The best fountain pen for beginners is the Pilot Metropolitan: a metal-bodied pen that ships with a converter, so you can try cartridges and bottled ink from day one, and that JetPens calls the best mix of quality and price it has seen. If you want to spend less, start with the Pilot Kakuno. If you already know you want bottled ink, the TWSBI ECO fills itself with a built-in piston.
Below we compare six starter pens by the two choices that decide whether a first fountain pen sticks: how it takes ink, and how much pen you get for the money.
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How we chose
We did not test these pens by hand. We started from the pens that two long-running beginner lists agree on: JetPens’ “Best Fountain Pens for Every Budget” (updated February 2026) and The Gentleman Stationer’s 2026 “Best Pen” recommendations. Then we checked each pen’s Amazon listing for the filling system, what comes in the box, the aggregate rating and rating count, and what owners repeat in reviews. Ratings were read on October 23, 2026, and will drift.
A fountain pen writes with a metal nib and water-based ink fed from a reservoir inside the pen. That reservoir is the part beginners overlook. It can be a disposable cartridge, a converter (a small refillable piston you fit in place of a cartridge), or a filling mechanism built into the pen. Each pen below is sorted by that choice.
Comparison table
| Pen | Body | How it takes ink | Price tier (JetPens, Feb 2026) | Amazon rating (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot Metropolitan | Brass barrel | Pilot cartridges; converter included | $20-$50 | 4.6/5, 5,700+ ratings (black, medium) |
| Pilot Kakuno | Light, hexagonal | Pilot cartridge (one included); converter optional | Under $20 | 4.5/5, 890+ ratings (white/blue, fine) |
| LAMY Safari | ABS plastic | LAMY T 10 cartridge (one included); Z 28 converter optional | $20-$50 | 4.6/5, 6,200+ ratings (umbra, fine) |
| TWSBI ECO | Clear barrel | Built-in piston, bottled ink only | $20-$50 | 4.6/5, 510 ratings (black, medium) |
| Platinum Preppy | Light body | Platinum cartridges; Platinum converter optional | Under $20 | 4.4/5, 1,100+ ratings (black, fine) |
| Pilot Varsity | Disposable | Pre-filled, not refillable | Under $20 | 4.7/5, 10,400+ ratings (7-pack) |
1. Pilot Metropolitan: best overall
JetPens says the Metropolitan “offers the best combination of quality and affordability of any fountain pen we’ve ever seen” and describes the nib as smooth and reliable. The Amazon listing for the black medium-nib model shows 4.6/5 from 5,700+ ratings, and Amazon’s review summary says owners use it for everyday writing and journaling and call it a great starter pen. The brass barrel makes it the only metal-bodied pen here; one reviewer quoted in the summary calls the balance good without the pen being too heavy.
The detail that makes it a good first pen: it comes with a converter, according to JetPens. You can use Pilot cartridges while you learn and fill it from a bottle later without buying anything else.
Who it’s for: anyone who wants one pen that looks and feels like a “real” fountain pen and will grow with them into bottled ink.
Skip it if: you want the widest choice of cartridges. Pilot’s cartridges are proprietary and, per JetPens, the selection is limited. The converter solves that, but only if you are willing to use bottled ink.
- Pro: converter included, so cartridges and bottled ink both work out of the box
- Pro: brass barrel with stainless accents (listing spec)
- Pro: large rating base with consistent praise for smooth writing and even ink flow
- Con: proprietary Pilot cartridges only
- Con: The Gentleman Stationer ranked the Pilot Explorer above it for beginners in 2026 and lists the Metropolitan as an honorable mention, so it is no longer the automatic pick everywhere
2. Pilot Kakuno: best cheap first pen
The Kakuno is built to help a new user hold a fountain pen correctly. JetPens points out the subtle triangular grip that encourages a tripod hold, the hexagonal cap and body that stop it rolling off a desk, and the smiling face etched on the nib so you know which side faces up. It ships with one cartridge and takes Pilot cartridges or a converter. The Gentleman Stationer added it to its 2026 beginner list, noting that buyers seem to connect with it more than with similarly priced pens.
The fine-nib white/blue model we looked at shows 4.5/5 from 890+ ratings; the clear extra-fine version shown alongside it has 4.6/5 from 4,600+. One reviewer notes it uses the same nib as the Metropolitan at about half the price.
