My Top 5 Beginner-But-Better Fountain Pens!

The time change has made me a zombie this week, and it probably shows 🥱
Follow me on IG at GingerPeachyPens!
Pens Mentioned:
• TWSBI Eco (or Eco-T)
• Pilot Kakuno
• Kaweco Sport
• Platinum Meteor (or Shooting Star)
• Lamy Safari
• A Few Alternatives: Pilot Metropolitan or Pilot Penmanship (not shown), Kaweco Perkeo, Platinum Plaisir, Preppy (not shown), or Prefounte (not shown).
• There are MANY other good beginner pens! These are just a few of my faves!
Some of my favorite online pen stores:
Shop local if you can!
• Lemur Ink (Indiana) - Offers free shipping over $20!
• GoldSpot Pens (New Jersey)
• Papier Plume (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• Pen Chalet (Mesa, Arizona)
• Dromgoole’s (Houston, Texas)
• Atlas Stationers (Chicago, Illinois)
• Anderson Pens (Illinois)
• Vanness Pens (Little Rock, Arizona)
• Endless Pens (Tampa, Florida)
• Franklin-Christoph (North Carolina)
• Goulet Pens (Virginia)
• Cult Pens (UK)
• JetPens (San Jose, California)
• Appelboom (Boston, Massachusetts and The Netherlands)
• There are MANY great pen shops to support instead of using Amazon or AliExpress!

[@NotesFromPastAmy]

These beginners videos are so imformative. They would have been extremely helpful personally about 5 months ago 😂 I'm still saving it to add to my beginner fountain pen videos playlist.

[@gingerpeachy]

Hahaha, if I could go back in time and post it for you, I would! Thank you so much!

[@gingerpeachy]

I have your 8 Questions video in my "watch later" playlist for this weekend. I'm looking forward to it! :)

[@kan-zee]

Favorites in order are : #1... $20 cad .... *PILOT Kakuno Fountain Pen* , Clear Barrel, Medium Nib. #2...$50 cad ... *Lamy Safari Fountain Pen Set* in Matte Black, Medium Nib + 5 Black Ink Cartridges. #3...$35 cad ... *PARKER Vector Fountain Pen* in Black #4...$20 cad ... *Manuscript Calligraphy Left Handed Nib Italic Pen* 6:23.. didn't know these wore out , after a few fillings...interesting. 6:36...I find thee Japanese Meidum nibs are close to a 0.7 mm line of a gel pen. The medium Nibs on the Lamy are larger mm of a gel pen. 15:01..I love my Lamy Safari , yet it is not a beginners budget fountain pen ( $50 for the pen + $20 for the convertor = $70 for the set ) The Lamy is a nice ink flowing pen, yet the posting of the cap , is not as comfortable as the Pilot Kakuno. ($20 for the kakuno pen + $9 for the convertor = $30 canadian, for the Kakuno set) 17:46.."Note" :The Nibs are also exchangeable withthe Pilot Kakuno

[@gingerpeachy]

I haven't tried a Parker Vector - perhaps I should! And it sounds like Lamy Safaris are less expensive in the US - we can usually get one for about $27, and I've only paid about $5 for converters in the past, unless they've gone up in price. And for some reason I think my most recent Safari came with a converter, but I could be wrong! Thanks for sharing!

[@kan-zee]

@peachy Yeah..your right..USA prices are totally less than her little sister , Miss Canada. LOL The Parker Vectors feels like , your holding a pencil with some weight. It is a good EDC pocket pen...

