I'm a bit late, but while I get your argument, the Safari / Al-Star HAS to be the Lamy signature. The most sold fp in the world and a pen that most Germans used in their school years. I'd argue that to the world, the Safari is THE Lamy, but for Germans, the Safari is THE fountain pen.
Sailor really does gorgeous things with the Pro Gear and they're all so particular. I feel like Sailor and Benu are both really doing a kindness with the sheer variety because no matter who you are, at some point, you'll be like "THAT one. That one, specifically. That is My Pen."
You know, Drew, you probably read something like this often. I'm just getting started. Yes, 80 years old and beginning a new journey. This video gives me exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.
"What do we mean by 'best'? Is it in terms of functionality? Is it, like, which pen embodies the brand's aesthetic style? Or are we talking about flagship pens? In which case, what do we mean by..." 😀Not that I mind. Don't get me wrong. 😁
Preppy is hands down my favorite pen so I'm happy to see it took the spot. But it's very funny how Drew chose each pen with different reasonings. This one is iconic, this one is popular, this one is a personal favorite, this one has tons of personality. And so on.
@@Gouletpens I love my Preppys (yeah, plural). But, like another Platinum fan mentioned, perhaps my favorite pen ever is the Century 3776 with a SF nib. What I don’t like that much about the president is that it doesn’t have the slip and seal cap. I do agree with you on the Sailor Pro Gear. That’s the one competing with my 3776 for being my number one currently 🙂.
Quick compliment, this is probably Drew's best video to-date. Also, from a marketing perspective it really does encourage people to buy these pens. It's an outstanding way to recommend a pen to people who may not know much about the market, the hobby, or the history of each maker.
Thank you! It actually came from a customer question - they wanted one pen from each brand. I figured he probably wasn't alone in his curiosity! - Drew
My husband, my brother, and I have so many fountain pens, we can open a store. My husband loves the Stipulas. My brother has a Lamy Safari in every color, and I'm not far behind behind him. But my favorite pens are cheap ones - Pilot Kakuno, Kaweco Perkeo, and Lamy Safaris. It's odd because I have luxurious tastes in handbags and small leather goods. Go figure.
Platinum pens may be unexciting but I think their strength is the consistency in quality. Because I mainly write in Korean and Japanese I have a huge collection of Pilots, Sailors, and Platinums; and if my life depended on the performance of one fountain pen I'd take a Plaitnum 3776 all day ;)
I tested one for the first time just a few days ago and all I can say is - wow. Such a lovely feeling. It wrote so beautifully. I’m now trying to decide between a Platinum 3776, an Otto Hutt Design 06, a Diplomat Aero or TWSBI 580. Any thoughts?
This is probably my favorite video so far. I’m hoping that you’ll either do more of this with other brands or have Brian do his own take on the same topic. BTW, I wish you guys had more videos on a weekly
It was eye-opening to realize that I own, or have owned, about half of the list; it's a good reminder of my privilege. To date, nothing has been as perfect as my 2011-ish era Visconti HS "Bronze Age" with the 23k palladium nib. Mine was a wet writer that was smooth as all get-out and very fine line for a Western nib. I still miss that pen daily.
@@ichirofakename Because I was in a custody fight and any money I could up-front to the attorney was valuable. I also got near full MSRP, which helped.
Why do I love this episode so much?! I love the vibe of Drew leaning into his picks. I didn't always agree, but I was informed and entertained! Thank you, Drew!
