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The Best Fountain Pens Under $50!

Updated: Dec 11, 2020

Whether you are just starting out and want to buy your first fountain pen, work in areas where it may not be wise to carry something expensive, or simply be on a budget, there are many reasons to want to keep the price of your pen on the less expensive side.


Here's a list of the best buys in fountain pens at $50 or below:


  1. Lamy Safari

Lamy's Safari has long been the first choice of fountain pen beginners. The triangulated grip section acts as a kind of training device, ensuring the nib is kept in proper alignment to the page for ease of writing. The lightweight ABS plastic body is available in many colors, is incredibly durable, and nibs swap out fairly easily if one needs to be replaced. The paper clip-like clip fits securely to pages or pockets. Safari uses Lamy ink cartridges or ink converters, both of which hold a larger than normal amount of ink; perfect for school or work. With all this and nib sizes in EF, F, M, and B, it's easy to understand the appeal these pens have had for so long.


Did we mention Safari is available in many colors? Every year Lamy introduces new, special edition colors or collections of Safari! For 2020 Lamy created the Safari Candy



series fountain pens in Aquamarine, Mango, and Violet!


The Lamy Safari series fountain pens list at $37.00. $31.45 at Appointments.


2. Lamy AL-star

The Lamy AL-star is the slightly upscale version of the Safari. It features an aluminum body and translucent grip section, but otherwise it is unchanged from Safari. It's a nice upgrade for those times a plastic pen just doesn't quite fit the occasion! Many Safari lovers will buy an AL-star for just this reason.


The Lamy AL-star lists at $47.00. $39.95 at Appointments.


3. Kaweco Classic Sport

The beloved Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen is the original and most popular version of this pocket pen wonder! A favorite the world over, the Sport features a durable ABS plastic body, octagonal cap so it won't roll off the desk, and steel nib selection in EF, F, M, B, and BB! While primarily designed to use standard international ink cartridges, there are two other ways to fill your Sport with ink: You can use the optional Mini Plunger Converter or use an eyedropper to fill the pen's barrel. Classic Sports are available in many colors, and there are even two different styles of clips which can be added to the cap for attaching to a pocket in the conventional manner.


The Sport series has been so popular, there are now two new sets of colors for the line: Skyline Sport (Silver tone trim and nib),

and Frosted Sport (Semi-translucent colors with silver tone trim and nib).

No matter which version of these Sports suits your fancy, all begin at just $25.00.


4. Kaweco Perkeo


Available in a myriad of fun color combinations, Kaweco's