Top 5 Pens Page Update Underway

Kaweco AL Sport-your next fountain pen?

As I begin reworking the Top 5 Pens page, I knew I wanted to do something different with the first two price-point specific fountain pen lists. Gone are the Top 5 Fountain Pens under $50, and from $50-$100, which have been replaced with more relevant lists for the questions they are trying to answer.

To that end, I have created and updated the page with two new lists: Top 5 Fountain Pens For Beginners, and Top 5 “Next” Fountain Pens. If you are a new fountain pen user, or looking for a gift or something new to try, then be sure to check these lists out and let me know what you think!

Top 5 Fountain Pens $100-$200 Update

New to the list: Leonardo Momento Zero

A lot has changed in the fountain pen market over the past several years, especially in the $100-$200 price range. New companies have made headway, and established companies have priced themselves out of the top end of the bracket. That means I am more than overdue for an update to the Top 5 Fountain Pens $100-$200 list.

But let’s keep the pen at the top the same, and that’s the Platinum 3776.

Now, recall what this list is designed to be - a list of pens I would recommend, not necessarily my personal favorites. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that this category didn’t contain a huge amount of overlap, though.

It took me a while to fall in love with the 3776. I had several Pilot’s and several Sailor’s before buying my first. What took me so long? I thought the barrel weight was a little light, especially considering the price.

I was told repeatedly I was missing out, and I’m happy to report that I regret waiting so long to acquire my first, of eventually many.

Platinum 3776 Chartres Blue

Now, it’s not all perfect with the 3776. For starters, not everyone will like the finer Japanese nib sizing, and not everyone will like the feedback from the nib. It has more tactile feedback, compared to Pilot or Pelikan, for example.

Secondly, they are close to joining Sailor - and other brands - in pricing themselves out of this range. When I was shopping for my first one you could find them close to $100 (or less) in certain locations. When I was looking for a second one to have the nib modified - and when I put them at the top of this list - they were in the $140-$160 price range. Today, they are around $190, and with the way things are going in this market, we will see it off this list in a year or two.

Even at this current price point, I think it is the best fountain pen between $100-$200 going. The nib makes a difference, and not just because it’s 14k.

Let’s lay out the remainder of the Top 5, and then discuss:

2. Leonardo Momento Zero/Furore
3. Diplomat Aero
4. Esterbrook Estie
5. Lamy 2000

Formerly second on this list, the Lamy 2000 drops to number five due to continued questions about nib feel and performance. Not everyone likes the out of the box experience, and even the finest sizes leave wider than expected lines. It makes the list because even though it, too, has seen a large price increase, it still provides good value with its 14k nib and piston filling mechanism - a combination that no other pen on this list offers. And yes, it is one of the greatest pen designs ever.

Lamy 2000

Where the big change in this list happens is in the 2 through 4 spots. These three pens denote change in the marketplace, as all of them come from smaller makers who have all taken classic fountain pen shapes and modernized them with fantastic materials and high quality manufacturing. In short, the are fun, and represent this current market well.

I’m lumping the Leonardo Momento Zero/Furore, Diplomat Aero, and Esterbrook Estie together in this discussion because you could rank them in any order you wish and I wouldn’t argue. They are all slightly different in their own way, but provide good value and a great experience.

Diplomat Aero

Out of the three, the Aero is the outlier due to its metal-barrel construction, versus the acrylics of the other two. It’s certainly heavier, so if that it what you are looking for from your next pen, then I would point you towards it.

The Leonardo and Esterbrook are similar is design and materials, but I find the former a bit more refined than the latter. There is something about the fit and finish of Leonardo pens that set them apart, hence their placement on the list. Regardless, both acrylic pens offer a wide range of styles and options to fit your tastes.

Esterbrook Estie

All three of these pens can be readily found in the $150-$190 range, depending on style.

That last statement exposes an issue with this list update: None of the pens are under $150. We used to have great pens in the low-$100’s, including some currently on this list, but no longer. I’d like to include some pens on the lower end of the spectrum, but where are they?

Maybe the Pelikan M205 - formerly on this list - if I try to force it ahead of one of the pens above? I don’t think it ranks as well as the others. The Pilot Custom 74 is probably number six on this list, but it, too, is getting up there in price.

What $100-$150 fountain pens would you rank above any of the five that I listed above?

This is the effect of the current market more than anything, and I need to re-think the price range breakdowns I currently use. I assume it won’t be long before the $80 pens I love today cross the $100 threshold, but they are completely different than what you see in the $150-$200 range. It’s time I begin to integrate that adjustment into my Top 5 lists.

Tuesday Toolset, Top 5 Mechanical Pencils Edition

Have you tried a capped mechanical pencil?

Change because things have changed, or change for changes sake? That’s what I’m thinking about while working on these Top 5 list updates. The lists I’ve updated so far were the easiest in my mind because there was enough change to talk about. With subsequent lists, things get a bit more difficult.

And, even if there are no real technical changes to the products in the list, my tastes change. My thoughts and ideas about how I use products change. The products I want to recommend change. So the deck can be reshuffled, if you will. Here are my current thoughts on the state of Mechanical Pencils.

Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

1. Rotring 600 - What, you thought that lead-in meant the number one spot changed? Not so fast my friend! I think the Rotring 600 is the best mechanical pencil on the market. It’s also the most expensive mechanical pencil on this list. That doesn’t always translate into best, but in this case it does. The brass barrel is weighted perfectly, the grip knurling is properly edgy, and it can take a beating. (Buy)
2. Pentel Sharp - This pencil is more of the reason for the above commentary. Like the Rotring, the Sharp has been around for decades, but at a much different price point. In fact, this was a primary office supply pencil as recently as the 1990’s. Something about this traditional design and overall feel scream mechanical pencil to me, and make me want to pick it up and use it. (Buy)
3. Pentel Kerry - If you think mechanical pencils are boring, then you haven’t seen the Pentel Kerry. I’ve been on the bandwagon for years, but I need to be louder and more vocal about how great this capped mechanical pencil is. That’s right: Capped! (Buy)
4. Uni-ball Kuru Toga - There it is! You can argue this should be number one on the list, and you will get no argument from me. In fact, I’m sure I’ve had it there myself over the years. The mechanics work flawlessly, and if the lead rotation mechanism is something you need, then go for it. I just rarely pick it up compared to the rest of these. Bonus point for tons of design variety. (Buy)
5. Uni Shift-Pipe Lock - When it comes to mechanical pencils, pipe protection is important. This pencil does it effectively, and beautifully. Give me more color options and I might rank it ahead of the Kuru Toga. (Buy)

(Notes: If I’m feeling frisky one year I may knock the Kuru Toga off completely and replace it with the Tombow Mono Graph Shaker. It’s one of the best bang-for-your-buck mechanical pencils on the market.)

My personal use ranking:

1. Rotring 600
2. Uni Shift-Pipe Lock
3. Pentel Sharp
4. Tombow Mono Graph Shaker
5. Pentel Kerry