Is a Cheap Ballpoint Pen Actually Cheaper? 🖊✨ The Results Might Surprise You!

[@JetPens]

Which ballpoint pens do YOU prefer? Let us know in the comments!

[@SunshineFL]

Actually I like rollerball -pens. Retro 51 is my go to.

[@dian8419]

My all time favs are pilot hi tech c 0.4 and energel infree 0.5. They're only about 1dollar in Indonesia

[@abobader4283]

Parker Jotter Ballpoint (Fine) and Pentel ENER Gel (BL107) [0.7 & 0.5] mm

[@sharongesinski6227]

Uni Jet Stream 💗

[@looneydoo]

Jotter all the way 🥰

[@93midnightsunrise]

It also depends on the usage- I work in a hospital and pens get lost, stolen, and "borrowed" all the time. I learned quickly to keep my fancy pens at home. Cheap BICs are easy to sanitize, rarely dry out before running out of ink, and are easy to replace. Of the pens I've been able to keep track of, I've used up the ink in four of them within the year! 🖊

[@blindaurora]

This is true in food service and retail as well. Blue Paper Mate Write Bros sticks are my go-to for this kind of situation.

[@soylencer]

The Zebra Z-Click pens were a great middle for me. The expediency of click pens is overlooked in fast work places or for those with leaky brains (like mine), and the relief from the threat of losing a cap or stabbing/marking things accidentally is worth it alone. But the Zebras were great. Roomy metal clip let me clip them in pockets and paper, comfortable grip, Fast, reliable satisfying click mechanism, smooth and pleasant to write with, and quickly, reasonable smear resistant, neutral look that could be playful or professional depending on the distance :p, and cheap enough in bulk that I didn't get furious when one went missing. They improved the ink further a while ago (the fully translucent body being the older model and the dark body being the newer). Fun fact, the grips also make great point protectors on my aluminum Staedtler pencils.

[@magicarp79]

My pen at work has a dumb-looking unicorn head as a topper. Cheapo, made in China. It looks so ridiculous that no one wants to steal it. But at home, I use the uni jetstream.

[@stephenc8117]

I use my "cheap" uni Jetstream for the hospital or sometimes the Bic 4 color if I'm on a unit with a lot to remember.

[@XSemperIdem5]

I have a BIC pen I keep accidentally storing a little too well and every time I find it again, it still works perfectly. It's been years of this cycle 😅

[@kerc]

The only great cheap pen is the BIC Cristal, especially the thick ones, as they are *fantastic* for sketching. They are also good as emergency pens that you can stuff anywhere: in the glovebox, toolbox, or random drawer, without worrying much about them.

[@positivelycat]

Yeasssss I love the crystal !

[@katiecollins7369]

Yaaaaas! Bic Cristals! They're so inexpensive, but I've had some stored in a drawer for 10+ years and all it took was a few scribbles to get them writing again. My Papermate Write Bros could never.

[@KetchupCanvas]

BIC Crystal pens are my fave too! 😊

[@ongelvin]

Agreed with this. Cheap enough to lose, but quality enough that duds only happen once a blue moon. A bit uncomfortable for longer sessions, but that's generally not why you buy cheap pens.

[@mkbuike7895]

Agreed..good for sketching. Founder of Urban Sketchers (Gabi C) uses them.

[@wvu05]

I remember reading about something the author called The Whopper Test in a book about finance. It was a way to figure out whether or not a higher ticket purchase was worthehile. It was summed up as "if a $40 steak gives you ten times the happiness of a $4 Whopper, get the steak." Sometimes, you want and need something that has a higher sticker or even unit price, but other times practicality is the way to go. It's really up to the individual, the budget, and the situation.

[@GuagoFruit]

Although I usually use fountain pens, I can't deny that the uniball jetstream is absolutely beautiful too. It has a spot right next to my fountain pens in my pencil case.

[@bramtor]

Which fountain pen brand nib is closest to a ballpoint

[@sparklefulpaladin]

Yup! Uni Jetstream is my go-to for my ballpoint pen, as well!

[@sish9912]

@@bramtor uhm,,, it doesn't really work like that. If you're looking for a "fountain pen" with a ballpoint nib, look at Lamy or Kaweco offerings, most of their pens come in rollerball (capped) and ballpoint (retractable) options.

