Pens & Writing Gifts
How to Choose a Fountain Pen: What Actually Decides It
Five specifications separate a fountain pen somebody keeps from one that ends up in a drawer, and only two of them are reliably printed on the listing. Here is what to check, in the order that matters.
How this page is funded. Buying through a link here earns us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend or the order we recommend it in, and we have not handled these products ourselves — see how we pick and the full disclosure.
The short answer
Buy the LAMY Safari in a fine nib. It is the right first fountain pen for most people, because it is the one that prints its nib width on the listing instead of leaving you to guess. Buy the PILOT Metropolitan instead if this is a gift, or if you want bottled ink working on day one - it is the one with a converter in the box. Buy the Parker Jotter Duo if you are not certain the recipient likes fountain pens at all, because it puts a ballpoint in the same box as insurance.
Everything below is how those three answers were reached, written so you can run the same test on a pen that is not on this page.
How we judged, before any ranking
A fountain pen is not really bought on how it looks, however much the product photography suggests otherwise. It is bought on five things, listed here in descending order of how often each one is the reason a pen stops being used.
- Is the nib width published? This is the single most useful fact about a fountain pen and the one most often withheld. A pen sold without a stated width is a pen you are buying blind.
- How does it take ink? Cartridge only, converter included, or converter sold separately. This decides what the pen costs to run and whether bottled ink - the actual point of the format - is available to you without a second order.
- What does the grip section make you do? Some grips are molded to force one hold. That is a teaching aid for a beginner and an irritation for an adult who already holds a pen their own way.
- Body material and weight. Brass and steel feel expensive and tire a hand faster. Plastic is lighter and reads cheaper. Neither is correct; they suit different hands and different session lengths.
- Will refills still exist in five years? A proprietary fitting from a maker with no real distribution is a pen with a shelf life.
1. The nib width, and why listings hide it
Nib width is the difference between a pen that fits a planner box and one that does not. A fine nib lays a narrow line that works in a weekly grid and behaves on ordinary paper. A medium lays down more ink, which looks better on good paper and shows through thin paper.
The LAMY Safari publishes size F on the listing. The Metropolitan publishes medium. The Parker Jotter Duo set publishes nothing at all - Parker does not state a nib width for it, and we will not assert one on Parker's behalf. That absence is the honest reason the Jotter set sits third here rather than first, despite being the easier gift.
There is a second trap worth knowing. Japanese nibs run narrower than European ones at the same label, so a Japanese medium sits closer to a European fine. That is why the Metropolitan's medium is more usable in small spaces than the word suggests. Nib sizes explained lines the widths up properly.
2. How the pen takes ink - the specification that sets running cost
Every fountain pen takes a cartridge: a sealed tube of ink you push onto the back of the nib unit. Most also accept a converter, a small refillable piston that replaces the cartridge and draws ink from a bottle. The converter is what makes a fountain pen cheap to run and genuinely interesting to own, because it opens up every bottled ink ever made.
| Pen | Ink supplied | Converter | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAMY Safari | One LAMY T 10 blue cartridge | Z 28 listed as a recommended accessory, not included | Writes out of the box; bottled ink needs a second purchase |
| PILOT Metropolitan | One black cartridge and a press-plate converter | Included in the box | Bottled ink available on day one with nothing else to buy |
| Parker Jotter Duo | Blue fountain-pen cartridges and a blue ballpoint refill | Not stated on the listing | Assume cartridges only unless the specific set says otherwise |
This is the one place the Metropolitan clearly beats the Safari. LAMY lists the Z 28 converter as a recommended accessory rather than putting one in the box, so a Safari buyer who wants bottled ink is making a second order. PILOT simply includes it. For a gift that difference matters more than it sounds, because it removes a step the recipient may otherwise never take.
Fittings are proprietary and do not cross brands - a LAMY cartridge will not fit a PILOT, and neither will fit a Parker. Pen refills and cartridges has the part numbers, and it is worth two minutes before you buy rather than after.