Who it’s for: students, teenagers, and anyone who wants to find out whether they like fountain pens before spending more.
Skip it if: you want something that looks like a desk pen. It is a light, playful pen with a face on the nib.
- Pro: grip and hexagonal body built to help a first-time user hold the pen correctly
- Pro: in JetPens’ under-$20 tier, about half the Metropolitan’s price per one reviewer, with the same nib
- Pro: works with a converter and bottled ink
- Con: Amazon’s review summary reports mixed nib feel, with some owners calling it scratchy on normal paper
- Con: some reviewers report ink leaks, and one says the nib broke when the pen rolled onto the floor
3. LAMY Safari: best if you want to switch nibs
The Safari is one of three pens here (with the Kakuno and the ECO) that appear on both JetPens’ budget list and The Gentleman Stationer’s 2026 beginner list. JetPens describes the body as lightweight ABS plastic, “the same stuff LEGO blocks are made of,” and notes that it comes in every nib size from extra fine to broad, with replacement nibs that are easy to buy and swap. LAMY’s listing adds a small viewing window in the grip so you can see how much ink is left. The umbra fine-nib model shows 4.6/5 from 6,200+ ratings, the largest rating base among the refillable pens here.
If you write with your left hand, LAMY’s listing says the interchangeable nib widths make the pen suitable “even for left-handers.” Our guide to pens for left-handers covers drying time and smearing in more detail.
Who it’s for: people who want to experiment with nib widths without buying a new pen each time.
Skip it if: you hold your pen in an unusual way. The Gentleman Stationer recommends it only “if the triangular section doesn’t bother you,” and the critical Amazon reviews mention the same grip.
- Pro: interchangeable steel nibs from extra fine to broad
- Pro: ink window in the grip
- Pro: sturdy ABS body; Amazon’s review summary says owners find it durable in daily use, and one says it survives drops
- Con: the molded triangular grip forces one finger position
- Con: uses LAMY’s own T 10 cartridges; the Z 28 converter is sold separately
- Con: Amazon’s review summary reports mixed comments on ink flow
4. TWSBI ECO: best for bottled ink
The ECO has a piston built into the barrel, so you fill it straight from a bottle with no cartridge or converter. JetPens says it holds about three times as much ink as a typical converter, and the clear barrel shows the ink level at a glance. It also comes with a wrench and silicone grease, so you can take it apart for cleaning. The Gentleman Stationer puts it first on its 2026 beginner list, with one condition: you have to be willing to “learn to love the ink bottle.”
The black medium-nib listing shows 4.6/5 from 510 ratings. Amazon’s review summary calls it a workhorse that holds a lot of ink, and one owner says the feed keeps up with fast writing.
Who it’s for: anyone who wants to use bottled inks in many colors, or who writes long pages and hates refilling.
Skip it if: you want to carry spare cartridges. The ECO does not take them.
- Pro: built-in piston filler with a large ink capacity
- Pro: clear barrel shows the ink level
- Pro: comes with a cleaning wrench and silicone grease
- Con: bottled ink only, so refilling away from a desk is awkward
- Con: far fewer Amazon ratings than the Pilot and LAMY pens, so there is less owner data behind the score
5. Platinum Preppy: best for trying colors cheaply
The Preppy is a light, low-cost pen sold in many ink colors. JetPens notes that Platinum makes its nibs in-house, which is why it rates even this cheap pen as smooth and consistent. It takes Platinum cartridges, or Platinum’s own converter if you want bottled ink. The black fine-nib listing shows 4.4/5 from 1,100+ ratings.
Who it’s for: people who want two or three pens in different colors for notes or a planner without much outlay.
Skip it if: you want a pen that lasts years in a bag. JetPens points buyers who want “a sturdier body” to the Platinum Prefounte and Plaisir, which use the same nib.
- Pro: smooth in-house nib at the under-$20 tier (JetPens)
- Pro: wide range of ink colors
- Pro: converter compatible
- Con: lowest Amazon score of the refillable pens here
- Con: less sturdy body than the polycarbonate Prefounte or aluminum Plaisir (JetPens)
- Con: Platinum’s converter is proprietary
6. Pilot Varsity: best no-commitment test
The Varsity comes pre-filled with ink, so there is nothing to set up or clean. JetPens says its steel nib is “surprisingly smooth” but is clear that the pen is not refillable and is meant to be thrown away once empty. The assorted 7-pack shows 4.7/5 from 10,400+ ratings.