[@ajcruz75-xy3wg]

Jetstream is also my favorite type of pen to write with

[@Bane_Amesta]

Is weird that I'm so happy to see some love for the Parker Jotter? I have one, can't even remember how many years, or even how I got it, but is still a great pen and I had no idea it was kind of valuable... I'll treasure it even more now, if that's even possible.

[@markcaldwell2831]

I have 359 Parker pens to treasure.

[@warrenrhinerson6373]

Not at all. I have one. It’s nice pen, in fact it’s also one of the most iconic pens used in Hollywood movies. In fact, if you ever seen the James Bond film goldeneye, it was used as a grenade.

[@PianoCubeYT]

I honestly love my Bic pens, and it is so true they write first time every time! Also, once you break into them after about 1/3 of the ink has been used they write really smoothly and darkly, and I love just seeing that transition as it writes more and more darkly and smoothly. Not to mention they're cheap.

[@thefortysecond]

For me the number one factor in any pen is how comfortable it is to hold and how smoothly it writes. I have sensory issues and because of that I tend to hold pens in a death grip, so having a comfy barrel and needing as little pressure as possible to get the ink to flow helps make that less of an issue. The more I need to press the more likely I'll start death-gripping without noticing until my hand cramps up. So cheap disposable ones are usually a very bad idea except in a pinch or for a quick signature.

[@arliafrink3043]

Same here, along with just having had carpel tunnel surgery. I would suggest the Uni Jetstream, the Pilot Acroball, the Zebra Blen, or any of the TUL gel pens.

[@thefortysecond]

@@arliafrink3043 For me it's the Pentel Energels, especially the 0.7 size. It's not a ballpoint, but I have no idea if there could ever be a ballpoint that lives up to that

[@TheFutureLooksGrimm]

Deathgripping your pens? Frankie says; “RELAX, DON’T DO IT” (lol sorry I couldn’t resist)

[@MrShadowSmith]

@@thefortysecond Just bought the Energel click they're exceptionally smooth. Although I think roller balls from Uniball are slightly better but a bit more costly too.

[@marmeemarch7080]

Have you tried a fountain pen yet? Platinum Preppy isn't too expensive and get lots of great reviews. I've taken them (carry-on) on airplanes, too, with no leaking. 😢

[@Stormbrise]

Let’s not argue about cheap ballpoints saving money. Let us instead of talk about the plastic waste that comes with these disposable ball point pens. There are many pen bodies that accept refills, even cheap ones. Maybe if they sold the refills in stores, much like Jet Pens, maybe we would not be so wasteful in tossing away plastic that will be in the environment for hundreds of years.

[@chah5001]

they would never do that, most companies will only sell refills for their more expensive pens.

[@Stormbrise]

@@chah5001 It is called voting for your wallet. Do not buy cheap disposable options.

[@Stormbrise]

@@chah5001 It is called voting with your wallet, do not buy a disposable unibody pen. Use stores that sell the refills to the pens, such as Jet Pens,. My local chain stationary shop only sells the pens without refills for them. Thus most people just toss a refillable pen without thinking about it. Most pens you commonly buy do have refills if they can be opened to expose the ink cartridge. If not it is disposable. Pilot Hi Tech Coleto pen bodies can be refilled. The plastic ink refills for these pens can be separated from the metal nib, which can be placed in their separate recycle bins. At least here where I live. I just do not buy 1 time use pens if I can avoid it. Most manufacturers will some day be pushed into falling in line by regulations about waste. Like France stopping one time use plastic wrap on produce.

[@chah5001]

@@Stormbrise well, i still do have a brain and as much i would pay for a non disposable pen, i wont pay for something overpriced for its "brand" and "unique design" and even more overpriced refills, intelligent machines are here, these pens should be much less if manufacturing is the issue. I will keep buying disposable pens until either biodegradable ones are made or cheaper non disposable ones and their refills arent overpriced. Do you want to change the world? Pleading over the environment to the world doesnt work as much as "Solving" the issues between the world's convenience, prices, practicality and durability and environmental presrvence, that is much better than yelling at the world and demand the world to Just pay more, especially when most of the world cant afford such luxury, research science and engineering are the way to do so, if you want to use your wallet invest in companies and institutes that want to solve the problems.

