wider. Its piston mechanism is easy to use, the ink capacity is large, and the steel nibs write wonderfully. One note: there is a wide range of prices for the ECO, but that is only for cosmetics, not performance. Start with the least expensive standard models. (Buy)
LAMY Safari/LAMY AL-Star - Once of my few combo recommendations, the Safari and AL-Star offer the exact same thing performance-wise, and only differ in barrel material. The plastic, and less expensive, Safari is a workhorse of a pen and can take a beating. The AL-Star offers an aluminum barrel, and can show a few more dings and dents if you are rough on your pens and that bothers you. Both use LAMY’s proprietary ink cartridges, but you can add on a converter to use bottled inks with. (Buy: Safari, Al-Star)
Nahvalur Original Plus - I think this is a very compelling option, albeit at a higher price at the options listed above. The Original Plus uses a vacuum filling system, which is fun to use, and allows for a high ink capacity, like a piston filler. Unlike a piston, the vacuum mechanism allows you to seal off the ink chamber from the nib unit, which is nice when traveling. The Nahvalur steel nibs are nice to use as well. (Buy)
Opus 88 Koloro - We are getting up in price here, but I think it is fair to consider the Koloro as your second fountain pen. The Japanese Eyedropper filling system is another different one to add to this list, is super simple to use (and clean,) and has the added bonus of sealing the ink chamber like a vacuum filler. The steel nibs are fantastic out of the box, and there are several styles to choose from. (Buy)
Kaweco Classic Sport - A pen that could be your first, but I think the Classic Sport fits better once you know what you have gotten yourself into. Why? This is a pocket pen, made to be compact when closed, and morph into a full-sized writer when you post the cap on the back of the pen. For a small, lightweight pen it is surprisingly durable, and a joy to use. (Buy)

Notes: This group of pens, and many more that were considered, are some of the best bang-for-your-buck fountain pen purchases you can make. Others to consider are the TWSBI 580 series, LAMY Studio, Kaweco Student, Sailor TUZU, and even the overpriced Pilot Prera. Good writers all the way around. (Update 11/4/2025)

Top 5 Fountain Pens $100-$200

Pilot 74 - As one of the easiest recommendations I’ve ever had to make, the 74 is now on the price limit for this category at exactly $200. With a 14K nib I think it is still worth it, but solidifies my thoughts on this category that you would be fine pricing down, or saving up a bit more for a difference maker of a pen in the next price bracket. (Buy)
Pelikan M200 - A pen model that has been on and off this list for years, the M200 is now a rock solid option for the price. The piston mechanism is the best in the business, and paired with perfectly tuned steel nibs, this is a great all-around writer. (Buy)
Leonardo Momento Zero - Another pen right on the cusp at $199 for most models, the LMZ is a solid choice. The materials are fun, and more unique than the two pens listed above, and the writing performance has been consistently great out of the box with their well-tuned steel nibs. (Buy)
Pilot Vanishing Point - Even I’m surprised that the VP - and its narrower partner, the Decimo - is back on this list. Its retractable design is not for everyone (you need to make sure the clip placement doesn’t interfere with your grip,) but with its 18K nib it has almost come back around as a value choice, which isn’t usually a thing in this price bracket. (Buy)
Benu Euphoria/Talisman - If you are looking to add some personality to your pens, Benu is the choice. Their materials are wild in the best way possible, and the writing experience is always solid. The Euphoria and Talisman models are similar in that they offer a more traditional-shaped barrel and feel, and you can’t go wrong with either - especially if a Black pen with Gold trim isn’t your thing. (Buy: Euphoria, Talisman)

Notes: I admit that this list keeps getting more difficult as material and manufacturing costs keep rising. Pens in the next tier might offer more bang for your buck, despite the added expense. And I could argue that many sub-$100 pens are competitive with the pens listed here. This price range is a challenge. (Updated 11/4/2025)

