Pens & Writing Gifts
Pen Refills and Cartridges: Which One Actually Fits
A refillable pen is only refillable if you can work out what part it takes. Nobody prints that on the barrel, and the wrong guess is a part that will not drop in.
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The short answer
Buy by brand first, then by ink. Almost every pen worth refilling uses its maker's own fitting, so the question is not which ink you prefer but which refill physically drops into the barrel you own. Once you know that, the ink choice is the easy part - and in one case on this page it changes the pen completely.
How to work out which refill you need
Four steps, in this order. This site has not taken any of these pens apart; every compatibility statement below is cited to the maker or to the listing that publishes it.
- Read the brand off the barrel or the clip. This is the whole game. Parker, Cross, LAMY and Pilot each run their own fitting, and a refill from one will not seat in another however similar it looks.
- Decide which kind of pen it is. A ballpoint or gel pen takes a solid refill cartridge that unscrews or lifts out. A fountain pen takes an ink cartridge or a converter, which are entirely different parts.
- Check what the pen shipped with. The listing for most pens states the supplied refill, and that is the standard it takes. Where this site sells the pen, that line is already on the product card.
- Then pick point size and color. Medium black is the default on almost everything and the safest if you are unsure; fine suits small handwriting and planner boxes.
What this page deliberately does not do is rank refills against each other on quality. They are not alternatives - each one fits a different pen, and the only sensible ranking is by how many people own the pen it fits.
What each pen on this site takes
| If you own | It takes | Published where |
|---|---|---|
| Parker Jotter ballpoint | Parker QUINKflow ballpoint refill, or a Parker gel refill | The Jotter listing states both |
| Cross Bailey Medalist | Cross ballpoint refill, black medium | Cross lists Bailey among the compatible collections |
| LAMY Safari | LAMY T 10 cartridge, or a LAMY converter and bottled ink | The Safari listing states a T 10 cartridge as supplied ink |
| PILOT Metropolitan | Pilot IC-100 cartridge, or the converter already in the box | Retail listings for the IC-100 name the MR Metropolitan |
| A pen with no brand on it | Measure it, or replace the pen | Nothing published - this is where generic refills go wrong |
Quick picks
Ranked for the person doing the buying. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Refill, Medium, Black, 3-Pack The refill a steel Jotter ships with, bought three at a time, which is the cheapest way to keep a pen that is meant to last decades actually working. | Keeping a Parker Jotter writing | $13.50 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 26, 2026. How this is funded |
| 2 |  Parker Gel Refill, Medium 0.7 mm, Black QUINK The same pen body, a darker line: a gel refill drops into a Parker ballpoint and changes the ink without changing anything you hold. | Turning a Parker ballpoint into a gel pen | |
| 3 |  Cross Ballpoint Refill, Medium, Black, 2-Pack Cross runs its own refill standard rather than a universal one, so this is the part a Bailey needs and a generic refill will not do. | A Cross pen that has stopped writing | |
| 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 | $6.99 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 26, 2026. How this is funded |
| 5 |  PILOT Namiki IC-100 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Black, 12-Pack Pilot's own cartridge, twelve to a box, which is the least attention a fountain pen can ask of you for the longest time. | A PILOT Metropolitan, a dozen refills at a time | $6.29 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 26, 2026. How this is funded |
1. Keeping a Parker Jotter writing
Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Refill, Medium, Black, 3-Pack
The refill a steel Jotter ships with, bought three at a time, which is the cheapest way to keep a pen that is meant to last decades actually working.
#ad Price as of September 26, 2026. How this is funded
This is the refill that makes the Jotter's seventy-year production run mean something. A pen design that has not changed since 1954 is a pen whose refills are on every stationery shelf, and buying three at once costs little more than buying one twice.
Medium is the stock point and the safe one: it is dark enough to scan and survives cheap paper. Parker publishes a fine version of the same refill for anyone whose handwriting is small.
Ballpoint paste is the fastest-drying ink you can put in a Parker, which matters if the pen is used for signing things or writing in a book that shuts immediately.
| Refill type | Ballpoint, QUINKflow inkSource: Amazon listing - Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Pen Ink Refills, Medium Tip, Black, 3 Count |
|---|---|
| Point and ink | Medium tip, blackSource: Amazon listing - Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Pen Ink Refills, Medium Tip, Black, 3 Count |
| Count | 3 refillsSource: Amazon listing - Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Pen Ink Refills, Medium Tip, Black, 3 Count |
| Fits | Parker ballpoint pens, including the JotterThe Jotter listing on this site states a blue QUINKflow ballpoint refill as its supplied ink, which is the same refill standard.Source: Amazon listing - Parker Jotter Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen |
What it does well
- Same refill standard the pen ships with, so there is nothing to check.
- Three to a pack, which is years of ordinary use.
- Ballpoint ink dries fastest of the three refill types here.
What it does not
- Ballpoint lays the palest line of the refill types - a gel refill looks better on the page.
- Medium only in this pack; fine is a separate purchase.
