Our best pens nominations round was the biggest so far. Here are the five you signed off on, and now it’s time to vote for a winner.
Pilot G2
...affordability, its broad availability, and it’s smooth, clean writing. - Alan Henry for Lifehacker’s 2012 Budget Pen Hive Five, which the G2 won.
This Is The Best Pen. - Dayna Evans for Domesticity’s best pen roundup, which the G2 won.
...G-2 is my favorite pen, and I’m pretty much never without one in my bag, in my pocket, or in my hand. I was a fan of the 0.7mm until I discovered the 1.0mm, which is perfectly inky and thick but not unwieldy. Perfection. - Jordan Kushins for Gizmodo’s best pen roundup, which the G2 won.
I would amend this to “Pilot G2 (Any diameter)“ - I prefer the 1mm (10), but any G2 is fantastic. I carry my G2 Limited with 1mm ink with me all the time.
A Uniball will do in a pinch, but G2 is really the best all around pen out there.
The G2 is available in four sizes:
.38mm “Ultra Fine” - Incredibly thin lines, lets you write so small that an index card might as well be letter sized. A bit difficult to find, and this thing is so sharp it borders on dangerous, it may even tear through lesser paper if too much pressure is applied - but it’s worth it for the precision.
.5mm “Extra Fine” - For those that prefer a thin line, but don’t want to go to an office supply store, or simply don’t want it that fine.
.7mm “Fine” - The standard and most common G2, perfect for... well, anything really. It’s a damn good pen. You really can’t go wrong with this pen.
1mm “Bold” - For those that like thick lines and even more-smoother writing. Especially awesome when paired with really good paper for an incredible writing experiance. Unfortunately, they are hard to find and small letters will become blobs if you aren’t careful.
Available in many colors (07’s have a very wide pallet, including metallics) and a variety of special designs. Plus the Pro and the metal Limited editions that use the same ink tubes, but have improved grips and style. - zeel
Zebra F-301
Many of Zebra’s most popular models are known for their trademark all-steel, metallic design, and you may remember the first time you encountered one—if it was like the first time I picked one up, they were unlike any other pen you’d seen in a world of disposable plastic pens. They just look sharp and elegant, and using them is just as much fun... Many of you also praised Zebra for its portability and attractive design—most of their pens are unibody, and can slide into a pocket or bag without worrying you’ll lose a cap in the process. Besides, they really do look and feel good to use. - Alan Henry for Lifehacker’s 2012 Budget Pen Hive Five
some pens, like bic pens are too slow. others like those gel ones, the g2s or whatever. too fast. lead to illegible handwriting. the zebra pen strike a nice balance. it’s about resistance” —Taylor Berman for Domesticity’s best pen roundup.
This one is my favorite as well. I like it for its size. I have really small hands and it’s a very comfortable length and grip. I like that you can get refills in medium and fine point (fine point always). They last forever - I’ve literally had a couple for more than 20 years. It also looks a little nicer than a disposable but it’s not pretentious. My one complaint is that you can’t buy refills for the red ones. However, when I wrote the company to ask, they sent me a decent supply for free. So they have my business for life. - KittenCaboodle
Fisher Space Pen
Uniball Jetstream
Whether it’s the quick-drying Jetstream series, designed for speedy writers who don’t want their ink to smudge... Uniball has a pen engineered for whatever writing style you prefer, that’s comfortable enough to use for long periods, and at a price point that makes sure you can pick up more than a few and keep them around your home or office. - Alan Henry for Lifehacker’s 2012 Budget Pen Hive Five
Sharpie Pens
Sharpie’s best known for their permanent markers, but their new pens offer the same quality non-toxic, smear-proof ink that—at least in this case—won’t bleed through the paper as you use it. Sharpie’s medium and fine point pens come with soft tips for smooth, consistent writing, and the best part is that they’re available virtually anywhere. No refills or fancy designs on these, but those of you who nominated them love them to the point where at least one of you said that if you used one, you’d never vote for anything else. Sharpie’s had a rough road with some of their pens, but we have to say: Sharpie’s newer pens are great, and well worth a shot, especially considering the price point. - Alan Henry for Lifehacker’s 2012 Budget Pen Hive Five
I’m left-handed and apparently don’t hold my pens correctly, so any ballpoint pens just don’t work for me. The ink just doesn’t come out smoothly for me. I like Sharpie pens because they have a nice felt tip and work no matter how I’m holding them. - Megganna