Pentel EnerGel 2-Color + Pencil Multi-Pen Review

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

Multi-pens are always fun to use and customize, and it's interesting to see how the multi-pen version of refills compare to their single refill cousins. In the case of the EnerGel, I'm happy to report that it's a stellar multi-pen option.

The Pentel EnerGel refill is a favorite for many people, and for good reason. The hybrid rollerball and gel ink formula lays down a dark, crisp line while also drying incredibly fast. Like most multi-pens, you can normally expect similar or identical results between the full-size and multi-pen variants. Luckily, Pentel nails it with this one as well.

The Pentel EnerGel 2S multi-pen packs two 0.5mm ink refills (in black and red) along with a 0.5mm pencil component. There's nothing fancy as far as the mechanics go for this pen — it's standard fare for multi-pens, which is to be expected for the sub-$10 price. Press down one of the clickers to extend a refill, and press down a different clicker to release and retract the extended refill. In the case of the pencil, you can also press the top of the pen to advance the lead.

Speaking of the pencil component, I've had a bit of trouble when using it. When the pencil is extended, the clicker mechanism is incredibly sensitive to touch, making it retract unexpectedly. It's been fairly common for me to accidentally retract the pencil while I re-grip the pen after depressing the pencil component for use. This can be frustrating, but it seems to work well enough as long as you don't bump the clip while using the pen. Since the clip is the pencil clicker, you can see how this might be problematic.

There's no eraser on this pen to accompany the pencil component, but that's normal for multi-pens of this price range.

The only complaint I have about the gel refills is that I can never remember which color is assigned to which clicker! Most multi-pens either use a clear body (or window) or colored clickers to indicate refill color, but the EnerGel has neither. This can be frustrating because in many cases I don't know what color I've selected until I start writing. I'm sure this has something to do with cost, but I'd like to see some kind of indication of ink color — even if it's small!

Apart from those minor issues, this is a great pen. It's not much larger in diameter than the regular EnerGel pens, so you should feel right at home if you're already accustomed to the weight and feel of the standard pen.

The EnerGel comes with 0.5mm black and red refills installed, and those appear to be the only colors and sizes offered by Pentel for this pen. But, not to worry! My all-time favorite multi-pen refill is compatible with this pen body: the Uni Style Fit. The Uni Style Fit refills come in a wide range of colors and sizes, so you can customize this pen as much as you want.

Aside from that, you can choose from a white, dark blue, dark gray, or black pen body. If you're a fan of the EnerGel and want the convenience of two colors in one body, this is a no-brainer! And at just under $9, the price is just right.

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

---

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!

Pentel EnerGel Philography 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 Pentel EnerGel has been around for quite a while, and it's also really accessible since you can find it at most big box retailers. If you're lucky, you might even find them in your office supply closet. Like the side of the regular pen says, the refill is a type of liquid gel ink that lays a really nice line. How do you improve on a pen that works great already? Well, you put a sleek metal body around it.

If you've never tried an EnerGel before, let's cover the basics. It's similar to other gel pens on the market, and the writing experience is incredibly smooth. They are either retractable or capped, depending on the model and price. The ink is the star with these refills because it's a deep, dark black with clean edges and plenty of flow. They're some of my favorite gel cartridges, but they also aren't interchangeable with a wide range of pen bodies. That being said, the regular EnerGel bodies aren't bad, but they also don't fit in an executive or dressy setting. The refills come in a conical tip with several sizes and colors, and you can also get a 0.5mm needle tip (which is what comes with the Philography) that makes precise writing a bit easier.

In short, the EnerGel refills are stellar. Now, the Philography body is the star of this show. It's a bit slimmer than the regular plastic retractable pen, but it's still very balanced in the hand. In my experience, it's been really comfortable to use.

The grip area does not have any texture, which may be a negative for some people that enjoy a bit of additional grip. The anodization process for the metal adds a bit of texture to the entire body, though. I've not had any issues with the pen slipping or feeling unstable while I write.

