Pilot Kakuno Fmaily Series Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I love a good theme, and while I don't love having my stationery unnecessarily gendered, these are pretty cute. And cuteness aside, the Pilot Kakuno is a good pen.

It's a pen that's perfect for kids or beginners, but it is also very at home in the collection of experienced Pen Addicts. The low price point and ease of use it offers makes it a great gateway pen for those looking to get into the hobby. It's not too precious to entrust to young writers, and it can be guiltlessly tossed into a pen pouch or backpack without much worry.

The pen body is made out of 85% recycled plastic, and this model is in a lovely transparent pink. There are lots of other colors to choose from as well. The clear body lets you see all the inner workings and even watch the ink flow through the feed, which is always fun.

The cap snaps to close and is shaped to make it easy to remove and also prevents the pen from rolling on a desk. It does post securely. The grip section is slightly shaped to promote a "proper" grip, but it isn't as obtrusive as some brands. It suggests a certain hold, but I can comfortably hold it several ways.

The best thing about the Kakuno, though, and the thing everyone knows it for, is the smiley nib. The family series gives these nib faces characters, all members of a smiley pen family. A dark blue dad, dark pink mom, light blue boy, light pink girl, and green baby. They all have some accessory etched in addition to the smile--the girl pen has a ribbon and long eyelashes. It's cute and also a little creepy in a Stepford kinda way.

Cute or creepy, it writes well. The nib is smooth and the ink from the included cartridge flows well. I wish they came with fun ink colors instead of black, but Pilot Black is a very good black.

This pen costs $12.50, which is quite a bit more than its main competition--the Platinum Preppy, which is also excellent and sells for under $5, AND comes with fun ink colors. The Preppy doesn't stare at you, though--unblinking and smiling, while you write. So if you're into that sort of thing, you definitely need a Kakuno.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Pilot Kakuno Transparent Green Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Pilot Kakuno was introduced several years ago at this point, and I'm embarrassed that it took me this long to try one out for myself. With a collection of Pilot Metropolitans and Platinum Preppys, I just didn't see a reason to add another low end fountain pen to an already unwieldy collection. But in the same way that I keep adding Kaweco Sports and Lamy Safaris to my collection, the Pilot Kakuno just has a unique and amazing feel all its own. This Transparent Green Pilot Kakuno has really impressed me so far.

The Kakuno is a fairly small and lightweight pen, but don't let it fool you. This pen is also sturdy and ready for every day shenanigans. The transparent plastic is vibrant and resistant to fingerprints. While this pen may cost three times more than a Platinum Preppy, it also feels at least three times more durable. The cap is held to the pen with a snap fit mechanism that feels nice to use and also does a great job at keeping the cap in place. The cap can easily post on the back of the pen, and due to the light weight, it doesn't really change the balance of the pen when posted. The cap also doesn't have a clip, but it does have a couple of nubs that keep the pen from rolling away.

Compared to the Metropolitan, the Kakuno is a little thicker overall since it doesn't taper like the Metropolitan. The grip section is a good diameter for my fingers and I feel like the grip is incredibly comfortable for my low three-finger grip. The grip section has a triangular shape similar to a Lamy Safari, but it's not as noticeable as the Lamy version. For my grip, it fits my fingers well and feels secure.

The nib of the Kakuno is pretty much the same nib that you'll find in the Metropolitan or even the Prera. And that's a great thing — the fact that Pilot include this excellent steel nib in their entry level fountain pen is fantastic. The only real difference with the Kakuno nib is the branding — it has a happy smiley face on the nib along with the size designation. Out of the box, my copy worked perfectly. It's smooth, responsive, and the lines are super crisp. If there's one thing I love about Pilot, it's how consistent they are when it comes to nib performance. To this day, I've never had an issue with a Pilot nib needing any kind of tweaking or adjustments out of the box — they just write as intended.

The Kakuno comes with a single black ink cartridge. This is par for the course, but I wish Pilot included a more exciting ink cartridge color to match the pretty transparent blue-green pen body. You can use a Pilot cartridge converter (like the CON-40 or CON-70) with this pen, which makes it easy to use whatever ink you'd like to use, but I wish it came with a blue ink cartridge.

It's a shame I waited all these years before trying the Kakuno. It's really a world-class fountain pen, and the fact that you can pick one up for less than $13 is incredible. This makes for a great gift, a great foray into the fountain pen world, or a great treat for yourself when you want to throw a new reliable pen into the mix. You can pick from EF, F, and M nibs, and several fun colors. Don't be like me — try one out sooner than later!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen Clear Barrel EF Nib Giveaway

The Pilot Kakuno is one of the best fountain pens on the market, regardless of price. Yes, it may only be $12.50, but it punches way above its weight, performance-wise. I have one to give away this week, with a Clear barrel and EF nib, so read the rules below and enter away.

Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen Clear Barrel EF Nib Giveaway