So... you’re thinking about getting your first fountain pen.
Maybe you’ve seen people raving about them online. Maybe you just want something nicer than a ballpoint. Or maybe you’ve got someone in your life who’s this close to trying a fountain pen – and you want to be the one who gives them that gentle first push.
Fountain pens might seem a bit fancy at first, but they’re actually pretty approachable.
That’s why we’ve put together a collection of beginner-friendly fountain pens here at Bookbinders Design – affordable, well designed, and a joy to write with. This guide breaks it all down.
Let’s help you find your first favourite!
Best Entry-Level Fountain Pen
Pilot Kakuno
The Pilot Kakuno is widely praised as one of the best entry-level fountain pens available, especially for younger writers.
The pen features a lightweight, durable plastic body weighing about 14 grams, comfortable to hold for long writing sessions without causing fatigue. The hexagonal shape helps beginners grip the pen correctly. The snap cap has flat sides to stop it from rolling off your desk!
One standout feature is the smiley face on the nib, which is cute but also serves as a visual cue to ensure the nib is facing up for correct use.
The nib itself is made of stainless steel and comes in Fine or Medium, with the Medium nib writing a smooth, consistent line that’s perfect for everyday writing.
Filling Mechanism: Pilot Kakuno uses Pilot proprietary cartridges or a converter, so ink refills are easy to find and use. It comes with one ink cartridge so you can get started right away.
It’s also one of the most affordable pens in our beginner-friendly collection – a low-commitment, high-quality choice for anyone curious about fountain pens.
Overall: the Kakuno balances somewhat playful design with reliable performance, making it a top pick for starting out with fountain pens (or looking for a simple and cute everyday writing instrument).
Best Gift for a Beginner
Sailor Profit Junior
If you’re after something that feels a little more special right from the start, the Sailor Profit Junior is a fantastic choice. It’s based on the iconic Sailor 1911 shape – curved, balanced, and elegant, but at a beginner-friendly price point.
The resin body is lightweight but solid, and the medium-fine steel nib gives you that smooth, but precise and slightly tactile Sailor writing experience. This feedback is characteristic of Sailor nibs, providing control without scratchiness. You’ll get a balanced flow that's forgiving for beginners.
Profit Junior is available in a spectrum of hues, from transparent to pastel shades like lilac and aqua green.
Filling Mechanism: Compatible with Sailor's proprietary cartridges and converters.
Thematic Ink Pairings: Each pen comes as part of a boxed set with a matching Sailor ink colour and a converter, so you can start writing straight away. The ink is usually themed to go with the pen, which makes it a great gift.
Considerations: It’s light in the hand, and the nib has a bit of feedback – something to keep in mind if you want a heavier pen or an ultra-smooth nib.
Overall: The Sailor Profit Junior stands out as an excellent entry-level fountain pen that feels nice, looks nice, and is great for gifting.
Refined Choice for New Writers
Sailor Shikiori
The Sailor Shikiori series, meaning "Four Seasons," draws inspiration from the beauty of nature in Japan. Each pen in this collection captures the essence of a natural phenomenon in different seasons. The pens come in a variety of colours, each representing a specific theme or story. For instance, the Yozakura model features a subtly sparkling pink finish inspired by evening cherry blossoms.
Drawing inspiration from the classic Sailor 1911 design just like the Profit Junior, these pens boast a gold-finished steel nib that delivers a smooth and pleasant writing experience.
Design-wise, the Shikiori pens are made from high-quality resin, providing a slightly heavier and more substantial feel compared to the Profit Junior. Weighing around 17g, they offer a balanced heft that you'll find comfortable for extended writing sessions.
Filling Mechanism: Like other Sailor fountain pens, they use proprietary Sailor cartridges or a converter, both available in our store.
Considerations: The pens in our collection come with a Fine nib, offering a crisp, precise line that's perfect for detailed writing or small handwriting. As a Japanese Fine, it writes finer than most Western equivalents – something to keep in mind.
Overall: The Sailor Shikiori series bridges the gap between entry-level pens and higher-end models, offering a refined writing experience wrapped in cultural storytelling.
Smoothest Writing Everyday Pen
Pilot Metropolitan
The Pilot Metropolitan is truly a standout choice for a beginner fountain pen – it is stylish, well made, and great value for money. Its barrel provides a substantial feel, weighing approximately 26 grams, which lends it a premium heft uncommon in entry-level pens.
Equipped with a stainless-steel nib, the Metropolitan is known to deliver exceptionally smooth writing experience with minimal feedback.
The Metropolitan's design features a cigar-shaped profile and is available in various elegant finishes. Its snap cap ensures quick and secure closure, and the sturdy clip prevents it from rolling over.
Filling mechanism: Each pen comes with a squeeze converter inside the pen but can be replaced with a Pilot CON-40 piston converter which many prefer.
Overall: The Pilot Metropolitan offers exceptional value and smooth, reliable performance, making it an ideal first fountain pen that you'll instantly enjoy.
