These days, consumers are spoilt for choice with numerous gel pens available from the likes of Pilot, Zebra, Muji, and uni-ball. Whether you are looking for a set of black or white gel ink pens for art and crafting or coloured ones for taking notes in class, in this article we'll run down the best gel ink pens to buy online from Amazon, eBay and Argos.
Quick List - Top Gel Ink Pens
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Sticking to blue or black ink is perhaps more appropriate for the workplace. Gel ink pens are a good choice for business professionals as they allow allow you to write quickly and deliver a steady, consistent line that won’t fade.
The thickness of the line will be dependent on the size of the tip. Here's a quick rundown of some of the sizes available to you:
0.38 or 0.4 mm: Extra small tip made for more technical drawings and fine detailing.
0.5 to 0.7 mm: Gives you a medium stroke that's best suited for day to day writing.
1 mm and over: Creates bolder lines for stronger detailing
Pen grips are available in a wide range of variations from soft and malleable to a firm or dotted grip. The type you opt for will depend on the strength of your grip and personal preference. We recommend those with a strong grasp to pick pens with squishier, rubberised grips to avoid hand strain.
A pen grip can also be used to teach children to hold and use pens correctly and re-train adults who may have fallen into bad habits. Strong finger and hand muscles are required to hold a pen properly, and pen grips guide your fingers into the correct placement, improving dexterity and preventing cramping.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Paper Mate 1. Pilot Juice Gel Ink Pens | ![]() | Vibrant Gel Ink Pens That Tick All of the Boxes | |
2 | SAKURA 4. Sakura Soufflé 3-D Opaque Gel Pens | ![]() | Perfect for Detailed Drawing, Lettering and Journaling | |
3 | Pilot 5. Pilot G-Tec-C Maica Ultra Fine Techpoint Gel Pen | ![]() | Best Fine Tip Pen for Technical Drawing | |
4 | Zebra 3. Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Pens – Milk Colour | ![]() | Pastel Gel Ink Pens With Fast Drying Ink | |
5 | Smiggle 6. Dong-A Miffy Scented Gel Pens | ![]() | A Bumper Selection of Scented, Glitter, Neon and Pastel Gel Pens | |
6 | uni-ball 2. Uni-ball UM-120 Signo Metallic Gel Pens | ![]() | Sparkling Gel Ink Pens That Won’t Pool or Bleed | |
7 | Zebra 7. Zebra Sarasa Clip Marble Colour Gel Pens | ![]() | A Set of Nostalgic Colour-Changing Gel Ink Pens | |
8 | Sakura 8. Sakura Gelly Roll White Pens | ![]() | The Best White Gel Ink Pens Available | |
9 | Muji 9. Muji Gel Ink Ballpoint Pens | ![]() | A Good Choice for Student Note-Taking | |
10 | Pilot 10. Pilot FriXion Point Erasable Rollerball Pens | ![]() | Heat-Sensitive Gel Ink Pens With Erasable Ink |
Each pen's tinted barrel matches the colour of ink inside making them easily identifiable and a translucent window displays the remaining ink supply, so you can see when you’re running low. With textured, rubberized grips these gel ink pens are designed for comfortable, enjoyable use and the durable clip lets you fasten your pen to a notebook, binder or pocket. Brilliant!
Also coming in metallic or pastel ink, we especially loved this sparkling ink option as it shines and glimmers like fairy dust! Offering a semi-translucent layer, they are best used on a base of the same colour for optimum results. The viscosity of the ink stops pooling by delivering a steady even stream, but the ink dries quickly preventing feathering and bleeding too.
The ink in gel pens comprises of colour pigment suspended in a water-based gel. When not in use, the gel is fairly solid which stops it from clumping or leaking. As you write, the movement of the ball in the tip of the pen exerts force which turns the ink into a liquid allowing it to flow out easily.
Gel ink pens are relatively fast drying with the ink returning to a solid state upon contact with paper. Once gel ink has dried it’s not going anywhere; most gel inks are resistant to fading, water and chemicals making them an excellent choice when it comes to permanency.
It's never not a good time to start dabbling in a new arts and crafts project. If you're looking for some inspiration, check out our related articles for lots of ideas sure to keep you occupied!
Author: Wren Mann
No. 1: Paper Mate|1. Pilot Juice Gel Ink Pens
No. 2: SAKURA|4. Sakura Soufflé 3-D Opaque Gel Pens
No. 3: Pilot |5. Pilot G-Tec-C Maica Ultra Fine Techpoint Gel Pen
No. 4: Zebra|3. Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Pens – Milk Colour
No. 5: Smiggle|6. Dong-A Miffy Scented Gel Pens
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