Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen Review
Product Review of the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
If you are just starting using fountain pens or want to know what all the hype is about, the Platinum Preppy fountain pen is a great option. With a retail price of $3.96 it's hard to beat the price. In this review of the Platinum Preppy fountain pen we will discuss what we like or do not like about the pen.
Packaging and Branding
The Platinum Preppy fountain pen comes in a box of 12 pens with no individual packaging. If you buy a single pen there is no packaging at all. What else would you expect with such a low price tag though.
The Platinum Preppy fountain pen is branded with printing on the barrel of the pen. Some users say you can remove the printed items and are left with a clear transparent barrel. The pen is printed with the Preppy logo and size in one spot. It also has a UPC printed with the color and some Japanese characters. I can't read Japanese so don't know what it says. It just clutters the design of the pen. I would prefer to have a small sleeve, box or piece of cardboard attached with this information rather than on the pen. Personally I think that the plain look would be better and all this informational printing is a big minus for the pen.Pen Design
The Platinum Preppy fountain pen comes with a clear snap on cap and barrel made from a poly carbonate material. The pen comes several different color options. Each color has a color top to the cap and clip with a color coordinated nib and ink cartridge. I like the way the nib is painted to match the ink color and the clip on the pen. I think that is a nice touch. Since the pen is a clear transparent plastic the only color is on these few accents. When the ink is inserted into the pen you can see the color of the cartridge inside the pen.Like all of the Platinum Pens, the Platinum Preppy comes with the patented "Slip & Seal" mechanism inside the cap. Because the cap is transparent you can actually see the mechanism as it works. There is a spring loaded interior cap that seals the nib and keeps the ink from drying out. This is a great feature of Platinum Pens. It allows you to leave the fountain pen for long periods of time without the ink drying out. This is definite plus to this inexpensive pen.
Nib & Performance
The nib used on the Platinum Preppy is the same nib and feed used on the Platinum Plaisir fountain pen. You can actually unscrew the entire grip section and swap them on the two pens. This is good to know if you ever wanted to replace a nib on the Platinum Plasir pen for cheap.The nib is available in either a fine or medium tip. The pen writes well and because of the "Slip & Seal" the pen seems to never dry out and writes with plenty of ink. For a starter pen the Platinum Preppy writes well.
Pros of the Platinum Preppy fountain pen:
- Price - This is a great starter pen and at the price a cheap fountain pen.
- Slip & Seal - Love that the pen does not dry out.
Cons of the Platinum Preppy fountain pen:
- Packaging and Branding - Because there is no packaging they print it on the pen which cheapens the look of the pen.
Conclusion to the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen Review
Overall a great starter pen for anyone who wants to just try a fountain pen and see what it is like. Not a huge fan of the printing on the pen. I feel it would look better as a plain, clear barrel without all of the extra info on the pen. Despite the few minor items with the look of the pen it writes well and is a reliable pen especially for the low ticket price.Buy the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
Specs of the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
Length: 5.450 in.Posted Length: 6.125 in.
Diameter: 0.500 in.
Weight: 0.450 oz.
Body/Trim: Plastic
FillType: Cartridge(Converter not included)
Platinum Preppy Reviews from our Customers
See what our customers have to say about the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens. Don't just take our word for it, read actual customer reviews of the product and see what they think.
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I have to admit for a cheap pen it writes like a more expensive pen. I just have one draw back and that the clip on the cap breaks easily. but, Over all, it writes like a dream.
overall: 5 out of 5
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I own the crystal model. That’s what the preppy should have looked like all along. It’s a plasticky Pen, but that makes it great as a knock-around Pen you don’t have to worry about. It’s quite sturdy, and it also seals well. It’s the kind of pen I can leave in my backpack or on my desk and any time I take it out it’ll work flawlessly. And it finally comes in clear now.
overall: 3 out of 5
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I love the color.
overall: 4 out of 5
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I have all the Preppy colours but this one and it is really beautiful.Hard part is what ink to use. The yellow cartridge with it is really pale so I suggest get the Intl cartridge adapter and try another colour ink. Like Diamine Topaz or Marigold etc. I also would prefer a medium nib and this is fine. But Preppy's do come in medium with other colours so buy a blue or black or red with medium nib and swap. Cheap nib option and the extra pen can be used for ink testing. Although finer nibs do not lay down as much ink.
overall: 4 out of 5
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Smooth! Such a great writer! Light and comfortable and doesn’t dry out and can be eyedroppered to hold over 4ml of ink!
overall: 5 out of 5
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While stiff as a nail, the Pilot Preppy has the best Fine steel nib in my collection. It came out of the box with slight (but not whisper slight) feedback. After 8 passes on Micromesh is was unbelievably perfect. Smooth with just a whisper of feedback.
I highly recommend a blunt tip syringe with this pen as refilling the included cartridge is kind of the best option for the Preppy. The converter costs more than the pen and eyedroppering is messy. The included Platinum ink cartridge is unsaturated and uninteresting as a whole, and that’s really my only complaint on the whole package.
I generally use this pen when I’m just heading out for errands or taking my kids to the park or something similar. It’s a quick grab and go pen that I can just clip to a pocket notebook and I don’t have to worry about losing it. The preppy has held up really well to scratching and has not cracked yet on me. For the price, this is a knock around pen that simply cannot be beat.
The Platinum Preppy gets my highest recommendation.
I highly recommend a blunt tip syringe with this pen as refilling the included cartridge is kind of the best option for the Preppy. The converter costs more than the pen and eyedroppering is messy. The included Platinum ink cartridge is unsaturated and uninteresting as a whole, and that’s really my only complaint on the whole package.
I generally use this pen when I’m just heading out for errands or taking my kids to the park or something similar. It’s a quick grab and go pen that I can just clip to a pocket notebook and I don’t have to worry about losing it. The preppy has held up really well to scratching and has not cracked yet on me. For the price, this is a knock around pen that simply cannot be beat.
The Platinum Preppy gets my highest recommendation.
overall: 5 out of 5
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Very nice pen especially for the low price . Received it timely from The Pen Chalet packaged very well and in excellent condition . I will definitely purchase from them in the future.
overall: 5 out of 5
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All of my Platinum Preppys write well. I make them into eyedroppers with inks I like, and I have never had a problem with one.
overall: 4 out of 5
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you will not find anything closer to the confort and writing of this pen. period.
overall: 4 out of 5
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Somewhat disappointed. Definitely a case of "you get what you pay for".
Very surprised that each color pen comes with a matching ink cartridge.
I'm sure it is a good pen to begin with, but it does look, and feel, cheap.
Very surprised that each color pen comes with a matching ink cartridge.
I'm sure it is a good pen to begin with, but it does look, and feel, cheap.
overall: 3 out of 5
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Pictures of the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
Prices for the Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens start at:
Retail:
$3.96
