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So today, we will be talking about the best gel pens for teachers. These gels pens are so AWESOME! (I really intended to write it down with capital letters because these pens have been life-changing for me.)
At the start of the year, I had a chance to explore and play with gel pens. My brother gave me this 100 Gel Pen set that he actually got me as a gift for Christmas. He knew I loved my adult coloring books!
A lot of my teacher friends are changing their ways when it comes to writing down their notes or when they’re grading their students’ papers. All of them prefer using gel pens as the pens offer more vibrant and vivid colors that just look lively on paper.
There’s just something satisfying about gel pens that more people are starting to find great for sketching and coloring.
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<<Are you in a hurry? Take a peek at the editor’s choice of gel pens. These top picks have features that a teacher needs:
EDITOR’S CHOICE # 1
Crayola Washable Gel Pens
- Non-toxic note-taking gel pens with rubber grip
- Comes in 6 lovely jewel tone colors
- Washes clean from skin and clothing
- Smooth and quick-drying
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Why Are Gel Pens Best for Teachers
If you have tried using gel pens, and love using them you probably already know how vibrant and smooth gel pens are when used for any type of writing activity.
What makes the gel pen stand out from other types of pens is actually the type of ink gel pens use. Gel pens use a water-based type of ink that just makes it easy for anyone to write smooth and effortless strokes.
It also lets users write bold and vibrant lines because the ink flows freely, which ultimately gives a satisfying experience when it is used on any type of writing material.
So what are the qualities that you should look for in a gel pen, because not all of them possess the same type of features and aspects, right?
Let’s break it down and go through the most important features the best gel pen for teachers should have.
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EDITOR’S CHOICE # 2
Pilot G2 Premium Gel Pens
- America’s no. 1 selling gel roller pen
- Retractable and erasable pens
- Proven as the “longest” writing gel pen
- Super smooth and quick drying
- With comfortable rubber grip
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You’ll have an endless spectrum of colors to choose from
If you have enjoyed using colors with your writings ever since you were a kid, who says you have to stop just because you are an adult and especially a teacher now?
Just think about gel pens like an upgraded version of the 64 crayons set from Crayola that you got when you were still in school. I remember my 12-year-old self-flashing mine to my classmates.
Nothing is more fun than getting yourself acquainted with all the different kinds of colors with cool and fancy names—I remember my favorite color named Jazzberry Jam and that was like a world color for me back then.
With the type of ink that is used for gel pens which is a water-based type of ink, it is much easier to formulate with pigments compared to dyes that are used for ballpoint pens and rollerball pens to produce vibrant different colors and different shades making it more fun to write on your teacher’s planner or when grading your kids’ papers.
Usually, the ingredients used to make the ink for gel pens are Copper Phthalocyanine and Iron oxides, and the base of the gel is usually made up of water with xanthan gums or tragacanth gum used to bind it all up.
Just wait till you see the look on their faces when you use their favorite color on their paper! You also have the option to get glitter, metallic, or bright pastel-colored gel pens and the choice is all yours to make.
Rich and bold lines with every stroke effortlessly
You won’t be having any issues with gel pens thinking about whether your writing is clear enough and this is important whenever you are writing important notes on your kids’ papers, maybe for the parents to take note of or other important matter that you want to be emphasized.
Writing with gel pens will give you consistent free-flowing ink that will surely not go unnoticed when written down on paper. Gel pens can also work on any type of writing material and even on smooth or dark surfaces because of the type of ink it uses.
Gel pens will give your writings a much stronger impression, which is fairly needed especially to set the tone of your authority inside the classroom in a good way.
They are versatile they can be used both for writing and drawing at the same time
Adult coloring books are all the raves these days. If you enjoy coloring or drawing during your free hours you will surely love how well gel pens give your drawing life and color.
Even graphic designers and other professionals that need a type of writing material to give color to their work love using gel pens because of how gel pens enable its users to have a smooth writing and drawing experience as well.
Gel pens are also great because the tip of gel pens will not easily smother compared to felt tip pens that also give out the same color but when used for a longer period of time the tip has the tendency to get smushed making it difficult or impossible to use.
Easy to use and can be easily maintained
Compared to other types of pens, gel pens won’t really ask much from you when it comes to maintaining and taking care of it.
