[Pen/Pencil Review] Staedtler Triplus Black Box Mobile Office
This week’s pen review is a set – the Staedtler Triplus Black Box Mobile Office Set. This is a variety pack of their Dry Safe pens – ball point, roller ball, porous point, pencil, and highlighter. I had this on my JetPens wishlist and got it for Christmas from my husband.
I really, really wanted to like this set. I mean what’s not to like? Everything you need in a cool box with a lid that makes it stand up. Yeah… I used it one day at work and then had to stop. These pens are a hot mess. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but they are a mess.
The ink smeared (quite a bit) on both inexpensive laserjet paper labels. It smeared on my Leuchtturm 1917. I don’t know what “dry safe†is supposed to mean, because this was some of the longest drying times I’ve encountered in a long time. The highlighter smeared everything it came in contact with. I even had ink all over my hands from blobs and smears.
The triangular design is pretty cool and the caps were all secure, but that doesn’t matter as much as I would like when I have ink where I don’t want it. I have to admit my German heritage really wanted to like Staedtler products – but I’ve been more disappointed than not with the pieces I’ve gotten from them. I’ll keep trying because I’m a sucker, and will keep hoping to be surprised, but this wasn’t one of those times.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 0.5 – They work. The caps are secure. They fit in the box. The pens write pretty well – the skips are infrequent. The pencil mechanism works. They’re just messy.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The triangle shape takes some getting used to, and I find them a bit narrow for my comfort. They also all have ridges right before the points that dig in after a while.
3. Material – 0.5 They are mostly inexpensive plastic with some metal bits. The porous points don’t feel as sturdy as some others I’ve used. And then there’s the whole ink smearing hot mess portion of the experience.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – They’re long – like new pencils – which I kinda like, but they’re narrow. The ink smearing was a downer. The caps are small so you have to keep track of them if you don’t post them securely. Being triangular, there’s only certain ways they’ll go in the box – but being triangular, they won’t roll off your desk.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – I got this one for a gift, so bear with me here. JetPens has the box for $11.50 but there are 6 writing instruments in here – so what $1.75 a pop? For the smearing factor, that’s too much for my frugal nature.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
