Pencil reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 186 Reddit reviews across 17 subreddits and 47 posts to rank the best Pencil brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/mechanicalpencils, r/pencils, r/ColoredPencils, r/ProCreate, r/flying. Top-rated brands include Pentel (4.6/5), Apple (4.4/5), Rotring (4.5/5).
Stats
Reviews186
Subreddits17
Posts47
Brands46
Products87
186 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Pentel
4.6
(36)
"Been using graphgear 1000s for 10 years"
"I have a Pentel Graphgear1000 that I've been using for close to 15 years. 10/10"
"I’ll go for Pentel Smash. The rubber stubs perfectly sit in between your fingers when forming a natural grip."
"Personally, I love the pentel Nero metal grip in 0.3. it's one of the very few pencils that has an amazing knurled grips."
"Imo, pentel smash. size, weight, design and price. it's best overalls for mechanical pencil."
"Cheap: Pentel Smash"
"Get the Pentel ORENZ 0.2mm... SHARP. MAXIMUM. done."
"My favorite so far has been the graph gear 1000 series."
"It's like a better Graphgear 500. That' being said, both are in my top 3 along with Kerry."
"Pentel GraphGear 1000 was what got me into the rabbit hole"
#2
Apple
4.4
(17)
"I have a metal fine tip for my Apple Pencil! It doesn’t scratch the screen and it lets me be able to see the cursor if I’m drawing super small details"
"If cost isn’t an issue then just get the Apple Pencil"
"I would just go with the Apple Pencil as it just works: pressure sensitivity, magnetic wireless charging, tilt, etc."
"There are no full feature alternatives to the apple pencil."
"Apple pencil will work perfectly for your 10 year old."
"The Apple’s pencil. 👍🏽"
"2nd gen Apple Pencil, both renowned and they’re more than suitable."
"The Apple pencil is truly the only way to go."
"The Apple Pencil is far superior to everything else."
"Cheapest Apple Pencil compatible with your iPad."
#3
Rotring
4.5
(15)
"I love my RotRing 600. 0.5 lead. The gnurled grip is comfortable and the weight of the brass in my hand is very satisfying."
"Get a Roting 600, they are like $20-25 on Amazon, and you can thank me later"
"Get a rOtring 800. It was a life-changer for me."
"Rotring 600, specifically my Rotring 600."
"Rotring rapid pro."
"I love my Rotring Rapid Pro and my Staedtler Mars Technico."
"When I feel like using an incremental advance mechanism, the Rotring Rapid Pro."
"Rotring Rapid Pro I got 8 years ago."
"Rotring's ones, any of them."
"ROtring 800"
#4
Pilot
4.3
(10)
"Pilot S10 is my personal favorite and doesn’t seem to get enough love on here."
"I exclusively use Pilot Neox 0.5mm 4b."
"If you want to write non stop for a long time, I can vouch for the Dr Grip Ace."
"Pilot also sells the Dr Grip in a mechanical pencil version too."
"Yeah, a Pilot Dr. Grip is fine."
"Pilot Dr. Grip"
"If I had to pick just one...Pilot s10."
"Dr grip"
"Maybe the Pilot S10, which is a close second to the SMASH."
"I find the pilot opt a well balanced and great pencil for writing."
#5
Staedtler
4.3
(10)
"It is a perfect pencil I highly recommend it."
"The Staedtler Mars Technico 780 has always been my favorite."
"The Staedtler Mars Technico 780 has always been my favorite."
"Staedtler Norica for simple note taking"
"Try Staedtler Mars Lumograph and Faber-Castell Castell 9000."
"I'm deciding between the Pentel Twist-Erase III or the Staedtler triplus micro 774."
"So far - Staedtler 925 35-03."
"Was always a big fan of staedtler 925."
"Staedler 925-35-03 Fine line, good grip and balance."
"If you are looking for cheap, try a staedtler norica instead."
#6
Prismacolor
4.6
(9)
"I was able to score a new 150 ct. Prismacolor Premier set on the second hand market for $50!"