Best Starter Pen with an Extra Fine Nib
Pilot Penmanship
The Pilot Penmanship is a no-frills, ultra-lightweight fountain pen made for precision. Originally designed as a tool to help improve handwriting, it features an ergonomic grip section that encourages correct finger placement and control.
It comes with a Japanese Extra Fine nib, which is ideal for detailed work, small handwriting, or writing in planners with limited space. The nib is stainless steel, with a bit more feedback than smoother nibs, which is something to keep in mind.
Filling mechanism: The Penmanship uses Pilot’s proprietary cartridges or a converter (CON-40).
Considerations: Weighing just 12 grams, this is one of the lightest pens in the range, and it's quite slim, so it might not be the best choice for those who prefer chunkier pens.
Overall: The Pilot Penmanship is a precision tool – a good, affordable choice for those who want to master the basics or enjoy a very fine line.
Best Transparent Pen for Beginners
Pilot Prera Transparent
The Pilot Prera Transparent is a compact, lightweight fountain pen with a touch of fun.
Weighing approximately 14 grams, the Prera Transparent is made from durable acrylic with a clear body, allowing users to see the ink levels and internal components.
Equipped with a stainless-steel nib, the Prera writes smoothly. Its compact design and secure snap cap with an integrated rubber seal make it great for everyday carry, as it can be easily clipped to notebooks.
Filling Mechanism: The pen comes with a CON-40 converter and is compatible with Pilot’s proprietary cartridges.
Considerations: Due to its smaller size, some users may find it more comfortable to write with the cap posted.
Overall: The Pilot Prera Transparent stands out with its initriguing design and dependable performance – an easy favourite for beginners who want something just a little different.
Best Pocket-Sized Beginner Pen
Kaweco Classic Sport
Sticking to portable pens, the Kaweco Classic Sport is one of the most compact fountain pens around. Designed in the 1930s and still going strong, it’s a go-to for beginners – or anyone who wants a reliable everyday fountain pen.
Made from tough but lightweight plastic, it has a distinctive octagonal cap that stops it from rolling away on your desk. You can add an optional clip if you’d like it to stay secure in a notebook or shirt pocket. Capped, it measures about 10.5 cm – truly pocket-sized – but when posted, it becomes a comfortable 13.5 cm for writing. At just 9g, it’s the lightest pen in our beginner list.
It features a gold-plated stainless-steel nib, known for being smooth with just a bit of feedback, and it comes in a wide range of nib sizes. Most beginners will do well with Fine or Medium.
Filling mechanism: The Classic Sport uses standard international short cartridges and is compatible with Kaweco’s mini converters.
Considerations: Because of its small size, this pen is best used with the cap posted – unposted, it can feel a bit short for most hands. If you're planning on using bottled ink, it’s worth knowing that their converters have a smaller capacity and may need more frequent refilling.
Overall: The Kaweco Classic Sport comes in loads of colours, from simple black and navy to brighter shades and pastels, so it’s easy to find one that feels like you. If you want something dependable that doesn't skimp on character, this is a great place to start.
Most Professional Looking First Pen
Faber-Castell Ambition
Like the Shikiori or the Metropolitan, the Faber-Castell Ambition is a great pick for anyone who prefers a more professional-looking pen right from the start.
The barrel is long and slim, made from materials including resin, stainless steel, or even wood, depending on the model. It’s noticeably heavier than most beginner-friendly pens, weighing about 29g, which gives it a more premium, substantial feel in hand. The steel nib is smooth and consistent.
Filling mechanism: It uses standard international cartridges and comes with a converter, so you can easily try different bottled inks.
Considerations: Depending on the material, the sleek flat barrel might not be the most comfortable choice for long writing sessions.
Overall: The Ambition is not flashy, but understated and elegant – the kind of pen that fits easily into a professional setting, or makes a thoughtful gift for someone starting a new job or graduating.
Beginner-Friendly Fountain Pen Ink and Paper
We’ve included some of our favourite beginner-friendly inks in the collection to make things easy.
The Jacques Herbin ink sets offer a smooth, water-based formula and a fun mix of colours to try out, and the 15ml Pilot Iroshizuku bottles are a great way to explore one of the best ink ranges out there, known for their consistent flow and stunning shades.
We’ve also included a selection of Yamamoto paper tasting notepads so you can experience your new fountain pen the way it’s meant to be used – on high-quality, fountain pen friendly paper.
In our store, you’ll also find a wide range of FPF options like Midori, Leuchtturm1917, and Bookbinders Design notebooks, because paper choice does make all the difference.
Your First Pen is Waiting
Choosing your first fountain pen is going to be a personal and exciting experience. Each pen in our selection offers unique features to suit different preferences and writing styles – now it's up to you.
Explore our full Beginner-Friendly Fountain Pen Collection and see what feels right.
Hope to see you join the fountain pen community soon!
