TWSBI ECO Transparent Blue Fountain Pen
A relatively new release, the TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen has become a staple for many a fountain pen users since it first became available in 2015. ECO is short for “Economical”, and this pen is a prime example of value for money. TWSBI took input from the fountain pen community, specifically to create an affordable pen with premium performance and features. The result is a simple, yet extremely effective workhorse pen that’s great for not only beginners, but more experienced users too.
With a perfectly cylindrical, clear body, and a distinctive hexagonal cap and piston knob, this pen has an unmistakable design. As a piston filler, it has a truly massive ink capacity. This pen will keep going for pages on end, especially with a finer nib. The piston filler may seem intimidating to those unfamiliar, but it is as easy to use as a converter. Simply dip it into the ink and turn the knob.
It fits comfortably in the hand, and it posts securely and comfortably.
TWSBI encourages user maintenance, with the ECO being easy to take apart, clean, and put back together.
The pen comes in a plastic gift box with instructions in addition to a plastic wrench and silicone grease.
Morelaj (verified owner) –
Wow! – These are great pens and worthy of the hype. Well constructed and great packaging. Super smooth nib in the medium I have. Filled with something like Diamine’s “Asa Blue” they look cool too with the translucent ink matched with the translucent blue of the pen. Enjoyed it so much that I bought the orange version too….
Dan Miller (verified owner) –
Outstanding!
This is such a fun and affordable piston filler. Great for beginners or experienced hands.
I’d been eyeing this for a while before I bought it (having had the opportunity to get a feel in the store helped seal the deal!)
Form:
The pen has a fantastic triangular grip section, almost akin to a Lamy Safari, which really helps with positioning. It’s also super comfortable in the hand and easy enough to get used to. The cap and piston knob are both the same shape and make for ease of use with uncapping, posting or filling. I love that the cap is a screw on, making it feel like a safe option for a pocket or carry bag.
Nib:
It comes standard with a steel nib that’s super easy to swap out. Mine is a Fine – it’s much closer to an extra fine from a Lamy. It’s a firm nib, that’s fairly springy once you get used it it. Great feedback. The feed and nib are easy to remove for both maintenance and swapping nibs / parts.
Ink capacity and cleaning:
The piston chamber on this pen is nothing short of massive. It’s really easy to fill and clean as well. The ink flow was perfect out of the box. No issues. No hard starts or drying out with this baby. It’s totally user serviceable and can be deconstructed, cleaned and reassembled with the wrench that’s included. It also comes with silicon grease to be applied with each major service – this ensures your piston glides in the barrel smoothly.
Aesthetic:
The demonstrator appearance has always been a favourite of mine and this pen does not disappoint. You get to see it all, laid out beautifully. It’s a fun pen and with multiple cap / piston knob colours available, it’s a really great looking pen.
Overall this gets 5/5 and all the stars from me! Till I buy my next one!
Nicolaas van der Westhuizen –
I absolutely love this pen! I bought it as a gift to myself for use at university and th EF nib works likenothing else for taking great notes. I also love the fact that the clear barrel lets you see the ink sloshing around on the inside. This lets me admire the beautiful combination of the blue elements of the pen with the bursting colour of Diamine’s “Sunset”.
As a lefthanded writer, I can certainly recommend this pen and the EF nib. The stiffness of the nib combined with the smoothness of its writing surface means the pen glides across the page and doesn’t catch. The finness also means that I do not suffer from left hand smudging all the time.