Top 17 Best Gel Pens In 2024 - What Is Your Perfect Choice?

Rachel Shillingford
  May 4, 2023 8:25 AM

A high-quality gel pen can provide more smooth and vivid lines than a regular pen while giving a proper design to users’ hands. This type of product comes in various colors and purposes, so it is not easy to purchase a proper one. 

If you are wondering which gel pen is best, don’t skip this post. I will compile the best gel pen and provide you with helpful information to choose the right product. Continue reading, and I will show you. 

Top 17 Best Gel Pens In 2024 - What Is Your Perfect Choice?
What are the best gel pens on the market? What are the important factors you should consider before purchasing? This post has all the answers you need.. Image source: Amazon.com

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Buying Guides

Nib Size

There are five common gel pen nib sizes (or tip sizes). They are:

  • EF (extra-fine): 0,4 mm in width

  • F (fine): 0,6 mm in width

  • M (medium): 0,8 mm in width

  • B (broad or bold): 10 mm in width

  • A ("Anfänger" = beginner): Ranging between the fine and medium widths. 

  • tip size pen

If you have small writing, consider the smallest nib sizes like EF or F gel pens. A Medium nib size is a popular option as it can suit most users. Depending on your purpose and writing size, choose a suitable nib size. 

Colour

You can choose a pack of gel pens that come in various color sets for drawing and designing. For the regular writers and signing the signatures, a black gel pen is sufficient for your needs. 

Refillable

The refillable ability is a standard and essential feature that every gel pen should have. Ensure that your refillable gel pen is one hundred percent safe to use, especially when you are buying it for children. 

refillable pen

Price

Commonly, you should not spend too much money on a gel pen. It is just a tool for writing, not a piece of jewelry. You can find numerous high-quality gel pens for under $20, which can satisfy various needs and demands. 

Therefore you should only consider the under-$20 gel pens for regular writing or drawing. However, professional gel pens with high-end features will cost much more than that.

Types of Pen

Pen for Art

The pen for art provides users with smooth lines and effortless writing. They come with archival ink, making your drawings or sketching dry quickly.

gel pen for art

These pens allow users to write more cleanly and precisely due to the 0.7 mm pen points. You can use them for detailed parts and important illustrations. 

Erasable Gel Pen

As its name suggests, you can erase the erasable gel pens ink effortlessly using the erasers. The high-quality erasable products won’t leave a mark on your paper after erasing, giving a clean and comfortable writing experience.  

Erasable Pens Clicker, Fine Point

Many erasable gel pens have a small eraser at the other tip’s end, so you don’t have to spend money buying an additional eraser. 

Ergonomic Gel Pen 

The Ergonomic gel pens usually come with a wide barrier size, providing more comfort and grip when holding. In the long run, it can reduce the stress put on your hand and prevent overall fatigue. 

If you regularly spend hours drawing or writing, then an ergonomic gel pen is definitely worth considering. 

Gel Pen for Journaling

As the journalists have to write at a very fast speed, the written ink needs to dry quickly. Meanwhile, the setbacks of the gel pens are their slow drying speed. 

Gel Pens, Medium Point

A gel pen for journaling can tackle this problem. It can simultaneously enhance productivity and writing speed while retaining the beauty of the texts. 

Gel Pen for Lefties 

The lefties will have some trouble handing the regular pens due to their reversed holding position. The gel pen for lefties is a true gift as they feature the ergonomic aspect and a better grip for holding.  

Quick-Drying Gel Pen

An annoying setback of the regular gel pen lies in their slowing drying ink.

 Quick Dry Gel Pens

If you need to write fast but still want high-end ink quality and beautiful writing, the quick-drying gel pens are an ideal option. 

Waterproof Pen

The waterproof pen usually uses pigment-based inks. If you see the label “pigment ink” on a gel pen, then its writing and ink are likely waterproof. They can provide more beautiful writing and drawing, which are immune to water. 

Top Options

1
BIC Gel-ocity Quick Dry Assorted Colors Gel Pens (Colors May Vary), Medium Point (0.7mm), 12-Count Pack, Retractable Gel Pens With Comfortable Full Grip (RGLCGA11-AST)
  • Mt Score

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    9.7
  • Brand
    BIC
2
Pentel EnerGel Pearl Deluxe RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen, 0.7mm, 4 Pack, Assorted Colors (BLN77WBP4M)
  • Mt Score

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    9.6
  • Brand
    Pentel
3
Paper Mate Gel Pens InkJoy Pens, Medium Point, Assorted, 14 Count
  • Mt Score

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    9.5
  • Brand
    Paper Mate
4
Sharpie S-Gel, Gel Pens, Sleek Metal Barrel, Matte Black, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink, 4 Count
  • Mt Score

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    9.2
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
5
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Pearl White Body, Black Gel Ink Pens, 4 Count
  • Mt Score