[@samheartsstationery]

This video was perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!!!! 💝 🤗

[@gingerpeachy]

Yay! I'm so glad it was helpful! :)

[@tanyapunyo2074]

Finally a beginner friendly fountain pen without preppies

[@PanjiAditya90]

Yeah cause they're that good lol

[@tanyapunyo2074]

@@PanjiAditya90 still, I use Preppy and I love them😂😂

[@ChrisSaenz13]

These are great suggestions! I absolutely love my Platinum Meteor Little Shooting Star in purple!!!❤ Now that Kaweco nibs seem better I agree on the Sport ... my first 2 had awful nibs but I've now had 3 great ones in a row!!!😊

[@gingerpeachy]

My first 2-3 Kaweco nibs were terrible, too! I stayed away from them for a long while, then I was drawn in by one of them in a pretty color 😂 and have had pretty good experiences since then! Thank you, Chris! 🥰

[@fountainpeninsanity3344]

Very good and well presented information for a beginner!

[@gingerpeachy]

Thank you so much! I recorded it at least 3 times to get to this still-a-little-chaotic result, haha. I am glad it doesn't come across that way too much! :)

[@zuheyr1]

Beautiful voice...pleasant and professional as well.thank you

[@gingerpeachy]

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback!

[@dacksonflux]

It's awesome how informed you are on converters, cartridges, etc... I would've mentioned that eyedropper filling is sometimes an option.

[@gingerpeachy]

It is an option! But not always something beginners want to jump into. Thanks!

[@impish22]

I totally agree.. I gifted my daughter with her first fountain pen and it was the mint TWSBI Eco-T.. good choice

[@gingerpeachy]

Excellent choice! They’re not as scary for a lot of newbies as we like to think they are!

[@izzyg8316]

Solid choices. I got myself the Kakuno.

[@gingerpeachy]

Excellent choice!

[@Keepitsimplesilva]

Thanks for the video, very helpful.

[@gingerpeachy]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@MissRuthina]

I got a twsbi mini.... and then I got a pilot custom 823. Still love them both!

[@gingerpeachy]

Good choices!

[@suburbanyute340]

I got the TWSBI 580alr for my first pen and I absolutely love it.

[@gingerpeachy]

You weren’t afraid to jump right in! That’s awesome!

[@suburbanyute340]

@@gingerpeachy i kind of was, I had tried the pilot varsity and hated it. But then I kept seeing reviews about the TWSBI so I kinda started warming back up to the idea. Then I saw the Prussian blue on jetpens and there were only 2 left in the fine nib. So then I was like what ink? And that's when I saw Noodlers 54th mass and it matched the Prussian blue sooo good. The whole time I was waiting for it to come, I kept think "f***. did I make a bad purchase?" I didn't though, it was way better than I'd hoped.

[@gingerpeachy]

@@suburbanyute340 I think you just kind of proved my point in this video, that the pens we don't usually call "beginner" pens can totally be used by beginners if they're willing to try. I wouldn't give a Diamond 580 to someone as a gift if they have never shown interest in fountain pens. But for someone who wants to use one, it's not as big a deal as we sometimes make it seem! I'm so glad you love it.

[@differentkindofGEKE]

These are great! I’m a metal pen fan, so my list looks like yours except the Plaisir for the Meteor and the Metropolitan for the Kakuno. I have a Safari not the Al-star. I’m a newbie and wished I hadn’t bought a few Preppies. Originally I thought I might eye dropper them but figured out that wasn’t for me. I’m like you and change inks too often. I don’t own a Kaweko sport and think I’d prefer the Perkeo.

[@gingerpeachy]

So fun how we all have our own preferences! I think the Platinum Procyon is about a $60 metal pen. Might be worth a look if you like Platinum nibs! Don’t give up on the Sport - you might like the aluminum or brass ones! I don’t love metal, but I still want to try the brass Sport. It looks so lovely. Thanks for your kind feedback!

[@jenniferdavis676]

Being new to fountain pens I appreciate this video!! Thank you!Do you ever worry about your pens leaking if hooked in a planner?

[@gingerpeachy]

Oh yay, I'm so glad this his helpful! I don't typically worry about pens leaking at all. As long as the pen's cap stays on well and you're not throwing the planner around, it should be totally fine. I keep a Platinum Meteor with my planner and haven't had any issues! If you have a particular pen/planner setup in mind, let me know, and maybe I can give you some reassurance!

