The 42 Best Pens for 2023: Gel, Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pens | JetPens

The title of “The Best Pen” is a weighty one—not everyone wants the same things from their pens, and what makes for one person’s perfect pen may be intolerable to another. It’s also true that different types of pens aren’t directly comparable. The best fountain pen has different characteristics from the best gel pen, and the best pens for writing aren’t the same as the best pens for art.

To make this guide as useful as possible, we’ve limited our choices to the best pens in specific categories instead of ranking all of the pens together. We also link to more detailed guides wherever possible so that you can read more about our reasoning and see competing pens. We encourage you to explore, evaluate our picks, and draw your own conclusions—who knows, you might find your One True Pen!