Who it’s for: someone who wants to feel a fountain pen nib on paper before buying anything refillable, or a classroom that needs several pens.
Skip it if: you already know you like fountain pens. A refillable pen lets you keep the nib you like and change the ink, and it does not end up in the trash.
- Pro: no cartridges, converters or cleaning
- Pro: very large rating base
- Pro: several ink colors in one pack
- Con: disposable, not refillable
- Con: you cannot change the ink or the nib
How to choose: four questions
1. Cartridges or bottled ink?
Cartridges are cleaner and faster, and they are the easier way to start. Bottled ink costs less per fill and comes in far more colors. If you are unsure, buy a pen that does both: the Metropolitan comes with a converter, and the Kakuno, Safari and Preppy accept one. Buy the TWSBI ECO only if you already know you want bottled ink.
2. Do you want to try it, or commit to it?
The Varsity and the Kakuno let you find out whether you like a fountain pen for little money. If you already know you do, spend a bit more on the Metropolitan or the Safari, which both sit in JetPens’ $20-$50 tier and are built to last longer.
3. How do you hold a pen?
The Kakuno and the Safari have shaped grips that guide your fingers into a tripod hold (JetPens). That helps if you are learning and annoys you if your grip is already set, which is the most common complaint in the Safari’s critical reviews. If that worries you, look at the Metropolitan or the standard ECO; neither source describes a shaped grip on them, and TWSBI sells the triangular grip as a separate model, the ECO-T.
4. What paper will you write on?
Fountain pen ink is water-based and liquid, so it behaves more like rollerball ink than gel or ballpoint: it can feather on thin copy paper and takes longer to dry. A fine nib puts down less ink than a medium or broad one. If you journal on thin pages, our guide to no-bleed pens for journaling lists pens that cope better. If you want the liquid-ink feel without a nib, the uni-ball AIR in our rollerball pen guide is the closest alternative.
FAQ
What is the easiest fountain pen to use for a beginner?
The Pilot Varsity, because it is pre-filled and needs no setup. Among refillable pens, the Pilot Kakuno is the easiest. Its grip and nib markings show you how to hold it, and it takes cartridges.
Is the Pilot Metropolitan or the LAMY Safari better for a first pen?
Choose the Metropolitan if you want a metal body and a converter in the box. Choose the Safari if you want to swap nib widths later and are comfortable with its triangular grip. Both have more than 5,000 Amazon ratings at 4.6/5.
Do I need a converter?
Only if you want bottled ink in a cartridge pen. The Metropolitan includes one. The Kakuno, Safari and Preppy need the brand’s own converter, bought separately. The TWSBI ECO has a built-in piston and needs neither.
Why carry a fountain pen at all?
Mostly for the writing feel and the choice of ink. We cover the case for a fountain pen at work in why executives still carry fountain pens and the gift angle in why every gentleman should own a fountain pen.
Sources
All checked October 23, 2026.
- JetPens, The Best Fountain Pens for Every Budget (Feb 10, 2026; price tiers, Metropolitan converter and quote, Kakuno grip and nib, Safari ABS body and nibs, TWSBI ECO piston capacity and tools, Preppy in-house nib and converter, Varsity pre-filled and not refillable): https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pens-for-Every-Budget/pt/368
- The Gentleman Stationer, “Best Pen” Recommendations (2026 Edition; beginner list includes TWSBI ECO, LAMY Safari, Pilot Kakuno and Pilot Explorer; Metropolitan as honorable mention): https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/best-pens-2026
- Pilot Metropolitan, black, medium nib, Amazon listing (brass barrel, rating, count, review summary): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009X9Z2FW
- Pilot Kakuno, fine nib, white/soft blue, Amazon listing (rating, count, review summary; clear EF variant rating): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOOOBU4
- LAMY Safari umbra, fine nib, Amazon listing (T 10 cartridge included, Z 28 converter optional, ink window, left-hander note, rating, count, review summary): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FA5DRK
- TWSBI ECO, black, medium nib, Amazon listing (rating, count, review summary): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011M8AI7S
- Platinum Preppy, fine nib, black, Amazon listing (rating, count): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TCRL1S
- Pilot Varsity 7-pack, Amazon listing (rating, count): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00092PRCA
- Google Knowledge Graph entry “Fountain pen” (definition: metal nib, water-based ink, internal reservoir): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_pen