Just like any other usual pen you just need to make sure that the cap is shut off to prevent it from drying which is a must for most pens because we certainly don’t want a pen to dry up.
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EDITOR’S CHOICE # 3
Paper Mate Gel Pens – InkJoy
- Ink dries 3x faster for reduced smearing
- Uses a 0.7-millimeter medium point
- Fully wrapped with a comfortable grip
- With 14 brilliant colors to choose from
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Best Uses & Storage
So if you have already been captivated with gel pens, you might want to have a quick walkthrough on how you can extend its life for longer. You know how they cost a bit more than regular ballpoint pens.
The first thing you want to do is learn how to use them correctly. Some users exclaim how hard it is to get the cap off from the gel pen, and the reason for this is the cap being specially made and constructed to help to avoid the ink from drying up.
The barrel of gel pens is also sealed and pressurized to help keep the ink intact and pushed down when you are writing down. So it’s best to always make sure that the cap is closed off all the way to kind of seal all the airways to prevent the ink from drying up.
Always make sure that you hear the click which is kind of the indicator that you have closed off the gel pen correctly.
Now the next thing you should know about is how to correctly store gel pens. Now, this can be a tricky question because there are a lot of different suggestions and tips on how to safely store gel pens.
Well, an unwritten rule that I would always go by is to look at how a store is storing the said merchandise because obviously, the way they are storing it is the best way to keep the product in good condition and have a longer shelf life until the customer gets it from the shelf and bring it home for keeps.
The last time I went to a store that sells different varieties of gel pens, I saw the pens stored lying on their side which seems like the best thing for gel pens since they are indeed sealed and pressurized.
But one thing to take note of is that gel pens are kind of fragile because if the pen itself falls on hard floors from certain heights you might get bubble vacuums inside the ink tank of the pen which is also commonly known as the “gel drop” that will make the pen stop from working.
If you’re wanting to explore other pen options, you can check out this article for the best pens for teachers too!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-vakVlX19w[/embedyt]
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10 Best Gel Pens For Teachers
**Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links below, meaning that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1.) Sharpie S-Gel
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Sharpie is a good and reliable brand of writing materials.
The company offers a variety of these writing instruments that have the highest quality possible. Sharpie is more known to offer high-quality markers that are used by many people such as office workers, teachers, artists, and even students to help with their daily tasks or work.
Not many people know that Sharpie offers more than just markers, they also offer different pens. One of the pens they offer is the Sharpie S-Gel Pen. This special gel pen is the ideal writing tool for everyday work. When using the S-Gel Pen, it is guaranteed that it will provide smooth writing with its vibrant and vivid colors that are available in black, blue, and red.
The great thing about this gel pen is because it specifically caters to the needs of left-handed people by providing a no smear and no bleed technology so that people who are left-handed will not worry anymore about marking their hands while writing—they will be able to focus on writing and working on documents when using this gel pen.
In addition to this, the gel pen also features a contoured rubber grip to make the users of this pen more comfortable in writing. No more cramps, and sore hands when writing for a long period of time.
The ergonomic design of the S-Gel Pen is one of a kind and will surely be used by many people who seek comfort while writing, moreover it is sleek and matte making it very pleasing to the eye and will catch anyone’s attention—consider this as writing in style.
There are 3 available point sizes, so people can pick their poisons between these: Fine which is 0.5 millimeters—for a smoother and thin writing experience, Medium which is 0.7 millimeters for more depth in color, and Bold which is 1.0 millimeter for the more bold and expressive writing experience.
Another great thing about this gel pen is that its ink consistency is not runny, Sharpie definitely did a good job at advertising their product since many of the gel pens have not given the actual results of what they advertised.
For its price point of ~1$ per piece, I can guarantee that it is very worth the price. Not anyone can find a high-performance gel pen and expect the price to be budget-friendly—it is definitely a steal and it is worth every penny.
This gel pen can be used in everyday work and daily tasks, it will last long enough and can be used to finish heaps of paperwork before drying out completely. This gel pen can also be used in artwork as the gel pen provides vivid and vibrant colors that can be used to outline any art to give it a much bolder appearance than using ordinary pens.