"I love love love Prismacolor colored pencil."
"I love prismacolors."
"I would definitely go for whatever set of Prismacolors is in your budget."
"Prismacolors are on sale at Blick. Get whichever set fits in your budget."
"If you really love the Prismacolor pencils, maybe their Scholar line would work?"
"Don’t get Amazon budget stuff. Better a small 12 pc from Prisma."
"Prismas would be my first suggestion if they are available to you."
"I would say prismas. They have a lot of pigment."
#7
Uni
4.6
(9)
"The kuru toga is my go to long write pencil. The rotating mechanism keeps a sharp edge."
"The Uni Kuru Toga Roulette is a great one. Got me addicted."
"Uni kuru toga .3 or .5."
"I daily drive both GG500 and Kura Toga."
"Any Uni pencil with Kuru Toga self-sharpening mechanism."
"Uni Kurutoga Advance - It rotates the lead so you don't get the flat spot/chisel point."
"Really depends on personal preference, but my favorite is the Kuru Toga Advance Upgrade."
"Kuru toga advance upgrade"
"But if I had a heavier hand, I'd use a Kuru Toga."
#8
Faber-Castell
4.2
(9)
"There are Faber castel, camlin, etc sold online."
"Great choice. Depending on where you live, $50 can get you the full 100 set."
"I use Faber Castell Pitt Matt 12B for the darkest values."
"Faber Castell Apollo has a comfortable triangular grip."
"Try the Koh i noor 5900 or the Faber castell 9400."
"For normal writing Faber Castell grip plus because it has a nice thickness grip section."
"Faber Castell Black Edition, made for beginners and younger people."
"Faber Castell black edition."
"And faber castell gripmatic."
#9
Mitsubishi
4.8
(6)
"If you’re looking for a dark shade, you might wanna look into the Mitsubishi Mark Sheet."
"The best pencils are the Japanese ones by Mitsubishi and Tombow."
"The be all end all of pencils, imo."
"Mitsubishi 9850 is my go to recommendation here."
"Mitsubishi Hi-Uni!"
"Mitsubishi Hi-Uni!"
#10
Apple Pencil
4.5
(6)
"Buy the Apple Pencil 2 or higher. I tried the cheap $30 pencil, but you just can’t beat the quality."
"The Apple Pencil is amazing, I love using it and it works seamlessly with foreflight."
"I would get the pro. Not because you need any of its features, but because it charges via the magnetic attachment."
"If you like writing to dear diary digitally or sketching during boring cruise, I would get at least the second generation Apple Pencil."
"I'd recommend going used. I got my Apple Pencil 2 to use for ForeFlight for $35 on Facebook Marketplace."
"HATOKU Pencil 2nd Generation... I use this for my iPad mini 7, iPad 10, & iPad Pro."
#11
Tombow
4.5
(6)
"Tombow Monograph Fine is the way to go. My favorite!!!"
"Tombow 8900 HB. This pencil, writes super smooth and dark, without being smudgy."
"Tombow Mono 100 in F or HB"
"If you want a shaker, then the tombow mono graph is a nice option."
"Tombow mono."
"Tombow Mono but my favorites are Mitsubishi Hi Unis."
#12
Koh-I-Noor
4.5
(4)
"Koh-I-Noor 5201."
"I've got a Koh-I-Noor 5900 that I really like."
"Try the Koh i noor 5900 or the Faber castell 9400."
"Koh-I-Noor 5201."
#13
Metapen
3.5
(4)
"Yes, Metapen on Amazon under $16.00. comes with different tips, battery lasts hours+, works great."
"I use an offbrand. Its called Metapen and it was on sale for only $6 on amazon."
"The metapen air 8 works with it."
"The new metapen pencil air 8 seems to work with it."
#14
Castle Art
4.3
(3)
"Castle art I’m in love with their coloured pencils."
"I myself prefer castles but I have become partial to the steadlers my wife has been using lately."
"I really like both of them, but I find the Kalour ones have been easier to get the colours to really pop."
