I’m passionate about keeping a bullet journal, and one of my favourite aspects is choosing a new theme each month.
Since I began journaling in 2019, I've experimented with a wide range of materials—from alcohol-based Promarkers to brush pens and watercolours.
However, I’ve often faced frustrating issues like ink bleeding through pages, rollerball skips disrupting clean lines, or fineliners feathering and ghosting.
Having dealt with these hassles first-hand, I know exactly what to look for in the perfect pen. Here’s a look at several popular models and some of my go-to pens from the past five years.
Tom's Studio Lumos Pro
Key features:
- Double tipped
- Fineliner / Felt tip / Chisel tip / Brush / Writing
- Water-based
- RRP: £95.99
The Lumos Pro is an infinitely refillable fineliner, felt tip, and writing pen - the revolutionary brain-child of Tom's Studio. This is a fabulous pen, and one I would highly recommend to anyone interested in sustainability and quality writing tools.
Upon first opening the pen, I was a bit puzzled by the concept. The idea of an 'infinitely refillable' pen was intriguing, but the instructions seemed a bit daunting. Thankfully, the accompanying video made everything clear, and once I figured it out, I found the whole process very satisfying.
The pen comes with 11 different tips, catering to all your writing needs, and switching between them is straightforward - though the felt tip required a bit of a push, it all worked out in the end.
Using the Lumos Pro is a dream. The ink flows smoothly, with no skips or smudges, making every line crisp and clean, whether I'm sketching, writing, or doing calligraphy.
The pen's design is both luxurious and eco-friendly, offering a range of colours and a versatile double-ended option. Although it’s an investment, the Lumos Pro’s quality, sustainability, and long-term value make it well worth the price.
Pros: Sustainable, all your writing needs in one place, high quality, amazing ink flow and lines
Cons: A bit pricey, a learning curve to set up
Pentel Brush Sign Pen Twin Nib
Key features:
- Double tipped
- Brush pen
- Water-based
- RRP: £3.99
The Pentel Brush Sign Pen Twin Nib is an excellent choice for vibrant, colourful brush lines.
This double-tipped pen features a thicker nib on one end and a thinner nib on the other, offering versatility for different lettering styles.
It’s comfortable to use, though it lacks a rubber grip, and is lightweight for ease of handling.
The pen glides smoothly across the page—the larger nib is soft and ideal for bold, expansive lettering but can be less precise in tight spaces. In contrast, the smaller nib provides a firmer tip for precise control and fine details.
With high-quality coverage, quick-drying water-based ink, and minimal feathering, bleeding, or smudging, this pen performs admirably, though it may darken areas when passed over multiple times.
Priced at £3.99 each, or £69 for a pack of 30 (effectively giving you 60 pens), it’s a bit of an investment, but the quality justifies the cost.
Pros: Double-tipped, wide range of shades, high quality ink, doesn't bleed.
Cons: Quite pricey, can be harder to colour in with a brush pen
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Pentel Brush Sign Pen
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Brush pens
- Water-based
- RRP: £3.55
I've also tried the original Pentel Brush Sign Pens, and while they are similar to the Twin Tips, they offer a slightly different texture.
The nib size matches the smaller side of the Twin Tips, but the ink flow can be a bit more temperamental. When the ink flow is strong, I actually prefer the finish over that of the Twin Tips. However, I did notice that a few pens needed to be used more slowly to get an even line of ink coverage.
These pens provide excellent control, making them ideal for smaller lettering and precise colouring.
They are lightweight and easy to handle, despite lacking a rubber grip, and they deliver high-quality coverage with a subtle watercolour paint effect.
The ink is water-based and doesn’t feather, bleed, or smudge, although I did notice a tiny bit of ghosting when using darker colours.
Priced at £3.55 each, or £18 for a pack of 12 on Amazon, these pens offer amazing value for their quality.
Pros: Great value, high quality, wide range of shades
Cons: Not double-tipped, ink a bit temperamental
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Pentel Energel Xm Retractable
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Gel pens
- Water-based
- RRP: £3.59
The Pentel Energel Xm Retractable Gel Pens pleasantly surprised me, especially since my past experiences with gel pens were marred by smudged pages and inky hands.
However, these pens defied my expectations—they dry instantly, with no smudging, ghosting, or feathering. After months of use, I’ve yet to encounter any skipping or inconsistent lines.
These pens are lightweight, with a satisfying click mechanism and a rubber grip for comfort and slip resistance.
The ink is smooth, rich, and deep, though the actual colour doesn’t always perfectly match the exterior casing.