This goes to show that Sharpie’s S-Gel Pen is versatile and is surely one of the top gel pens out there, so anyone who wants to experience high-quality performance in writing this gel pen will surely provide that.
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2.) Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens
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Paper Mate is another popular brand that makes writing instruments and tools. Most of their products are made with the highest quality of materials so it is a guarantee that their products are sturdy and can provide high performance.
In the early days, the brand Paper Mate only offered various ballpoint pens which were popular back then, everyone seemed to know Paper Mate as creators of these popular ballpoint pens.
In the later dates, they have come up with more products such as mechanical pencils, whiteouts, and eventually made gel pens. One of the brand’s greatest creations is the InkJoy Gel Pens. This special gel pen provides its users with a pleasant experience of smooth and rigid writing, it will certainly help people feel more confident in writing in their documents, notes, or other daily tasks that require writing.
One of the special features that these InkJoy Gel pens have is the vibrant and vivid colors that are available in Pink Pop, Red Rush, Orange Rise, Yellow Twist, LimeLight, Luscious Green, Teal Zeal, Bright Blue Bliss, Slate Blue Spin, Pure Blue Joy, Charming Purple, Wild Berry, Cocoa Delight, and Jet Black.
These colors that Paper Mate has provided will give people more opportunities to work more diligently either by using the colors to give their work a more lively appearance or use the colors for organizing and color-coding the necessary items in the given document.
Not many writing tool companies have provided different shades of colors, unlike Paper Mate. The name of the gel pens has been inspired by the company’s slogan of “spread joy, not smears”—as Paper Mate’s InkJoy Gel pens have quick-drying ink that as soon as you write on paper, will quickly dry and give off bold and matte writing.
People who are left-handed will surely enjoy using these fun gel pens. Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens have an ergonomic design that encases the gel pen with a rubber grip for more easy writing while providing the utmost comfort for the user’s hands and fingers.
The color of these gel pens depends on what color of their inks is. So expect the cases of these gel pens to be in match with the color of their inks. Another great thing about this gel pen is that it has 2 available point sizes to provide people with different options if they want thinner or bolder writing.
The 0.5-millimeter point size is suitable for smoother and thinner writing while the 0.7-millimeter point size is suitable for people who want their writing bolder and defined. I definitely recommend this gel pen as it has many great reviews from different professions and students.
Many teachers will greatly benefit from using these gel pens as it has many colors that not many brands provide, it can be used by creating a much more organized structure of documents or records through the use of the many colors that this product has to offer. Hence, they ought to have the InkJoy gel pens among their must-have school supplies.
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3.) Uni-Ball Signo 207 Retractable Gel Pens
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The brand of Uni-Ball is one of the most well-known companies that provide optimal writing experience by offering superior writing instruments and materials that people will surely be satisfied with.
The products that they have to offer are very affordable and are one of the best functioning writing tools out there. Many people, such as myself have been using their products for many years and I have yet to be left unsatisfied with their writing instruments.
One of the best products that they have to offer is the Uni-Ball Signo 207 BLX Retractable Gel pens.
These retractable gel pens are easy to work with, given by the fact that the company has dedicated itself to giving the users the utmost comfortability by providing a gel grip on the gel pen’s body—promoting better traction on the paper while your hands and fingers are on a comfortable grip with the contoured rubber grip.
Another good feature about these gel pens is their sleek, stylish, and responsive design that is eye-catching to people, it is also one of the reasons that I fell in love with this product. Not only does it function very well, but it is also fashionable and will certainly get you compliments from people.
These gel pens will help you have smooth writing experience as it is designed to provide the users that pleasant feeling together with its revolutionary gel ink that is bold enough to be written in any kind of paper such as glossy paper. It is also one of the few writing instruments that provide a water-resistant ink that will not make the writing runny when exposed to water.
It is comfortable to jot down with, smooth and freed from skips and another blotching. In my own opinion Uniball’s 0.5mm point, what people might usually call a fine point, is a bit too sharp and a little too fine for a heavy handwriting session.
The medium point, 0.7mm, continues to be a really fine line in my opinion and writes smoothly. There are many more colors that this product has to offer. Those are nice, with a subtle difference in color that is nice if you wish something different from basic black but do not desire a more prominent blue or another color.