[@Antisympathy]

Let’s be teal…does anyone really care about the environment like that anyway 🤔

[@rcmrcm3370]

Pens with caps save money, when anyone borrows one, retain the cap to insure they return it and you remember loaning it.

[@user-or2eb7mn3u]

kiss it goodbye if it's a ballpoint tho. the ball is the lid

[@Sypeth]

I may add that at the end of the day the best (based on quality and price) option for me remains the orange bic crystal wich is a staple in France. It writes smoothly, it’s fine enough so that I can read myself even with my very small handwriting, I love them. I wish Bic made nice bodies so that it didn’t look cheap.

[@IZZYCHAN13]

I used cheap ballpoint pens to make comic pages / drawings; I owe them a lot.. And I'm a person who will use ALL of the ink before reaching for another one.

[@phasmine_]

I love the Uni Power tank, so far it’s been the most consistent ballpoint pen I’ve ever had. It hasn’t skipped badly yet and I haven’t had to scribble on scrap paper to get the ink flowing again. It’s the best pen, in my opinion, it just works!

[@phasmine_]

I can take it around everyday in my bag, surviving long commutes/travelling and a lot of movement of my bag without having to try and find a way to get ink flowing again when I go to use it for sketching

[@jaymikevillanueva1212]

That's my favorite go-to EDC pen!

[@s.h.v.c2865]

One if my favourite pens too, I think it writes better than a Fisher space pen for a fraction of the cost

[@JericoJopio]

Yeah, my favorite EDC pen as well!☺️🖊️​@@jaymikevillanueva1212

[@fkhan2006]

When you have a nice pen to use every time you go to study, it makes it much more bearable. Studying is hard, but having a reliable, beautiful pen gives you that push you need to start studying. I can't believe how much it lifts my mood when I'm worn out from studying.

[@fitriaahsani1286]

Yep, especially colored pens! Sometimes i even wrote a whole paragraph with colored pen. There was also one time when i used brown pen for test and that sent me to problem because the teacher thought it was red 😂 (Welp this has nothing to do with this video tho)

[@fishushu]

My edc ballpoint is a Caran d'Ache 849. I bought it, because it was said the ink is low viscosity and writes up to 500 A4 sheets. I never truly stopped to count. But I can ascertain that it lasted me around 4 months of writing for college and work. I also have a Parker Jolter, but the grip on it is uncomfortable for myself. Though, since mine is a sort of heirloom, passed from my grandpa to myself, it's probably a matter of the model being older. I know for a fact that the newer ones are a little wilder, therefore, are more comfortable to use. And yes, you can truly take that Quinkflow refill and use in in pretty much every other pen, I took mine out of the Parker model and added to a Crown model, works like a charm ♡

[@ecksdog]

I’ve noticed that in gel pens they have been putting less ink in finer tips.

[@ih8momjokes1]

no its cause more comes out

[@agi469]

I’ve used a Parker Jotter pen since forever! I have one that was gifted to me by my mom when I went to college in 1996 and I still have it up to this point. So yeah, I will go for a pen that last years. :)

[@RandomSadBoomer]

I love the rOtring 600 with Fisher Space Pen refill and the rOtring 800 with Kaweco G2 refill. This is the perfect combination for every possible situation. I must admit that Kaweco writes almost as smoothly as a fountain pen!

[@richardwomack5779]

I have so many Parker Jotters it's unbelievable. I've always used them and it has served me well from my time in the military until now. It's hard for me to even use a disposable pen because I know it won't last. Great video!!!!

[@debpaynepurnell6131]

Agree with you. I own so many mothers and I love em

[@rorimorgant.williams6647]

In a business setting cheap ball point pens make sense but I would never buy cheap pens for myself personally. But I did work for one company that treated cheap pens like they were $1,000 pens an wouldn’t give you another one if you prove your old one was empty or dried up (yes the business manager was a pen nazi). I started bringing my own pens every morning and taking them home every night, the pen nazi tried to take them away but I had the receipts, yes she was also a proto Karen.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate the content on here. Keep up the good work.

