Brief Summary
Brian Goulet from Goulet Pens shares seven fountain pens suitable for professional environments, focusing on reliability, appropriate design, and minimal distraction. The pens are presented from lowest to highest price, with a tip at the end for adding personal flair through ink choices. The list includes Pilot Metropolitan, Pilot E95S, Pilot Vanishing Point, Sheaffer Legacy, LAMY 2000, Pilot Custom 823, and Pelikan M600/M800, with an honorable mention of Montblanc pens.
- Pens are selected for their suitability in professional settings.
- The list includes a range of price points.
- A tip is shared for adding personal flair through ink choices.
Intro
Brian Goulet introduces the topic of fountain pens suitable for professional environments. He aims to provide options for professionals like doctors, lawyers, and CPAs who want to use fountain pens without drawing excessive attention. The criteria include reliability, clips that fit dress shirts and suit jackets, presentable but not flashy designs, and quiet operation. The pens will be presented from the lowest to the highest price, and a tip for adding personal flair will be shared at the end.
Pilot Metropolitan Black Plain
The Pilot Metropolitan Black Plain is presented as a great starter pen with a clean, corporate look. It features a snap cap for fast and easy use and posts well. The pen is compatible with Pilot's proprietary cartridges or converter, with cartridges being a convenient option for writing on the go. It is described as solid for an affordable pen and comes with decent packaging, making it suitable for gifting.
Pilot e95s black
The Pilot e95s in black has a vintage style and is designed as a pocket pen, making it smaller and shorter. Its unique look might attract some attention, but it features a great nib that prioritizes writing feel. The pen has a smooth capping and uncapping mechanism, posts well, and operates silently, which is beneficial in quiet environments.
Pilot VP Black Matte
The Pilot Vanishing Point Black Matte features a click retractable nib, offering convenience, especially for one-handed operation. It is popular among doctors and nurses who write on charts while standing. The pen has a stealthy, non-shiny look, and its small nib does not draw much attention. While the ink capacity with the converter is not optimal, it supports Pilot cartridges, which hold a decent amount of ink.
Sheaffer Legacy
The Sheaffer Legacy has an iconic design that has been revived in 2025 with a steel nib instead of gold. It writes smoothly with a generous flow and currently comes in a medium nib. The pen uses a Sheaffer proprietary cartridge converter and includes everything needed to get started. Its black and silver look is versatile, and its larger size is more comfortable for those with larger hands. The packaging is also well-designed, making it suitable for gifting.
LAMY 2000 Black
The LAMY 2000 Black is an iconic pen with a modern yet classic design that has been around for nearly 60 years. It features a minimalist Bauhaus design, a quiet snap cap, and posts well. The pen is understated, with a hooded nib and a brushed finish for a matte look. It is a reliable writer with a higher-than-average ink capacity, a piston filler that is easy to operate, and an ink window to monitor ink levels.
Pilot Custom 823 Smoke
The Pilot Custom 823 in smoke has a classic cigar-shaped design and is Pilot's only vacuum-filling pen, holding a large amount of ink. The smoke version is translucent, allowing users to see the ink level without being too obvious. Its black and gold combination is classic and versatile. The nib offers an amazing writing experience. The vacuum mechanism also locks off the ink chamber, reducing the likelihood of leaks during flights or altitude changes.
Pelikan M600/M800
The Pelikan M600 or M800 pens have nice styling and great lines, with the size and weight being the main differences between models. They feature good branding, including the Pelikan bird logo on the top and the bill of the pelican as the clip. These pens have good ink capacities as they are piston fillers, attractive nibs that write smoothly and wetly, and removable nib units for easy cleaning. Special editions are common, with the M815 metal striped blue being highlighted as particularly classy.
Honorable Mention
Montblanc is given an honorable mention due to its recognition in the corporate world, despite not being carried by Goulet Pens. The Montblanc 149 or the smaller 146 are highlighted as reliable options. Montblanc pens are easily recognizable by non-pen enthusiasts, especially when gifting. Brian suggests using exciting inks in personal notebooks for a low-key way to enjoy fountain pens at work.