Additionally, Uniball makes the nib of this pen utilized by making the ink have a good defense against fading and smudges, which is an important aspect especially if you usually write in large volumes.
The documents that people usually do at work are frequently considered ‘record’ documents and of course the requirements on using ink that is not going to deteriorate over time, so these pens are perfect for satisfying that requirement.
Teachers will love this product as it can help them with their everyday work and daily tasks. It is a very budget-friendly product, and it will surely be a load off the shoulders from the other expensive materials that teachers have to buy.
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4.) Pentel Gel Ink Pen, EnerGel RTX Retractable
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Pentel is a famous and well-known company that creates and manufactures high-quality stationery products and writing instruments.
Pentel’s products are famous enough that almost everyone in the entire globe has at least tried or owns one of their esteemed products. Every product that they have produced is of high quality, and even some office companies have made sure that their office supplies are purely Pentel brand.
This stationery brand is a big deal as it is the only writing instrument company to receive the Deming Award for recognition of the highest standard of quality; this is enough proof that every product of Pentel will surely provide high-performance writing.
Moreover, Pentel goes out of its way to make sure that the products are made from at least 50% recycled materials—making an effort to do their part of giving back to nature by saving the ecosystem through recycling.
The brand has accomplished many honorable achievements, but still, they have to go out of their way to help the world by partnering up with various charitable organizations and use some of their proceeds to donate to these organizations.
So people should be rest assured that by buying their products, they will also be donating to those charitable causes and at the same time they will be provided high-quality writing instruments for their daily work. Pentel has many products and it differs from one another, but so far one of the best products that this brand has to offer is its EnerGel RTX Retractable Gel Pen.
These magical gel pens will ensure smooth and much more controlled writing as it provides a firmer grip on the pen, with its latex-free grip people will not have to suffer from hand cramps anymore and will be able to focus on their work—giving the users a pleasant writing experience.
Just like the previous gel pens, the Energel RTX Gel Pens offer different colors of ink such as Black, Red, Blue, Green, Brown, Orange, Pink, Lime Green, Violet, Navy Blue, Sky Blue, and Turquoise ink; giving users opportunities for writing.
These vivid and vibrant colors are true to its advertisement since the Energel RTX Gel Pens have thick, liquid gel pen ink that will make colors bolder when written on paper. Despite its thick consistency, it is a fast-drying ink that will cater to those people who are left-handed—preventing smears, smudges, and globs for the more optimized writing experience.
Lastly, the gel pens have 2 different point styles: it has a 0.7-millimeter stainless steel tip that writes medium lines and a 1.0-millimeter stainless steel tip that writes bold lines.
Many people are in love with these gel pens, and there have been reviews that said that people are buying this product as a present for their loved ones who work in offices and of course, teachers.
A teacher should be able to enjoy and be relaxed when doing paperwork, the Energel RTX Gel Pens different colors and comfortable grip will surely enhance teachers writing experience.
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5.) Crayola Washable Gel Pens in Jewel Tones
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Crayola is a brand that is well-known for manufacturing art supplies and writing materials as products.
Their most famous line of products is the set of wax-based crayons with heavy pigments of colors that will surely liven up any artwork and make it more pop to the eyes of people.
Although their specialty is creating art supplies, the company has not thought of making art supplies only; they also have to innovate and create their own line of pens that will please people and help them by using their products in their everyday work and daily tasks.
That is why the Crayola brand has created the Crayola Washable Pens. There are many great features that these Gel Washable Pens have to offer, and one of them is the pleasant writing experience when users will have to use these pens.
With its smooth tip, writing on papers and other output writing materials is a breeze; people will not feel and experience the skips when writing and the ink will continuously flow on the paper without it being opaque in some areas unlike other gel pens (unless the ink cartridge is close to emptiness).
The simplistic and fun design of these washable gel pens is pleasing to the eye as the color of each pen case is in line with the ink colors that are available.
The featured colors have creative and head-turning names which are Lilac Bouquet a lovely violet, Yass a classic red color, Orange You Lovely (loving the creative name used for this one), Emerald City which is a bright and fun green color, Blue Ivy giving you a calm vibe, and Twilight Sky literally giving you the color of a twilight sky.
Another great thing about this washable gel pen is that it comes with a rubber grip to ensure comfortable writing while providing more control to the user, preventing any sore feeling to the hand and fingers.
