Image	Product	Features	Price
	Montblanc		Check Price
	LAMY		Check Price
	ST Dupont		Check Price
	Montegrappa		Check Price
	Pilot		Check Price

A great pen can make a huge difference in your writing experience, regardless of whether you’re using it daily or occasionally. If you’re on a quest to find that perfect pen that writes smoothly, rests comfortably in your hand, and has a beautiful design, we’ve selected the best pen brands known for their high-quality product portfolio.

We all value the opinions of experts and the Truphae team is well-versed in all things related to pens and writing instruments, so in the following paragraphs, we’ll dive into each brand’s history, cover what makes each brand special, and explore our favorite pens from each brand. 

Best Pen Brands

The Truphae store has over 80 pen brands you can choose from at different price points. We have a variety of American, German, Italian, British, French, Japanese, and many other pen brands from all over the world, but the ones we’ll talk about below are some of our favorites, and after reading this article, you’ll know why.

Best Pen Brand Overall - Montblanc

Montblanc is mainly known for their luxury pens and writing instruments, but they also produce other luxury items, such as watches, bags, leather goods, jewelry, fragrances, and accessories. The company was established in Hamburg, Germany, in 1906 by August Eberstein and Alfred Nehemias. By combining their expertise in design and banking, they created their first line of fountain pens.

Although they initially produced simple fountain pens, they quickly moved on to the production of luxury pens by using premium materials and impeccable craftsmanship, and so their first luxury fountain pen was created in 1908. But the pen that made all the difference for the company was their first Meisterstück fountain pen. Launched in 1924, this fountain pen instantly became a sensation and made Montblanc the high-end manufacturer we know and love today.

The company has been producing high-end writing equipment made with high-quality, premium materials, such as platinum, iridium, gold, silver, and even diamonds, for over 100 years, and is now known as one the best pen brands in the world. 

Let us introduce you to their Meisterstück 149 and see what makes it so special.

Montblanc Meisterstück 149  

Specifications

Manufacturer	Montblanc
Color	Black with gold, Black with platinum
Weight	32 gr
Length	147 mm
Series	Meisterstück 149
Material	Resin

Pros & Cons

Pros

• A classic executive pen
• 18k gold nib
• Pen emojis are based on this pen
• Fine or medium nib size

Cons

• A high price for a resin-body pen

The Montblanc Meisterstück 149 Gold Coated Fountain Pen is a luxury writing tool that’s known for its sophisticated and elegant design. The barrel is made of high-quality black resin and the iconic Montblanc white star emblem is located on the cap.

Its best feature is the 18k handcrafted gold nib that provides a smooth and effortless writing experience, which is what most Montblanc aficionados are after. It’s a refillable pen that will last you for years to come and can be passed down to future generations.

If you’re a fan of timeless style and exceptional craftsmanship, the Montblanc Meisterstück 149 is the ideal pen for you.

Browse our store to look through the largest selection of both preowned and new Montblanc pens available online if you’re interested in purchasing your first Meisterstück.

Best Value Pen Brand Overall - LAMY

LAMY is another German pen manufacturing company that’s been producing pens and other writing equipment since the 1930s. Compared to the other pen brands on this list, it has a wide selection of budget-friendly writing equipment, but high-quality nonetheless. 

The company was founded by Josef Lamy, who was previously a sales representative at Parker Pen, but wanted to apply all that he had learned and found his own company. LAMY is a pioneer in the use of molded synthetic plastic to make durable and high-quality products.

Today, they produce fountain pens, mechanical pencils, ballpoint pens, multisystem pens, ink, ink erasers, and other products, but still maintain their high standards when it comes to producing superior pens with high-tech materials and minimal design.

Here’s our LAMY pen recommendation.

