What is a pen? Seems simple at first, but then you realise that it’s so much more: It’s you, it’s your signature, the handwritten thank you, that birthday card. A pen is what you use to communicate to whatever you want to write, and if it’s worth Writing isn’t it worth writing well?

We reject the idea that ink is dead, and that there’s no room in this modern world for the written word. Writing is personal, no one writes like you, no one has the same handwriting or writing style. It all starts with you, putting pen to paper.

Here’s our suggestions for what we think is the best way for you to make your mark.

Still Want Something Disposable?

Pilot V7

This is the only disposable pen we’re going to recommend in this list, that’s not because all disposable pens are bad, but many are bought and thrown away before they ever run out of ink.

We would however, recommend always having a few of these pilot V7s hanging around. These are by far the best disposable pens we have ever tried: They write unbelievably smooth, thanks to its liquid ink technology, and the black pen is really black (but available in whichever colour you usually write in).

Also available in a refillable cartridge rollerball, but we wouldn’t recommend it because they are less reliable and writing isn’t as good. The only alternatives we could recommend are the Pilot V5 or V-Ball.

Available for £2.15 here.

Something That Will Age Well

Caran D’Ache 849 Ballpoint

Now, this is a true classic. Made in Switzerland from solid aluminium, this pen is solid and lightweight. It’s simple and smart, which makes it appropriate for home or work.

Now this is a minimalist pen at heart, with a simple push-button at the top, and removable clip makes it’s a no frills instrument but this adds a clean look. It also comes in lots of different colours so you’re almost guaranteed to find one that suits you. There are also lots of new special editions coming out all the time.

The beauty of the pen comes with how it ages. As we mentioned earlier this pen is made from solid aluminium, so as it ages the matte finish wears away to reveal the silver of the aluminium underneath, making it uniquely yours.

Available for £15.75 here.

*While the C’aran D’Ache uses its own style of refills, Parker G2 refills can (just about) be used without a noticeable difference.

Parker Jotter Ballpoint

The Parker Jotter is a true icon. Not only does it look fantastic, but it has an amazing history. This was the pen that set the design for almost every retractable pen since its release in 1954. Since then more than 750 million have been sold, and is known to be the favoured pen of President John F. Kennedy, looking at this cool 50s style it’s easy to see why.

A great looking pen, and easy to keep with you wherever you go. In some ways it’s similar to the Caran D’Ache 849 shown above, but has a distinctly British coolness, over the other’s Swiss design. The Parker Jotter comes in a host of colours and finishes. The model shown above is the Bond Street black, but have a look, with so many available there will be something to match your style.

Available for £14 here.

*If you love the story and style of the pen but feel that you want something smoother experiment with any G2 style cartridge. Try Schneider Slider 755.

LAMY Vista

LAMY are one of the most popular pen manufacturers in Germany, and it’s not hard to see why. The company follows the Bauhaus principles of design, that form will invariably follow function: That is if you make something as functional as possible, it will be beautiful.

With LAMY you always get a lot of pen for a reasonable price. In fact, it’s difficult to find a Fountain pen that writes better than the LAMY vista (or the solid-colour LAMY Safari). The parts are made of plastic, which keeps this pen very affordable. The writing is excellent, and we think that this clear acrylic design is amazing as it lets you see the inner workings of your pen.

This pen is an absolute steal and if you can only get one pen on this list get this one. Even if you don’t like fountain pens, this is worth a try because it might just change your mind, and at under £20 you can’t find a better pen at this price point. Plus, scroll down to the bottom of this article for a way to make this pen even cheaper.

Available for £18.90 here.

But For Real Style…

Kaweco Special Fountain Pen Brass

Kaweco (pronounced Kav-eh-ko) is well known amongst pen enthusiasts but this premier german pen manufacturer has been making excellent writing instruments since 1883.

This pen is a true investment piece: This octagonal pen is machined  from untreated brass and comes from the factory with a mirror shine, which you can keep this up with regular polishing, or you can let the brass age naturally with time and use. This isn’t a pen for those that want a pen that will stay pristine, this a pen to be used and will gain more character the more you use it.

Available for £91 here.

Montblanc M

No list of pens would be complete without mentioning a Montblanc, and this particular model is a modern departure from its Meisterstück collection. This new design by Marc Newson has been designed to appeal to a younger audience, but we think that this has a vintage 60s look to it. Montblanc offers the gold standard in expertly crafted writing instruments, and this is by far the best (and the most expensive) entry on this list.

The Montblanc M is available in both a fountain pen and rollerball, but in our opinion the fountain looks so much better. Not only that, but if you’re going to be putting your signature to something, nothing looks better than a broad (rhodium coated 14K gold) nib Montblanc fountain.

Available for £470 here.

Bonus: Ink

Buying bottled ink is great for two reasons: Firstly, it’s cheap (and that’s a good thing); and secondly, it’s an opportunity to show a bit of personal style. The limitations are that bottled ink is only compatible with fountain pens, and that they can then only be refilled from a ink bottle, which is pretty inconvenient when you run out.

Ink is cheap, perfect for if you write a lot. A LAMY ink cartridge holds about 1.5 ml of ink and costs about 40p. The equivalent amount of ink from a bottle of Diamine ink costs 11p. You’ll just need to invest in a converter for your fountain pen so that it can accept bottled ink.

The best part about buying bottled ink is the variety it gives you. Most cartridge inks available come in black, blue, and sometimes red or green. But there’s so much more choice with bottled, you can pick any colour you like, from a tobacco brown to a ox-blood red. We personally like either a good blue/black or green/black. These are inks that look black, but show a hint of colour where the ink is thinnest.

Note: If you do decide to try bottled inks, remember to keep them topped up. Most converters are slightly smaller than a comparable ink cartridge, but you won’t usually use enough ink in one day to completely exhaust one.