Top Pens of 2024 for Every Budget

[@thorhilda]

Possibly the most often misunderstood aspect of luxury-true luxury-is the dimension of cost. To paraphrase Jean-Noël Kapferer, who has brilliantly theorized marketing in this field: "Luxury has a price. But the price does not make luxury." Your choice of favorite fountain pen is a perfect example, as the model you prefer, the Edison Collier Grande, is not necessarily the most expensive, although none of your favorites are cheap. What makes an item truly luxurious for you depends on a multitude of factors, and price is secondary, serving as a hurdle rather than a guarantee. It is primarily a personal journey, a unique exploration that only you can undertake. No one else can discover what amazes and excites you. I just wish cost wasn't such a limiting factor for me. Thanks for sharing your discoveries.

[@AuthorsReserve]

Thanks for such a thoughtful comment-it really got me thinking about why my experience with the Montblanc 149 left me so disappointed. Kapferer is right. The quote hits the nail on the head. When I bought the 149, I was expecting something that felt truly special-a pen with that heritage and craftsmanship Montblanc is known for. But honestly, it fell short. The packaging was cheap, it wrote horribly spewing ink all over (it was like an episode of Dexter), and details like the shift to laser-etching made it seem more mass-produced than handcrafted. It just didn’t have that sense of care or attention to detail I associate with luxury. On the other hand, my Edison Collier Grande, which costs way less, feels like it has that spark. The design, the materials, the way it writes-it just clicks with me. And that’s what makes it feel luxurious, even though it’s far from the most expensive pen I own. (I’m reminded of the scene in Indiana Jones where he chooses The Holy Grail, the cup of a carpenter, not an opulent spectacle.) Stay subscribed! I’ll be giving away some pretty luxurious items in 2025.

[@fountainpeninsanity3344]

Yay! The much anticipated “Top Pens” video! I’m just starting to watch this, but I wanted to comment that the current Lamy 2000 pens have a 14k nib. The Lamy 2000s with 18k nibs were discontinued around 1980. While the Vanishing Point took the opposite path, starting out with 14k nibs and then changing over to the 18k nibs that they use now. Also, 18k nibs are not always softer than 14k nibs. For example, Stipula uses 14k and 18k for their normal nibs, but only uses 14k for their Sti-flex nibs. BTW, I love the Lamy 2000. It is the pen I carry in my bullet journal (to-do list/calendar).

[@AuthorsReserve]

Oh really?! Okay, noted for future reference. Thanks for the fact-check! The Lamy 2000 is with me everywhere I go. I moulded the leather pen loop on my wallet-slash-field-notes (using Lochby notepads though) notebook I carry with me. It fits the Lamy 2000, and only the Lamy 2000.

[@KenchanKrafts]

Love the background music you choose for your videos! :) Very soothing and perfect fit for your voice and vibe. I loved seeing the luxurious J. Herbin bottles lined up at the beginning. There's a reason we collect them - one of them for the beautiful aesthetically pleasing bottles and the second for the colors they paint our world when we get to use them. :) Very beautiful set of pens that you chose as your top pens of 2024. Such beautiful pens - that all gold Aurora is so interesting. I love how your pens have texture to them; I'd love to own some textural pens someday, aside from my Visconti that has a bit of volcanic rock feel to it.

[@AuthorsReserve]

"There’s a reason we collect them…" Very well put! Very poetic even. Ya know, I hadn’t noticed that about the pens’ textures, but you’re absolutely correct! I recently purchase a Homo Sapiens, Black Friday and half-off. I’d been holding out because I have lived on or near 5 volcanoes in my lifetime and didn’t appreciate what I saw as just sensational marketing. But boy am I glad I changed my mind. It’s amazing! The Visconti came very close to making the list.

[@santauxia]

Great videos, immediately subscribed. Happy and Healthy New Year to you and yours.

[@AuthorsReserve]

Welcome.Thanks for the sub!

[@TraceyDuncan-sv7ow]

Hi, Dave! Thanks for another great video. I am also really enjoying the fountain pens, ink and stationery. I am enjoying it and make no apology for it. Much more happiness to us all who are having fun collecting and writing. Happy Holidays to you and everyone else enjoying this channel!

[@AuthorsReserve]

Great to hear! Thank you.

[@ntaylo6299]

If it makes you happy go for it. Fabulous designs and innovation deserve a fair price. Your pens are amazing and the pen cases top drawer. Keep up the videos.

[@AuthorsReserve]

I totally agree! The trays are from Galen.

[@wendyholiday2021]

Edison Collier Grande is a pen I would like to try. My favorite every day writer is the Lamy 2000 with an oblique (f) Thanks for sharing. I love year end favorite pen videos.

[@AuthorsReserve]

Thanks for sharing!

[@stevesmolik24]

I own a Edison Collier and a Edison Huron Grande both with EF nibs. They are beautiful fountain pens and have zero feedback. Don’t put off getting the Collier Grande because once you have it, you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t get it sooner.

[@NotesFromPastAmy]

Thanks for sharing your favorites with us; I love this type of video :)

[@fossilimprint2954]

Thank you for video, I found it useful and informative.

[@ronwoch]

Lovely pens, thank you for sharing!

[@shirleybullick3022]

Impressive collection. Thanks for sharing your favourites.

[@FountainPenNews]

Thank you for sharing! It was fun to see which pens are at the top of your list. Happy Holidays!

[@ceevee963]

I was today years old when I heard about the Kaweco Supra and I’ve been collecting pens for a few years now. Thanks for penabling me :)

[@frankv7068]

Very enjoyable video thanks for sharing your wonderful collection, just subscribed looking forward for more fountain pen videos like this👌🏽

[@AuthorsReserve]

Thank you! Will do!

