The Pen I Reach for Without Thinking

Some pens are chosen with intention. You pick them for their color, their nib size, the way they look nestled in your pencil case. Others… just sort of become part of your daily rhythm.

For me, that pen is the Uni Jetstream Lite Touch.

I don’t always know why I reach for this pen, but somehow it always ends up in my hand when I need to jot something down and don’t need anything fancy—nothing as elaborate as a multi-pen or as precise as a fine-tipped gel pen. I just need to write, and this pen is always ready.

It’s not the flashiest or most expensive pen I own—in fact, it came free with a JetPens coupon code—but it writes smoothly, and the body is sturdy and comfortable in my hand. There’s no fiddling with the grip, no warming it up on scrap paper. It just works.

The ink is smooth, the grip is satisfying, and somehow it gets along with every notebook I throw at it. I’ve used it in everything from my Hobonichi to cheap legal pads, and it’s never given me a reason to switch it out.

I might even buy a few more in different colors soon. It’s the kind of pen that doesn’t draw attention to itself but earns loyalty over time. Plus, it's super inexpensive!

If I could change one thing, I’d love to see more ink colors—without it becoming a multi-pen. Just single-barrel options in some bolder shades or pastels would be perfect. But even if they never expand the color range, I’d still keep using the one I have.

It’s not my most exciting pen—but it might be my most dependable.