[@thomillesamuel2852]

Bic and Faber Castell for me. They maybe cheap and disposable but write nicely especially the medium ink

[@jarnMod]

One thing you may also want to consider. Cost of getting rid of it. I had a privilege to stay in Japan for a while years ago, and I had faced the dreaded legendary most terrifying BUREAUCRAZY of Japan. I always use fountain pen until that and I had to buy disposable pen for the task. After that, to dispose of it, I had to separate the components into each trash bag and dispose on the right day of the week. It's not easy. Unlike those disposable, I bought a good ballpoint later. When I got rid of it, I sold it 2nd hand and get almost as much as what I paid for.

[@sleazybtd]

Am I the only person here who has never seen a pen run out of ink? I either destroy or lose them long before the ink runs out.

[@XSemperIdem5]

Do you also lose lip balms and never finish one? 😅 I'm good at not losing pens and lip balms so I usually use them up completely. Except now I have so many pens and so rarely write anything that I'm pretty sure they're going to look cute as they dry up.

[@sleazybtd]

@@XSemperIdem5 I keep my pens in my pocket, so I usually end up snapping off the clip. Sometimes, I lose the pen. But I have never lost any lip balm. After using, it goes right back into my pocket, so it never gets a chance to get lost and no clip to break.

[@Sypeth]

My favorite is the Swiss brand Caran d’ache, the iconic 849, black fine tip. It’s the best ballpoint I have ever tried (it surpsasses the Parker ballpoint version in my opinion). Its pricing is ok, you can get it personnalized and even engraved in shops in France, it’s a nice gift that costs between 25 and 99€ depending on the personnalisation and the body and of course it’s refillable.

[@haungo-duc738]

The Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pen is indeed very good! I have the Colormat-X Red one and I kinda love it ^^

[@petersmith2040]

I had 2 Caran d’Ache pens and they were very smooth and comfortable to write. I’m not sure what is the model number but both are exactly the same with chrome finish. I received both of them as gifts (on 2 different occasions) and I eventually lost both (on 2 separate occasions) because I carried them with me everyday.

[@JohnSmith-1957]

Good point about the cheap bulk pens drying out before you ever get a chance to use them. There is no economy to buying pens that way. I learned this the hard way with a box of Bic Revolution pens, too.

[@payman_azari]

I think cheap pens are underestimated, they are lighter in weight and comfortable while usually generous with ink and more suitable for school. There are great ones out there like Bic Crystal, Reynolds 045 (my favorites 🖊). I would suggest take a more deeper look especially at Indian pens! (Papermate and Staples usually have good products available interestingly some produced in India)

[@himmel_channel]

I once bought a set of Parker Jotter for a gift. The problem with the pen is that the inks tend to leak. So while the body is fine, I'd advise for an alternative refill.

[@jorgegarciaharo]

I love the scene of how it is illustrated when the pens go straight to the trash can and make you lose money

[@blindaurora]

The seventeen cents, like damage counters in a video game 🎯

[@ileeeenify]

At my last job, which had a LOT of writing, one of the only pens available was Pilot Better Retractable, which was the worst. Ribbed grip area got uncomfortable quickly, and it was so scratchy to write with. At some point they started getting the B2P recycled pens which were much nicer. It would have been nice to have good pens, but it was lab work so best to use something cheap in case it falls into solvent or something. Right now I have a Uni Jetstream, which is nice but I’m in love with Frixion pens right now.

[@fadelalassad9428]

I think it depends on the usage still and the environment that u use it in, i usually use parker jotter in public/daily and i use the a bit more expensive ones on a formal situation.

[@andresperez8658]

Bic Crystal is the best ballpoint ever and i will die on that hill.

[@positivelycat]

I would die beside you on that hill 😂

[@alleeum]

Yes! I’m stationary-obsessed (order from JetPens every month), but my favorite pen for just plain writing is still the blue BIC Cristal.

[@Sypeth]

I’m right with you, I use the orange one because of my small handwriting and it’s just perfect ! Event though on a daily basis I use pricer pens, Bic is my all time favorite. It’s the go to pen in France, both my kids use Bic pens on a daily basis at school.

[@Coolwater83]

How is it better than the round stic? The round stic is the #1 selling pen

[@A4000]

The shittiest, half functional, broken in 3 places, most common Japanese pen will write better. When it comes to stationary, Japan shits on the rest.