Another major difference with the Philography compared to the standard body is the retracting mechanism. The Philography features a smooth twist mechanism to extend or retract the refill from the tip. It feels great, doesn't require much of a turn, and also doesn't unscrew too easily. In order to access the refill, you turn the grip counter-clockwise until the tip is fully retracted, and it eventually starts to unscrew.

There's minimal branding on the pen — just a "Pentel" and "EnerGel" located above the band that separates the top and bottom sections. There's also a peculiar pair of swooshes at the top of the pen that are supposed to add some visual interest, but I think they detract from the overall aesthetic. The top of the pen is a shiny chrome material that, sadly, loves to collect fingerprints. The clip is strong and sturdy without being difficult to operate.

As an added bonus, you can also use a few other refills with this pen, such as the Zebra Sarasa and Uni-ball Signo retractable lines. This opens up the possibilities for several more colors and tip sizes.

Overall, this metal version of the classic EnerGel is a big hit in my book. I love metal-bodies pens in general, and I was pleased to find that the execution on this model was done well.

The model I have is the Turquoise Blue, but you can also pick this up in Black, Silver, Dark Blue, and White. You pay a bit of a premium for the nicer material and build, but it's worth it in my opinion. At $23 a piece, you can significantly improve the writing experience and presentation of the EnerGel line.

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

---

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, which I am very grateful for.

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

Pentel Aquash Water Brush Review

(This is a guest post by Nick Folz. You can find more of Nick and his work on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.)

As opposed to constantly asking for more brush and art posts I thought I would just crank one out about my new favorite tool: JetPens. Disclaimer - I am not using this pen as the recommended (with water), but I have not modified it in any way. Any who, lets dive in to the dirty details.

This is a product from Pentel. Those of you who are ArtSnacks subscribers should have received one in your April snack box, I bought mine at an art store for a cool $5. It is marketed by Pentel as a water brush to create washes over watercolor pencil work, but I load it up with ink and have found it to be the best brush in my arsenal. It is an empty plastic reservoir body with removable (twist threaded screw top) brush tip, a plastic cap fits snuggly over the plastic bristles. The model I have is the medium, and that size is perfect for my use. It can swing from barely visible fine lines to thick area fills. I guess I should mention that it is empty when purchased. I have mine filled with Liquitex carbon black ink, but have also used a variety of india inks that all behaved comparably.

The Good

-- The action on the brush tip is tight and predictable, with a ton of variance that makes it a joy to use.

-- Filling it is easy (so long as your ink has a dropper in the cap, most do.)

-- The ink reservoir has just the right amount of "give" that the brush doesn't run dry or flood the bristles.

-- If you are inking a large area you can give the barrel a squeeze to get more ink to the tip. -- Reservoir is big enough that you can draw everyday for a month and not run dry. (obviously has some variance to how much of your page gets inked.)

-- It is remarkable that at this price point to have such a high level tool.

The Bad

-- While it is portable, I would avoid tossing it into a bag or pocket unguarded. The cap only snaps on, and while it hasn't popped off on me yet, I still take precaution. (I have an old zippered eyeglass case I keep it and the ink in).

-- If you are a sticker for aesthetics, look elsewhere. It is plastic by function (so you can squeeze the barrel for more ink), so I have no idea how a higher end one would look or function.

I have been down nearly every brush road: Pilot pocket brushes, Faber-Castell art brush pens, Variety brush packs from big box stores and Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable to name a few. My favorites were the Series 7, but I hated having to get out all the accoutrements (ink well, cup of water, endless paper towels, etc.) every time I laid down some ink. I kept veering down the brush pen roads in an attempt to find a more portable option, but found they all lacked the snap of an actual brush and would run dry after a week of use. I bought the Pentel Aquash Water Brush on a whim and boy and I glad I did! I am very tempted to get four more to fill with different colors to have on hand, and at this price point I could do so without breaking a sweat (or the bank.)

They can be purchased at JetPens or your local art supply store.