Quick picks
Ranked for the person doing the buying. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LAMY Safari Fountain Pen, Umbra, Fine Nib A German-made steel-nibbed fountain pen with a molded grip that teaches the hold, and a nib width printed on the listing rather than left to guess. | A first fountain pen that is actually usable | $30.95 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
| 2 |  PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Black, Medium Nib A weighted brass barrel and a converter in the box, which is more pen for the money than anything else here. | A brass-bodied fountain pen with a converter included | |
| 3 |  Parker Jotter Duo Gift Set, Ballpoint and Fountain Pen Two pens in one box, one for signing and one for writing, in a design that has not needed changing since 1954. | The pen gift set to buy first | $35.17 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
| 4 |  LAMY T10 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Blue, 5-Pack The cartridge the Safari ships with, five at a time - the part that turns a one-cartridge gift into a pen somebody keeps using. | A LAMY Safari that has run dry | $6.51 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
1. A first fountain pen that is actually usable
LAMY Safari Fountain Pen, Umbra, Fine Nib
A German-made steel-nibbed fountain pen with a molded grip that teaches the hold, and a nib width printed on the listing rather than left to guess.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
A fine nib is the right default for a gift because it is the width that works in a planner. Broad and medium nibs are lovely on letter paper and unusable in a weekly grid.
The molded grip is the Safari's most divisive feature. It forces the standard tripod hold, which is genuinely helpful for a beginner and genuinely irritating for anyone who holds a pen differently.
One cartridge is not much ink. A bottle or a pack of cartridges alongside turns this from a pen into a working setup, and costs very little.
| Nib | Size F (fine), polished steelThe width is published, which the Parker Jotter sets do not do.Source: Amazon listing - LAMY safari umbra fountain pen, size F nib |
|---|---|
| Grip | Molded ergonomic grip section, listed right-handedIt only allows one hold, which is a teaching aid and, for some hands, an annoyance.Source: Amazon listing - LAMY safari umbra fountain pen, size F nib |
| Supplied ink | One LAMY T 10 blue cartridgeSource: Amazon listing - LAMY safari umbra fountain pen, size F nib |
| Made in | GermanyLAMY states its writing instruments are produced at the company site in Heidelberg.Source: LAMY - safari fountain pen product page |
What it does well
- Nib width published, so you know what you are buying.
- Fine nib suits planner boxes and everyday notes.
- German-made, and a genuine entry point rather than a novelty.
What it does not
- The molded grip does not suit every hand, and the listing specifies a right-handed nib.
- Ships with a single cartridge and no converter.
Skip this: if the recipient writes on cheap office paper all day. Fountain-pen ink feathers and shows through on 70 gsm copier stock, and the pen will get blamed for the paper. See ink and bleed-through.
2. A brass-bodied fountain pen with a converter included
PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Black, Medium Nib
A weighted brass barrel and a converter in the box, which is more pen for the money than anything else here.
Including a converter is the single most useful thing a gift fountain pen can do. Without one the recipient is locked to proprietary cartridges until they work out what a converter is and buy one.
Japanese nibs run finer than European ones at the same nominal width, so this medium sits closer to a European fine. If the recipient wants a genuinely fine line, this is arguably a better planner pen than its label suggests.
The brass barrel gives it a heft that reads as expensive. That is the whole trick of this pen and it is why it appears on every beginner list.
| Nib | Medium, stainless steelSource: Amazon listing - PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Medium Nib |
|---|---|
| Body | Brass barrel with stainless accentsBrass is why it feels heavier than its price suggests.Source: Amazon listing - PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Medium Nib |
| Supplied | One black ink cartridge and a Pilot press-plate converterThe converter is the part rivals leave out; it lets the recipient use bottled ink on day one.Source: Amazon listing - PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Medium Nib |
| Packaging | Keepsake gift boxSource: Amazon listing - PILOT Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Medium Nib |
What it does well
- Converter included, so bottled ink works out of the box.
- Brass body feels well above its price.
- Japanese medium writes finer than a European medium, which suits planner use.
What it does not
- Medium is still wider than a Safari fine; for very small boxes, choose the fine.
- Plain black barrel is understated to the point of anonymous as a gift.
Skip this: if you want the gift to look like an event. It is a superb pen and a visually quiet one; the Cross Bailey does the ceremony better.