[@cassie_jean]

honestly ballpoint pens are my favorite kinds of pens, and I've been trying to convince my family to upgrade instead of spending money on disposable and getting a good pen instead. I WILL be showing them all this video.

[@appolity]

show them fountain pens :p

[@paulmchugh1430]

I have to separate pen from refill. My favorite pen is the Omas Milord. The best refill (ballpoint) on the market is Faber-Castell refill with the XB point.

[@matteblack5805]

I used to carry a cheap bic and a carpenter pencil. One crisp below freezing day, my bic froze one. It was quite irritating to deal with, so I invested in a bit more of a weather resistant pen

[@frankfuentealba]

I bought the Parker Jotter a couple of months ago cus I wanted to look professional while signing mundane paperwork at my job lol

[@Jedders1968]

We did a bit of a "Scrooge" test at work and put our name on our respective bic with a waterproof label. The bics then stopped getting permanently borrowed and most of them actually ran out of ink with their original owners. Very stingy but it was effective! Never tried it again though......!

[@TheFutureLooksGrimm]

That’s funny. The local minimart here used to tie and tape a cheap pen to the lottery station but it kept coming off the string. So at the Keno table they put this big cake box half-full of cheap tiny eraser-less pencils lol I just thought it was so ridiculously funny I was loling when I saw it! I mean, how do get a box of teeny tiny pencils? Keno lottery supply them? Do they come sharpened?

[@StaitlyNatters]

For me, a cheap pen is what I use in public, ie. where someone may ask to ‘borrow’. My good quality pens stay at home, where I only have access to them.

[@jwstanley2645]

The BIC Cristal. Best Ever! Blue, Black, Green, or Red.

[@falselogic]

Fisher Space pen is my go to. Pretty much my main driver.

[@abhishtogangoly9375]

My favourite is Parker jotter

[@divyanshbhutra5071]

I used to use cheaper ballpoints for taking notes. But later realised how much cheaper something like a V7 actually is, as each cartridge lasts so much longer.

[@mehmetmetinbaki]

Caran D'Ache 849 is the best ballpoint I've ever used.

[@scottbergman8662]

I fell in love with the BIC Aquarius pen. It’s not as fancy as the high end, but it is a huge leap rom their stick pen. Comfortable and writes really well.

[@pontusleblanc1481]

The bic crystal is the king of pens! Great value for money.

[@ascoltatoreabituale8849]

All Parker ballpoint pens. Lamy Econ. Rotring 600. Ohto GS01.

[@datafoxy]

Cheapest pen is the one you grab from the hotel.

[@blindaurora]

I keep swag pens in my purse, I am always losing them while out.

[@bucko_8]

Nah the cheapest ones are the lost pens on the classroom floors :]

[@astridgarcia888]

Ballograf and Parker are my favorites but I would love to have more coloured inks

[@UtilityCurve]

Buy Fisher refills. They come in over a half-dozen colors and come with an adapter to allow them to be used in Parker mechanisms. A dynamite combo!

[@astridgarcia888]

Thanks so much !@@UtilityCurve

[@kimdanielson]

I haven't paid much attention to either the Epoca P or the Jotter, but they both look really nice.

[@julieb3996]

My office bought some Papermates in bulk from a big-box store (we use them when large groups of people fill out surveys) They bought so many they got old, or they are so cheap that they just get thrown away in frustration, and probably never got used. Very wasteful!

[@michaelmessenjah]

Pappermate ink joy.

[@EpicDM]

I've had a Bastion Bolt Action pen for a number of years and bounce between Fisher refills and Parker refills for the ink. It's a great pen and heavy enough to know when you don't have it on you so it helps prevent loss. I have a few other pens but the Bastion is my favorite. I usually also carry a pilot or bic to hand out as a 'loaner'.

[@mellow-jello]

Aside from fountain pens, I prefer Parker Jotter BPs, and remember them at $3.99 CDN in the early 90s. Wish I had bought a few then, they have gotten 3-4x the price nowadays.

