Rollerball pens are one of the best ways to approximate the smooth writing feel of fountain pens. That’s because, like (some) fountain pens, rollerballs use cartridges-style refills with water-based ink; ballpoint pens, on the other hand, use petroleum-based ink.

Most refills offer a variety of width options, including fine, medium, and broad — just like fountain pens. And you can generally find refills of different colors.

Again, just like fountain pens!

So why might you choose a rollerball or ballpoint over a fountain pen? Let’s consider.

Practicality

Many fountain pens accept cartridges, but rollerballs and ballpoints accept ONLY cartridge refills, so there’s never a bottle to carry around. There are some companies that use their own proprietary cartridges and sizes, but they’re always easy to find (and if you have a rollerball but are unsure what kind it takes, we’ll be happy to help).

Functionality

Let’s be honest: fountain pens can get messy fast. Whether you’re refilling them, or just writing hard, it’s not uncommon to find yourself with inky fingers. Worse yet, you might encounter a splotch if your fountain randomly releases more ink than planned.

This is less likely with a rollerball, as the ball not only eases the ink onto the page but also does work in controlling the flow. That’s why you can generally find refills in fine, medium, or broad.

You’ll also likely notice that you will use more pressure when writing with a ballpoint. That’s because the ball itself is actually breaking down the petroleum-based ink to set it on the page, not just guiding its flow like in a rollerball. That can mean you get even more control and less likelihood of smudging with a ballpoint.

Versatility

Fountain pens are great for long writing sessions, and of course can offer line variation and other factors ballpoints and rollerballs don’t, but the latter are great for on-the-go sorts of situations. Because they still use water-based inks, rollerballs will have caps, whereas ballpoints are generally the twist or click variety, which makes them great for quick notes and jotting down ideas.

Ballpoints and rollerballs are the pens you most often encounter, mainly because they have all the form and beauty of a fountain pen but are sometimes more useful in business situations for that quick access.

Personality

Some of the most popular writing instruments in our store are the quirky ones, like our Crayon rollerballs or pretty much anything from Retro 51. But it doesn’t stop there! Some companies may be most known for their fountain pens, but many like Montblanc, Graf von Faber-Castell, S.T. Dupont, Visconti, and LAMY offer a wide range of ballpoints and rollerballs.

Conclusion

At The Pleasure of Writing, we think what’s most important to the writing experience is writers have the one they like the most and that is most useful and relevant for them. We know much of the focus of the industry in general is on fountain pens, but we think a fine writing experience isn’t just about a nib; it’s about feeling the words as you write your story.