In love with my custom 823. This is the story, the best fountain pen store I know of, first time I was there I only spent 40 bucks, and I spent one hour speaking with the clerk. He was clearly pissed, he thought I had wasted his time. Cut to one year later, I finally took my things back from my ex's after 5 years (I couldn't do it bc of trauma). I came in the shop, the clerk gave me that look that literally said "The timewaster again". I told him I wanted 3 inkwells, one of them pilot iroshizuku just bc it was an important day. Then his eyes changed from "The timewaster" to "Waitaminute, what?" I started talking about him about fountain pens, and he had one ember custom 823, in that gorgeous set with the black ink. I asked him for a kaweco, I thought the brass was cool and everything. The more I looked at the kaweco, the more that was not enough for me; I needed a workhorse pen, not a toy. I looked straight into that man's eyes and said "Okay, let's get crazy. Please put that fountain pen away. Bring the good one, I'm taking it home". His look changed, he was shocked and delighted, no traces of the "Not the timewaster again". Now this pen is my pride and joy, I come from a lamy logo, no more fountain pens. This is perfection for me, I write cursive and I need a super duper fine nib to make the loops legible and not just a loop filled with ink. This glides through paper, but it's got some grip on the paper. It's like a teeny tiny bit scratchy, but it gives me control and I'm head over heels in love with that. This is the fountain pen for me, I don't want anything else. The experience of writing and what it means to me (overcoming some heavy shit) make me feel like a gentleman when using it. (Sidenote, the pairing with Diamine autumn oak is astonishing). Thanks for reading these lines, I hope you fountain pen friend have an amazing day!
🖋💕As an FP collector/user of 30+ years, I have a fairly vast collection. Yet, there’s just something about the humble Pilot Custom 823 that makes it my EDC. It’s a quality, reliable pen, in a sublime amber-demonstrator colour, with a trouble-free vac-fill (my fav mechanism.) Yet it’s not so recognizable or flashy that I have to worry about it becoming a temptation to others. While my multiple MontBlanc Meisterstucks may be considered the pinnacle amongst many collectors, as a user- I hold my Custom 823 as the apex of practicality and pleasure.
My fav pen that I own is Traveler’s Pen, the surprisingly soft springy yet dry nib delivers line variation and shading during casual writing. I didn’t look at other pens for more than a year after I got this one. I have been disappointed at the first look but then I inked it and fell in love
One of the best video... just loved it!! The most amazing part is the precise selection of models and the reasoning behind, nothing can beat it. Absolutely terrific...
Drew, when you drag the ending word of your statement I always lean into the screen the you never fail to hit we with a sucker punch of an answer XD "strict evaluation scale known to ...... NO ONE" XD
I really enjoy your videos. Lots of useful information especially if, like me, you’ve used fountain pens since the days when there were no ballpoint pens. It’s strangely comforting to see all this interest in pens and writing. Many thanks!
A part of me was still hoping the Safari would make it even when I KNEW, WITHOUT A SINGLE DOUBT, that it was gonna be the 2000!! Of course I’m biased because the Safari was my first pen (I currently have 3, looking to add the Goulet exclusive Vista….), but I have to admit that with every video I’m more convinced to start saving up for a 2000 😝
Love my Kaweco. I have all the metal versions, I mainly use the steel one as an eye dropper conversion but instead of silicone grease I used plumbers tape. No leaking problems.
Always happy to see the humble but mighty Preppy get some praise. For what they are they're amazing pens! I love how dependable and versatile they are. They've become my go-to for nature journaling; paired with Carbon Black cartridges they both write reliably on heavier sketchbook or watercolor paper, and are excellent for inking drawings before painting over them. Aside from that specific purpose I just like having them around for everyday writing, and usually have a couple in my pen case at any given time alongside much more expensive pens. Whenever the new Preppy Wa collection drops I will probably end up buying all of them like I did last year 😄
I don’t use black ink much, but I will always have a preppy inked with carbon black. It just sits there for months sometimes but always writes. And Carbon Black. What more could you want…permanent, non-bleed and non-feather on most papers, plus it comes in cartridges so I don’t have to get a bottle of ink that will take me a century to use. My last cartridge lasted two years. Carbon black in a medium nib preppy… perfect for my needs.
Oh my.....Namiki Chinkin Cherry Blossom is my all favorite, beauty with exceptional writing. Accidentaly I have like 3 from this pressentation and this one is just top.