There is only 1 available point size and that is the 1.0 millimeter. The reason why the brand has only provided 1 big point size is to maximize the boldness of the color when it is written on paper.
Crayola is well-known for creating pigmented crayons so they wanted to bring the pigment of the crayons in pen form, thus the reason for the large point size of the washable gel pens.
However, the pigments of the pen will surely be bold enough written on paper but when the users accidentally spilled some ink on their skin or clothes, it can easily be removed by washing it thoroughly.
There is no need to panic when there is a situation where the ink in the pen ink will stain the clothes because it will certainly not. These washable gel pens are perfect for teachers especially when they are handling a younger class. Getting them to write with these colorful pens will spark their interest and will make them more attentive when it comes to writing activities.
The pens being washable makes it an added bonus as children are often messy and will certainly stain their clothes or accidentally write on their skin. This product will surely be a keeper inside the classroom.
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6.) BIC Gel-Ocity Quick Dry Gel Pens
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Another famous brand is BIC. They offer many products such as office supplies and disposable consumer products: lighters, razors, pens, and papers.
BIC is one of the trusted stationery brands around the globe and is very famous as everyone has most likely used its products. Many private institutions have appointed that the office supplies and stationery they use should be BIC since they offer one of the most high-quality products than most writing instrument brands.
One of the most iconic products that BIC has to offer is the BIC Gel-Ocity Quick-Dry Gel Pens; it is certainly one of the famous things that the brand has to offer and it is very efficient to use.
One of the reasons why the Gel-Ocity Quick-Dry Gel Pens are popular is because the design of the pens is vivid and vibrant in color, it also provides a thin and lightweight feeling when used as the ink is encased in a weightless plastic tube with every color corresponding to the ink of your choice.
Of course, the ergonomic factor is also present as the tube of the pen is wrapped up with a contoured rubber grip that provides comfortability and a firmer grip on the pen for better control.
With this in mind, the BIC gel pens designed this product to help people enjoy smooth and flawless writing—the way they created their ink is to deliver more fluid and effortless writing to make it easier and give a pleasant writing experience.
The great thing about this BIC set is that the brand has prepared and created a variety of colors, almost all of the colors in the spectrum are available and if you are an avid fan of collecting and using different colored pens in your everyday writing, then this gel pen set is the perfect thing to use.
Many reviewers have specifically taken note of the way that the colors showed up as vibrant as they were advertised when written on paper and other writing outputs. The gel ink has just the right consistency that it provides smooth and easy flow writing without people ever having to worry about skips, opaqueness, and blotchiness.
In addition to this, the ink is definitely quick drying—so it is perfect for those people who are left-handed. They do not have to worry about smearing or getting ink all over their hands and fingers.
The only downside that I see in purchasing this product is the point size that is only available in 0.7 millimeters. But if you think about it, it is the perfect point size for this particular gel pen as it will create and make the writing more popped up and bolder.
Overall, I can see teachers buy this product to be used in their class discussions or for grading papers. Some teachers are used to leaving encouraging notes to students’ paperwork and I think this will be a great addition to motivating them to do better.
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7.) PILOT G2 Premium Refillable & Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pen
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Pilot is one of the best brands for writing instruments, particularly pens. However, they also offer other stationery products such as paper, stationeries, envelopes, permanents and whiteboard markers, and even jewelry but their most popular products have always been pens.
They are known for creating and manufacturing different kinds of pens like fountain pens, ballpoint pens, retractable pens, erasable pens, and of course gel ink pens. Everyone across the globe has at least used one of Pilot’s products as it is widely available anywhere in the world.
Personally, I am also a user of Pilot pens and I have not used or seen one of their products that I do not like. I can vouch that all of their products are of the highest quality and it personally brings the best out of me when it comes to writing either at work or using it in daily activities.
One of the products that I highly recommend teachers to use is their Pilot G2 Gel Pens. These Pilot G2 Gel Pens are to die for. Everything about this product is lovely and it is definitely worth every price. To elaborate, the designs of these Pilot G2 Gel Pens are very minimalistic and slim to the touch.