- Costs a noticeable fraction of what a plain steel Jotter costs, which is the awkward arithmetic of refilling cheap pens.
Skip this: if you want the pen to write a darker line. The same Jotter accepts a Parker gel refill, which is a different ink in the same body - see gel vs ballpoint.
2. Turning a Parker ballpoint into a gel pen
Parker Gel Refill, Medium 0.7 mm, Black QUINK
The same pen body, a darker line: a gel refill drops into a Parker ballpoint and changes the ink without changing anything you hold.
This is the most useful thing most Parker owners do not know: the ballpoint you were given takes a gel refill, and swapping it changes the writing experience more than buying a different pen at the same price would.
Gel ink is water-based and thickened, so it lays down a darker, wetter line than ballpoint paste at the same width. On decent paper the difference is obvious; on a photocopier pad the gel is the one that shows through.
One refill per pack is the catch. It is a small, recurring purchase rather than a stock-up, and per refill it costs more than the three-pack of ballpoint refills.
| Refill type | Gel, black QUINK inkSource: Amazon listing - Parker Gel Pen Refill, Medium Tip (0.7mm), Black QUINK Ink |
|---|---|
| Point | Medium, 0.7 mmSource: Amazon listing - Parker Gel Pen Refill, Medium Tip (0.7mm), Black QUINK Ink |
| Count | 1 refillSource: Amazon listing - Parker Gel Pen Refill, Medium Tip (0.7mm), Black QUINK Ink |
| Fits | Parker ballpoint pens that accept gel refills, including the JotterThe Jotter listing on this site states that it also accepts Parker gel refills.Source: Amazon listing - Parker Jotter Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen |
What it does well
- Darker line than ballpoint in exactly the same pen body.
- Needs less pressure than a ballpoint refill, which matters over long writing.
- Standard Parker fitting, so no compatibility research is required.
What it does not
- One refill per pack, and dearer per refill than the ballpoint version.
- Gel ink dries slower than ballpoint - a real problem for left-handed writers.
- Shows through thin paper more than the ballpoint refill does.
Skip this: if you write left-handed or on cheap office paper. Gel ink stays wet longer and soaks into thin stock; the ballpoint refill is the better match - see pens for left-handed writers.
3. A Cross pen that has stopped writing
Cross Ballpoint Refill, Medium, Black, 2-Pack
Cross runs its own refill standard rather than a universal one, so this is the part a Bailey needs and a generic refill will not do.
Cross is a closed system, and that is the single most useful fact here. A Cross pen takes a Cross refill; the cheap universal ballpoint refills that fit a dozen other brands do not drop into it.
That matters most for the pens this site recommends for milestones. A gift-boxed Cross handed over at a retirement is meant to be used for years, and it stops dead the first time somebody buys the wrong part.
Two to a pack is the sensible quantity for a pen that is used for signing rather than for daily notes. A ceremonial pen goes through a refill slowly.
| Refill type | BallpointSource: Amazon listing - Cross Ballpoint Pen Refill, Black, Medium Point, 2-Pack |
|---|---|
| Point and ink | Medium point, blackSource: Amazon listing - Cross Ballpoint Pen Refill, Black, Medium Point, 2-Pack |
| Count | 2 refillsSource: Amazon listing - Cross Ballpoint Pen Refill, Black, Medium Point, 2-Pack |
| Fits | Cross ballpoint collections including BaileyCross lists its black medium ballpoint refill (8513) as compatible with Classic Century, Century II, Townsend, ATX, Peerless, Bailey and others.Source: Cross - Ballpoint Pen Refill, Black Medium (8513) |
What it does well
- The correct part for a Cross pen, with compatibility published by the maker.
- Two refills, which is a long time in a pen used occasionally.
- Keeps an expensive boxed pen in service rather than in a drawer.
What it does not
- Proprietary fitting, so nothing cheaper drops in.
- Costs a meaningful share of an entry-level Cross pen.
- Medium black only in this pack - other points and colors are separate refills.
Skip this: if the pen is not a Cross. The fitting is proprietary and a Cross refill will not fit a Parker or a Jotter-style body - check the brand on the barrel first.
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 September 26, 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.
5. A PILOT Metropolitan, a dozen refills at a time
PILOT Namiki IC-100 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Black, 12-Pack
Pilot's own cartridge, twelve to a box, which is the least attention a fountain pen can ask of you for the longest time.
#ad Price as of September 26, 2026. How this is funded
Twelve cartridges is the whole point. A fountain pen that runs dry at the wrong moment is a pen that ends up in a drawer, and a box of twelve removes that failure mode for a year or more.
The Metropolitan is the pen on this site that already ships with a converter, so the honest comparison is cartridges against bottled ink. Cartridges win on convenience and lose on cost per page and on ink choice.