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    9.0
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
6
Pentel EnerGel Deluxe RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen, 0.7mm, Metal Tip, Black Ink, 2 Pack (BL77BP2A)
  • Mt Score

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    8.7
  • Brand
    Pentel
7
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Assorted Colors, 12 Count
  • Mt Score

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    8.4
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
8
Gel Pens, 30 Pack Black Gel Pen Fine Point, Retractable Gel Ink Rollerball Pens for Smooth Writing (0.7mm)
  • Mt Score

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    8.3
  • Brand
    Aen Art
9
WRITECH Gel Pens Fine Point: 0.5mm No Smear & Smudge Black Ink Pen Click for Journaling Sketching Drawing Notetaking Retractable Extra Finepoint Smooth Writing Silent Pen Set Non Bleed 8ct Up-Gel
  • Mt Score

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    8.1
  • Brand
    WRITECH
10
Sharpie S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Assorted Colors, 8 Count
  • Mt Score

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    7.9
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
11
SAKURA Gelly Roll Metallic Gel Pens - Pens for Scrapbook, Journals, or Drawing - Colored Metallic Ink - Medium Line - 10 Pack
  • Mt Score

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    7.8
  • Brand
    SAKURA
12
Gel Pens for Adult Coloring Books, 160 Pack Artist Colored Gel Pen with 40% More Ink, Black Case. Perfect for Kids Drawing Doodle Crafts Journaling Planner
  • Mt Score

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    7.6
  • Brand
    Aen Art
13
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7Mm), Frost Blue Body, Black Gel Ink Pens, 4 Count
  • Mt Score

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    7.5
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
14
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Sleek Metal Barrel, Champagne, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink, 4 Count
  • Mt Score

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    7.2
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
15
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink Gel Pen, 12 Count
  • Mt Score

    Mt Score is a product scoring system we created based on evaluation data of industry experts and customers. Product rating system from 0 to 10, this score is evaluated independently and is not influenced by the manufacturer. Learn more

    6.9
  • Brand
    SHARPIE
16
Pentel EnerGel Alloy RT Gel Pen, Medium Metal Tip, Silver Barrel, Black Ink, 1 Each (BL407BP)
  • Mt Score

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    6.8
  • Brand
    Pentel
17
SHARPIE S-Gel, Gel Pens, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink Gel Pen, 4 Count
  • Mt Score

    Mt Score is a product scoring system we created based on evaluation data of industry experts and customers. Product rating system from 0 to 10, this score is evaluated independently and is not influenced by the manufacturer. Learn more

    6.6
  • Brand
    SHARPIE

Last update on 2024-10-15 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

Common Answers

What Is The Difference Between Gel Pens And Regular Pens?

A regular pen usually has a thick-oil ball, providing users with fast writing speed. 

The ink applied to the paper via its ball dries more quickly, leaving the ink saturating the paper longer than a gel pen as they use thick ink.

A gel pen uses a water-based gel that is not as thick as the ink in the regular pen, so they take more time to dry. In general, it brings better writing and more beautiful colors. 

For this reason, a gel pen is a more optimal choice to fulfill various demands of artworks. If you prefer speed and efficiency to visuals, the regular pen is better.

Why Are Gel Pens So Good?

A regular pen usually has a thick-oil ball, giving users fast writing speed. 

The ink applied to the paper via its ball dries more quickly, leaving the ink saturating the paper longer than a gel pen as they use thick ink.

A gel pen uses a water-based gel that is not as thick as the ink in the regular pen, so they take more time to dry. In general, it brings better writing and more beautiful colors. 

So, a gel pen is a more optimal choice to fulfill various demands of artworks. If you prefer speed and efficiency to appealing visuals, the regular pen is better. 

Do Gel Pens Bleed?

Yes, but gel pens rarely bleed on the paper. Bleeding happens when the ink disperses on the paper and soaks through the other paper’s side. 

Unlike regular pens, they usually bleed ink on the paper, and their ink saturates through to the other side of the paper. 

Gel pens use a water-based gel that is high in viscosity, so their ink will stay longer on the paper’s surface. This product gives users more time to handle when the ink bleeds.

Summary

For the writers and drawers, a gel pen is an indispensable option with the water-based gel. If you want better ink quality or regularly write on slick surfaces, you should definitely consider getting a gel pen. 

I hope that the tips and information in this post can help you choose a high-quality gel pen that suits your needs and preferences. If you cannot decide, I recommend the Pentel EnerGel RTX, a premium retractable liquid Gel Pen.

A pack of pentel Energel comes with up to 6 gel pens, featuring high-end ink technology and a metal tip. These features give the writers a satisfying and smooth writing experience. 

This product possesses a very eye-catching appearance with the premium metal material. Give it a try, and you won’t regret spending money on this excellent gel pen.

Thank you for reading!