Everything about the size, the shape, the barrel designs and colors of the cases are definitely an eye-catcher and people who use this product will get compliments from other people. Many of the reviews have said that almost everyone they knew was out to snatch their Pilot G2 Gel Pens so they had to keep a close eye on them.
It is not just because of the look and design of the pens, but it is the performance itself. The gel ink of the Pilot G2 has a smooth and rich formula that makes writing a breeze without that user ever experiencing any bleeding or smearing.
It is a fast-drying ink that will help people who are left-handed to enjoy and be more comfortable in writing. Another factor that is great about this product is the comfortable rubber grip installed near the barrel of the pen, putting it there makes a difference as the user will be able to regulate their writing more and avoid exerting more strength in writing to reduce cramping while writing.
The Pilot G2 Gel Pens have many color ink options with 27 different shades. If you ever felt the need to get more than 1 color for writing then the colors that are readily available at Pilots are an easy choice for people who want to have a little fun in writing. And unlike any other gel pens, the Pilot G2 gel pens have 4 different point sizes that are available with every different color.
There is the Ultra Fine point size with 0.38 millimeter for the thinnest and smoothest writing experience, the Extra Fine point size with 0.5 millimeters for a thin outcome, the Fine Point size with 0.7mm for a more stabilized writing, and finally the Bold point size with 1.0 millimeters for bolder and vibrant writing.
Many reviewers are people who work in offices and need to do paperwork almost every day. There are also teachers who have bought this product and have been satisfied with the results, making it their go-to pens whenever they need to restock some.
It is definitely one of the best gel pens out there, and with its price point, I can say that it is definitely worth every penny because not only is it long-lasting but it makes the writing experience more enjoyable and comfortable.
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8.) KACO Retractable Gel Ink Pens
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The brand KACO is very underrated and not many people know about this writing instrument brand.
There are many cases where people who do not know a certain brand name are skeptical and do not have the confidence to take the risk and buy products from that brand to try and test them out. Unfortunately, one of those brands is KACO.
However, upon researching them thoroughly there is some feedback from customers who have bought their products and most of them are positive. There are many gel pens that have been a huge flop made by some shady brands but KACO is not one of them. Their most prized product is their retractable gel ink pens.
Upon observing their advertisements and pictures of these retractable gel ink pens, it is definitely one of the sleekest and minimalistic designs that not every writing instrument company does.
Mostly, every other brand has a clear, plastic tube that encases the gel ink but KACO’s encasing of the gel ink pens are not entirely made out of plastic, there are certain parts of the pen’s case is made out of silicone such as its cap.
Personally, I think it is a good design that makes it unique compared to other gel pens since most of the designs that others have are similar to each other in a way. But you would not see this kind of design with other pen companies.
It is also good to take note that every color of the pen case is similar to the color of its ink—KACO Gel Ink Pens have a variety of colors to choose from such as Jet Black, Bright Red, Dark Red, Carrot Orange, Brown, Orange, Light Coffee, Yellow, Pink, Light Green, Rose Red, Medium Green, Light Purple, Dark Green, Purple, Atrovirens, Dark Blue, Sea Blue, and Light Blue.
There are so many color options to choose from that will make your drawing or writing more fun and you can certainly experiment with using different kinds of color shades. Since it is not a well-known brand, many people speculate that the ink formula is not that quite good.
But the reviews in this product seem like it is not the case, every review has given positive input on the gel ink of the product.
It is definitely a gel ink that has a smooth formula, it is not that thick compared to other gel pens but it certainly does the job without skips when writing. And since it is not as thick as those gel inks of other gel pens, it is fast drying so smudginess and blotchiness will not occur.
The only limitation that this product has is its 1 point size of 0.5 millimeters. There are people that might not be too comfortable in using a fine point size but it will definitely produce vibrant and bold writing.
For only $11.99, teachers will have 20 different colored gel pens to use, meaning each gel pen approximately costs 50 cents which is a steal. It can be used in grading papers, writing documents or it may even be used by students.
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9.) Pilot Frixion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Pens
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Another one of Pilot’s greatest creations is its product line of Frixion. Many people have used Pilot’s product line of Frixion, and it is commonly used by students as it is a pen that can be erased—perfect for taking down notes, making a to-do-list, doing homework, or producing a plan.
