Quizience is supported by you the audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If you’ve ever had a pen mysteriously wander away from your desk, and then you had to write with a poor substitute (the kind you might find at a bank or with some company’s phone number on it), you know how important it is to have a quality pen.
The good news is you don’t have to spend a lot to get a pen that’s worthy of your signature. After researching 62 pens and writing zealously with 37 of them, we have recommendations for ballpoint, rollerball, and fineliner pens that are affordable and satisfying to write with.
Uni-ball Jetstream RT – Best Everyday Pen
In most situations, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT is the best pen for the job.
It dries quickly, so it’s great for lefties and anyone who’s concerned about smudging (especially when writing on slick paper, labels, or receipts). Thanks to its “hybrid” ink, the Jetstream RT produces the darkest lines of any ballpoint pen we tested. And the ink flows out smoothly and evenly without skipping—like a gel pen, but with the quick-drying advantages of a ballpoint. It’s water-resistant, fade-resistant, and formulated to resist check washing, too.
A Wirecutter pick since 2013, the Jetstream RT comes in a variety of tip widths and colors. And our testers found that it felt and looked better than other, more-plasticky ballpoint pens.
Style: ballpoint
Tip width tested: 0.7 mm
Widths available: 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm
Colors: black, blue, red; RT BLX version: blue-black, brown-black, green-black, red-black
Uni Jetstream Slim Multi-Color
If you like to color-code your notes or journal entries, the Uni Jetstream Slim Multi-Color is a thin, handy alternative to having several pens cluttering your desk or bag.
This pen is the same shape and size as our top pick, the Jetstream RT. But the Jetstream Slim Multi-Color is much slimmer than most multicolor pens, which tend to have chunkier barrels. The knocks (the buttons at the top of the pen that make the pen nibs retract) operate smoothly and with a satisfying click.
The Jetstream Slim Multi-Color has a rubber grip, so it’s pleasant to hold. And this pen comes with the same refillable smooth ink found in other Jetstream pens.
The ink refills are smaller than those in a regular Jetstream pen, though, so they’re a bit less cost-effective. But if you often write in different colors, we think the convenience is worth it.
Style: ballpoint
Tip width tested: 0.5 mm
Widths available: 0.38 mm, 0.5 mm
Colors: black, blue, red, green
Pilot Dr. Grip Center of Gravity – Ergonomic Pen
Among pens designed to reduce writing stress, the Pilot Dr. Grip Center of Gravity is the best we’ve tested. Our testers—including a retired medical professional with arthritis—found the wide grip easy to hold, and this pen had the best balance of softness and firmness.
What sets this pen apart the most from other ergonomic pens is its weight distribution: It’s balanced closer to the tip, so writing is effortless and requires less pressure.
The Center of Gravity is also just a great pen in general. Its hybrid ink combines the long-lasting elements of a ballpoint pen with the dark, vibrant lines of a gel pen.
Style: ballpoint
Tip width tested: 1.0 mm
Widths available: 0.7 mm (fine), 1.0 mm (medium)
Colors: black, blue
Pilot Precise V5 RT
If you like dark lines, prefer a bit of resistance from your paper when writing and drawing, or have handwriting that produces especially small letters, consider the Pilot Precise V5 RT.
Some experts—and most of our testers—preferred this pen’s finer point compared with other rollerballs’ points, which produce wetter, thicker lines.
Although the Precise V5 RT doesn’t dry as quickly as the Jetstream, and therefore can smudge (not ideal for lefties), it performs well on most paper. It’s also the least expensive pen we recommend, on a per-pen basis.
Style: rollerball
Tip width tested: 0.5 mm
Widths available: 0.5 mm (V5), 0.7 mm (V7)
Colors: black, blue, green, pink, purple, red, turquoise, orange, yellow, lime green, navy, burgundy, hunter green, caramel, periwinkle, teal