Inks reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 362 Reddit reviews across 5 subreddits and 47 posts to rank the best Inks brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/fountainpens, r/hobonichi, r/PelikanNest, r/cardmaking, r/copic. Top-rated brands include Diamine (4.8/5), Platinum (4.7/5), Waterman (4.8/5).
Stats
Reviews362
Subreddits5
Posts47
Brands34
Products88
362 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Diamine
4.8
(96)
"Diamine Red Dragon and J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage are my favorite red and green inks."
"Diamine Wild Strawberry for a bright red."
"Diamine Sherwood Green for a true green."
"As others have said for red, Diamine Red Dragon."
"Red Dragon is the perfect red."
"Diamine Red Dragon, Private Reserve Spearmint."
"Diamine has wonderful variety of colors and they work well in my Pilot VP"
"Diamine is the cheapest"
"I love Diamine inks. They always flow so well in my pens"
"Here's the list of lovely inks I've picked for each month:
1. January - Diamine Ancient Copper"
#2
Platinum
4.7
(38)
"I've used/tested all the following black inks in my 2025 Weeks and had no issues."
"Platinum Carbon Black and Pigment Blue, Sailor Seiboku, and Octopus Write & Draw Black Elephant were all pigment inks that worked well for me."
"I haven't seen any bleedthrough in either my A5 Hon, Cousin Avec, or Weeks."
"I use Platinum Carbon Black cartridges (fantastic waterproof black ink)."
"Platinum Chou Kuro"
"Black - Platinum Carbon Black"
"Black - Platinum Carbon Black"
"Platinum carbon black"
"Platinum carbon black"
"Black - platinum carbon black."
#3
Waterman
4.8
(24)
"Waterman is the gold standard for safe, well-behaved inks."
"Waterman inks are excellent and inexpensive."
"Waterman, Parker Quink, Pelikan 4001, Herbin (not the shimmer/sheen inks)."
"Waterman Serenity Blue and Sheaffer Blue are the go-tos."
"Waterman, Sheaffer, Parker quink (modern), Pilot (regular ones), Pelikan M4001 & Lamy inks."
"I use Waterman Intense black and Mysterious blue, Parker Quink and Diamine."
"Waterman's regular inks are a frequent recommendation."
"There are, like, ultrasafe inks among which are Waterman and Parker."
"I agree, Waterman is very limited, though having some solid colour choices."
"Blue: waterman serenity blue"
#4
Iroshizuku
4.7
(23)
"For the color, flow and how sentimental I’m about it."
"The 3 new Iroshizuku inks."
"Black: Iroshizuku Take-Sumi"
"Blue - Iroshizuku Asa-Gao."
"Black: take sumi."
"Blue: blue is a color I have a lot of … can’t get enough but would have to pick Asa GAO simply because I use it the most and it doesn’t let me down."
"Blue: Iroshizuku Kon Peki."
"Blue: Iroshizuku Kon Peki"
"Blue - Iroshizuku Kon Peki."
"Blue- iroshizuku kon-peki."
#5
Sailor
4.7
(23)
"Sailor kiwa guro is highly water resistant, gentle on pens and works on really bad paper flawlessly."
"Another vote for sailor sei boku."
"You could try Sailor Seiboku or D'atramentis Document Blue."
"Sailor Manyo Haha is the most enjoyable ink I've used so far."
"Sailor Kiwa Guro has a silver sheen when dry, and is an exceptionally well behaved ink as well."
"Black: Sailor Black"
"Blue: Sailor sei-boku"
"Black - Sailor Black."
"If I was to select blue as my permanent, Sailor Sei-boku."
"Sailor Kiwa Guro"
#6
J. Herbin
5.0
(17)
"Might I suggest two classics? J Herbin Perle Noire and ESSRI."
"Black: Herbin perle noire"
"J herbin perle noir for black"
"Black: Herbin Perle Noir"
"Black: J Herbin Perle Noire."
"Blue: Herbin Eclat de Saphir."
"Black: Herbin Perle Noir"
"Black: J Herbin Perle Noire."
"Black: Herbin Perle Noire."
"Fun: well, I prefer brown over fun, so Herbin Lie de Thé."