Even though it is mainly used by students does not mean that teachers are not allowed to use it. Of course, it is not recommendable to use this product for grading papers or inputting records. It is definitely a useful tool for revising students’ work such as research proposals, business proposals, case studies, and other related paperwork.
This will help not only help save the environment by reducing the number of papers to be used, but it will also help students by giving them tips based on areas they need to look back to and areas they need to improve as well.
Now to talk about Pilot’s Frixion Color Sticks, it is one of the best erasable gel pens out there. First of all, gel pens are known to be vibrant and bold in color but making it erasable and still maintains its vibrant color is nearly impossible.
Pilot has emphasized that the Frixion Color Sticks have a different formula than the regular Frixion Ballpoint Pens. The carrier is meant for more artsy applications. It is “runny” than other Frixion pens, and it is needed to let it dry a small amount before erasing the writing with the pen cap tip, or else it is going to smear.
The runny ink allows you to blend colors more. and a small number of the milkier colors, show up dark initially then dry to a lighter, pastel shade.
The Pilot brand has formulated a thin consistency of thermo-sensitive gel ink pen that when written in paper, it will still produce a bold color of the ink but it will easily be erased using the provided rubber eraser of the Frixion Gel Pen.
If ever the gel pen has started to show signs of opaqueness, then it is recommended to store the pen under 10 degrees Fahrenheit to restore the boldness of its color. The gel pen is a refillable pen, meaning you can easily replace the ink inside the case—it is a more eco-friendly way to use pens rather than just throwing out the plastic pen and buying a new one.
Unfortunately, the Frixion Color Sticks are only available in a 0.7-millimeter point size but it is a good thing since it will guarantee to give bolder and vibrant writing. It may not be the most suitable thing to use for grading papers but there are many other things that this product can be used for.
Teachers will be able to use this product for revising students’ paperwork and it may also be used to take down notes during class discussions without ever wasting another paper for daily notes.
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10.) TaoTree Glitter Gel Pens
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TaoTree is famous for creating and manufacturing products such as art supplies, pens, colored pencils, and drawing books.
Not many teachers have used their products as the brand’s demographics are mostly artists. However, one particular product of TaoTree will definitely be a good addition inside the classroom, especially a class full of young children. These products are the TaoTree Glitter Pens.
The most distinguishable difference between this product to other gel pens is that the ink of this product is formulated as thick as those other gel pens, but with the addition of different colored glitters to give writing and drawing a fun factor.
Even though the pens glitter, they can still be used as a regular gel pen, but it is not recommended for using it in important documents or tasks. This can be used in classroom activities to give some projects and illustrations done by students more definition and design.
These gel pens are not particularly for teachers to use, but they can be an asset that they can keep inside the classroom for students, preferably children, to use. This will motivate students to exert more effort in designing and creating artworks or activities, giving them more designing options other than coloring.
This is also a great substitute for actual glitters as it is messier to deal with, not to mention it can bring harm to children.
Glittered pens are the safest to use. And for only 8.49$, you can purchase 32 different colored glitter gel pens—it is certainly one of the most affordable products you can find for over 20 different shades of colors.
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Best Gel Pens Top 5 Cheat Sheet!
| Product | Image | Reasons to get it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper Mate Gel Pens | |
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Check Price ---> |
| Pentel EnerGel RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen | |
|
Check Price ---> |
| Sharpie S-Gel, Gel Pens | |
|
Check Price ---> |
| PILOT G2 Premium Refillable & Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pens | |
|
Check Price ---> |
| TaoTree Glitter Gel Pens | |
|
Check Price ---> |
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Conclusion
Gel pens are not like any of your regular pen that is normally used by teachers – they are among the best teacher pens.
But since times have changed and a lot of the usual ways inside the classroom have also changed, why not let gel pens color your teaching life?
You’ll be getting neat, accurate, vibrant, and bold lines each and every time you write and not to mention the many choices of colors you’ll be able to use and explore with to bring out the creative you—you’ll never know you might have had a hidden talent when it comes to art all along!
Gel pens are also incredibly comfortable to write with, you’ll be able to get smoothly flowing ink but still, it can dry fast enough to not let you experience any smudge or smear when you write.