Top 5 Fountain Pens $200-$500

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)
Pilot Custom 912 - Boring? On the outside, maybe. But put the 912 in any fountain pen users hand and hear them go “oh!” It is a classic design that checks all of the right boxes. As a bonus, there are 15 nib options to customize your writing experience with. And, like the 823, provides great value. (Buy)
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)
Pelikan Souveran M600 - Pelikan’s are always worth the premium in my mind, and the 600 series is the sweet spot-especially for your first. Pelikan’s quality is unimpeachable, right down to the piston-filling mechanism found in their fountain pens. Depending on the model you like, and where you shop, the price of the 600 can run the entire gamut of this category. (Buy)
Leonardo Momento Zero Grande - If you like the Momento Zero, then why not take a look at its gold nib, piston-filling counterpart? This is a larger pen, hence the “Grande” name, and retains the high quality, functionality, and style I’ve come to expect from the brand. (Buy)

(Notes: Due to the price point, this is a very personal bracket. Take this list less as a pure ranking from 1 to 5, and more as a group of options to research. Spend some time to find the experience that fits you the best before you spend your money. (Updated 11/18/2022))

Top 5 Fountain Pen Ink Brands

Diamine - One of the oldest ink makers on the market, Diamine has done a brilliant job of staying modern. They have every color imaginable, and perform well in any nib size. Their inks are so good that other brands have made entire ink lineups using Diamines base inks. Their pricing has consistently been on the lower end of an ever-rising spectrum. (Buy)
Robert Oster - If you want to flip-flop the top two, I would have no issue with that. I think Oster can make more interesting shades, more frequently, and they are also priced in the same bracket as Diamine. The only true difference is that Diamine has a more stable 50 ml glass bottle versus the Oster tall plastic option. On ink alone, Oster is elite. (Buy)
Sailor - Possibly the best ink maker of the bunch, but that’s not the only thing that goes into a recommendation. As great as they are, they have the most confusing offerings - especially for people just getting in to the hobby. There are many different product lines, in different sizes, different price points, and different availabilities. Sometimes their inks just vanish, to be replaced with something new. If you are ok with all of that, your favorite ink may reside here. (Buy)
Pilot - Like Sailor, Pilot is another big Japanese brand, but much more stable. Their Iroshizuku ink lineup is one of the most popular, and for good reason. They do change it from time to time, eliminating some inks, and adding new, but the best inks stay put, and the price has remained in a good window. You could find your “one and only” ink from this lineup quite easily. (Buy)
J. Herbin - Good quality, ease of access, and fairly priced - what more could you ask for? A premium lineup I guess, which they offer in the Jacques Herbin sub brand, which covers more of their specialty releases. The stock J. Herbin inks have stood the test of time, and feature a lineup of fun and interesting shades. (Buy)

Notes: Fountain pen inks are a deep group, with dozens of great options outside the Top 5. Specialty brands like Colorverse, Dominant Industry, and Tono & Lims make great products, as do some of the classic pens brands like LAMY and Pelikan. (Updated 10/29/2025)

Top 5 Plastic Tip Pens

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)
Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Mangaka - The best pen tip on the list for firmness and durability. That’s the kicker for a lot of these pens by nature-the tips break down fast. This one keeps it’s original state longer than most. (Buy)
Copic Multiliner - From off the list to number three, this Copic model deserves the ranking. It is a great quality fineliner, with a range of tip sizes and colors not found in other lineups. (Buy)
Staedtler Pigment Liner - Could be first on this list on quality, but given the way their price is tracking (almost 2x some of these other pens,) it requires more thought before purchasing. (Buy)
Uni Pin - It’s the Pin Pen! Uni has expanded this lineup, as well as the price, but it deserves a spot on this list on quality alone. Be wary not to purchase case the oil-based ink model unless that is what you are looking for. (Buy)

(Notes: The Copic Mulitliner SP could be number one of this list if price weren’t an issue, but at over $10 per marker I can’t find a spot for them. They are refillable, and do have replaceable tips, so if you think of them as an investment, then well, maybe? The Rotring Tikky and Pilot Drawing Pen are decent options, but I’d pick the Stabilo Point 88 over both. (Updated 1/12/2023.))

