• Pen buying guide

The Best Pen

So, you’re purchasing promotional pens but there are hundreds of options. How do you research the many pens types and features so that you can feel confident in your purchase? We can help you with that. Let’s begin by considering your recipients. What pens will be best for them? Do they need pens for writing or journaling? Will they want the pens for signing checks, documents, and books? Would they prefer single-use pens or pens with multitasking features?

There can be many ‘write’ answers to the ‘What is the best pen….?’ query. But the categories of available pens in the marketplace might not tell you enough. How a pen writes can be as, if not more important, than what the pen is for.

Type of pens

When it comes to ordering custom pens for employees, clients, or prospects, there are several categories of pens available in the market. Each version differs in the ink and the relationship of the pen tip to the ink. Popular pen types include:

Rollerball Pens

These oft-desired pens have a distinctive and positive writing quality due to their ball point writing mechanism and ink composition

  • Uses a low viscosity ink for a smooth writing experience
  • Ink has a high concentration of pigment for vivid colors
  • Are typically refillable
  • Ink can bleed or feather on lower quality paper
Shop All Our Rollerball Pens

Gel Pens

Creating clearer script than their ballpoint counterparts due to the ink formula, gel pens are sought out for their vivid colors and water resistance.

  • Uses a low viscosity ink for a smooth writing experience
  • Ink has a high concentration of pigment for vivid colors
  • Are typically refillable
  • Ink can bleed or feather on lower quality paper
Shop All Our Gel Pens

Ballpoint Pens

Ink is dispensed over a metal ball at the point of the ballpoint pen, resulting in a writing device that is reliably leak-free.

  • Uses a high viscosity ink providing a quicker dry time with no smudging (this feature is particularly helpful for left-handed writers)
  • Is less likely to dry out even when uncapped, due to the thickness of the ink
  • Is available in refillable and disposable models
  • Is reliant on gravity for the ink to flow - most effective on horizontal surfaces
  • Requires slightly more force to produce ink as the ball tip is drawn across paper
  • Ink ‘skipping’ while writing may occur as the ink formula can inhibit even ink flow

Shop All Our Ballpoint Pens

Markers

Comprised of a contained ink source delivered through a compressed, soft tip, the marker is a versatile pen that can write on varied surfaces like glass, plastic, wood, metal and stone.

  • Ink is distributed through porous, pressed fibers comprising the tip
  • Ink is generally resistant to rubbing and water
  • Is not refillable

Shop All Our Markers

Highlighters

Designed to cover over existing written material while still leaving it readable, the highlighter continues to be a popular educational and business staple.

  • Uses a high viscosity ink providing a quicker dry time with no smudging (this feature is particularly helpful for left-handed writers)
  • Is less likely to dry out even when uncapped, due to the thickness of the ink
  • Is available in refillable and disposable models
  • Is reliant on gravity for the ink to flow - most effective on horizontal surfaces
  • Requires slightly more force to produce ink as the ball tip is drawn across paper
  • Ink ‘skipping’ while writing may occur as the ink formula can inhibit even ink flow

Shop All Our Highlighters

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Pen features to consider when buying bulk

Beyond pen type, there are many details to consider when seeking the perfect pens to represent your business or organization.

The Material

What is the goal aesthetic? Sleek lines and increased durability can be found in metal pens typically made of brass, nickel, or chrome. Budget-friendly options are most often available in plastic.

The Style

The type of pen you carry may make a statement, but the style of pen defines the start of the writing process. There are three traditional pen styles available in the market:

  • Click – A retractable pen featuring a spring-loaded ink cartridge which extends outside the barrel when top of the pen is pressed. Tip locks into place once fully extended. Clicking pen top again releases lock and returns cartridge to original position inside barrel. Pro – storage of ink cartridge inside of pen barrel prevents accidental writing or ink leakage on documents and clothing. Con – noise from clicking feature may be distracting.
  • Cap – Covers nib of pen and attaches to the pen body when not in use. May also rest over the base of the pen when writing. Typically houses the clip for attaching pen to notebooks or pockets. Pro – prevents ink leakage on documents and clothing. Con – as a separate part, it may be easily lost.
  • Twist – Heavier weight pen retracts nib for storage inside barrel with a simple twist of the reverse end of pen. Pro – prevents ink leakage on documents and clothing without the necessity of keeping track of a cap. Con – difficult to operate one-handed.

The Feel

Also a matter of personal preference, the way a pen feels in the hand can determine how much a pen is used and cherished. Consideration should be given to these three common characteristics:

  • Grip – The space just above the tip of a pen where the thumb, index finger and middle finger meet to form a tripod. Many pen designs feature non-slip rubber surfaces, ribbed comfort grips or foam pads at that location for better control and a more pleasant writing experience.
  • Weight – Pen material determines the overall weight of a pen. Metal pens typically weigh more than plastic. While weight may not actually provide more stability to a pen, it may give the bearer a desired sense of stability while writing. Individuals that tend to hold pens in a more upright position while writing may prefer a lighter-weight pen because it requires less resistance to hold vertically.
  • Balance – Determined by how comfortable a pen feels when the nib is on the paper, balance depends on the size of the hand holding the pen and the position the pen is held in while writing. The ideally balanced pen will not require too much force at the tip to exact ink upon the paper, nor too much energy to support the end of the barrel. Essentially, it should almost disappear in the hand while writing.