Black is the sensible default for a pen used at work. Pilot publishes the same cartridge in blue and blue-black as separate packs.
| Refill type | Fountain pen ink cartridge, blackSource: Amazon listing - Pilot Namiki IC100 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Black, 12-Pack |
|---|---|
| Count | 12 cartridgesSource: Amazon listing - Pilot Namiki IC100 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges, Black, 12-Pack |
| Fits | Pilot fountain pens including the MR MetropolitanRetailer listings for the IC-100 name the Vanishing Point, the MR Metropolitan and the Plumix.Source: Pen Lovers Paradise - Pilot Black Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges IC-100 |
| Ink properties | Not publishedNo water resistance or archival claim is published for this ink. |
What it does well
- Twelve cartridges - the longest run of any refill on this page.
- Pilot's own part, with compatibility naming the Metropolitan at retail.
- Black ink, which is the version that scans and photocopies best.
What it does not
- No published water or fade resistance.
- Proprietary fitting - Pilot cartridges do not fit a LAMY or a Parker.
- Cartridges cost more per page than the converter this pen already comes with.
Skip this: if the pen came with a converter and you are willing to use it. Bottled ink is cheaper per page and opens up colors no cartridge offers - the converter is already in the Metropolitan's box.
The gel-for-ballpoint swap, which almost nobody knows about
The single most useful thing on this page: a Parker Jotter takes a gel refill as well as a ballpoint one. Same pen, same clip, same body you were given - a different ink entirely.
Ballpoint paste is stiff, dries almost on contact and writes the palest line of any ink here. Gel is water-based and thickened, needs less pressure and lays down a noticeably darker line. If you have ever thought a gift pen wrote thinly, this is the fix, and it costs a fraction of a new pen.
The trade is drying time. Gel stays wet longer, which matters for left-handed writers and anyone who shuts a notebook the moment they stop writing. Gel vs ballpoint has the full comparison of what the two inks do.
Fountain pens: cartridge or converter
A cartridge is a sealed plastic tube of ink you push onto the section. A converter is a small refillable piston that fits the same opening and draws ink from a bottle. Most fountain pens take either, and the two pens this site recommends differ on what arrives in the box: the Safari ships with a cartridge, the Metropolitan ships with a cartridge and a converter.
Cartridges win on convenience and lose on everything else. They cost more per page, they come in whatever colors the maker sells, and they are a recurring purchase. A converter is bought once and then bottled ink is dramatically cheaper per page - which is the argument is a fountain pen worth it makes at length.
One honest limitation runs across both cartridge packs here: neither maker publishes water resistance, fade resistance or any archival claim for the ink. If the writing has to survive, that is a reason to look at a different pen entirely - see pens for signing documents.
Third-party refills, honestly
Search any of these and the results fill with cheaper refills described as compatible with the brand. They exist in volume, they are usually a third of the price, and plenty of people use them without trouble.
What this site will not do is publish a compatibility claim it cannot cite to the pen's maker. A third-party seller stating that its refill fits a Parker is the seller's claim about somebody else's product, which is a weaker thing than Cross publishing its own compatibility list. The five picks here are all the pen maker's own part, and that is the only reason they are the picks.
When not to refill
- When the refill costs a real share of the pen. Refilling a cheap steel pen is sound; refilling a promotional giveaway is not. The arithmetic is worth doing rather than assuming.
- When the pen is a twelve-pack. Gel and ballpoint multipacks are consumables and most are not designed to be refilled at all - see gel vs ballpoint for what those are for.
- When the fitting is unbranded. A pen with no maker printed on it has no published standard, and matching a refill by eye is how people end up with three that do not fit.
- When the nib is the problem. A fountain pen that skips or scratches does not need ink; it needs flushing or a different nib. Nib sizes explained covers the widths.
Questions people actually ask
How do I know which refill my pen takes?
Read the brand off the barrel. Parker, Cross, LAMY and Pilot each use their own fitting, and the listing for the pen usually states the refill it shipped with - that is the standard it takes.
Can I put a gel refill in a ballpoint pen?
In some pens, yes. The Parker Jotter's listing states that it accepts Parker gel refills as well as QUINKflow ballpoint refills, which changes the ink without changing the pen. It is not universal - it depends on the maker's fitting.
What is the difference between a cartridge and a converter?
A cartridge is a sealed tube of ink you throw away; a converter is a refillable piston that draws ink from a bottle and fits the same opening. Cartridges are more convenient, converters are much cheaper per page.
Are generic pen refills any good?
Many work, and they are cheaper. The problem is evidence: a third-party seller's compatibility claim is about somebody else's pen, where a maker's own refill page is published by the company that designed the fitting.
Does refill ink resist water or fading?
Not unless the maker says so, and neither fountain cartridge here publishes such a claim. For writing that has to survive, choose a pen whose ink carries a published resistance claim - see pens for signing documents.
Sources
- Amazon - Parker QUINKflow Ballpoint Pen Ink Refills, Medium, Black, 3 Count
- Amazon - Parker Gel Pen Refill, Medium 0.7mm, Black QUINK Ink
- Cross - Ballpoint Pen Refill, Black Medium (8513), with compatible collections
- Amazon - Lamy T10 Blue Ink Cartridges, 5 Pack
- Pen Lovers Paradise - Pilot Black Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges IC-100