Updated weekly. The methodical review of fountain pens
Nib & Ink
This week's top score

Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges — this week's spotlight

A guide to fountain pen ink cartridges — standard international vs. proprietary types, compatibility, and the best pens for cartridge users.

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85 / 100 Vintage scientific plate of a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen showing the brass barrel and rhodium-plated steel nib
The one to buy

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen Review

A brass-bodied benchmark that out-writes pens twice its price — the safest first-pen recommendation in the catalog.

2,637owner reports synthesized
27expert reviews read
6pens scored so far
8dimensions, every pen

The same eight tests, every pen.

Nib smoothness, ink flow, hand feel, weight, grip, cap action, line variation, value. Every pen scored the same way.

Every source cited.

We don't physically test. We synthesize manufacturer specs, owner reports, and expert reviews — and we list them on every page.

Updated weekly.

New specimens scored every week. Scores can change when new owner data arrives — corrections are dated and visible.