The Color

Black and blue, the most popular pen ink colors are available in every style of pen. While either are acceptable for legal documents, blue is a preferred color as it is easier to recognize a blue signature as original. Useful in legal, medical, and business professions, both black and blue reproduce well when copied, although updated reproduction technology can now replicate a greater variety of colors. Non-traditional colors of red, brown, green, orange, purple, turquoise and beyond are available in ballpoint and gel applications and are suitable for creative and artistic purposes.

The Longevity

Refillable vs Disposable. For budget and environmentally conscious recipients, rollerball and higher-end ballpoint pens are refillable. Budget ballpoint and gel pens are not. Ink longevity varies greatly per pen type:

  • Ballpoint – Ink writes for approximately 2500 feet
  • Rollerball – Ink is designed to last for approximately 800 feet
  • Gel – Ink writes for approximately 300 feet

Additional Features

Beyond the utility of the pen, there are multitasking features available which are useful in the classroom, office, conference room, and more:

  • Stylus – Many pens offer a stylus tip made of a conductive rubber designed for use with smart screens. Consider whether the tip is affixed securely and if will operate on both Android and Apple devices. Keeping screen fingerprints to a minimum, styluses are a great option for professionals who regularly alternate between smart screens and paper like those in healthcare, manufacturing, financial and sales fields.

  • LED light – Some pens offer a flashlight feature, useful for locating items in dark briefcases and backpacks and for writing during dimly lit classes and presentations. LED light pens are an excellent tool for night shifts and positions that require writing in darkened places, potentially the automotive, education, healthcare, and transportation industries. Consider whether the batteries can be changed to make the device reusable.

  • Clip – Affixed to the cap or base of most pens in plastic or metal, the clip is useful for attaching to notebooks and suit pockets. Consider whether it can grip material without snagging and stretch to accommodate a thicker notebook cover or book without losing its’ spring action.

Customizing Your Pens

Pen Imprinting Methods

So, you found the perfect pens for your giveaway. They have the right style, feel and function, but now you want to make sure they have the right message. You want your promotional pens to represent your company, voice, and brand. How do you achieve that? Through imprinting -and we can help you. There are a variety of imprinting methods and these are determined by the recipient pen’s material. Each method is designed to durably affix information on the pen for advertising purposes:

Screen Print

The process of forcing ink through a prepared screen of fine material with a rubber blade to create a picture or pattern on the barrel of a pen. One color is printed at a time and a multicolored image is created using multiple screens.

Laser Engraved

Impact from a laser burns a picture or design upon the surface of the pen. This process is the most durable of the imprinting options but does not include color choices.

Pad Print

Using a flexible silicone pad, a design is transferred from the two-dimensional surface onto the rounded barrel of a pen.

Digital Print

Useful with photos, an imprint is uploaded to a computer then printed using a large-format or high-volume laser or inkjet printer directly onto the pen. This is an efficient method of imprinting allowing for quick turn-around time and modification of the image.

Foil Stamp

A picture or pattern is transferred to the pen using a heated die and pigmented metallic foil to create a permanent bond with the surface. Metallic gold and silver are the most traditional foil types.

Why Buy Myron

Pen Imprinting Methods

So, you found the perfect pens for your giveaway. They have the right style, feel and function, but now you want to make sure they have the right message. You want your promotional pens to represent your company, voice, and brand. How do you achieve that? Through imprinting -and we can help you. There are a variety of imprinting methods and these are determined by the recipient pen’s material. Each method is designed to durably affix information on the pen for advertising purposes:

The Myron Difference

We understand that the internet is your oyster and you could purchase your promotional pens anywhere. Here’s why you should buy with us:

Sourcing Difference

9% of our promotional pens originate in Asia, thus we employ a full-time staff of engineers and inspectors there to work closely with our contractors and sources, choosing to partner only with companies that offer fair wages and safe working conditions to their employees.

Quality Assurance Difference

60. That is the number of parameters we examine on every pen to ensure the best quality product for you. This includes everything from measuring the paint quality and thickness on every batch of pens, to stress-testing individual pen clips.

Ink Difference

The Myron ink selection is designed in Germany using only approved chemicals, so that it may be shipped and sold without warning labels. Refill inks are stored in temperature-controlled locations and only sold within the same calendar quarter for absolute freshness.

Longevity Difference

Our ink formula, sourcing and storage is designed to provide our customers with optimal pen longevity.

Customization Difference

Our in-house designers can personalize your custom pen quickly and professionally using a wide range of imprinting processes. Using our online design tool simply upload and fine-tune your message or request assistance, and our artists will work with you to develop a logo that represents your voice and vision.

Re-order Difference

You purchased your favorite pens from Myron and now the flashlight is dimming or the ink is running dry. Don’t worry. Re-ordering parts is easy. Simply contact us via e-mail with your re-order request, and we’ll have your ink cartridges or Mercury-free flashlight batteries on the way to you quickly straight from our humidity-controlled storage facilities.

Pricing Difference

As our QA Director says, Myron offers ‘high quality at every budget’. Our wide selection anticipates a variety of needs and budgets, but every pen – from executive to click – is put through the same rigorous QA process detailed above.

100% Guarantee

With Myron, there is no risk. We believe in our products, our people, our resources, AND our customers completely. If you are unsatisfied with your pen purchase for any reason, we will replace it or give you a full refund.

How about that for a pearl in the internet oyster? We look forward to working with you.