[@henrybarson2486]

If it has to be ball point pen I like my Schneider Haptify. But thanks to JetPens I learned about Pentel Gel Pens and fell in love with 😍 🤗

[@jotr.9786]

the parker jotter is just perfect ... almost

[@havoveegandhi3947]

Ballpoint pens are my favourite as they don't smudge. My favourites are Parker and Schaffer. Jotter refills are my favourite too. However at the same time I also like the transparent body cheap ball pens too for my note taking and carrying in my bag as losing it is okay as well as they are good for writing on recycled paper. The jotter refills cannot be used on newspapers as the feathering shortens their life in the sense the ball gets jammed and one would have to throw away the refill.

[@LydiaQ17]

Well, I have combinations of cheap no-name ballpoint pen which suits me in my hand and Parker refill.... 😁😉

[@OhJodi69]

For me, one Bic Cristal medium point completely filled a 9.5" x 6" Mead college-ruled 100 page notebook, both sides of the pages, medium pressure, before it finally ran out of ink. The pen was brand new, and I used it for nothing else. The I am so proud of myself for not losing the pen, and using it up completely, that I saved the empty pen, lol I love the hex barrel, because it keeps the pen from rolling between my fingers when I write, so it's less strain for me.

[@julieb3996]

I have a favorite cheap brand pen, at the office for a few months, and then move on. I have other pens for art, but the office desk pen has to be cheap enough to not be coveted too much. Last year I was excited by the Pilot G2 .038, but it doesn't work good on transfer paper/writing reciepts, (gel pens usually don't.) I went back to the .05 More recently I liked the very cheap Pentel R.S.V.P. ball point, which brought back school days vibes! I just got an assortment of pens from JetPens yesterday so I am finding my next favorite...

[@jonathanniccolls1592]

I used to be a Parker pen lover. When I started to use Gel pens, I got hooked on them. Now, I don't want to even write with a regular pen, any more. The smoothness, flow, and feel are better for me. I frankenpenned a Pentel Energel Alloy, and a .7mm or 1.0mm Uniball Signo in Blue. I've used an Energel, a Pilot, a Bic, and a a Parker, but I always come back to the Uniball Signo 207. Now, with the Energel Alloy body, I have a nice pen, that writes as smooth and fast as a oiled black racer in 100* heat!

[@BernhardHanakam]

I have two: the rotring rapid pro for private use (the more elegant one in silver) and one made out of solid brass for work. These two will last many years and take G2 refills. But I also like the BIC Cristal Renew with its aluminium case. My best friend has one and absolutely loves it.

[@nadineF]

Some cheap pen are good enough but really it’s about the experience, not only the functionality, for me

[@anaerobic]

I love my Fisher pen and the burgundy refills that I use, but the ink doesn't do well on paper over time. I've looked back at some old notebooks and it seems to 'bleed' - the burgundy is discolored, and there is discoloration around the lines of writing. It's heinous 😔

[@marymendez2974]

Actualmente lo que busco en los lapiceros es que no me causen dolor en la muñeca y en la mano en general

[@pradyumanyenni]

I like the iconic Parker Jotter ball point pen

[@unionics]

Indian 0.060c cost ball pen can beat any pen as per writing experience

[@saiki4116]

Reminds me of Cello Technotip, especially during the furious pace of writing in the last 5 minutes of the exam in college days

[@francineharris6286]

I have all of these pens from Jet Pens, except the Fisher. They are all fantastic!

[@sceanne]

Parker jotters and Pentel gel pens are my favourite pens to write with :) so elegant in shape and hold and also comfortable with my calligraphy ^_^ love them

[@KheldarLars]

I wish this video had mentioned the price of refills!

[@haungo-duc738]

Parker Jotter & Caran d'Ache 849 are my two favorite ballpoint pens (and the Goliath refill for the latter lasts almost forever 😁)...

[@icantollie]

I rescued a black Bic Round Stic Fine-point ballpoint pen that was barely used from a skate-park and kept it until I had used up several pens that were worse than it. I was so excited when the day came that I got to start using it. It worked well for two days, and then the fine ball point stopped rolling smoothly, such that barely any ink flowed while writing. If you held it firmly and drew straight lines, ink would flow fine (no pun intended), but then when you got back to writing, the ball point barely seemed to turn, and barely any ink would flow, leading to awfully faint text and/or a lot of skipping. I tried priming it several times by drawing straight lines on rougher paper. I tried cleaning the tip. I tried removing the barrel and blowing as hard as I could to try to "pressure" the ink to flow better. I tried lubricating the tip with water. I tried lubricating the tip with oil. I tried cleaning the tip with hydrogen peroxide. I tried cleaning the tip with acetone. Every time the pen would start to write a little, and then every time it would stop working. It made me so sad because I saw so much potential in the pen, and the barrel was nearly full of ink. I believed in it so much. But it wouldn't work. So I eventually threw it away. It made me so sad