3. The pen gift set to buy first
Parker Jotter Duo Gift Set, Ballpoint and Fountain Pen
Two pens in one box, one for signing and one for writing, in a design that has not needed changing since 1954.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
The Jotter design dates to 1954 and Parker has kept the profile since, which is the practical reason refills are easy to find decades later. A pen you cannot refill is a pen somebody uses for a year.
A duo set solves a real problem in gifting: you do not know whether the recipient likes fountain pens. This way they try one at no risk, and if they hate it they still have a ballpoint they will use every day.
The unstated nib width is the honest gap. If they already write with fountain pens and prefer a fine nib, buy a pen where the nib is specified, such as the Lamy Safari.
| Contents | Ballpoint pen and fountain pen, in a gift boxSource: Amazon listing - Parker Jotter Duo Gift Set, Ballpoint & Fountain Pen, Chrome Trim |
|---|---|
| Finish | Stainless steel with chrome trimSource: Amazon listing - Parker Jotter Duo Gift Set, Ballpoint & Fountain Pen, Chrome Trim |
| Refills supplied | Blue ballpoint refill and blue fountain-pen cartridgesSource: Amazon listing - Parker Jotter Duo Gift Set, Ballpoint & Fountain Pen, Chrome Trim |
| Nib width | Not publishedParker does not state a nib width on this set. Jotter fountain pens ship medium, but the listing does not say so, and we will not assert it for you. |
What it does well
- Two pens, so the gift works whether or not they get on with a fountain pen.
- Gift-boxed, so it needs no wrapping.
- A refill standard that has been in continuous production for seventy years.
What it does not
- Nib width is not published on this listing.
- Stainless steel is heavier in the hand than the resin-bodied Jotters, which some people dislike.
Skip this: if the recipient is a committed fountain-pen user with a nib preference. Buy them a pen with a stated nib instead, and see fountain pen versus rollerball.
4. A LAMY Safari that has run dry
LAMY T10 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Blue, 5-Pack
The cartridge the Safari ships with, five at a time - the part that turns a one-cartridge gift into a pen somebody keeps using.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
This is the purchase that decides whether a gifted fountain pen gets used. A Safari arrives with one cartridge, which is a few weeks of ordinary writing, and then it stops - and most people do not know what part to search for.
Blue is LAMY's standard and the color the pen ships with. Black exists as a separate pack; the point of this one is that it is the same ink the recipient already has.
Cartridges are the convenient option rather than the cheap one. A converter and a bottle costs more up front and far less per page, which is the trade the fountain-pen pages on this site keep coming back to.
| Refill type | Fountain pen ink cartridge, blueSource: Amazon listing - Lamy T10 Blue Ink Cartridges, Large Ink Capacity, 5 Pack |
|---|---|
| Count | 5 cartridgesSource: Amazon listing - Lamy T10 Blue Ink Cartridges, Large Ink Capacity, 5 Pack |
| Fits | LAMY fountain pens that take the T 10 cartridge, including the SafariThe Safari listing on this site states one LAMY T 10 blue cartridge as its supplied ink.Source: Amazon listing - LAMY safari umbra fountain pen, size F nib |
| Ink properties | Not publishedNo water resistance, fade resistance or archival claim is published for this ink. Treat cartridge ink as dye-based unless the maker says otherwise. |
What it does well
- The exact cartridge the pen ships with, so nothing has to be checked.
- Five cartridges is months of ordinary use.
- Turns a boxed gift pen into a working pen for very little.
What it does not
- No published water or fade resistance - not the ink for anything signed and kept.
- Blue only in this pack.
- Cartridges cost more per page than a converter and a bottle of ink.
Skip this: if you want to use bottled ink. A LAMY converter and a bottle is the cheaper long-run route and opens up every ink made - see is a fountain pen worth it.
3. The grip, which is the most divisive thing about a fountain pen
The Safari's grip section is molded into flat facets. It permits essentially one hold - the standard tripod grip - and that is deliberate. For somebody learning, it is a genuine teaching aid that stops the pen rotating off its sweet spot. For an adult who has held a pen their own way for thirty years, it is a daily annoyance they cannot design around.
The Metropolitan's section is plain and round and asks nothing of you. That makes it the safer of the two as a gift, precisely because a round section cannot be wrong for a hand you have never watched write. If you know the recipient holds a pen conventionally, the Safari's grip is a feature. If you do not know, it is a risk you are taking on their behalf.
