Despite being one of the oldest types of pens, fountain pens still stand strong with a huge fan base.
Writing with a fountain pen has an unrivaled pleasure that no other types of pens can match. If you want to dive into the world of fountain pens, you need to pick a good one to start with.
Today, I’ll showcase some great options that you can start with, so you can pick the best beginner fountain pen for you!
In This Guide...
Top 5 Best First Fountain Pens Available on the Market
When you’re getting started on fountain pen writing, you should be looking for certain pens that will make your journey smoother.
To shortcut the long road of finding your ideal fit, here’s a review of the best options you may come across in the market.
Waterman Graduate Chrome Fountain Pen
Let’s start the list with one of the best fountain pens to go for in the market. Waterman is one of the biggest names in the industry with over 130 years of experience in making quality fountain pens.
The Waterman Graduate is crafted and assembled in Nante, France, so you can expect great attention to details while manufacturing the pen.
The fountain pen barrel has a smooth chrome metal, which makes it attractive while staying relatively lighter than stainless steel
Also, the pen has a chrome metal finish, including the trims. The glossy chrome helps you start your fountain writing on a sleek note as well.
The pens with a fine nib, which is one of the ideal sizes for beginners. Waterman makes some of the most flexible and smooth nibs even for high-end pens. That’s why you should expect consistent handwriting with the pen.
Pros
- Comes with a prefilled blue ink cartridge
- Flexible nibs for smooth handwriting
- Lightweight and easy to use
Cons
- Doesn’t come with an ink converter
Get more information on Waterman Graduate Chrome Fountain Pen
PILOT Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen
PILOT is another big name with over 100 years of experience and heritage in crafting decent quality fountain pens for a good price.
The first impression about this pen is that its barrel is made of brass. Similar to stainless steel, brass has some durability to it. However, it’s a bit lighter than steel. This way, the fountain pen stays durable without being extra heavy on writers with little hands.
For that reason, this fountain pen is ideal for beginners as well as intermediate level users. While the brass alloy is yellowish in color, the pen has a matte black finish.
This gives the fountain pen much better aesthetics, especially with the stainless steel accents and appointments throughout the pen. However, the nibs are made of stainless steel to ensure durability and smoothness while writing.
Although the pen has a medium nib, even a beginner should be able to write comfortably with it. The pen is available in a fine nib version as well.
Pros
- Lightweight and durable brass with matte black finish
- Available in fine and medium nib sizes
- Compatible with different kinds of cartridges and converters
Cons
- The CON-50 converter is a bit complicated to use if you are new to fountain pens
BEILUNER Luxury Fountain Pen Set
Besides the fountain pen itself, beginners should also consider all the other accessories that they need to get started. For example, the ink cartridges and converters.
That’s a problem solved by a good fountain set, such as BEILUNER. This inexpensive fountain pen set includes everything you might need in a fountain pen.
It features 6 ink cartridges, so you won’t have to buy ones separately. In addition to the ink cartridges, you’ll also get an ink refill converter. This converter will allow you to use any kind of special ink of your choice.
The BEILUNER fountain pen features a timeless design and rugged stainless steel construction. This ensures the sturdiness of the pen throughout the years. The nibs are also made of stainless steel to ensure durability and flexibility.
As you can see, this pen is a great choice for buyers who want to make the most out of their money. It’s also ideal for beginners, as it has almost everything you’ll need to get started.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Comes with box, cartridges, and a converter
- Durable stainless steel design
Cons
- The pen is a bit bulky for small hands
LAMY ABC Beginner Nib Fountain Pen
If you’d like to introduce your child to the joy of writing with a fountain pen, there’s no better way than getting a pen that’s designed for children. This is exactly what LAMY ABC is all about.
As you can see, LAMY made this pen with children on its mind. The folks at LAMY even designed the pen with the aid of a behavioral scientist to make the pen more “children-friendly” in terms of design and feel.
The fountain pen is made of maple wood, which gives the pen enough durability for children handling.
However, it’s much lighter on children’s tiny hands than stainless steel and other metals. It weighs only 0.64 ounces, which is half of what most fountain pens weigh.
This ergonomic design helps your child to focus on the writing technique rather than handling. The rubber plastic grip also helps in keeping the hand steady while writing.
The LAMY ABC comes with a medium-sized nib. However, other nib sizes are available too.
Pros
- Ergonomically designed for children
- Comes with a blue ink cartridge
- Lightweight and durable maple wood construction
Cons
- A bit pricey
Get more information on LAMY ABC Beginner Nib Fountain Pen
HONGDIAN Fountain Pens Set
If you’re looking for a handsome fountain pen set that comes at a reasonable price, you should consider this one.
Despite being highly affordable, the fountain pen is crafted by hand. This translates to excellent attention to detail, especially while making the nib.
The fine nib is made of solid titanium, which provides an excellent level of stability and sturdiness. This is ideal for beginners, as they tend to press the fountain pen harder than usual while learning.
The barrel is made of aluminum, which is lighter in weight than stainless steel. This makes it much easier to handle by beginners. Also, the barrel is lacquered with a chiseled pattern to give the pen a modern elegant look.
The HONGDIAN fountain pen set comes presented in a premium box that secures the pen in a stylish way. Also, the package comes with 2 ink cartridges and a refill converter. The pen even comes with a manual on how to use all the accessories correctly.
Pros
- Elegant and lightweight design
- Complete set with a user manual
- Titanium fine nibs for effortless writing
Cons
- The included ink dries too quickly
Buying Your First Fountain Pen
In the following section, I’ll provide you with a quick guide with everything you need to know before setting sails into the seas of fountain pen calligraphy.
Barrel Materials
As you might’ve noticed, there are a wide variety of materials that brands use in making fountain pen barrels.
Materials affect two aspects, which are the total weight and the durability of the pen. Ideally, stainless steel has the best durability. However, it’s also the heaviest.
Depending on your preference, you can start directly with a stainless steel barrel.
However, if you prefer a lighter pen, you can go for brass or aluminum. These materials have decent durability while staying relatively lighter in weight.
Nib Material
The part that touches the paper is called “the nib”. Similar to the barrel, this part can be made of various materials.
Stainless steel nib tips are the most common ones in the market, as they’re highly efficient and inexpensive. Titanium is also a good material for nibs, as it’s also durable and handles beginners’ clumsiness.
Nib Tip Width
Nib tips come in three different varieties, which are fine, medium, and broad.
The closest one to the standard ballpoint pen is the fine nib. However, a beginner can also use a normal nib tip right away without facing any problems.
However, I don’t recommend that you start with broad fountain pens, as they’re a bit more complicated. In that early stage, you need to focus on technique rather than optimization.
Full Sets
In addition to the fountain pen, you’ll need an ink cartridge and an ink converter. The ink converter allows you to use any kind of ink in your fountain pen.
Usually, most pens come without these accessories, so you have to buy them separately. A smart move is to go for a full fountain pen set, so you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding them yourself.
Design and Size
Choosing the ideal design isn’t only about aesthetics. While a prettier fountain pen won’t necessarily write better, some design changes might affect your final writing quality.
You should make sure that you’re comfortable while holding the pen. For example, If you have smaller hands, you should look for a slimmer design.
Picking the Best First Fountain Pen
As you can see, there’s a wide variety of options to go for when choosing the best beginner fountain pen. Let’s take a look at them one more time:
However, I recommend the . It’s an excellent fountain pen with everything you might need to begin your journey. Besides being a complete set, the titanium nibs are also flexible, which is crucial for beginners.
However, if you’re looking for longevity, you can go for .
In addition to being a great option to start with, it’s also one of the best all-round fountain pens at its price range.