[Pen/Pencil Review] Updatey, Rerunny Pen Blog – Pentel Again
This week is going to be a little bit of an update and a little bit of a rerun, because it’s just that kind of week. So, first, a quick follow up on the blog of two weeks ago – the PenWorld Retro 51 Fountain Pen. They saw the post and the nib is apparently bent, the pen is currently in their shop getting fixed. That’s the Good News. The Bad News is that on the day the pen should have arrived at their shop, they announced on their blog that they’re going on haitus. Read it here – https://retro51blog.com/2020/01/21/a-letter-from-the-retro51-team/ – this is very sad news. We all hope they come back, but still…it’s been a weird week or so. I will cherish my Pen World “set†and my Dallas Pen Show Tornado. Now, to this week…
For Christmas, my darling husband, Jimmy, got me a JetPens Black Gel Ink Sampler. Which I love, but in going through them, I have already bought most of them. Like this week’s “rerunâ€. It’s the EnerGel Euro Roller Gel Pen in 0.35mm black ink. I’ve been gravitating to Pentel a lot – and Jimmy now has a blog for his Pentel P200 mechanical pencil series. We’re turning into a Pentel “family”. I don’t know what the EURO means in the title – I got mine on JetPens.com.
This has ended up as a “go to†pen now that I’ve lost my aversion to needle-point pens. They’ve made them a lot more durably in the last years. I no longer feel like I’m going to bend/break needle-points. The pen has a great line and ink saturation for a 0.35mm. It’s dark like a 0.5mm but I’m able to get into smaller spaces like on my planner or for editing better. And the point is smooth, not scratchy like some conical points at this size can be. At least in black. I haven’t picked up blue or red – which are the only other two colors available in this size.
The EnerGel Euro is part of Pentel’s Recycology line – that means the barrel and mechanism is made of 84% recycled plastic. Yay. The pen runs about 5.4†capped and 5.9″ with the cap posted. The barrel is blue but with black accents for color identification. There’s enough of a grip to be fairly comfortable over long writing time. There are a few “pretty” accents on the cap, and the cap does post securely
This is a good “workhorse†pen. There are a few drawbacks: 1) it’s not refillable. This is a one and done pen. It’s still going to last a while, but you can’t make it last longer. 2) It only comes in 3 primary colors – red, blue, black. Meh. 3) For not being refillable, they’re not the least expensive thing out there.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s decent, especially for the tip size. No frills. The ink is dark and the roller smooth. There can be some smearing, but it’s liquid ink. It happens.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – It’s an inexpensive, plastic, pen. It has a grip that’s pretty comfortable with a nod to ergonomics. The length and balance are good.
3. Material – 1 It’s recycled plastic, but it has a good mechanism and good ink. If you’re ecology conscious or just want to help keep plastic out of landfills, this is a good thing.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s a good, solid everyday stick pen with a very fine point (my favorite) with comfortable dimensions.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s not the most economical Pentel Ener-Gel out there. It’s $2.50 – $2.75 for a single pen. No refills. Only three colors, no multipacks, and only available online.
4.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