[@taylorclay2122]

Okay we need merch/stickers with the logo/mascot in the elephant costume

[@shalaq]

I never ran out of ink, the pens just get lost. I bought a spacepen and it writes awful, it's slippery and has terrible balance between the fingers. I'll just stick to classic Bic pens ♡

[@janiekcarney5482]

Ballpoint are my first choice. I have so many pens that I wouldn’t have to buy anymore but I will.

[@AlphaFenris1]

I dont buy cheap pens because they are cost effective when i use them. I buy cheap pens because they are cost effective when people "borrow" them.

[@blindaurora]

They are cost effective when I lose them!

[@RakaelWhispers]

Elephant Jetdo needs to be both a pin and a sticker. Please!

[@MissMarilynDarling]

my favorite ball point pens are the pilot frixion

[@inaz1963]

I keep Bic Cristal's around the shop since they write well on most anything and are often stolen or 'borrowed'. A case of 500 pens lasts only about six months due to the high loss rate from technicians, installers and even customers. The pen I choose to carry is an old Sheaffer Sentinel with a Schneider refill.

[@TJtheBee]

I don't use ballpoint pens - I use fountain pens - but I find that I enjoy the writing experience more with a pen that I know won't dry up and be unusuable. Yes, you have to refill them, but tbh, you could start with something like a Platinum Preppy and a cheap black ink, and both will last you longer than a pack of cheap disposable ballpoints. But I have my reasons - others have theirs. It's good to think on though.

[@LaLa_ArtGal]

I love the Ballograf best of all. 😍 I'm waiting for the day when it comes with a metal barrel!

[@totem168]

When I was still at the hospital with a manual health record, I used a pilot supergrip with an extra fine tip. The reasons were it's easy to replace, but I need something comfortable and easy to work with. If I forgot to bring any pens or could not reach my bag, there were always pens available for me to use in my hospital station (where all HR keeps for the inpatient). One brand that always keeps me in mind is Faster. I think it is an Asian brand, maybe Malaysia or something. The Faster pen was so smooth, and sometimes it was so smooth that it stained your hand if you wrote a lot.

[@v.narayanan2007]

I use Indian made Jotter Pens like Oliver and Gama

[@rcmrcm3370]

Biggest cost with ball point pens and roller balls that leak onto your shirt, bag, or papers. Parkers are bad about leaking. Thiogopic inks like spacepen, unipower tank, etc won't leak.

[@frogjar]

Bic Cristal pens are the best pen in the world imo. They're sturdy, last forever, write on/ over most things, work well with wet media once fully dry (nothing alcohol-based), and best of all are very cheap. They also can provide varied line widths so they're great for sketching. They're my ride or die pen

[@oldtimegamer2.098]

There is something that I have thought about do ballpoint pens hold any values compared to a fountain pen being sometimes through out history people had used a quill,dip pens, and a fountain pen but now it almost seems like most people are using a ballpoint pen to take notes and sign some stuff but sometimes when we do buy bic pens they sometimes do feel flimsy to write with and sometimes it does make me wonder where did the half decent pens went to

[@mopete9830]

As someone with a wrist injury a fountain pen is my only way to write by hand that isn't too painful. Also buying one pen and one bottle of ink has lasted me years more than years I've had some pens and some inks for over five years. That's more cost efficient than a disposable pen that is going to cause me pain.

[@vuksha84]

"Cheap ballpoint pens write well enough. It might work decently" - the understatement of the decade. Just look at the artworks done by the cheapest Bic's ballpoints. It's on the highest possible level. "unprofessional looking" - one can only imagine the burden that writers, artists, and mathematicians feel by worrying about what others might think about their tools. If you're into expensive and quality feeling in your hand, a $21 pen will not get you there. It's closer to a $500 fountain pen. Your agenda to promote expensive pens is understandable because you get a bigger percentage.

