[Pen/Pencil Review] Padrino Tech Silver Roller Ball Pen – Black Ink

This week’s pen is the last one of my birthday pens from Paradise Pen Company. This is one of their signature brand pens – a Padrino. This is the Padrino Tech Silver Roller Ball Pen in black ink. This is a moderately priced gift/luxury ball point pen. It retails for $45, but right now it’s on sale for $20 online (and probably in store, if you can find it. I think I got the last one at the Dallas store).

The Padrino Tech has a brushed silver barrel with a smooth, modern sweeping clip. The cap is solid and posts well. There’s no fear of the cap flying off willy nilly. It takes a good tug to get the cap off. The clip is sturdy and solid. This pen won’t go anywhere without an effort.

The pen writes smoothly and has a good weight and balance. It’s about 5.25″ long capped and just over 5.5″ with the cap posted. It’s is long enough to be comfortable with a medium diameter for a decent grip – no ergonomics. The finish can show dirt – I thought I saw dings, but just buffed them out with little effort. But I’d still be careful in a purse or briefcase.

If you need a gift pen, or a pen just to look good on your work desk, you can’t go wrong with this one. With the easily findable refill, it’s easy to use over the long-term. The sale price, makes it quite reasonable for a graduation gift or any other reason. It’s a well-built pen, which is something I’ve come to expect from Paradise Pen Company. Padrino is their “house” brand and stands up to more expensive brands.

To the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s good. It’s a smooth ink in a decent point. The twist retraction mechanism is smooth and easy to use.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – It has no real ergonomics. There’s no good grip, just the brushed metal finish. The cap lock creates a ridge that can dig in during long term use.
3. Material – 1 It’s a solid metal pen. It has a strong, artistic clip. The finish seems like it shows marks, but cleans well and easily.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s a standard capped roller ball point pen. But it works well, looks good, and cleans better than I expected. This is a pen that will live out its investment.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – If you pay full price, it’s expensive at $45. The fact that even the website has it for $20 makes it a good value for its class – but it is refillable so there’s that, but it’s definitely an investment pen.

4.0 out of 5 Bronze Pencils