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The pens we love aren’t perfect. Compared with the best pens for most people, they may be expensive, hard to find, particular, or all of the above—but that’s part of their appeal. These aren’t the writing implements we’d get for an office, but they are the pens we buy to treat ourselves.

Anyone looking to make writing or sketching a habit will benefit from the satisfaction of a fountain pen. The Lamy Safari fountain pen feels great not only to write or draw with but also to hold in your hand and pop in your pocket every day. It’s an affordable starter option for people just exploring this wonderfully analog activity. Beware, though: Use of such a tool can lead to a slow descent into an all-consuming fountain-pen hole. Scribble with caution.

Part of the fun of fountain pens is experimenting with different inks. It seems like a boring topic: blue, black, whatever. On the contrary, the world of fountain-pen ink is a deep well of fun. My favorite everyday writing ink is Noodler’s Blue-Black—a deep, stormy shade of blue with a subtle character that jumps off the page without being garish.

When I sat down at the communal breakfast table on the first morning of Wirecutter's annual all-staff meeting, the topic of discussion—unsurprisingly for a group of writers and editors—was pens. I immediately pulled out my trusty Muji Gel-Ink Ballpoint (black, 0.38 mm) and launched into a soliloquy praising its minimalist design and sharp, smooth ink. This pen is cute and capable, and you can get it in a myriad of colors, which, as Wirecutter editor (and fellow Muji pen enthusiast) Kimber Streams noted, makes it great for planner organization. Artists who sketch with ink will appreciate that it also comes in 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm versions. Best of all, both the ink color and the nib size are on the cap, so you can always find the right one quickly in a cluttered bag.

The best pen for me should be easy to carry and to write with no matter where I am, which is why I love the Fisher Bullet Space Pen. It’s short and unobtrusive for slipping into a pocket, but it elongates to normal size once you place the cap on the back. The metal body is sturdy enough to survive in pretty much any environment you find yourself in. Pair that with its light weight, its famed ability to write on almost any surface at any angle, and its reliability, and you have a dependable pen that’s there for you when you need it. Yes, even in space: Astronauts have used versions of this pen since the Apollo lunar missions. (Don’t fall for the Soviet space pencil hoax.) Refill cartridges are affordable, widely available, and made in a variety of tips and ink colors.

Caran d’Ache 849 Brut Rosé ($40 at time of publication; buy it from your local stationery store if you can)

Reading our review of paper planners rekindled my interest in paper and pen, but I wanted something a bit classier than the Bics of my past to complement my leatherbound notebook. This desire led me to my local pen store, Take Note, where I experienced love at first sight when the store owner brought out the Caran d’Ache 849 Brut Rosé.

The 849 is a classic ballpoint design from 1969, most notable for its hexagonal shape and smooth writing—it’s like butter skimming over a hot pan. But I was most taken by its sheer beauty: Not only does it have a rose-gold finish, but that finish is actually made from (1 to 2 microns of) real gold. You need to see it in person to grasp the full effect—a perfect excuse to visit (and buy it from) a local stationer. I’m still on the original cartridge after half a year of regular use, but I like knowing that Caran d’Ache’s Goliath ink refills come in an assortment of tip widths and colors.

—Sam Morrison, senior project manager

Pilot FriXion Clicker Erasable Gel Ink Pen ($9 for a pack of two)

The Pilot FriXion is the erasable pen I wished for as an error-prone student who disliked using a pencil. Unlike the skipping, messy erasable pens of my childhood that didn’t fully erase, the retractable Frixion Clicker writes like a good gel pen, erases cleanly, and even has a comfortable grip. I’m partial to the Clicker version with a fine (.7) point, but it’s available in a slew of pen styles, tips, and colors.

Because of the way the ink works (rubbing the hard-rubber eraser generates heat that neutralizes the ink dye), the ink can reappear in extremely cold temperatures and can disappear in very hot environments. But in most situations, it’s as close to magic as you’ll find. (As one pen store puts it, "FriXion erasable ink belongs in the mythical world of unicorns and fairies.") And it’s a great value too: You can get a pack of seven colors for around $10.

Sakura Pigma Micron ($11 for a set of six)

I’ve never gotten over the satisfaction of taking a blocky, wet Crayola marker and filling in a page in a coloring book. Even as an adult, for everyday writing I gravitate toward inky, wet pens like the Sakura Pigma Micron 02. It has a marker-like feel but produces a thin and cleanly defined line of archival ink that doesn’t bleed through pages. Micron pens are a favorite in the bullet journal community because they’re good for both lettering and drawing, and they come in a wide array of colors and sizes.

I like the 02 thickness because it passes the Goldilocks test: It’s neither too thick nor too thin, so it gives you enough control for fine lettering while still offering that inky marker feel. Wirecutter production assistant Claudia Morales prefers the thinner 005 pens because “they produce razor-thin lines without the ink being at all faint or inconsistent.” She also notes that the ink it puts on the page looks better than that of even a nice ballpoint, especially with time. The 005 tips are more fragile, however, so they require a lot of focus to use. But that’s a good thing when you’re working on meaningful projects like hand-lettering zines or writing in personal notebooks.

Whether you’re sending your kid back to school, planning for more distance learning, or preparing for a hybrid of the two, here’s the gear you need.

We’ve found six totes in a variety of styles and materials that’ll suit your schlep, regardless if it’s to the grocery store, a fancy dinner, or the beach.

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Never lend out the Uni-ball Jetstream—it will invariably be “borrowed” permanently.

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