I'd go with the 3776 for Platinum and the Vanishing Point for Pilot (even though I love my Custom 823). But this topic was no doubt chosen to increase engagement and it will spark enough debate to do that.
I was so close to making those picks! I actually DID pick the 3776, but then went with the Preppy because I was thinking, "The 3776 wouldn't look as dominant next to some of the other brands' pens...so what can Platinum do that they CAN'T do?" and then I was like, "The Preppy!". If I wasn't making a comparison to other brands though - I would definitely go with the 3776. - Drew
Great choices, Drew. Of course there are many variations that can be considered iconic for each manufacturer. Take for instance Pilot. While the Custom 823 is a standout, a case can be made for the Elite or the Vanishing Point. Or, Visconti as another example. The Homo Sapiens is a fabulous pen. But a case can be made for the Opera. I know these are tough choices and you did a great job.
Really nice choices but I disagree with Platinum's and Pilot's ones. Platinum choice must by the 3776 cause their higher level pens resemble it's shape especially the nib shape. With Pilot I'd would choose the Metropolitan (I'm biased, it was my first pen) because it showcases how Pilot has mastered snap caps pens. The Metro opens the path to pens like the Prera, Stargazer, E95S, Silvern, etc. Pilot is the king of quick draw fountain pens!
I agree with the Platinum Preppy though. They are by far my most used pens because I can toss them around everywhere and the ink doesn't dry out and become darker like they do when I use a Kakuno. They're just super reliable, cheap, and great for people like me who like to have lots of different colours and bring lots of pens around.
Pilot's best pens are: 1. Penmanship, 2. Plumix F and M, 3. Pluminix, 4. Kakuno EF, 5. Metropolitan M Stub, 6. Varsity F, and 7. Everything else. With Pilot, the less a pen costs, the better it is. You get waaaay more for your buck. I rarely touch my Falcon SEF and Vanishing Point; they're just not as good. This rule also applies to Platinum 🤔🧐
@@d.molina5644 The only downsides to a Platinum Preppy is that the plastic is brittle (the caps will get hairline cracks after a coupla years) and the EF is not as sharp as a Pilot EF. The Century UEF does not satisfy me. I went back to the most basic Pilot and Platinum EFs.
@@kyris66 but it’s supposed to be the pen that best represents the brand. People aren’t disagreeing with the preppy pick because they think it’s a bad pen, it’s because it’s pretty different from the rest of the pens Platinum offers. As someone else said, if you have the preppy to someone who didn’t know anything about the brand than they would likely assume Platinum is a cheap, budget brand.
1. Montblanc, Ramses II Legrand. 2. Pelikan, Calculation of Time. 3. Omas, 360 Demostrator. 4. Aurora, Giuseppe Verdi, Gran Gala 5. Visconti, Empire. 6. Yard-O-Led Viceroy. 7. Sailor Realo Demostrator. 8. Pilot Custom Urushi Red. 9. Parker 50 Falcon. 10. Waterman Man 100.
Like others here, I don't completely agree with Drew's choices (Preppy....really??) but I applaud his effort in making a great video and providing his perspective.
I have to say that as much as I adore the Eco, the 580 was the right call. That faceted body really is the cherry on top, I literally gasped unboxing the Iris version. I know several folks disagree with your choosing the Preppy but your logic is sound: it’s penabled many, the Wa editions are cute, and it’s a low-priced and low-commitment gateway to the hobby. Platinum does that type of pen really well(see also the Platinum Meteor, exclusive to Japan, that comes in all kinds of Sanrio character versions).
Well, I agree with the TWSBI 580 (ALR is my preference) and the Pilot Custom 823. I think I'd have to go with either the Kaweco Steel Sport (which I have) or the Kaweco Brass Sport. Most of the other pen brands are not represented in my personal collection. I can't disagree with the Lamy 2000 being their flagship pen, but it just doesn't appeal to me.
For me personally the best Pilot is Vanishing Point. Nothing comes closer to its legendarity and love among the community. Custom 823 is amazing, but VP is the real workhorse represents Pilot's technological advance.
