Left-handed writers face certain difficulties that right-handed writers often don’t realize. Left-handed people are often stuck struggling with pens designed and made to be comfortable in the right hand. There’s also the issue of ink smearing on the page and all over their hand if it doesn’t dry fast enough. In this article, we’ll discuss the best pens for lefties, including fountain pens, ballpoint pens, gel pens, and even a rollerball pen or two.
The 14 Best Pens for Lefties
Pens for lefthanded people exist but knowing what to look for, what brands are the best, and what your best investment is often leaving left-handed writers at a loss. Many even assume that a fountain pen is completely out of the question due to the issues associated with wet ink and the pen’s design. However, this simply isn’t so, and this article will act as a guide to finding and explaining the best pens out there, including left-handed fountain pens.
1. Lamy Safari Left-Hander Fountain Pen
Left-handers face more than one issue when it comes to using fountain pens. Not only does a fountain ink pen often have very wet ink that dries slowly, but because most fountain pens are designed with right-handers in mind, the nib tends to scratch the paper surface, sometimes even causing rips and tears.
This is due to the fact that left-handed writers have to hold the pen at a different angle, and nibs are sharp.
This fountain pen has nibs specifically designed for left-handed writers, preventing scratching. Also, indentations in the barrel of the pen helps left-handed people from holding the fountain pen at an incorrect angle.
This pen also has a fine nib, which means that the ink dries much faster, preventing that pesky smudging that comes with the use of this type of pen.
2. Schneider Breeze Rollerball Pen
This pen is superb for several reasons. First of all, the barrel is made of recycled plastic, and it uses refillable ink cartridges rather than being a disposable pen. This means its impact on the environment is a positive one.
The good news about this pen for the left-handed writer is that these rollerball pens are designed with comfort in mind for both left-handed writers and right-handed writers, as well as writers with all various hand sizes.
The fast-drying ink helps prevent smudging, which is a big deal for left-handers. If you’re looking for a quality, environmentally safe, smooth writing pen, then this is one of the best pens for lefties you can get.
3. OHTO Rays Extra Fine Gel Ballpoint Pens
Gel pens are known for slow-drying ink. Gel pen ink and fountain pen ink have a reputation for being incredibly messy for left-handed writers, to the point that many lefties avoid these types of pens altogether.
This pen, however, is a ballpoint pen that uses gel ink that has fast-drying ink so that the smooth writing of gel pens can be attained, but no smudging occurs. These pens are also colorful and fun, coming in a variety of six different colors.
Another perk to these pens is that the ink refills will work with most other pens that use the same type of ink.
4. Pelikan Pelikano Fountain Pen
This pen is incredibly popular for many reasons. First of all, it comes in two sizes—one for adults, and one for children and young adults, or really anyone with small hands. The rubber grip is not only comfortable, but this ergonomic grip helps left-handers with finger placement to achieve the best results in their writing and handling of the pen.
This pen is often referred to and regarded as the best fountain pen for the left-handed person.
There is also a ball at the tip of the stainless steel nib that keeps ink flow even and regulated so that you can have a more quick-drying ink, free of globs or pools of ink.
The left-handed nib also prevents the left hand from causing scratching of the paper. Pelikan really took it seriously when they set out to have pens designed to cater to every writer.
5. Uni-Ball Power Tank Ballpoint Pens
This is one of the coolest pens for left-handers. This pen not only caters to left-handed writers but also to anyone who sometimes (or often) has to deal with wet paper issues, too.
This pen writes smoothly, even upside down or sideways. It also writes well on wet or greasy paper, making it perfect for anyone who works and takes notes or signs papers outdoors. It also has an excellent rubber grip to keep your hand comfortable when writing. The Uni-Ball Power Tank is one of the best pens for lefties you can get your hands on.
6. Uni-Ball Jetstream
This pen has a couple of perks that make it stand out among other pens for lefties. It has quick-drying ink that glides smoothly like gel ink. The ink quality is no joke, as it does not fade, either, because it’s a hybrid ink. Part gel and part ballpoint ink, this pen offers the best of both worlds.
With fast-drying ink that is dry to the touch in under one second, the uni-ball jetstream is one of the best out there on the market. It also has stainless steel accents and is smudge-free. If you need a good left-handed pen, give this one a try.
7. Pilot Multi Ball Rollerball Pens
These pens are fantastic and can write on nearly anything. Glass, plastic, you name it. Both writers and left-handed artists widely use this pen. It is an erasable pen for up to 6 hours, and any left-handed person who needs a left-handed pen will appreciate its design and the fact that it is made of mostly recycled materials.
8. Calligraphy Pen: The Speedball Left-Handed Set
One of the first pen companies to design left-handed pens, these calligraphy pens write smoothly, and the set comes with several nibs and a pen holder. It even comes with an instructional booklet for the beginner calligrapher. This calligraphy pen is a favorite of the pens for lefties on the market, especially if calligraphy is a hobby, job, or interest.
Calligraphy pens that come in a set like these pens also make great gifts for the left-handed artists and writers in your life.
9. Zebra Sarasa Gel Pens
With its soft rubber grip and smooth ink flow, this retractable pen is not only a quality pen but an affordable pen set. They also feature a pocket clip in a pack of 14 pens. Retractable pens are fantastic for practicality because a retractable pen takes much longer to dry out. It’s a good pen, and then the price makes this pen easy on the budget.
These pens also have rapid dry ink and are superb writing tools that are budget-friendly.
These Zebra pens also feature a rubberized grip that will make the already smooth writing a comfortable experience without making your writing hand tired or sore.
10. Fisher Bullet Space Pen
That’s right. The fisher bullet space pen is a space pen. That means it will write in any direction you hold it in, including upside down. It uses a thick ink that writes smoothly and dries quickly, and even though it’s a small pen, it is still very comfortable in hand.
This pen is not specifically designed for left-handers, but it writes just as well for them as it does for right-handed people, including those writers who may need to write upside down. A more expensive pen than most featured on this list, it’s not only a writing utensil; it’s also a conversation piece.
11. Highlighter: Uni Propus Double-Sided Highlighter
Highlighters are another writing utensil that no one seems to think about regarding lefties. Most highlighters are designed with right-handed people in mind, and when left-handed users attempt to highlight with them, there’s a smeared, wet mess to deal with.
12. Pentel Energel Deluxe RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen
With a variety of colors to choose from, as well as a convenient pocket clip, refillable ink cartridge, and fast-drying ink, these pens are a bit more costly than some of the others on this list. Still, they are great quality pens to have if your left hand is your dominant hand.
It contains ink that dries fast, meaning there is little to no smudging. Attractive to boot, these are pens that you can use for years.
These highlighters are a game-changer for left-handed people. One side is a regular wide tip, and the other side is a fine tip. This and the fact that the ink dries very quickly make it the perfect highlighter.
13. Pilot V-Pen Erasable Ink Fountain Pen
Erasable pens are great for students, writers, artists, and anyone who finds that they often need to edit their writing. This pen has a viewing window so that you can check how much ink is left, and it comes in fun and interesting colors like light blue and green, as well as the standard black, red, and blue ink.
14. Maped Visio Left-Handed Pens
Just getting a good look at these pens will let the consumer know that design was a key factor in the making of this pen.
With a specially curved barrel to fit the left hand so that the writer can see what they are writing as they write, it seems as if every little thing was thought of when this pen was made. These pens are made specifically for lefties, and the comfort of writing with one can’t be beaten. They are also affordable and attractive and come in blue, black, and red ink.