Top 5 Paper Brands

Midori - One of the key factors in a recommendation is that the product is accessible from a wide variety of stores, and it’s been nice to see Midori continue to ramp up in that aspect. They offer everything you want as far as quality, format, and style - minus a hardcover option. They work with any pen, pencil, or ink you can throw at it, and are priced well compared to other worse-performing options. (Buy)
Maruman - Take everything I said about Midori, add in a hardcover option, and you have Maruman. So why aren’t they number one? An over reliance on spiral binding. Spiral is great in some situations, but sometimes you want a solid softcover, tape-bound notebook in a traditional orientation. That’s where Midori shines. For everything else, consider Maruman. (Buy)
Clairefontaine - Clairefontaine has always had top-tier paper, and over the past several years, they have been expanding the size and binding formats. They haven’t gone all-in yet on paper formats (not as many grid or dot-grid options,) like their stablemate Rhodia, but consistency and availability wins the day. (Buy)
Life - After the Big 3 above, we get into the next group that could include any of about a dozen different brands. The kicker for many of those not listed is availability. Life has the lowest availability of any of the Top 5, but are worth hunting down if you are looking for a great softcover notebook in many options. They even do great color papers (Pistachio, anyone?) with quality that rivals Midori. (Buy)
Kokuyo - The most random formats of the bunch, Kokuyo is mostly known as a student or office notebook in Japan. Their quality is excellent, with good pricing to match, but you will have to decide if their mostly thinner-page notebook formats work for you. (Buy)

Notes: Leuchtturm1917 and Rhodia lead the next tier, and offer great options. Leuchtturm is one of the best hardcover choices, and continues to be the Moleskine killer that doesn’t get enough love. Rhodia paper is great in their pads, but average, or even below average, in some of their hardbound options. Smaller brands like Apica are as good as Midori and Maruman, but with fewer formats, and less availability. (Update 10/29/2025)

Top 5 Multi Pens

Uni Jetstream 3 Color - Keeping it simple is the way to go with multi pens, and the base Jetstream model makes the best case for the top. High quality ink, multiple tip sizes (0.38 mm. 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm) and barrel designs, and a great price. That’s a good formula. (Buy)
Tombow Mono Graph Multi 2 - This one is even simpler with two refill choices-0.5 mm ballpoint and 0.5 mm pencil-and sometimes, that’s all you need. The build quality is the best of the plastic barrel models, too. (Buy)
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)
Rotring 600 3-in-1 - At some point, the higher-priced models are going to appear in this list, and I think the Rotring is the best of the bunch. I don’t even think $46 is out of line for a pen of this quality. (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)

(Notes: If you have a favorite manufacturer of single refill pens, it is likely you will be a fan of their multi pen option. Pentel, Pilot, Tombow, Uni-ball, and Zebra all make great models that could easily make the list. Updated 2/1/2023.)

Top 5 Ballpoint Pens

Uni-ball Jetstream - To be the best, you have to beat the best. Any size, shape, or design, this is the best ballpoint pen on the market. Wooooo!!! (Buy)
Pilot Acroball - Pilot has a competitor to the Jetstream, but it seems to play second fiddle in its own product lineup to the G2, Juice, and FriXion gel ink pens. Performance-wise, it competes, but fewer options keep it in the two spot. (Buy)
Zebra bLen - A challenger that could compete with the Acroball in another year or two. Zebra certainly seems to be leaning into it more than Pilot is with the Acroball. Watch this space. (Buy)
Bic Cristal - The first non-hybrid ballpoint ink on the list, and the only one you should seriously consider. Ok, that’s admittedly hyperbolic, but I love it that much. (Buy)
Fisher Space Pen - I think any ballpoint pen list should have a spot for the Space Pen somewhere. It fits a need-writing anywhere-that comes up more than you think it would, even if it isn’t the best pure writer in the bunch. (Buy)

(Notes: I don’t believe hybrid ballpoint inks deserve their own category, but it is clear by this list how superior they are. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Parker Jotter. Another all-time classic that may not crack this list, but is worth your time. Updated 2/1/2023.)