[@jenniferdavis676]

@@gingerpeachy thank you! 🤗

[@Polly-Jean]

I liked your video, although I don't belive in beginner pens. I wouldn't think about buying a beginner spoon or a beginner dish towel. I just get what I like and can afford. I mean those pens are perfectly fine pens! I have had a Lamy in use for 😮 I just realized 😮 almost 30 years and never thought I would outgrow it one day.

[@gingerpeachy]

Thank you for your feedback! I don't think you have to stop using "beginner" pens when you're no longer a beginner. But I think when someone is a beginner, they are usually looking for very affordable pens that are also good quality. I still use all of these pens regularly, too, and I think they're amazing! I love that you have a pen you've been using for almost 30 years - that's so awesome!

[@blktauna]

I have Montblancs and what do I write with most of the time? My Kakunos. I love that pearlescent Kaweco. Have the same one. I like the tiny ink capacity. Its good to use up samples and use a lot of colors.

[@gingerpeachy]

I agree that a tiny ink capacity is not a bother for me. I like switching inks often! Isn't it crazy that pens can be so inexpensive and just as good as much more expensive ones?

[@blktauna]

@@gingerpeachy Its mind boggling. And one of those Montblancs has a 14k nib. And I don't really like it. I'm fairly firmly in the steel camp.

[@gingerpeachy]

@@blktauna I have learned that I don’t like soft nibs. So if they’re gold, they need to be firm. I don’t like the mushy feeling of a lot of gold nibs.

[@blktauna]

@@gingerpeachy I think we are of similar tastes then.

[@AmyB-Craftsandplans]

Really want to try the platinum meteor. Where is your favorite place to buy them and what ink is the best? I would like different colors as i want to start color coordinating

[@gingerpeachy]

I bought mine from a seller on Mercari. They are so cute! I've seen a lot of people buy them from AliExpress or StationeryPal. They're also called the "Shooting Star." I wish some of our standard retailers would carry them! Edit to add: I just saw that Cloth & Paper carries them. They are based in Virginia!

[@mellodi]

You can swap nibs in Sports, TWSBIs and Pilots (Metropolitans - Kakuno - Plumix (calligraphy nibs) - Prera). Some might be more expensive but I really recommend swapping Pilot MR and Plumix if you like Metropolitan. Also I have never heard of the converter falling out. Maybe yours was not pushed all the way in?

[@gingerpeachy]

Yes! They can all be swapped. I didn’t mean to insinuate that you couldn’t swap nibs in the others, just forgot to mention it. 😉 For TWSBI, Pilot, and Platinum, though, you have to buy a whole other pen to swap nibs with-you can’t just buy nibs by themselves. Kaweco nib units aren’t very expensive and are easily swapped. But Lamy ones are the easiest to swap when you’re a newbie because you don’t have to remove the feed or unscrew anything. Just pull it off. I did drop a pen, barrel finial down, and the force caused the converter to pop off. I’m confident it was attached. To be clear, it doesn’t happen all the time, but it can happen- I’m not the only one who’s experienced that! Thanks for your contribution!

[@marachristian8726]

I have been using fountain pens for years but did not know so many online retailers existed until recently. I was excited to find out how many inexpensive, but good performing, pens were out there because I was only buying pens in the $70-$200 range. Now I have more pens under $25 than any other price range! I don't have!any Pilot Kakunos, though! Pen Chalet is my favorite store because I live in AZ, so my orders get to me within 2 days!

[@gingerpeachy]

Ooh you need to try a Kakuno! It works better than a lot of my more expensive pens, haha. I’m so glad you discovered pen chalet, etc.! Where were you buying from previously?

[@marachristian8726]

@@gingerpeachy I bought from Fahrney's and Levenger because I received their catalogs in the mail! I only had Levenger True Writers, Parkers, Faber Castells, Monteverdes, and a Waterman up until 2020!

[@gingerpeachy]

Wow! I guess it was exciting to find out how much you were missing. Like discovering fountain pens all over again!

