I like Bic and Papermate because they’re cheap and put ink on the paper like they’re supposed to. After years of using more expensive brands like Pentel, I’ve decided to stop using them because their ink doesn’t go on the paper as evenly.
I’m very keen on Reform pens with their iridium nibs, though unfortunately they’re no longer made. I don’t really have a favorite brand of ink, though I’m currently pretty happy with a bottle of Private Reserve.
Waterman.
I like Papermate better than Bic, because the blue ink lays down a little darker, at least with my hand.
Cheap pens are awesome though. If somebody wants me to loan them a pen, I just give it to them. The old Bic crystals used to smudge, but today certain cheap pens have fairly solid quality.
Pilot G-2 with the 0.38mm ball. I like retractables. If you can’t find the 0.38s, the 0.5s will work almost as well. You can get refills at office depot type stores too.
I generally buy the blue papermates in the ten-pack that sells for two bucks or so. They write well for a reasonable amount of time. Usually I lose them before I’m finished with them. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Bic. Blue. Medium point. Crystal. (The classic Bic, or at least what I think of as the classic Bic–the one with a hexagonal, clear barrel. They used to be ubiquitous, but the last time I was at Staples, they didn’t have any.) I like blue because it contrasts with black typed ink and it’s easy to distinguish signed original documents from copies, and I like medium point because it just feels silky smooth when writing, while fine and extra fine just feel “scratchy” to me. Plus I just like the thicker stroke. (I believe they’re either 1.0 mm or 1.2 mm.)
Pilot G2. Once you use one, you’ll never go back to the cheap ones that work “good enough”.
Pilot G-2, 0.5mm, black. I buy refills.
Pilot G2 1.0 ONLY. I like a bold line.
You’ve got to watch them like a hawk though. Everybody wants to steal them.
I have several Chinese-made pens that are beautiful, smooth writers. I favor Noodlers ink.
I still like my Jotter from Parker. It never runs dry.
Yes, sometimes a bad cartridge can leak, but its the only pen I’d take the trouble to disassemble, soak in a tin can of gas, rinse off, and then spritz with WD-40 to clean.
You should try upgrading to a Parker Sonnet. Great pen, good weight in the hand, smooth ink flow. I use a Sonnet FP as my daily writer, but the ballpoint is also good.
I used to love the Zebra F-402, which are solid and reliable pens that don’t cost to much, but a few years ago, I started using fountain pens exclusively, and I’ve never gone back. They produce a much darker line, and are very satisfying to write with.
I’m a pen collector of sorts.
Whenever I go to a new place on vacation or a fun trip, I always buy a pen since they tend to have them regardless of where you go, so my pen collection is from that.
As an aside: Did you need to say “ink pen” in the title? What other kind of pens are there? Epi?
ETA: Not trying to be snarky or anything, it just struck me as an ATM Machine/GPS System kind of phrase
+1 especially for fountain pens.
Another lead contender for both fountain and “ball” is LeBoeuf. I believe they are out of business but still pretty readily available. In a lot of ways they are stronger than Waterman and last longer in daily use and for people like me with short thick fingers they have a really great feel somewhat like a Montblanc.
I had received a Cross pen as a graduation gift twenty-(mumbly) years ago. It still works flawlessly. My only complaint about it is, as the arthritis in my hand progresses, it gets harder to grip.
Pilot G2, 0.5 or 0.7. I keep one black, one blue, and one red on my desk at work.
Me, too. Love the thick dark Bold and love the rubber grip.
PaperMate Flexgrip Ultra user here.
My go-to work pen is the Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pen.