LAMY also lists the standard Safari nib as right-handed. Left-handed writers are not locked out - LAMY publishes an LH nib grade - but the standard listing is not it, and a molded grip compounds the problem for a hand that comes at the page from the other side. Pens for left-handed writers is the page to read first in that case.
4. Weight, and what a brass barrel actually buys
The Metropolitan has a brass barrel. The Safari is plastic, and LAMY's own description says so plainly rather than dressing it up. Brass is heavier, and weight is most of the reason a pen reads as expensive the moment somebody picks it up.
That is an argument for the Metropolitan as a gift and against it as a workhorse. A heavier pen is more tiring over a long writing session and markedly worse for a hand that already aches - which is why pens that need less force leads with neither of these. Weight is a preference the specification reports honestly, so decide it before you buy.
5. Refills in five years
All three makers here are safe on this count, which is largely why they are the three. LAMY T 10 cartridges, PILOT IC-100 cartridges and Parker refills are all in continuous production and stocked by general retailers rather than only by specialists.
The warning applies to the unbranded fountain pens that turn up in cheap gift sets. A pen with a non-standard fitting and no named maker behind it is a pen that writes until the supplied cartridge runs out and then becomes an ornament. That is the whole reason this page recommends three ordinary pens from three large companies instead of something more interesting.
Who each pick is for
- LAMY Safari - best for the person buying their own first fountain pen. The published fine nib means you know what line you are getting, and the molded grip is useful when nobody has ever taught you the hold. Honest downside: no converter in the box, and that grip does not suit every hand.
- PILOT Metropolitan - best for giving as a gift. Brass body, keepsake box, a plain round grip that makes no demands, and the converter included so bottled ink needs no second order. Honest downside: the medium nib is too wide for a planner grid, and painted brass chips if it is dropped.
- Parker Jotter Duo - best when you are not sure they like fountain pens. Two pens in one box means the gift still lands if the fountain pen never gets used. Honest downside: Parker does not publish the nib width, so a buyer with a width preference cannot match it.
- LAMY T 10 cartridges - best bought alongside the Safari. One cartridge is not much ink, and a five-pack turns a pen into a working setup for very little money. Honest downside: LAMY fitting only, so it is useless the moment you change brands.
The purchase nobody budgets for
Fountain-pen ink feathers and strikes through ordinary copier paper, and the pen gets blamed for the paper every single time. If the recipient writes on whatever is loaded in the office printer, a fountain pen will disappoint them no matter which one you buy.
Budget for 80 gsm or better alongside the pen. Notebooks for fountain pens ranks the options on the weight the maker actually publishes, and what gsm means explains why that number is the one specification worth checking on a notebook at all.
Questions people actually ask
What should I look for in a fountain pen?
In order: a published nib width, how it takes ink (cartridge only, or converter included), what the grip section forces you to do, the body weight, and whether refills are easy to buy. Nib width is the one most often left off a listing and the one most likely to make you regret the purchase.
What nib size should a beginner get?
Fine, unless you know the paper is good. A fine line fits a planner grid and behaves better on ordinary paper. Note that Japanese nibs run narrower than European ones at the same label, so a Japanese medium is about a European fine.
Do I need a converter?
Only if you want to use bottled ink. Cartridges work perfectly well and are simpler. The PILOT Metropolitan includes a converter in the box; LAMY lists its Z 28 converter as a separate recommended accessory for the Safari.
How much should a first fountain pen cost?
Enough to get a steel nib from a named maker with easy refills, and no more than that. All three picks here sit in that band, and spending more mostly buys finish and weight rather than a better writing experience.
Is a fountain pen a good gift for someone who has never used one?
Yes, if you pick for the grip rather than the looks. A plain round section like the Metropolitan's cannot be wrong for a hand you have not watched. A molded grip like the Safari's is excellent for a learner and irritating for an adult with a settled hold. See is a pen a good gift.
Can I use a fountain pen on regular copier paper?
You can, but it will feather and show through, because 70 gsm office stock is not made for a wet nib. Pair the pen with 80 gsm or better - notebooks for fountain pens lists the published weights.