MUJI 0.38mm Black Gel Ink Pen (Pack of 5)

Product Information

My only complaint with Muji’s Smooth Writing pen is that I don’t really like the grip section – the rubber grip has an odd “pencil eraser” feel to it. Personally, the grip section is almost a little too grippy, but there might be a break-in period with this material.

Overall, the Muji Gel ink pen is favored by many for its convenient size, smooth writing experience, wide color selection, and durable construction. But the issues I have with the Muji pen are not annoying enough that it makes me want to go find a new pen. The new Gel Ink Ballpoint Pen bodies and refills are available at MUJI Lee Theatre, wtc more, Pacific Place, Mira Place, Harbour City, Olympian City, Langham Place, apm, East Point City, YOHO MALL and tmtplaza only. After a few years of working with these pens, I’ve realized it comes down to the combination of the ink’s consistency and the subtle vibration of the pen when you start writing. I use this combination a lot in my bullet journal, especially for daily headers and got into a habit of putting down the highlighter before the gel pen to solve this problem.I’ve read somewhere that the Muji notebooks that can handle fountain pens quite well are the ones that are labelled “made in Japan” (some notebooks, especially the pocket sizes, are made somewhere else. But I think we also need to look at the general consensus of the Muji pen to understand why some have come to label them as “overrated”.

The nib appears to be at least similar to a standard number 5, and is marked with “Iridium Point” and a script-font “F” indicating the Fine width. It is designed as a pocket pen, making it compact and portable, allowing you to carry it with ease and use it at any time. There are multiple pens and refills across many brands, however when you need to replace a refill, it is difficult to understand if they are compatible with the main body or not. This pen can be refilled with two different types of ink in various colors and thicknesses without having to dispose of the main body.

The cap sits perfectly flush with the grip for a very uniform look, and it posts onto the back of the pen just as well.

Show-through or “ghosting” does occur, but this is to be expected with most paper types outside of sketchbooks. The ratings/reviews displayed here may not be representative of every listing on this page, or of every review for these listings. Unlike the standard Muji gel pen I sometimes see in the wild, this pen is retractable and has a handy spring-loaded clip. One of the interesting things which happened during my time away was how the stationery/ studyblr community collectively moved away from the Muji gel pens as a ‘must-have’ stationery item.

In the interest of comparison, it most closely lines up to the Bic Crystal, but is smooth, smooth, and just feels like a higher quality piece. The pen comes in a total of 13 colors, providing a variety of options to suit different preferences and purposes. One of the main criticisms of the Muji gel pen is that the ink takes a long time to dry and that it smudges.