There aren't that many multi colored pens on the market these days; with the exception of the Bic 4 Color Clicker Pen, there aren’t many that are worth buying. What makes this unique is that it has three colors that are in refillable cartridges. Some may see the individual cartridges as a con but to me, it's a great thing. If one color runs out you can replace it without having to waste the other cartridges. Refills are moderately priced at about .50 cents a piece although most places will only sell the three pack so just tuck the other colors away until you need them. When I got the K3 in the mail I was really excited about it; just like some people flip out over a new clothing line or CD, I'm that way with office supplies. The K3 isn't exactly new but it is something that I have been waiting to get my hands on for a while now.

Tombow K3 Retractable Three Color Pen

What makes this a better choice than the Bic Four Color Clicker? For one thing it has a smooth rubber comfort grip to it so writing for extended periods of time is never a pain. The barrel is strong, thick and see-through so it will have a long life no matter how hard you are on pens. Each of the color selections is individually activated; it's impossible to click the wrong color because each of the push pegs at the end of the pen is oversized and easy to see the exact color. You get three color choices with this; red, black and blue. With the Bic Four Color Clicker you get those three colors and green. While it is nice to have the green option, I would rather have a pen like the K3 than something that is a little on the flimsy side like the Clicker.

All three color inks are smooth flowing, dry quickly and rarely smudge. The red could be a little bit brighter but for a three color pen, its not all that bad. Since I write mostly with black ink I was the most critical of this color but it is dark and writes nicely. Since this is a ball point pen and not a gel pen you can use it for writing on carbon copies without worrying that the bottom sheets won't get a solid impression. Likewise, to get the absolute best line from this, you need to write on something that is padded. If you don't the lines will appear smaller and thinner but you will never get skipping or break out spots from it regardless of the type of paper you are writing on. The comfort grip isn't soft and squishy but it does help protect your hand from cramps. If you are used to writing with thin pens then this one might not be for you; the barrel is thick and chunky so it could take a little bit of time for you to get used to.

On a side note, this is an incredible pen for people who have trouble gripping or holding on to regular sized pens. I have an older neighbor that has bad arthritis in his left hand and he always tells me that if I see any large pens or markers at the office supply store to grab him a few to try out. When I saw the K3 and tried it out I knew that it would be perfect for him. When I received my K3 in the mail I let him check it out and he loved it. The next time I placed an order for pick up at my local Staples I added several to the order for him and he has been extremely happy with them. The fact that there are three colors is an added perk. He doesn’t have to hunt down different pens if he wants to use different colors when he is writing.

These have a suggested retail price of about $1.50 - $2.00; that's about a dollar less than what Bic sells their multi color clicker for and in my opinion, the ink is nicer, the barrel is stronger and it is going to last a lot longer than any other multi color pen. How does this compare to the pen and pencil combos? That all depends on the brand and the refills that you are using. The K3 has a cool look to it too; when I am using it at the shop or at the grocery store someone always comments on it and of course that means that eventually someone is going to ask to borrow it and never give it back. If you are going to order these online make sure you are getting the K3 by Tombow and not a knock off pen.

The Bottom Line

I am sure that there are better multi color pens out there but I haven't seen or heard of them yet. While the Bic Four Color Clicker is something that will never go out of style, I really think that the K3 is going to give it a lot of competition. This is great for people who are always on the run and want to have more than one color option when writing. Why carry three pens with you when you can have the K3? This is great for students, office workers, teachers and soccer moms and with the holidays right around the corner, don't forget to grab a couple of these as stocking stuffers for your favorite office supply junkie!


As always, thanks for the visit…

~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~

© 2007 Freak369


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