Man has been gone for around 2 years from this fountain pen hobby since I got the sailor gear pro 24k because I am already very satisfied with that pen. But I used to dream about owning that Carbon peneider and this video made me realize that I still long for it.
Interesting list - since I am new to Fountain Pens I find this helpful. And now for something completely different - what watch were you wearing in today's video. Looks interesting. Fun to see your style - not just in your shirts! Do tell!
@@Gouletpens 😁 Very funny answer, I feel the same way - I just own an M1000 and I definitely wouldn't trade it for an M800 :-) (although I may add some M800s to my collection in the future, I wouldn't rule it out).
I've only been collecting fountain pens for two months, but I have 4 of these. Nice list! Visconti Homo Sapiens Magma, Pilot Custom 823, Lamy 2000, and TWSBI Diamond 580 (several of these)
@@michaelfernandez3182 I usually jump in quickly with new hobbies. My second Homo Sapiens (Dark Ages) is on the way. The pens are great, but the ink choices are what really make this fun!
Hadn't gotten to this video until now, because I wasn't sure I'd be in the mood for it. But now I have, and…I agree with it. *En Toto.* Shocking, I know, but Drew nailed it, IMO. As an ex-Lamy guy, now immersed in Pilot (pair of Custom 823s and a Vanishing Point), I vigorously nodded my head at the 2000 and 823 choices, and the one thing both pens have in common is that neither goes in for flavor-of-the-month editions (well, Lamy *does* trot out the odd Limited Edition 2k, but not terribly often); these pens survive on their functional merits and little more, the 2000 since 1966, the 823 for a bit under two decades. Not knocking novelty here, but for me it's all in the writing.
I own quite a few Pelikans ... and I, at least, much prefer the m605 and m805 to the m1000 -- I don't *mind* big pens, but the 60x/80x sizes are just much more practical, and I use them probably 10 times more often.
Hey, I actually have 2 of these pens! The Preppy and the Pro Gear. Of the two, I prefer the one I bought second. Were there to be a third, it would be, in my dreams, the M1000. Also, nobody else makes a pen remotely like the Pilot Parallel. And at $8, everybody should have one.
It makes a 1000 year lasting highlighter. It writes always with no hard starts no matter that it's stored nib up. It undoubtedly lives up to Pilot name.
Darn, I have never used a Pilot Parallel. I always figured they were only meant for calligraphy enthusiasts. Could a Parallel pen be used for normal daily cursive writing?
@@sajjadhusain4146 Actually I only use them for drawing, but some folks use them to write big section titles when journalling. For writing normal-sized I would probably stick to the smallest, the 1.5mm size. If you have a 1.5 (or so) stub already, the Parallel produces the same marks, but going all the way up to 6.0. Am I talking you out of it yet?
@@ichirofakename ..Haha, sort of yes.. Because I have just two pens with wide stubs, a 1.4 and a 1.5 mm respectively. And they aren’t really always ideal for daily normal writing. Still, for a stub they are just about alright. And fun to use. I reckon I may get the 1.5mm Parallel pen, for curiosity’s sake. Thanks for the helpful feedback!
But the swipe is the pen that deviates from the rest of their product line the most. Two defining characteristics of the majority of TWSBI’s pens are that they are demonstrators with integrated filling systems, and the swipe only possess the latter. If the swipe was someone’s favorite pen they would probably be pretty disappointed to find TWSBI doesn’t offer any others that are similar to it at all.
Seeing as how I own 5 of these pens, I can hardly disagree with your well-considered choices. I have my eye on a Namiki chinkin pen, but it will definitely not be the one I REALLY want at $6,800! I‘ll have to settle for one that is less elaborate. 2 1/2 weeks in London have put me WAY behind on watching Goulet Pens videos! (Did you notice I was gone? 🤣)
As of right now I have 4 gullor 250s, 4 gullor 450s, a jinhao ancient gold dragon, 4 yongsheng 3008s, an Ellington nautilus, a zalantan, and a scriveiner. Yeah, I have a lot of pens! 😅 And I plan on getting even more soon!
