[Pen/Pencil Review] Sarasa SE Retractable Gel Pens – 0.7mm

Hey look, something by a pen company that doesn’t start with “P”… 8-). Today we’re looking at the Sarasa SE Retractable Gel Pen from Zebra. The Sarasa line is great, economical line from Zebra. These I found in a multi-pack on the clearance aisle at Office Max. This was a 4-pen pack in black, red, and blue (with the 4th pen being a second black).

Sarasa is part of the Zebra Pen family. They actually call their 0.7mm gel ink pens a “medium” point – which I completely agree with. The SE line is touted on the packaging as being “designed by consumers”. The banner on the back says they surveyed over 50,000 consumers (no, I was not one of them) and those surveys influenced the design of this pen. Huzzah for listening.

The Sarasa SE line – including this one – is about 5.5″ long with the tip retracted and extended. The tip is stainless steel. The barrels are a smoky gray with transparency to them to see ink levels. These pens have that textured rubber grip that reminds me of “tactical grip” on things like gun handles. It’s supposed to help you grip it easier and not slip, but part of the time, I think it feels weird.

This pen line has a smooth roller ball action, I don’t see a lot of skips or clumps. It is a gel ink, so there is drying time and smearing, but the ink is bright and rich. The retraction mechanism is smooth, and the clip is metal with engraving. There will be no breaking of the clip. It comes in a wide array of colors and is relatively inexpensive. They use the Zebra JF refill.

The Numbers.

1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid, utility pen. It’s inexpensive. It comes in a lot of colors. These are the regular colors, and I like the richness to those.
2. Look and feel – 0.5 – It’s a bit short for me to find a good balance with it (which is probably why I know the ink inserts fit in other barrels). And though the grip is nice, I find the texture a bit off putting.
3. Material – 1 – It’s an inexpensive utility pen. It is what it is, and it’s solid for what it is. The clip is metal and strong.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s okay. It’s functional. It’s not anything special, but it’s not meant to be. There are foibles but it’s okay.
5. Price Point – 1 – These things are inexpensive. I think they run about $1.50 -$2.00 retail, depending on how many you get, and they are refillable. If you have to have a pen stolen, this is one you don’t have to cry over.

4 out of 5 bronze pencils.

Tags: gel ink, retractable pen, Roller Ball, Sarasa, Sarasa SE, Zebra