[@chi-towncalifornia5916]

This was a great video and was super informative for people exploring fountain pens. As someone who has tried all of these pens (aside from the Platinums), the only caveat I would say is that someone deciding on which pen they want should first assess their writing habits. Do they write larger or smaller? If they write larger, then I would recommend a German pen in a medium or broader nib. If they write smaller, then I would recommend a Japanese pen in a medium or finer nib. I would hesitate to recommend a fine German nib pen because from my personal experience, German nibs are not as well tuned in fine or extra fine as Japanese nibs are; they tend to be scratchier. German pens also have a higher entry price than Japanese pens. For my personal writing habits, I prefer Japanese pens with medium-fine to fine nibs, and my favorite choice is Pilot. My top recommendation for entry Japanese pens would be the Pilot Kakuno in a fine nib, since Pilot Namiki cartridges are cheaper than Lamy, Kaweco or Platinum cartridges. For German pens, the Kaweco Perkeo in a medium or broad nib would be a great starting point.

[@gingerpeachy]

This is good advice! Thank you for sharing!

[@juliangelus]

I'm watching this while browsing CultPens in the UK to buy my first fountain pen. I was leaning towards the Safari, but after this I'm heading towards the TWSBI Eco if I can decide which colour I want. I do know I want a converter as I want to try as many different coloured inks as possible.

[@gingerpeachy]

If you’re still browsing Cult Pens, I’d say pick one or two 30 ml bottles of Diamine ink while you’re there. They’re so inexpensive from Cult Pens! Rohrer & Klingner inks are a great price there, too. I hope you find an Eco you like! It’s such a great pen!

[@juliangelus]

@@gingerpeachy I added a purple, brown, writers blood, black and grey from Diamine and the old gold green from Rohrer&Klinger so you've confirmed my choices are good lol. I went for the Eco in Heat 🔥

[@gingerpeachy]

Wow, you made some great choices there! What nib size did you go with, and how did you choose?

[@juliangelus]

@@gingerpeachy I went for the medium nib as my journal is a b5 and I tend to write small so figured the medium would be best. I can always buy another one with a fine nib if it's too big. I fell in love with the writers blood ink immediately, and the rest just fell into place. With the pen colour, I saw the thumbnail of your video where you got that colour and thought oh that's pretty so got the same one. Xx

[@gingerpeachy]

If you write small, you may end up preferring a fine nib. But I think medium is a great place to start, because it's, well, a happy medium! I hope I influenced you well! haha

[@dianewalker9154]

Rather than spend money on all those converters, just buy a syringe and refill the empty cartridges with any bottle ink you have.

[@gingerpeachy]

Yes, that’s certainly an option and something I do occasionally! I do like my converters, though, because they’re easy to clean, and when I ink a pen with a converter, I can write immediately!

[@arlenealennox3136]

A cartridge is even easier to clean than a converter. Just flush it with the syringe.

[@gingerpeachy]

They are both easy. I like a converter because I can use it to flush the nib and feed a few times to get started cleaning before I switch to a bulb syringe. Personal preference! I currently have some Platinum cartridges that I can’t get all of the ink out of. But their converters come apart and clean easily. So it just depends.

[@lifewithvalerie21]

In a recent video I saw you had an ink vial sample holder character thing, where did you get it from? I have been looking for one and I can’t seem to find one. I am with you on not buying the cheap $2 fountain pen to get started, or see if you like fountain pens. I picked up a $20 fountain pen on Amazon, and then got a $50 fountain for Christmas (those events happened within a couple of weeks of eachother) I found that I prefer the Amazon pen, because of the nib. So then I went down the rabbit hole of trying different nib Sizes. It’s been such a joy for me. I love that platinum plaicir you have, the color combo is so pretty. Thanks for doing this video. I am new at this fountain pen journey and it’s great to hear other opinions.