#7
Pilot
4.5
(15)
"Pilot Iroshizuku writes like a dream"
"I’ve been using Pilot Iroshizuku Yama Budo with a Kaweco M nib and it works really well-no bleed through and dries pretty quick"
"I've used/tested all the following black inks in my 2025 Weeks and had no issues."
"Pilot Blue Black."
"Iroshizuku Tsukushi is fab if you can find a bottle too."
"I was also leaning towards something safe for this precious pen -- Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Guri."
"Yama-guri for the win - I use it every day."
"Brown - Pilot Iroshizuku Tsukushi."
"Pilot fuyu-syogun, a couple different sailor inks, and rohrer & klingner verdigris + helianthus with no issues"
"Pilot Blue Black X 5."
#8
Pelikan
4.1
(16)
"I'm using Pelikan 4001 Blue black right now, because it's irongall."
"Pelikan 4001 inks are my go-to for vintage, along with Diamine Blue-Black."
"Black: Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black."
"Pelikan, Waterman, Kamlin."
"That's cheap for ink, no matter how you cut it; and it works well in my experience."
"With Celluloid pens I only use Pelikan black."
"Then Pelikan 4001 Blue black."
"I second the recommendations of Platinum Carbon Black and Herbin Perle Noire, if you want a rather dry running ink Pelikan 4001 Brillant Black."
"I think best cheap choice is pelikan 4001 black."
"Pelikan 4001 black."
#9
Noodler's
4.7
(12)
"Black: Noodlers black"
"Fun - Noodlers Apache sunset."
"Baystate Blue."
"All Noodler's."
"Blue - Noodler's Baystate Blue."
"Black: Noodlers X feather (I know, drama with the producer, but I havnt found anything else with the same properties)."
"Fun: Noodler's Apache Sunset"
"Black: Noodler's polar black, very smooth and wet, pretty black and archival."
"You want noodlers black."
"I like noodlers black."
#10
Rohrer & Klingner
5.0
(10)
"Green: R&K Alt-goldgrün."
"Green: alt-goldgrün (rohrer & klingner)."
"Green: Rohrer & Kligner Alt-Goldgrün"
"Blue: R&K Salix."
"Blue: Rohrer & Klingner Salix."
"Green: R&K Altgoldgrün."
"Green: R & K Alt-goldgrun"
"Green: Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrun"
"I too find that Rohrer & Klingner Alt-goldgrün is excellent."
"Best inks for cheap paper (non-bleeding, non-feathering) are iron gall inks."
#11
KWZ
4.8
(9)
"Like KWZ Honey, Herbin Lie de The, Iroshizuku Tsukushi…all lovely inks."
"It’s really sweet like honey."
"KWZ Warsaw Dreaming is technically a very dark blue. It's also the blackest black you can get without pigment, and has a lovely black sheen."
"Black: KWZ Warsaw Dreaming"
"Fun: KWZ honey."
"If you like brown shading inks I can personally recommend Robert Oster Melon Tea and KWZ Honey for their shading."
"You should try KWZ Warsaw Dreaming, a black with light silver sheen."
"I'm using kwz honey on a leuchtturm 1917 right now."
#12
Pilot Iroshizuku
4.6
(8)
"Black: Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi"
"Blue, Pilot Kon-Peki"
"Blue: Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki."
"Black: Pilot Iroshizuki Take-Sumi"
"Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi."
"Pilot Iroshizuku (i personally dont use mine very often)."
"Goes well with Pilot Iroshizuku inks."
"Kon-peki is a lot of enthusiasts default ink"
#13
J Herbin
4.6
(7)
"My personal favorite is Lie de The by Herbin my all time fall favorite 😍 💕"
"Herbin Lie de The"
"J Herbin lie de the and Diamine Saddle Brown are both well-behaving inks."
"Herbin Perle Noire."
"I would recommend J Herbin Perle Noire."
"J Herbn Perle Noire."
"J Herbin Perle Noire."
#14
Noodler’s
3.9
(8)
"Its the better version of Noodlers Black."
"I like it since I am left-handed and is waterproof and pretty much a permanent black ink."
"Noodlers Black, x-feather are favorites."
"For black inks, I’d consider Noodler’s Dark matter."
"Noodlers Black/ Platinum Carbon Black would be my recommendations."
"I recently picked up a bottle of Noodler’s Dark Matter."
