Pentel Gizmo: A Pen With Zen
Written: Aug 24 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Six barrel colors, smooth writing, refillable, rubber comfort grip.
Cons: Two bucks a shot.
The Bottom Line: If you want to write right, the Gizmo from Pentel can help take the edge off long-winded, verbose lectures.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Pentel Gizmo Retractable Ballpoint Pen Black Barr... |
Hi, I am an office supply junkie. I am waiting for the day that I am forced to say those words in front of a group of people at some twelve step program for those with an office supply addiction. With the back to school sales in full swing, any store that you walk into, even the grocery store, is going to have some type of school or school related product on 'sale'. Their idea of a 'sale' and mine usually differ greatly but still, saving money and stocking up on things is the ultimate goal. The Pentel Gizmo isn't new; it's been out for a while and has had some success in appealing to the teen and tween market thanks to the cool colors of the barrel and medium sized ink tip. The companion pencil to this is equally nice however Pentel has not taken this to the ultimate in mass marketing; putting them out as a set.
Pentel Gizmo Retractable Ballpoint Pen
What defines a good pen? Is it the ink flow? Way that it feels when you are writing with it? How well it holds up over time? Cost? For me, it's all these things and a few 'quirks' that I have about pens in general. The Gizmo isn't something that is going to make your life easier, it isn't going to balance your checkbook or write out those 'Thank You' notes from two months ago. So what can it do? Write. And write well it does. This is a medium point pen that comes in a variety of barrel colors, the colors really have no overall impact on how it writes but it can make long lectures a bit more fun. No, it isn’t going to entertain you or do tricks but it will write perfectly from start to finish and never needs priming. The ink flow is smooth and so far I have never had to deal with any ink globs with any that I have used.
I went with the black barrel [black on black] to start with and then picked it up in a few more colors. The black one is the only one that is solid; the other colors have a two tone design like the blue barrel that has a black comfort grip area, clicker and pocket clip section. The rubber comfort grip is a definite perk to this pen, it allows you to write for extended periods of time without hand cramps. Sweaty fingers flat out suck and some pens that have this type of comfort grip area can make it worse but thankfully Pentel stuck with their tried and true patented design for the Gizmo line. The clicker isn't loud and since this is a retractable pen, you don't have to worry about losing the cap. Not that I pitch a fit when that happens but its one less thing to have to deal with through the day. So it has a comfort grip but is it really comfortable to write with? If you prefer the somewhat harder comfort grip yes, if you like the soft plush ones, this might take a little while to get used to. A word of warning though, there are some that have lighter colored comfort grips and they do get dirty [read: nasty looking] after a few months.
How much do these cost? Usually they are in the two dollar price range but there are places that sell them for a little less; you do have to hunt around for them so if you come across them for about two dollars, don't pass them up. The nice thing about this is that there are companion Gizmo Mechanical Pencils that look great with the pens. Of course it would be nice if Pentel would have offered them in a set but so far, that hasn't happened. Is this worth two dollars? Yes but there are a few conditions. It's only worth it if you plan on buying the refills for it and aren't the type of person that loses pens. This isn't a 'disposable' pen meaning that the barrel is well made and strong so it will stand up to a lot of use and abuse and refilling it will save you money in the long run.
So far I have only seen the Gizmo pen come with black ink, the same thing goes for the ink refill cartridges. You can get the barrel in several different colors like red, blue, purple, pink and green but if you want something that is going to look great for a long time, you can't go wrong with the black one. Why? Because it's solid black so any dirty that may get on the comfort grip [with the exception of lint of course], won't be visible.
The Bottom Line
If you find yourself trolling the aisles of a larger office supply store and spot the Gizmo, check it out. It looks cool, writes well and can be refilled. Some refillable pens have barrels that crack or break which sort of negates the whole 'refill' perk. I really wish that Pentel would offer these in a pen and pencil set; that would make for a nice small gift for someone that is into pens and pencils. There's a lot worse things you can spend two dollars on so if you are someone that likes a medium point ballpoint pen and are into checking out 'new' designs, give the Gizmo a try. Pentel backs it with a guarantee that you'll be satisfied or they'll replace it or refund your purchase price.
As always, thanks for the visit…
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2007 Freak369
PaperMate Pencils
Sidetrac, Sharpwriter
Mirado # 2, Mirado #3
American # 2, EraserStik
American Natural # 2,
Tri Grip
Pentel Pencils
Forte, Razzle Dazzle
Champ, Clariusl
Sanford Pencils
'Earth Write' #2 Pencil, Clickster Grip
Erasers
Pentel Clic Eraser
Sanford Eraser Caps
PaperMate: EraserStik and Tuff Stuff
Sanford: Magic Rub and Eraser Caps
End Note: The image shown here is incorrect, it is the red version of the Gizmo, not the black one.
Recommended:
Yes
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