[@gingerpeachy]

Welcome to this wild ride! Lol. I am glad you have been enjoying your pen journey! And I’m glad to have you join in this little pen community. My little ink vial holders are from Ink-a-Pet. They are 3D printed by a young boy named Calvin, and his parents help him run the business. You can follow them on Instagram, and they have a whole website where their products are sold! I highly recommend Ink-a-Pet! Thank you for your kind comment! Take care!

[@steffymuze]

Goulet Pens has an ink sample holder and it's like $18, holds like 20 or something. I don't have it (yet) but do have some of their sample inks coming with my Diplomat Magnum, TWSBI Eco, and Prefonte Platinum. After trying a Lamy dupe, a real Lamy Safari to compare and a Benu Euphoria that I fell in love with are next 🥰

[@steffymuze]

​@@gingerpeachy that is adorable! I need to check out his wares 😊

[@gingerpeachy]

It sounds like you have some really fun stuff coming! The Goulet sample vial holders are great. I have an old nail polish rack on the wall that I use for mine - I don’t want to give up the desk space! But if you have desk space, that’s a great option. Enigma Stationery also has one that’s shaped like a nib! Super fun!

[@edwardjohn5]

Lamy forces you to have the correct grip. Love it

[@gingerpeachy]

It's great for adults who already have the "correct" grip - not so much for those of us whose grips are slightly different! My grip is just rotated about 5 millimeters from working with the Safari grip!

[@sherijohnson8247]

Probably a super noob question but is it true that it's harder for left handed people to use fountain pens? I swear I heard that somewhere so I was reluctant to try but I really like the twsbi!!!!!🥰 So...thinking I just need to get it and find out? 😅

[@izzyg8316]

Get your Twsbi. Don't be afraid. Nowadays, most standard fountain pens can be comfortably used by left handers.

[@gingerpeachy]

I'm so sorry for the delayed response - lots of lefties use fountain pens! Depending on how you hold your pen when you write, you might have to make slight adjustments so you don't drag your hand through the ink. My dad is a leftie and uses his FPs daily! (I have a video with him - Penterview with Papa Peachy!) I say pick up something inexpensive and give it a try!

[@gamerboy4566]

Do the TWSBI pens still have cracking issue? That has always prevented me from getting one.

[@gingerpeachy]

Personally I own about 15 Ecos, and I haven't noticed cracking on any of them at all. And it's been quite a long time since I've heard anyone else mention cracking. I will also say, TWSBI has amazing customer service, and if you were to have a cracking problem, they usually replace parts for just the cost of shipping (about $4 if I remember). I think for the price, they're worth a try!

[@gamerboy4566]

@@gingerpeachy Thanks for sharing your experience. That kind of puts me at ease, since my first TWSBI Eco is going to arrive today. I am not aware of their customer service here in India though since I am not sure if they have any official presence here.

[@gingerpeachy]

I believe when I reached out to their customer service (about a Diamond 580, not an Eco), I spoke directly with the customer service in Taiwan! I don't think you need to worry. I hope you love it!

[@gamerboy4566]

@@gingerpeachy That's good to know. I received the pen (EF nib) a few hours ago, inked it up with Pelikan Brilliant Brown. Writing beautifully so far.

[@gingerpeachy]

Yaaaay!!

[@basicdose.9872]

I like disposable fountain pen.

[@gingerpeachy]

Disposable pens can certainly be more convenient!

[@cmikhail7289]

Yeah thanks the Pilot Kakuno I got has baby face instead of regular smiley. wow so cute

[@gingerpeachy]

I don't own any of the "family" collection, but I love the different faces on them! And I love the transparent colors. They're so cute!

[@gcvrsa]

The Pilot pen is not a “ka-KU-no”, it is pronounced “ka’-ku-no”. Japanese is a pitch accented language, not a stress accented language, and the name かくの means “writing”. The first mora should have a slightly higher pitch than the second and third morae, but the stress should be equal.

[@gingerpeachy]

Thank you, Gemma! I have little to no knowledge of the Japanese language, so this is helpful! I feel like most native English speakers say “ka-KU-no” like I did. I will try to make that correction!