The LAMY Safari 

Specifications

Manufacturer	LAMY
Color	Aquamarine, Mango, Violet, Savannah Green, Terra Cotta
Weight	10 g
Length	140 mm
Material	ABS plastic
Series	Safari

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Great fountain pen for beginners
• Smart design that enables you to check the ink levels through a window
• Ergonomic pen that helps get your hand in an ideal writing position
• Affordable price

Cons

• Uses only proprietary LAMY refills
• The converter is sold separately
• Not everyone is fond of the triangular grip section

The LAMY Safari is one of LAMY’s most popular pens due to its affordability and great design. It's the perfect pen for beginner fountain pen users since it enables anyone to properly hold the pen with the help of the triangular grip section.

Another key feature is the interchangeable nib that allows you to easily switch between different nibs based on your preferences. The small window on the pen helps you check your current ink levels so you’re never left without ink when it’s least convenient.

All of these features, paired with LAMY’s attention to detail during the production of each pen, is what makes this brand one of the best pen brands in the world.

Best Luxury Pen Brands - S.T. Dupont

S.T. Dupont is a French company that was established back in 1972 by Simon Tissot-Dupont. It initially produced leather briefcases for diplomats and businessmen, but later expanded to producing other luxury goods, such as pens, handbags, lighters, perfumes, and cigarettes.

It’s currently the manufacturer of some of the best fountain pens and pen accessories in the world due to its heritage of crafting exquisite writing instruments for over 140 years. They use the finest materials and manufacturing techniques to create writing equipment that’s both functional and beautiful.

Each ST Dupont pen is elegant, luxurious, and durable, hence the brand’s long-standing image as one of the best pen brands on the market today.

Let’s see what our favorite ST Dupont pen is all about.

ST Dupont Line D Large

Specifications

Manufacturer	ST Dupont
Color	Black
Weight	45 gr
Length	148 mm
Material	Palladium, natural lacquer
Series	Line D

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Classic minimal design
• High-quality materials
• Soft nib

Cons

• A bit heavy for people with smaller hands

The ST Dupont Line D is a pen that you can count on during long writing sessions. It features a 14k gold nib that comes in various nib sizes (extra fine, fine, medium, and broad) to suit the needs of each pen aficionado. Its design is another thing that stands out, however, the best feature is the pen’s finish, made of natural urushi lacquer, typically used to make high-quality Japanese pens.

Each pen is hand-assembled in France and is held to the highest production standards for fountain pens. It’s a pen that will probably stay with you for a long while due to its high quality, which is proved by the lifetime warranty that the company issues.

Best Design Pen Brand - Montegrappa

Montegrappa is an Italian manufacturer of quality pens and writing equipment that has been in the pen market for 111 years. The company was founded in 1912 in the picturesque town of Bassano del Grappa, which is known for its long tradition of craftsmanship. Their main slogan since they founded the company is "Manifattura pennini d'oro e penne stilografiche" ("Maker of gold nibs and fountain pens"), and they’re still operating from their factory on the river Brenta.

The company used to be known for producing writing instruments for soldiers of both sides during World War II. Their pens were also used by two famous 20th-century writers, Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos, which is another tribute to their exquisite craftsmanship.

Montegrappa is now known for producing a wide variety of writing instruments, such as fountain pens, rollerballs, and ballpoints, in a variety of colors and materials, such as celluloid and galalith.

Let’s explore one of their most popular pens.

Montegrappa Brenta Fountain Pen

Specifications

Manufacturer	Montegrappa
Color	Black
Weight	28.35 gr
Length	149 mm
Material	Resin
Series	Brenta

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Available in 6 nib sizes 
• Cartridge/converter ink feeding system
• Stainless steel fountain nib

Cons

• The nib isn’t made of gold, which is a given for a pen of this price range

The inspiration behind the pen’s name and design comes from the river that flows past Montegrappa's historic headquarters in the town of Bassano del Grappa. This river connects Trento, Bassano, Padua, and Venice, and flows to the Adriatic Sea, and the wave formation is reflected in the pen’s silhouette and wavy design, which comes to life through its resin-made barrel and cap. The well-designed nib is made from stainless steel and comes in 6 different sizes (extra fine, fine, medium, broad, 1.1mm stub, and 1.5mm stub).

