Pilot P500 - Makes other low cost pens look silly
Written: Sep 13 '03 (Updated Sep 13 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good price for good ink; smooth writing
Cons: Hard, ridged grip; non-refillable
The Bottom Line: Why stick with a Bic roller when you can spend an extra dollar and use this superb gel ink pen?
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| awoeonip's Full Review: Pilot P500 Gel Ink Rolling Ball Pen Black Ink Extr... |
Although cheap enough to be considered by most people, the Pilot P500 provides standout quality in both smoothness and ink quality. It is available in either P500 (0.5 inch) or P700 (0.7 inch) models and five different colors.
Aesthetics
People who prefer substance and weight in their pens will not be too pleased with the P500, as it is lighter than most pens, and has a cheaper, plasticky feel. Also, the hard ridged grip will induce some to excessive slapping of their heads. However, one cannot expect such nice ink quality at such a low price if they do not expect to compromise for the extra amenities. Pilot did a good job of shoving in high quality ink while keeping the cost low.
One thing I didn't like was that after a lot of wear and tear (as in high-school backpack), the labeling on the tube gets scratched off, making the pen look like a cheap generic brand.
Ink
Like many of the higher mid-range pens, the P500 uses gel ink. No, not the flourescent globby stuff found in the original Gelly Rolls. Gel ink has come a long way since then. Writing with the P500 is smooth as silk. Colors are much bolder than traditional inks, and it does a lot to make any paper look more professional. Ink comes out of the P500 at a good rate; it doesn't bleed profusely like other gel pens I've used. Pilot claims that the ink is smudge resistant, and for the most part, water resistant. Generally, I agree with this statement, as the ink holds against water much better than I thought it would. Being a lefty, my hand smudges the ink as I write. However, I have this problems with all pens.
I found that after moderate use, some of the pens experience ink inconsistancies. The ink does not flow steadily, and hiccups for streaks, and then is fine for writing another paragraph. I experienced this problem in two out of the five pens in the pack.
Overall
I would recommend this pen to anyone who writes enough to concern about the ability of their pen. Pilot lists the pen at $2.15 a pop, which is pretty expensive if you plan to buy a few. The five pack (which comes in 2 black, 2 blue, 1 red or 1 each of black, red, blue, purple, green, or all black or blue) costs $7 at Staples last time I checked. This is a much better value, especially considering once you use one, you will always want to have a P500 with you.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
awoeonip
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Member: Albert
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 22
Trusted by: 6 members
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