Top 5 Liquid Ink (aka Roller Ball) Pens

Retro 51 Tornado - This may be the most recommended pen on this entire page. (Buy)
Pilot Precise V5 - This pen should be number one on popularity alone. (Buy)
Uni-ball Vision Elite - A great writer with an impressive feature set. (Buy)
Morning Glory Mach 3 - Extremely underrated pen. In fact, I need to stock up on a few more. (Buy)
Ohto Graphic Liner - Somewhat of an outlier compared to the rest, but really great. (Buy)

(Notes: The remainder of Pilot’s V-Series should be on the list, as they are all tried and true writers and easy to get.)

Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

Rotring 600 - This is the best mechanical pencil on the market, and it has been since the moment it launched in 1989. In those 30+ years Rotring has changed hands, but no one has dared touch this design classic. (Buy)
Pentel Sharp - The Sharp series of mechanical pencils has a couple of decades on the 600. That it is second on this list after all of those years shows how perfect this design is, albeit in a different way. It is slim, light, and comfortable, and has a wider variety options than many other pencils on the market. And the value can’t be beat. (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)
Tombow Mono Graph Shaker - This one caught me by surprise several years ago, and it has continued to impress since. It’s built like a workhorse, and has added features like a shaker lead-advance mechanism, and an oversized eraser. A flat-out steal at its price. (Buy)
Pentel Kerry - As old as the Sharp, and even more unique. The Kerry is not only a great mechanical pencil, but it is capped. Yes, like a pen. And it is amazing. If you are here for a recommendation, you absolutely need to consider the Kerry when you are doing your due diligence. (Buy)

(Notes: Pentel GraphGear where? With its overly technical design it is a bit more difficult to outright recommend, but if it is your style, then you will be happy with its quality. Special shout-out to the Uni Shift Pipe Lock. It is a personal favorite of mine, but is clearly in the 6 to 10 range at this point with all of the quality choices above. Updated 2/1/2023.)

Top 5 Wooden Pencils

Mitsubishi Office 9850 HB - I tried not to put this pencil in the number one spot, but couldn’t find a good reason not too. Yes, the second pencil on this list features a knockout design, but is it a better pencil? I don’t think so. The 9850 impresses me every time I pick it up. So much so that I frequently give it the side-eye, as if to say “Really? Is it really that good?” Yes, it really is. And let’s not forget a key recommendation consideration: price. It falls in the $1 standard pencil price bracket, not the $2 and up premium pencil bracket. (Buy)
Blackwing 602 - If you want to jump right in to the premium market, the 602 is the choice. It will top many lists, even my own personal list, but not this list. There is no doubt it is an amazing writer, but I do push it down to the number two spot due to the weaker eraser, and higher cost. The great thing about wooden pencils is that even the expensive ones are relatively inexpensive. Feel free to try a handful to see what works best for you. (Buy)
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)
Tombow 2558 HB - If you are looking for another high-quality, bulk-buying option like the 9850, then consider the 2558. This is Tombow’s version of the “Office Pencil” and it is a darn good one. HB core to HB core, I think the 9850 is superior, but the 2558 is close. (Buy)
Faber-Castell 9000 HB - The beauty of this category is that I could list one of about a dozen pencils in this spot. The 9000 features a classic design, and an oddly sturdy build. It feels durable, maybe more so than some of the other pencils on this list. The only odd thing is the price, which falls somewhere between the two office pencils on this list, and the two premium options. (Buy)

(Notes: The Camel HB pencil would be number three on this list if you could actually buy it. It is out of stock everywhere, but if it ever becomes accessible again, I wouldn’t hesitate to jump it way up on this list. Other options in the five-spot would be the Staedtler Mars Lumograph, Uni Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, standard Palomino pencils, many Musgraves, and just about any Caran d’Ache you can find - or afford. (Updated 3/1/12023))