This fountain pen showcases the high technical sophistication of Montegrappa as a brand and why it’s on our list of the best pen brands to start your collection with.

Best Honorable Mention - Pilot

Last but not least, we have the Japanese company Pilot, which is one of the largest pen manufacturers in the world. Founded in 1918, the company is known for producing outstanding writing instruments that are a tribute to Japanese craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Pilot is the company that invented the modern liquid ink ballpoint pens that we know and love and revolutionized the writing industry as a result. Apart from fountain pens, they also produce ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils, and rollerball pens.

The company constantly focuses on developing new designs and materials for its products, which is why it has a longstanding reputation for precision, quality, and innovation. They currently produce a large number of writing instruments, ranging from high-end luxury fountain pens to disposable pens.

Here’s one of our Pilot favorites.

Pilot Metropolitan

Specifications

Manufacturer	Pilot
Color	Black Crocodile, Plain Black,  Bronze Lizard, White Tiger
Weight	29 gr
Length	138 mm
Material	Brass
Series	Metropolitan

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Affordable price
• Available both as a ballpoint and fountain pen
• Can use different refills

Cons

• Some ink colors look better than others

The Pilot Metropolitan won’t put a dent in your budget, and still you’ll end up owning a high-quality EDC pen. It’s a pen with a minimal design that’s a great partner during long writing sessions. 

The Metropolitan’s barrel and cap are made of brass and are extremely durable, yet the pen’s still fairly light, making it perfect for those who dislike plastic pens. And the best feature is the animal print glossy midsection that makes this pen stand out from others. It comes in four different versions, each one featuring a different animal print. 

Lastly, the pen works with different types of Pilot refills, so you’re not limited to only using proprietary refills.

The 411 on Pen Types

The best pen brands are often those with a wide array of pens available in their arsenal, and below, we’ll go over the most common ones.

Ballpoint Pens

Ballpoint pens are the go-to pens nowadays due to their affordability and oil-based ink that dries quickly and rarely smudges. They operate with the help of a small ball at the tip of the pen that distributes the ink over the paper as you’re writing. Rollerball and gel pens use the same mechanism and the only difference between these types of pens is the ink they use.

Rollerball Pens

Rollerball pens use the same mechanism as ballpoint pens, but different ink that’s water-based. This type of ink needs more time to dry, however, it provides a smoother writing experience.

Gel Pens

Gel pens also use water-based ink, but it’s not the same as the ink used in fountain pens. This ink has a higher pigment-to-water ratio while also providing you with a smooth writing experience.

Fountain Pens

Fountain pens are the most luxurious pens in the world that are favored by calligraphy aficionados due to their unique nibs. They use water-based ink that’s a bit more liquid than the one in rollerball pens, resulting in an effortless writing process. The only downside is that they tend to smudge more than any other pen, so you need to be careful. 

The pen works as a result of gravity that pulls the ink from the reservoir towards the tip of the pen when it’s in an upright position. Then, the ink flows similar to how the blood in our capillaries flows, until it comes down to the two halves of the nib, called tines, that are pushed apart and let the ink flow when pressed onto the paper.

Ergonomic Pens

Last but not least, we have ergonomic pens, which can come in the form of rollerball, ballpoint, fountain, or gel pens. Ergonomic pens provide a comfortable grip that allows your hand to have a more natural position as you’re writing, making them perfect for long writing sessions.

Conclusion

We hope our reviews will help you make the most informed decision when choosing your next writing instrument. 

If you’re looking for a pen that has a timeless design and offers superior writing experience, we suggest you try the Montblanc Meisterstück 149, or any other pen that’s on this list and has been vetted by our team of experts at Truphae.

We invite you to leave a comment below and let us know what you think about our suggestions or share your experience if you've used any of the pens on this list. We look forward to reading your input.