[@gcvrsa]

I can’t see how the TWSBI ECO is a “non-traditional” pick for a first fountain pen, but I’ve been using fountain pens for over 40 years. The ECO’s feature set is wholly traditional. $33 USD street price for one of the best fountain pens on the market at any price is an absolute steal, especially if you consider what inflation has done in the past 45 years. $33 in 2023 is equivalent to about $11 in 1983. But, the Platinum Preppy for $5 USD isn’t a “junk” pen, either. It’s an excellent pen, and I used one as my daily writer for over four years despite also owning a Pelikan M800 (current street price $600-650 USD). The only reason I no longer use the Preppy as my primary pen is because the TWSBI ECO now exists. The ECO is everything you could ever need in a fountain pen, and nothing you don’t need. It’s gorgeous, writes well, has a piston filler with a huge ink capacity, comes in 5 different nibs, and is so cheap, you won’t cry if one gets lost, stolen, or broken. They are cheap enough to give away as impromptu gifts, and can be easily completely disassembled for thorough cleaning.

[@gingerpeachy]

Yesss the ECO is awesome! I feel like a lot of people writing/talking about what’s good for beginners will recommend a converter before a piston filler. I guess a converter is slightly easier to clean since it can be removed. But it functions the exact same way! I never understood why the ECO needed to be a “next level” pen! And I really didn’t intend to call the Preppy a “junk” pen. I wish I hadn’t said that word at all! It’s an excellent writer and a perfectly good pen. I cringed when I listened back to my video, hoping people would understand the spirit of what I was saying rather than being offended. If the Preppy is someone’s best price bracket, or they simply don’t want to spend more on a pen, I fully support and encourage them! And I tried to make it clear that the nibs are just as good (because they’re the same) as the Meteor and the Plaisir, which I was recommending. So if you are buying for the nib and not the pen body, the Preppy is the way to go! For me the nib is secondary to the style of the pen. Thanks for your addition to the conversation! And thanks for stopping by! 😊

[@ferhancevik9972]

Hi, which nib are you using with TWSBİECO as a daily driver? Thanks 🙏

[@gingerpeachy]

@@ferhancevik9972 I really love their fine and medium nibs. It depends on what paper you are using the majority of the time - if you’re writing on standard office paper, I would go with a fine nib, or even an extra fine if you like a sharp point. If you are using slightly nicer paper, you can go with a medium, which will show off more of the ink properties! Gemma, what do you recommend?

[@ferhancevik9972]

@@gingerpeachy thank you so much for the explanation I need. 🙏It’s very clear and understandable for a guy like me who plans to buy a TWSBI Eco for daily usage on different paper choices. Much appreciated. 🙏 I am very beginner about the fountain pen world and am stepping into it slowly. Your advice will help me a lot. Additionally, your other recommendations will be welcomed.

[@gingerpeachy]

I’m happy to help anytime! Thank you for your kind comment.

[@queenbuzybee4074]

That’s not a bad selection. For anyone who has never used a fountain pen and would just like to try it, I‘d definitely reach for one of the Platinum options. They‘re cheap and reliable writers. And if you end up liking it, I‘d start with Kaweco, TWSBI and Lamy in the 20-30$ range.

[@gingerpeachy]

Thank you! Yessss and I didn’t mean to hate on the Platinum Preppy. Lol. It’s a great starter pen for even less than these! But I do like these slightly upgraded versions even more. And you’re right, Platinums are super reliable. Whenever I get an inexpensive pen with a bad nib (I’ve had a couple of rough Jinhaos and Moonmans over the years), I cringe thinking that this could’ve been someone’s first fountain pen, and they might judge all pens by this one!

[@dylanrodriguez8203]

why dont you like the metal pens

[@gingerpeachy]

I know it might sound silly, but they feel too cold and hard. I know plastic pens aren't soft, but they don't feel as hard as metal pens. Metal grips can be more slippery, too, which I don't like!