#15
Zebra
4.3
(3)
"No love for the zebra delguard? Game changer."
"Although it might not be 100% bomb proof, but they sure can take lots of abuse."
"Zebra delguard or pilot mogulair would suffice."
#16
Platinum
4.5
(2)
"Grab a Pro Use 171 and you can throw away the gg1000, thank me later."
"Platinum Pro-Use 171 or Rotring 600"
#17
Musgrave
4.5
(2)
"Bang for your Buck, musgrave factory seconds, 144 for 5$."
"Musgrave Test Scoring 100."
#18
NYX Pencil
4.0
(2)
"Another vote for nyx!!"
"NYX, maybelline, milani, and definitely rimmel"
#19
GraphGear
4.0
(2)
"The Pentel GraphGear 500 is what I swear by for all of my writing, sketching, and drafting needs."
"GraphGear 500 also would do the trick."
#20
TWSBI
4.0
(2)
"TWSBI Precision, sliding barrel, 0.5mm, silver."
"I think I would go with the TWSBI Precision."
#21
Graph Gear
4.0
(2)
"Graphgear 1000 or."
"Graph gear 1000. Relatively cheap compared to other drafting pencils."
#22
Ohto
4.0
(2)
"Ohto MS-01!!"
"Super ProMecha can adjust how much lead it advances each click, MS-01 sleeve size."
#23
Logitech
3.5
(2)
"Try Logitech Crayon."
"The closest thing is the Logitech crayon but it’s still night and day."
#24
Blick
5.0
(1)
"FYI. Blick Premier"
#25
Kerry
5.0
(1)
"You've already got it - the Kerry Sharp. Just an amazing design."
#26
Midori
5.0
(1)
"I highly recommend Midori's MD Notebook, I have been using it for 2 years now, but the line width is 7mm."
#27
Kokuyo
5.0
(1)
"The Kokuyo Perpanep has 6mm lined, and different paper textures depending on what you like in terms of feedback while writing."
#28
Jones Road
5.0
(1)
"I really like the Jones road eyebrow pencil. It's the best one I've found."
#29
Blackwing
5.0
(1)
"Leonard Bernstein and other composers used a Blackwing 602."
#30
General's
5.0
(1)
"The General’s Test Scoring 580 is pretty fantastic at what it does."
#31
Graphgear 1000
5.0
(1)
"My favorite affordable ones are the Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencil"
#32
Natraj
5.0
(1)
"I prefer HB Natraj pencils."
#33
Uni Kuru Toga Advance
5.0
(1)
"I recommend four, uni pin,kuru toga advance, uniball one with energel lrn5 or lrn7 or lrn4 and platinum preppy or pilot kakuno or lamy safari."
#34
Orenz
5.0
(1)
"I am a cursive writer as well and like the Orenz in .2 and .3."
#35
Sephora
5.0
(1)
"Great quality and great shade selection"
#36
Uni Kuru Toga
5.0
(1)
"I can vouch for the Kuru Toga KS."
#37
Drafix
5.0
(1)
"Try a Drafix in 0.7 - that’s a good size for thicker lines - with Pentel Ain lead."
#38
Kuru Toga
4.0
(1)
"Try Kuru Toga Advance. It rotates 2x as much as the regular one."
#39
MH
4.0
(1)
"I'm in love with the mh 500."
#40
Paper Mate
4.0
(1)
"I really like the paper mate clear point ones with the clicker on the side."
#41
Rainbow Pencil
4.0
(1)
"There’s a few I’ve found.
[rainbow pencil](https://a.co/d/4VPJMFM)"
#42
Urban Decay
4.0
(1)
"Works awesome and stays put."
#43
Amazon Basics
4.0
(1)
"Was surprised at their quality for the price!"
#44
Derwent
4.0
(1)
"Cheaper. Generals."
#45
Black Widow
4.0
(1)
"Also coming on here to recommend the black widow sets of pencils."
#46
Sunstar
3.0
(1)
"There are some cheaper automatic pencils like the sunstar nocfree."
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