Once you hit adulthood, whatever age that may be for you, chances are pretty good that you have found a favorite pen. It may not be the same favorite you had years ago, but I’m sure if you’re reading this, you can think of one you really enjoy using1. Maybe you have a few favorites, or you appreciate that your ‘nice pen’ stays at home so it doesn’t get lost. Perhaps you are somewhat of a stationery microinfluencer and “what’s your favorite pen?” is one of your most frequently asked questions. I will never be a gatekeeper of my favorites — and hell yeah, these are commissionable links!
I want to start off with a teensy bit of background. Back when this newsletter was just a baby & I had not yet changed my Instagram handle to match it, I was pointthreeeight over there, aka Point Three Eight, aka 0.38, after my favorite pen (…at that time, lol), the Muji 0.38. While I love and keep everything from a 0.28 gel ink rollerball to a 1.1mm stub fountain pen, I tend to lean towards the fine point pens for everyday use, and that is reflected in my favs. Some pens listed have multiple sizes — you may just have to go with your heart / take personal preference into account on this one. Low risk, high reward. If you get a size you don’t love, hand it over to a friend! You may possibly make their entire month, and introduce them to their new favorite pen. I love going to stationery stores in person to try out the feel of different pens before I purchase. I have also been known to just order pens online! That said, not every pen gets a spot on the list. I’m not calling this Quick Links for nothing, and we’re already straying from the plot!!!!
#1: Smooth, cute, and an Instagram Darling: The Pentel Energy Clena (0.3, 0.4, 0.5)
I’ve personally tried a few Pentel bodies, and the Clena is by far my favorite. I’m forever grateful to
for the introduction a couple years back. The body, typically a slightly off-white with colorful pinstripes by the clicker, is so cute. Left-handers love these pens for their fast-drying blend of rollerball and gel ink. I personally love the longer-than-average needlepoint tip & feel it aids in precision. If you use a Hobonichi planner or any journal/planner with Tomoe River Paper, you need this pen!I have several sizes & colors. So… which size is my favorite? While I tend to think I pick up all three sizes “the same amount”, I have gone through the most 0.4 refills in black, so there you have it :) It’s that “just right” size!
Pentel Energel Clena 0.3 | Pentel Energel Clena 0.4 | Pentel Energel Clena 0.5
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If you have questions about how the Clena compares to other Pentel Energel pens you may have tried, I would suggest checking out this comprehensive guide by JetPens.
#2: Small print lover? The Uniball Signo 0.28 is calling your name
When I got my first Hobonichi in 2021, I also picked up my first Uniball Signo 0.28. Boy, it’s thin. I love it so much: the lil’ indentations it makes on the next page, the fact that it’s a bit scratchy… okay, it doesn’t really sound like I’m trying to sell you this pen, but if you tend to write small (or want to write smaller), this would be a winning addition to your line-up. Every few months, I ~rediscover~ it and it becomes my emotional support pen. A completely filled up Hobonichi page with a 0.28? A DREAM. This pen will forever be a favorite of mine. I need some refills!
*Can’t find mine at the moment, whoops! Absent for picture day, eh?
#3: Don’t really know where to start? How about a Muji 0.38!!
Here we have the pointthreeeight namesake. There is something about this pen that feels like the perfect gateway for millennials/older gen-Z’ers who are venturing back into gel pens after a sparkly Gelly Rolls hiatus. They’ve got a sleek, stylish design, are pretty cheap, and if you see another person out in the wild using one, it’s a real recognize real moment. Bonus points if you get to pick one up in-person at a Muji store!! It’s such a fun shop. Our cuckoo clock is from Muji. Proof that they have some serious range.
#4: So, is this a marker?
The Tombow Fudenosuke hard-tip and soft-tip pens are THE BEST. Very high on the list of products I’d recommend to those starting a journaling hobby. I use the black ones the most, but they also come in a color pack!
Honorable Mention (now please leave me alone): Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.5
I’m being silly, I really like this pen! It’s just not my all-time favorite. But it’s solid, which is why I’m linking it and talking about it here & now. I know that people riiiiiide for this pen, and I personally love the enthusiasm. I cannot talk about the Clena or the Signo without people pulling some serious whataboutism in the DMs (really!!! every time!!!) — but hey, *EYE* of all people wouldn't want to deny you the pleasure of perhaps finding your new favorite. It’s popular for a reason, and I’ve been picking it up a bit more this summer. Given I have it in a 0.5, which is at the top of my gel/rollerball pen size preference, it’s a very smooth and pigmented writing experience for me! I find I tend to write a little bigger and loopier with a Sarasa. Here's the link!
SPECIAL SECTION: FOUNTAIN PENS (A QUICK DIP)
I don’t have a favorite fountain pen in the same way I couldn’t possibly have a favorite fruit. But OF COURSE I’m going to talk about my favorite FPs for a hot second, thanks!!!
If you’ve never used a pen with a nib before and want to see how you like it without breaking the bank, try a Platinum Preppy or a Pilot Kakuno.
If you’re ready to spice it up a little and are interested in trying out some new inks easily, try a piston-filling fountain pen, like a TWSBI Eco (I’ve linked a fine nib and ink is sold separately — I promise these are things we’ll explore in an upcoming newsletter/YouTube video)!
If you’d like something cute and compact to throw in your bag & elevate your writing experience, I’d recommend a Kaweco Sport (I love my iridescent pearl)!! (… and my rose gold)!!
If you are not new to fountain pens, know you like them, and are wanting a SUPER NICE everyday FANCY-A$$ PEN, a Pilot Vanishing Point is what you need. Here’s a dupe so I don’t get canceled for promoting spending nearly $200 on a pen.
LAMY Safaris are also well-loved. I’ve honestly never tried one, but it’s next on my list! I am on a ‘only using my affiliate link money for stationery items’ spending freeze, believe it or not, but you can continue to support me by purchasing items through the links listed, and they may be in the next spending wrap-up! ;)
Thanks for reading, and HAPPY WRITING!!!! :D
Claire
and if you don’t, well, good thing this newsletter found ya today
Thank you for understanding that .38s are the lifeblood of everyday writing. Will have to give the Mujis a whirl once I run out of my Pilot G-2s.
Ma'am. You share the pen but rob me of knowing the ink that is in that Eco-T? Please hand over the deets. 🤣 ❤