[@orange-vlcybpd2]

I like the high viscosity feeling and broad stroke for more round-shaped handwriting. For sawtooth-shaped handwriting i would prefer thinner stroke width and less viscose ink. My problem with low viscosity ink however is that cheap ones may smudge. So its hard to find a refill which would fit most handwriting styles and also be a good fit for pen art drawing, and shading.

[@JericoJopio]

The only problem with the Ballograf Epoca P ballpoint pen is that its refill is shorter than the Parker G2 refill. For this reason, Ballograf refills are only designed for Ballograf ballpoints while the Parker Jotter refill is almost universal in measurement and can fit in a variety of ballpoint pens such as Faber-Castell Essentio, BIG iDESIGN Ti Arto EDC, Dunhill, Inoxcrom (from Spain), Kaweco, and other ballpoint pens.😊

[@colleennewton7882]

I've got an old Cutter & Buck with a fine Parker refil I use every day, it's quite heavy but beautifully balanced for a leftie. I have a panic attack if it goes missing. I've also got and an old BIC multi pen with a slightly slimmer transparent barrel, this is much easier to hold than the newer version and this goes everywhere with me.

[@JericoJopio]

My favorite go-to ballpoints right now are Pilot Acroball, Uni Jetstream, Uni Power Tank, and Parker Jotter. Oh my, I even have a couple of Acroball and Jotter refills! I'm afraid of my pens running out of ink so I bought refills . As for the Jetstream and Power Tank though, I'm still planning to buy refills for them.😊

[@bluevol1976]

I love the Jetstream! It’s so smooth and effortless. I’ll spend more for that every time.

[@barksandvino]

I like Pentel R.S.V.P.s and Parker Jotters.

[@MartaZobeniak]

I lovw both my Parker Sonnet and my Caran d'Ache 849.

[@heidi031289]

I really tried to like the Parker Jotter, however as a lefty who presses down on the page quite hard while writing, the lack of grip really messed with me. Also I didn't like the Quinkflow ink, they just kept running out on me. Now I'm happy with my Pilot Acroball pens :D

[@sheelachattopadhyay]

I couldn't use the Parker Jotter well either. The Pilot Acroball is one of the few ballpoints I can use without pain.

[@parkds]

The Jotter XL is significantly easier to grip if you haven’t tried it.

[@sethekdahl7932]

My favorite at the moment is the Uni Jetstream Sport A little smaller and cheaper than the original Jetstream But the same great writing experience I do like the Uni Power tank, but it’s refill don’t tend to last that long for me Any pen that use/take the Parker ”standard” refill, I’ve put a FSP refill in instead Even in a couple of my Ballograf Epoca’s To me, two rollerball refills that write great, but way way to short, are Lamy M66 and M63 So in my Lamy Tipos I’ve replaced the Lamy refill with a Pentel Energel In my Lamy Safaris and Al-star, I replaced the Lamy refill with a Pilot G2 0.7 or 1.0 refill (though it requires a small mod of cutting down a piece of plastic to make the G2 fit

[@vladimircankov1492]

What the hell is this math guys? At $0.17 per 900 meters it would cost $1.51 for 8000 meters. For the same length at $14.00 per 3500 meters you would pay $32.

[@dimitriskagos3761]

bllograf epoca is actually so true, I used only a single ballograf for two years of uni wtihout it running out of ink, i lost that pen before it even had a chanc

[@JH-pe3ro]

I really enjoy Bic ballpoint ink, especially when it's fresh. The higher viscosity makes it smooth but steady when drawing, instead of slippery or scratchy. That can be a downside for writing because it makes you use more force to start and stop, but it also gives you a better line quality when you are trying to be neat, and there's no messiness with the oil paste. I have a sizable collection of more expensive stuff, but I'm in a ballpoint phase right now, and the pack of Cristals I got for a few dollars satisfies a certain craving(plus they offer an expanded color set now). If I wanted an all-around pen that made good marks, I'd still lean towards a Uni 207+, but Bic also ranks highly, since they work on terrible paper.

[@krzysamm7095]

Fountain pen, Uniball jet stream, and Parker jotter. I also like the zebra Sarasa pens

[@gabriellegerhard2246]

Thanks! I have a Jotter that was my Dad's (how old is vintage?) and I want to pass it to my nephew. These are great refill ideas.