Best Pens For Note Taking

There are many types of pens suitable for different tasks, but when looking for the best ones for note-taking, you need to consider factors that will make it the easiest and quickest experience.

This includes a pen that won’t bleed through your pages and will distribute ink quickly and evenly.

Ball Point Pens

You may think a ballpoint pen is just your usual pen, but it’s actually one of the most popular types of pens around the globe, and it also happens to be one of the best pens for taking notes. They are great pens for writing on any surface, including cheap or slick paper, where inkier pens will smudge across the page or bleed through them. 

Ballpoint pens use oil-based ink, meaning they will dry quickly if you need to take notes quickly. This type of ink is also waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about your notes getting ruined by a spilled glass of water.

Because the ink is thicker than the other pens on our list, the pen will require more pressure to write. While this is a drawback to some, others enjoy and prefer the added control. 

However, a ballpoint pen writes smoothly without ink skipping, and it has a comfortable and wide grip for such a fine-tip pen. They come at a low price, and buying them in packs will be very affordable, especially if you take lots of notes and don’t mind plain black or blue ink. 

A ballpoint pen is one of your best choices for taking notes, making it the ideal companion for an everyday pen.

Rollerball Pens

As far as smooth and effortless writing goes, which is essential for quick and effective note-taking, rollerball pens have you covered. A rollerball pen will be your best option if your hand often experiences fatigue when you need to take notes for longer periods. 

Because a rollerball pen’s liquid ink is water-based, it flows much more easily than other pens.

They create fluid and smooth lines due to their comfortable grip and lightweight properties, which is also why they’re often the pen of choice for journaling.

However, it would be worth noting that because a rollerball’s ink is water-based, it will take longer to dry, which could result in smearing if you are taking notes in a hurry.

Rollerball pens also have a tendency to bleed through thinner types of paper, which is something that needs to be considered when you’re taking notes in a thin-paged notebook.

Gel Pens

If you like your notebook to remain neat and have a wide selection of ink colors, gel pens may be perfect. Gel pens work best for writing neatly and precisely, and they come in almost any color you can imagine.

While gel pens will write as smoothly as rollerball pens, they will generally write in thinner lines. Gel pens use a pigment that consists of a water-based gel, which is why they write so smoothly.

They can produce dark ink without you having to apply extra pressure while feeling comfortable and lightweight in your hands. 

However, it would be best to note that gel pens will take much longer to dry than other types of pens, which means they might not be ideal if you need to take notes while on the go. 

This also means that if you are left-handed and need to jot down a few lines of notes, the ink will have a tendency to smear across the page.

Felt Tip Pens

Felt-tip pens, also known as marker pens or porous-point pens because of the porous material used in their tips, are a very diverse group of marker-type pens and writing implements. This includes both non permanent types and permanent ones. 

However, the ones you would use for note-taking and writing on paper will contain pigment-based or water-based dye in their tips. 

Felt tip pens will make taking notes smooth and effortless with their constant ink flow, and their sleek design creates an overall lightweight pen. They require no extra force to create a bold and vivid writing experience, and if you are a fan of taking notes in every color of the rainbow, felt tip pens are available in large packs of color as well as smaller packs.

However, remember that felt-tip pens are the most expensive pen on our list, and the pricepoint could become high, especially if you only use them to take notes occasionally. Usually, if you take notes daily and prefer your notes to be precise and colorful, this is a price you’d be willing to pay. 

The only thing worth noting about felt-tip pens is that they come in slimmer sizes than most other types of pens, which means they may not have a comfortable grip for everyone.

Ergonomic Pens

One type of pen that should never be overlooked for note-taking is an ergonomic pen.

Ergonomic pens are available in gel, rollerball, and ballpoint versions, and it will completely be up to you when it comes to the type of pen you prefer for your note-taking needs. Where the standard pens on our list will require a firm grasp between your thumb and index finger, this would not be the case with an ergonomic pen.

The constant grip on the pen will place stress on your joints and muscles, and if you are prone to carpal issues, you may develop pain and discomfort in the entire area. This becomes especially true if you take notes daily and for long periods without rest. 

No matter the design or type of ergonomic pen, they have a helpful feature: extra weight. This will give you the extra pressure needed to write perfect and smooth lines without applying the pressure yourself. 

Several conditions can be helped if you use an ergonomic pen, such as fractured fingers, hand injuries, and even some neurological disorders.