They’re priced at £3.59 each, or you can get a pack of 12 for £20 on Amazon, which offers good value for their quality.
Pros: Dries instantly, no skipping or smudging, wide range of colours
Cons: Colour doesn't always exactly match the casing
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STAEDTLER Triplus Colour Fibre-Tip
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Felt tip
- Water-based
- RRP: £10.95
The Staedtler Triplus Fibre-Tip Pens have been a staple in my pencil case for as long as I can remember. They’re a solid choice if you’re looking for a good value felt-tip pen.
These pens glide smoothly across the page, and while they’re not double-tipped, the quality holds up—just be aware that the colour shows up darker with multiple layers.
One thing I’ve noticed is that if you go over the same spot too much, the pen can cause a bit of furriness on the paper. On the plus side, there’s no smudging, feathering, or bleeding—just a little ghosting.
When it comes to colouring in sections, these are much easier to control than brush pens, making them great for precise work. However, they don’t cover as much area and might not give you that same beautiful look for handwriting.
They come in a handy hard case that keeps everything organised, and with 26 colours to choose from, you’re covered for just about anything. I tested 20 of the colours, and at £10.95 for the set, they’re a fantastic value - perfect for back-to-school season!
Pros: Great value, handy hard case, good control
Cons: Not as impressive hand-writing results
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STAEDTLER Triplus Colour Fineliner
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Fineliner
- Water-based
- RRP: £16
If you love the Staedtler Triplus Fibre-Tip Pens, then their Triplus Colour Fineliners are the perfect companion. I’ve found these to be fantastic for writing notes, doodling, and adding those fine details to any project.
These fineliners are water-based and create smooth, precise lines without bleeding or feathering. They’re not double-tipped, which keeps things simple, but be careful—they can smudge if you rub them right away. Give them a quick 3 seconds to dry, and you’re good to go.
They come in a range of 60 colours, though I tested 20 of them, including some lovely pastel shades. Plus, they’re neatly organised in a sturdy hard case, which is always a bonus.
Compared to the Pentel Energel, these fineliners are less vibrant, offering more of a watercolour effect.
One thing to note is that the tip can go flat with continued use, but overall, they’re a solid choice. At £16 for a set of 20, they’re decent value for such reliable pens!
Pros: Great value, matching colours to felt tips, comes in a hard case
Cons: Longer dry time
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STAEDTLER Metallic Calligraphy
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Calligraphy
- Water-based
- RRP: £17.64
I recently tried the STAEDTLER Metallic Calligraphy pens, and while they’re a fun addition to your pencil case, they’re not ideal for journaling.
They’re comfortable to hold, though a bit narrow and slightly slippery in hand. I was expecting a smooth glide, but it was an odd experience—these pens only started to feel smooth a few days after opening, and even then, the ink was inconsistent, with gappy lines and tips that felt a bit frayed.
They also smudge quite easily. There’s some ghosting, and it takes a good 10 seconds to dry - which isn't ideal if you're in a hurry.
When the ink does flow properly, the quality is good, but the shimmer is underwhelming, and the colours don’t quite match the caps. I didn’t try these pens on black paper, as none of my journals have coloured pages, but I imagine they’d work better if you’re drawing on darker backgrounds.
The pens are water-based and come in a set of 10 metallic colours, and £17.64 for 10, they’re a bit pricey for what you get. Overall, not the best value for money considering the issues I encountered.
Pros: Can be used on black paper, calligraphy tips for writing, metallic colours
Cons: Temperamental ink, shows through journal paper, a bit overpriced
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Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
Key features:
- Single-tipped
- Brush pen
- Water-based
- RRP: £3.90
I’ve been using the Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens for several years now, and they were my first foray into the world of brush handwriting!
These pens are top-notch. I use the hard tip for smaller, more controlled writing and the soft tip for larger, more expressive lettering. They work best on non-textured paper, which is ideal for journaling.
Single-tipped and easy to hold, these pens offer a smooth ink flow with minimal bleeding or ghosting, depending on the paper’s thickness. There’s no smudging or feathering to worry about.
They retail for £3.90 each, or £5.79 for a pack of two on Amazon. I absolutely love these pens and believe they’re a fantastic value for money.
Pros: Great quality, brush tips, varying elasticity.
Cons: Don't work as well on textured paper
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When all the scribbling's over...
The right pen can make or break your journaling experience - it’s just as important as the journal itself! We hope you’ve found your new favourite pen today.
Find your new favourite bullet journal with Gathered
Find the perfect bullet journal to complement your new pens with Gathered. Browse our selection of tried and tested bullet journals and elevate your journaling experience!