Hey, if it weren't for me getting the Preppy, I wouldn't've started down this rabbit hole of fountain pens. Sure, it's not the "best" model, but gosh, it gets me through work LOL
I have no objections with this list, per se. It's a fun little exercise, and people will come up with a variety of picks. But, seriously, the Preppy? It's popular, I'll give it that. But it's popular because it's cheap. Most only last a few years, if you're lucky. If that's the pen that represents House Platinum, then I think I'd better steer clear of their other offerings and try a different brand.
If I were running Platinum, I’d disown Drew and Goulet Pens right about now after hearing what I did about the Preppy. 😀 Of course, like I said, it’s actually the 3776 Century, every day of the year.
@@Gouletpens If that's their idea of a huge achievement, then that speaks volumes about their commitment to quality. My curiosity about the 3776 has been sated.
Drew, you are totally wrong. The M1000 is too big and has a wet cardboard nib. The M800 is the perfect size and has almost all the cool materials. Sure, the M1000 gets the maki-e but OCEAN SWIRL! And the nib has just the right firmness. I do miss the double-line nib engraving but no, the M1000 is trash (I'm sorry M1000 Hercules, I love you anyway). Now with the Namiki... ok, I have to admit Chinkin is amazing and though I don't have the flattop, I might need one (you know where I live, is there a goulet subscription yet?)
I have a probably odd (open) question, I dont have much experience with fountain pens, I own like 5 or 6 total so totally noob here. Why I dont see that much the Montblanc in this type of videos like top tens and such? When I go to any fountain pen store there is always this brand and seems like a top brand but as I say see it that much in YT videos as the others.
Thanks for the recommendations for Pelikan and Pneider! Have never tried either, so good to have a place to start. Question for Pelikan: if I'm a lover of Japanese Mediums, what would that translate to on an M1000? Fine?
I think platinum 3776 is the one that’s worth going with the obvious choice for, and for TWSBI it’s the mini for me! I don’t know what is different about them (wonder if you guys know the reason?) but my minis seem to write better than all my full sized TWSBI pens. Custom 823 tied for me with the Falcon which I think is underrated. Maybe it edges ahead bc of the filling system… but IMO there’s nothing like that SEF Falcon nib.
Yes, the case for the 3776 is strong. But against its Pilot and Sailor counterparts, I think the Preppy would look better compared to other sub-$10 pens from other companies. - Drew
A very good list. But I think the Classic Sport represents Kaweco better in my opinion and I would go for the Eco instead of the 580 even though my first TWSBI was a 580. Apart from that, solid choices.
For the Piloty-est Pilot, you picked the pen that looks like so many other pens? The one that has so few colours that it could literally blend in with literally every other transparent, round finial pen. And the vac filling system isn't enough to carry it, I'm afraid. What about the Vanishing Point? They really perfected that retractable nib and yet it doesn't have so many moving parts that it's difficult to learn and inconvenient to use. Plus it's just lovely to use and has multiple special editions that have released over the years. And Platinum? No, it's the 3776 Century. Preppies are garbage. Dang you made me type paragraphs on the internet. 🤣🤦♀
On second thoughts, I reckon I’d agree about the VP as the quintessential Pilot pen. And yes, the Preppy cannot ever be touted as representative of Platinum. That trashy pen is their sop to the fountain pen plebs everywhere.
@@ichirofakename ..Ha, I know. I just wish they sometimes cared about aesthetics and quality a little more. Because even they can easily afford to buy better pens than a Preppy.
The VP could absolutely take the crown here. I gave the 823 extra points because it doesn't get the promotional boost afforded by annual limited editions. - Drew
I feel clickbaited because the thumbnail had the capless and I was sure you were going to pick the Vanishing point for pilot.... I lovvvved the video though.. I think I might finally buy the pro gear everyone has been talking. Oh and that 823 too.