[@TetsujinWave]

Great video, and I'd love to try some of those pens!

[@FountainPenWorld-z4i]

Great collection, enjoy them any minute.

[@Ali4451_]

Awesome video. Enjoyed it. You have good taste

[@nambi1227]

Edison collier and Mag 600 are so pretty and can be anyone's grail pen. Thanks for the video 😍

[@lynnhayes5514]

Wonderful collection!

[@kshalpern]

What nib did you put in the Kaweco? How did you do the gas exposure? A video showing that would be interesting.

[@AuthorsReserve]

The Kaweco is sporting a titanium Bock 250 purchased from FPNibs. The EF write more like a medium-to-fine. I also paid the $26 upcharge for the ebonite feed. This doubled the price of the pen, but I think it's worth it. It's the only titanium nib in my collection, I had preconceived notions about how Ti would feel, but was thankfully wrong. I like that idea for a video. Thanks.

[@periopnurse]

No need to worry about how fast the pen collection is growing. You’re among friends here 😅 Happy holidays and we may meet up at one of the pen shows sometime.

[@AuthorsReserve]

Ha ha. Sometimes it feels like the patients are running the asylum. (In a good way.) :)

[@WooogaTooga]

I misread the title of the video as... um... something else

[@shirleybullick3022]

Can you please tell me what brand your leather pen case is that holds your first 6 favourites. I haven’t watch your entire video yet as today is a workday so apologies if you mentioned it in your video already.

[@AuthorsReserve]

The brand is Hiram, from Amazon, around $32, with sizes up to 12-slots. It’s marketed under several brand names.

[@judyjacobs5827]

Interesting review. Thanks. I am confused that you report not only the MSRP for some, but the discount you found, and the seller, but for other pens you are vague and only say that you got it from a big online merchant. What does that even mean? Online merchants include anyone from Amazon to Goldspot toTemu. What kinds of discounts? Some bloggers have links or codes that can (sometimes) result in small discounts, while there can be clearances, gray market, damaged package, returned merchandise, and other price reductions. For someone who prefers to send a smaller than a larger amount to a seller, information is helpful.

[@AuthorsReserve]

@judyjacobs5827 Thank you for your comment, and I see where you’re coming from. I actually posted a video about a week before this one discussing how to find the best deals during Black Friday. In that video, I go into detail about where I usually shop, why I choose certain retailers, and how I take advantage of loyalty programs. Much of that advice applies year-round, so you might find it helpful. Two things I might be opaque about: discounts and retailers. When I’m vague about a *discount*, it's because it isn't available at the time I recorded the video. If it is, I'll say. I want everyone to have the best deals! It may not be available by the time someone watches the video-whether that’s days, weeks, or years later so my goal is to share my experience with the product itself, and to give an idea about the size of a price and/or discount they should be looking for. I want to avoid the frustration of sending someone on a goose chase for an expired deal. I'd like to highlight that my channel is still very new-just a few months old-and I don’t have affiliate links to share, sponsors that give me stuff, partnerships with retailers/manufacturers that pay me to hawk for them, and the channel is too small to be monetized by KZbin. Everything I showcase or give away, save one pen thus far, has been purchased with my own money. When I’m vague about a *retailer*, it’s usually for one of two reasons: either the company is so large that it doesn’t need any help from me finding customers (and could be hurting smaller businesses in the process), or I had a bad experience with that retailer and don’t feel comfortable recommending them. For example, you won’t hear me promoting Amazon, Temu, or AliExpress on this channel. I focus on supporting smaller, specialty retailers-places where the owners are likely passionate about pens themselves or frequent pen shows. If a viewer is interested in a product I showcase and I haven’t named the retailer, I encourage them to search for it online. Using the “Shopping” tab in Google will often reveal many options for where the item is sold and at what price. I use it often. Things could change in the future, but for now, my channel focuses on reviewing products, not endorsing retailers. If I’ve had a good experience with a retailer or feel they align with the values I want to promote, I’ll mention them. I’m simply a guy who loves pens, stationery, journaling, and writing, sharing what excites or interests me in the hope that others might find it interesting too. I appreciate your feedback and I will do my best to suggest sales, discounts, and other money-saving opportunities in a timely manner in the future videos. I definitely could do a better job sharing links in the description; I'll give more thought and attention to this aspect of production. I hope this helps clarify my approach!

[@judyjacobs5827]

@@AuthorsReserve Thanks for the thoughtful and complete reply. There are likely several small businesses I've dealt with that might be of interest, though I'm loathe to mention them in public.

[@AuthorsReserve]

@@judyjacobs5827 I'm interested to give them a try. You can email me at [e-mail] if you're willing to share.

[@fountainpeninsanity3344]

Great choices! I tried my friend Mike’s Mag 600 recently and I really liked it! Super bouncy! Mike has a KZbin channel, “Zen of the Pen”, that you might enjoy.

[@AuthorsReserve]

Cool! I'll check it out.

[@impish22]

What is the ink in the Stipula ?

[@AuthorsReserve]

It is Diamine Ancient Copper.

[@basicdose.9872]

LX nib feels better than Safari and Alstar.

[@AuthorsReserve]

I’ve heard this too. I’m not sure why. Maybe the coating on the nib, or maybe the Lx gets tuned at the factory - I don’t have any evidence of that, but it would explain it. I can’t really tell the difference myself.

[@pamelasnyder9745]

Ebonite feeds…rah rah rah!