Pentel’s Energel is a legendary set of gel pens and they all very good purchases, but which Energel is the best?
There are large number of Energel pens to choose from because this is a popular family of pens that has been around for a number of years. Most of the pens share a few common refills, so the writing experience from one to the next might not be drastically different, but you may prefer one body style or another. There are some ink variations, but — generally speaking — the Energel ink is consistent across the majority of pens and refills.
Best Energel Pens In Order
- Energel Infree: Clear body with a matching grip and unique ink colors
- Energel Alloy: A metal pen with a wide body and a sub-$10 price. Exceptional overall
- Energel Kuro: A 2021 model with an all-black design and a skinny body. This is not the same as the “Black Colors” Energels which are all-black Energel-X pens with off-black ink colors (like green-black)
- Energel RTX: An old-school design Energel with a needle or conical tip
- Energel-X: The standard American Energel sold in big box stores. Retractable with a wide body
- Energel Hexreform: A capped, metal Energel with a slim profile. Hard to find in the US
- Energel Pearl: Sometimes sold as the “Energel White” these are like the Energel-X but in white
- Energel Philography: The Japanese model executive pen with a metal body and a twist design
- Energel Style: The US version of the Philography, sold in worse body colors
- Energel Permanent: Aka Energel Pro, Energel-X body with a permanent ink. Useful but the ink can feel a little off
- Energel Clena: Stylish design with vertical lines along the pen
- Energel BL625: A skinny metal Energel. Like the Hexreform but with a cylindrical body
- EnerGel 3 Color Multi-pen: A 3-color Energel pen with tiny refills
- EnerGel Euro Needle-Point: A capped pen with a needlepoint tip and old-school design
- EnerGel NV: A capped Energel with a dated design, looks like the Euro but has a conical tip
- Energel Tradio: A capped Tradio body with an Energel refill inside. A strange mix, normally sold at a premium
- Energel Deluxe: A 1.0 mm liquid gel rollerball version of the Energel
- Pentel EnerGel 2 Color + Pencil: An Energel multi-pen with two tiny refills and a mechanical pencil
Note: This article won’t be taking into account limited editions — like the Infree with Japanese patterns or the Energel Black Colors Edition — and partnerships — like the Hello Kitty editions.
| Title | Ink Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Pentel Calme | Ballpoint, Multi-pen | 3.5 |
| Pentel Libretto Roller Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel B100 Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel Energel Hexreform | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle Point Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel EnerGel Pro Permanent Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
| Pentel Tradio Fountain Pen | Fountain Pen | 2.5 |
| Pentel EnerGel-X Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4.5 |
| Pentel EnerGel Infree Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 5 |
| Pentel EnerGel Alloy RT Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4.5 |
| Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Ballpoint | Ballpoint | 3.5 |
| Pentel Smash Ballpoint | Ballpoint | 4 |
| Pentel EnerGel Philography Gel Pen | Rollerball / Gel | 4 |
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