Hot to jot: 9 of the best pens for mightier writing
Switch your old quill for something brill with these super scribbling implements
Still doing your daily doodles with a disposable from the supply cupboard? Those plastic pens might be fine for quick scribbles, but if scrawling’s a regular chore then your calloused digits deserve a nicer nib.
Don’t know a blotter from a jotter? Worry not: we’ve searched the proverbial stockroom to find nine of the best ballpoints, rollerballs and fountain pens you can stash in your pencil case.
From finely milled quills to click-tops that’ll be the envy of any boardroom, this selection of inky cylinders is sure to improve your penmanship. The crabby handwriting is on you, though.
Buying tips
Water fountain
Ballpoints are brill for easy scribbling, but nothing tops a fountain for classy cursive. Fancy a blend of both? Try a rollerball for the fine lines of water-based ink in a more accessible package.
Finer points
Not all nibs are made the same and the tip you pick will shape your script. Go rounded for versatility or italic for calligraphy, then select a flexibility and size – from extra fine to broad.
Free refills
Inserts differ between brands. Some pens can take a range of refills, while others need specific cartridges. Want to mix it up? Fit your fountain pen with a converter and fill it with bottled ink.
Barrel roles
Comfort is key if you’re a serious scrivener, so try plenty of shafts to find one with a weight, length and diameter that fits your grip and writing style, especially if your palms are sizeable.
BETTER BALLPOINTS
The stainless scribbler: Kaweco Liliput (£78)
Chin-deep in notes and wrestling with a report, the concept of time can seem a distant dream. Root your mind back in reality with the cold, hard certainty of stainless steel: this sleek metal screw-top won’t make those appendices easier, but it might just prevent a midnight meltdown.
The enlarged legend: Parker Jotter XL (£24)
Smartphones might make note-keeping a cinch, but sometimes only the paper certainty of a written to-do will, well, do. Parker’s click-top Jotter has long been the tool of choice for those of a doodling disposition – and now the classic ballpoint’s back with a barrel that’s 7% bigger.
The rugged writer: Fisher Space Pen Clutch ($52)
Heard the one about NASA spending millions on pens that could write in zero gravity, while the Soviets simply used pencils? This is that same pen, only more rugged. Hewn from anodised aluminium, the tough and chunky Clutch can write upside down, underwater and even through grease. Take that, Comrade Graphite.
FINER FOUNTAINS
The pastel classic: Lamy Safari (£20)
With its spring clip, sculpted grip, angular shell and ingenious ink window, Wolfgang Fabian’s Safari pen is little short of an Eighties design icon. How does one update such a distinctive scribbler? Why, by releasing it in a range of fetching pastel shades: Mint Glaze, Blue Macaron and Rose Powder.
The Italian inker: Leonardo Momento Zero Resin (€148)
Born from the ashes of a defunct Italian pen-maker, Leonardo’s name might be new but it’s no novice in the ink game. Take the firm’s first fountain pen, the Momento Zero: classically styled, well-built and nicely balanced, it’s a picture of traditional craftsmanship in eight resin shades. Bravissima.
The storybook scrawler: Montblanc Meisterstück Le Petit Prince Solitaire Doué LeGrand (€1630)
Most pens can create a tale in the right hands, but few can do so with their case alone. This exquisite quill’s leather cap carries an excerpt and emblems (from an enamel star to embossed aeroplanes) taken from the famous French novella Le Petit Prince, together with a sheep symbol on the 18-karat champagne gold nib and – for true authenticity – a princely price tag to match.
CRAFTED BARRELS
The coffee jotter: Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso Edition 2 (£40)
Caffeine might cure your writer’s block, but all those coffee capsules can make your creativity quite the bin-filler. Ease your eco guilt with this sustainable ballpoint: the result of Nespresso’s second collaboration with fellow Swiss outfit Caran d’Ache, the deep-green cylinder is crafted from recycled ‘India’ pods. Sadly, there’s no espresso shot inside.
The wooden wand: Faber-Castell Ambition Coconut (£96)
Planning to channel tropical vibes for your next novella? Put down that palm tree pencil sharpener: for a touch of the tropics at your fingertips, try this fruity fountain from Faber-Castell. Capped by classy chrome, the case is made from coconut wood, so every sentence will send your hands back to faraway sands.
The elemental roller: Baron Fig Squire Copper ($85)
If copper can do for pennies and pans, why not for premium pens? Styled like a torpedo with a full metal jacket to match, this streamlined cylinder is an exercise in heavy metal minimalism. Topped by a rollerball nib and weighted to sit well in the hand, that elemental shell means – like a treasured tuppence – the Squire will gain a unique patina from your fingertips as it ages.
Chris Rowlands
Freelance contributor 