You can also try to specifically use gel pens when you want to sign on any type of documents, or when logging in important details that you want to highlight, or when you want to destress and try some coloring and artworks—they are very ideal for these types of writing activities.
Let me know what’s your take when it comes to a gel pen, have you tried one? And how was your experience? I hope it was a good one! Let us know by dropping your two cents down below.
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FAQs
1.) What is the main difference between gel pens and ballpoint pens?
When you quickly scan and look into gel pens and ballpoint pens, you won’t really notice much difference unless you start using them and notice the big differences each of the pens gives you while writing and using them.
To quickly emphasize the difference between these two pens we should directly dive into the type of ink both of these pen use.
With ballpoint pens, a chemical-based compound type of ink is generally used making it very possible to dry down almost instantly and it also has a much thicker consistency compared to a gel pen’s ink.
It’s actually the most used type of ink we all know and have grown up using. You would typically see this type of ink in almost all of the pen you have right now in your bag or case.
Now with gel pens, a water-based type of ink is used making the ink itself opaque and limitless when it comes to the choice of colors because pigments are used instead of dyes—glitter and metallics are also made possible because of the formulation that allows the binding of these elements into the ink.
Gel pen’s ink might need a bit more time to dry down compared to a ballpoint pen’s but you will have vibrant and bold lines with each and every stroke using a gel pen. And another plus point for gel pens is that most of them are water-resistant once they have dried down completely.
2.) My gel pen seems to be skipping lines, how do I fix it?
I have to admit that all pens have their own shortcomings especially since not all of us have the same preferences when it comes to writing.
There are times when gel pens tend to skip some lines and this is due to the ink formulation not being able to evenly coat the ball of the pen when used in a quick span of time.
But not to fret, a quick fix to help your pen get back to its glorious writing escapade is to gently tap inside the barrel of ink or by tapping the tip of the pen with gentle force onto a piece of paper.
But please be careful when doing this and not to shake the pen so much as it can create bubble vacuums inside the ink canister that might prevent your gel pen from working.
Some also suggest cleaning the tip of the pen with a warm cloth to help loosen up or remove any clumps of ink. You can do this by simply gliding the pen over a piece of cloth that can also be damp with warm water to help remove any dried down ink.
3.) Do sets of gel pens that say 100 color sets, really mean there’s 100 different types of colors included in the set?
This can be a tricky scenario to look into, you might see some products that claim that the set they are selling comes with 100 colors of gel pens, so you should be expecting at least 100 different kinds of colors included in the set but only end up with some duplicates, and that can be frustrating.
With the type of ink that gel pens use, and if you will notice how juicy gel pens write you’ll be surprised with how fast you will empty out a certain color, this is the reason why duplicates are included in the sets.
But on the brighter side of things, it is convenient for you to already have that extra pen with the same color, especially if you are really fond of using that certain color of gel pen.
4.) Do gel pens bleed through?
One thing that you will also love about gel pens is that they are less likely to bleed through compared to other types of pen, specifically fountain pens.
Since the type of ink gel pens use is much lighter when it comes to opacity and density even on thin writing materials you won’t really notice much bleed through even if gel pens write in bold and rich lines.
Additionally, gel pens can also be used on darker writing materials and can also make your writing pop off from the page which is something hard to achieve when using regular types of ballpoint pens or rollerball pens.
5.) Do gel pens come with any type of odor or scent?
Another fun thing about gel pens is that some products come with fun and fruity scents that can match the color of the gel pen.
Unlike other pens with colors that might come with an off type of odor, you will be delighted with how good gel pens with scent smells like. Your students will surely love smelling blueberry or maybe even strawberry on their papers!
6.) Do erasable gel pens really work?
In your search for the right gel pen for you, you might have already come across erasable gel pens—you might be also asking yourself “does it really work?”.
Well, let me answer that question for you. What makes erasable gel pens work is the specially formulated ink it uses. The type of ink commonly used for erasable pens is thermochromic ink paired with rubber cement making it possible to erase the ink when written down on paper.
The thermochromic ink is dark when used on paper but when friction is applied which comes with heat, the ink starts to become clear making it look like it has disappeared.
Gel pens are best for jotting down notes, doodling, or when taking down lists. Its ability to erase mistakes can really make life easier. But I suggest you refrain from using erasable gel pens when it comes to important documents.
