Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pens Reviews

Fun pens that automatically set in your hand in the correct orientation for writing. A very good writer, and the available converter lets you try other inks. The transparent bodies make it easy to see just how much ink you have left. Easy to care for too.

Great pen for starters or for everyday carry! The Kakuno, is definitely best paired with the CON-70 converter. My favorite features are the clear pen body so I can see the ink level, it doesn't roll away when I set it down, the snap on/off cap is way more quick/efficient than some of my more fancy screw on fountain pen caps, and the nib is a pleasure to write with right out of the box (I got a medium, not too wet, not too dry when writing with Sailor Shikiori Yuki Usagi)! As they say, Pilot pens have great quality control on their nibs which would make this a great gift as well. I just hope the plastic will last a long while but I am slightly wary (thus 4 stars for quality and value).

I bought Translucent Coral F which is hot pink and Translucent Green M which is highlighter yellow. The black CON-70 converter I bought to use between both adds a bold contrasting look.

Pretty amazing. I got the EF demonstrator and put in a Pilot CON-40. It's the only Kakuno that hasn't given me a hard start due to the ink drying; I'm not sure if it's because of the CON-40 (the others are using re-filled cartridges) or maybe it's because of the ink (Colorverse for this one, Diamine and Pilot Iroshizuku for the cartridge filled ones). The EF line is great, but my penmanship is still lacking.

I love this pen! Feels comfortable and light weight in the hand when writing.

I'm traveling and decided that the Kakuno would be the pens I travel with so I don't lose or damage my more prized pens. They write wonderfully and will more than do the job for me on my trip. I have been doing morning pages since November of 2023 and I have not yet missed a day. I am very happy with job that the Kakuno is doing for me. Thank you

These are unfortunately terrible fountain pens.

As I start my Fountain Pen Journey, I have found this starter Pilot Pen has made my adventure so exciting. I feel like I am getting the full experience of a Fountain Pen. Easy to load the cartridges. The beginning of a new hobby!

Purple one is adorable and writes better than more expensive pens. A delight to use.

I got a clear Pilot Kakuno, and it's a great writer. I can see why a lot of people like this as an entry pen. It's affordable and writes wonderfully. The pen is made of resin/plastic, but its body feels solid, perhaps because of its hexagonal barrel. There's no clip for this pen, which I enjoy. It gives it a unique shape, which feels very cohesive and on-brand, what with the emoticon on both the nib and the branding. This pen seems to fill any need for a fun, perhaps even quirky, pen that's still extremely reliable and doesn't break the bank. (And if the lack of a clip is a deal-breaker, you might consider ordering a pen clip separately. I know that a bunch of people do this.)
Finally, a huge selling point is that it accepts the CON-70 converter, allowing for massive amounts of ink for those afraid of making it an eyedropper pen. (People like me. Because I'm clumsy and accident-prone.) There's a lot to appreciate about the Kakuno.

- Pilot Kakuno VS Platinum Preppy (for anyone trying to decide between the two) -
Between this and the standard Platinum Preppy (which I also got so I could try the two), I prefer the Kakuno. Its body feels sturdier, to the point where I'd even be willing to put this in my pen pouch whereas I'd fear that my Preppy would break and leak. Both EF nibs produce wonderfully thin lines that suit my small handwriting, but the Kakuno's EF nib writes thinner by just a hair and pushes it ahead by that much. All that and the fact that it's compatible with the CON-70 converter makes the Kakuno my preference, even if the Preppy wins in the price category.