"Sooo, Noodlers Black is great on most bad paper."
"It seems to be good about feathering, dries fast but will bleed/show through on the toilet paper we use at work."
#15
Parker
4.3
(6)
"Parker Quink - I really like the blue-black."
"Parker Quink and Waterman are the two best brands for vintage pens."
"I only use Parker Quink in my antique pens."
"I haven't used Parker Quink Black, but one of my architecture profs uses it religiously."
"I bought Parker Quink Black to have for my vintage fountain pens."
"I’m using parker Quink black and blue black as my workhorse inks."
#16
De Atramentis
4.8
(5)
"I recommend DeAtramentis Document inks."
"All I use are deatrimentis, octopus and the plat carbon black."
"De Atramentis document ink for me."
"I use De Atramentis Document Inks, they're waterproof."
"If you care for waterproof? Then my vote is for the De Atramentis as usual."
#17
Lamy
4.6
(5)
"I've used/tested all the following black inks in my 2025 Weeks and had no issues."
"Lamy Black, Pilot Kon-Peki, Diamine Oxblood"
"Instead of green, I would go purple : Lamy dark Lilac."
"From 2024."
"Lamy black."
#18
Aurora
5.0
(4)
"I've used/tested all the following black inks in my 2025 Weeks and had no issues."
"**Black**: Aurora Black"
"* Black: Aurora Black"
"Aurora Black is wonderful!"
#19
de Atramentis
4.8
(4)
"Black: de Atrimentis document black."
"Black: de atramentis document black"
"De Atramentis Document Black."
"I would mix the Zorn palette with De Atramentis Document Black."
#20
Van Ness
5.0
(3)
"Van Ness has the best sample vials."
"Vanness (mentioned above) has good samples."
"I love Vanness because there’s a HUGE array of ink samples."
#21
Private Reserve
5.0
(3)
"I really like the private reserve spearmint."
"I will second Spearmint. It’s pretty great."
"Diamine Red Dragon, Private Reserve Spearmint."
#22
Quink
5.0
(2)
"Quink is safe for vintage pens; so is the Watermans."
"Quink is universally considered safe for vintage pens."
#23
Chou Kuro
5.0
(2)
"I’m a banker and currently use Chou Kuro."
"The one in the picture, Chou Kuro, is an amazing black ink and I highly recommend it."
#24
Robert Oster
5.0
(2)
"Robert Oster Caffe Crema is lovely."
"I put Robert Oster cafe crema in it and have been using that ink in that pen ever since."
#25
Montblanc
4.5
(2)
"Montblanc midnight blue"
"Montblanc midnight blue."
#26
Graf Von Faber-Castell
4.5
(2)
"Graf Von Faber Castel India red is the closest FP ink I have found to true red or historical vermillion paint."
"Graf von Faber-Castell India Red."
#27
DeAtramentis
4.5
(2)
"DeAtramentis Document Black."
"I strongly recommend DeAtramentis Document Black."
#28
Noodlers
4.5
(2)
"I have had no problem with Noodlers. Use it all the time on copier grade paper."
"If you have noodlers inks, I find ef nibs work best."
#29
Goldspot
4.0
(2)
"Vanness and Goldspot are usually my first stops."
"GoldSpot is another good one."
#30
Cult Pens
4.0
(2)
"Atlas, Cult Pens, Appelboom have good selections."
"Cultpens second. You can also buy Diamine directly from them at good prices here too."
#31
Pure Pens
4.0
(2)
"I'm in the UK and usually buy my inks from Pure Pens."
"I go to Purepens as a matter of preference as they have a big range at decent prices."
#32
Memento
4.0
(2)
"Tsukineko inks- Memento. Ranger- Archivals."
"I love the momento dew drops. They are inexpensive."
#33
Platinum Carbon Black
4.0
(2)
"I used platinum carbon black"
"Fountain pen ink in general may take a little longer to dry."
#34
Pelikan Edelstein
3.5
(2)
"I got the cheapest ultraflex nib pen from Fountain pen revolution, the Guru, and it’s amazing for shimmer inks! Here’s a sample with Pelikan Golden Lapis"
"Don't use Lamy for shimmer inks. My Lamy Vista clogged after filled it with Pelikan Edelstein Golden Lapis"
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