cashew | Pilot Prera - Good pen, too expensive (Reply)

So, my Faber-Castell Grip broke after about three years of extensive use. Which means I'm going to have to re-assess my value of the Grip, because I definitely expect a $20 pen to last longer than a few years. Meanwhile, my $12 Kaküno continues to chug along nearly a decade later. In short, Kaküno is so, so worth the money.

To replace the broken Grip, I bought a Pilot Prera off of the grey market. I don't know what's going on in the West, but the Prera pricing is all over the damn place. PenSachi's import site lists it at $35 (not including shipping), and that seems like a reasonable price, given that the price of the converter ($7.50 in the US) is included in the pen price. (Aside: I'm a bit annoyed that lower end pens don't usually come with converters by default. Seems to defeat the point of a fountain pen.) I managed to snag one on sale for $32.50, which is still a little more expensive for my taste, but a Kaküno + converter would go for $20, so I can swallow the $12 markup.

The Prera writes really well, and the cap isn't a traditional snap cap. The ring at the base of the nib actually slides into the soft cap, so you feel the resistance build up until it clicks into place. The cap design should, in theory, be more air tight than the Kaküno design, which uses a simple snap mechanic. We'll see if that's the case.

However, much as I enjoy the Prera, I find it hard to accept the pricing, especially at retail value. The cheapest prices I've seen at licensed pen shops is around $42. It can go as high as $70 at some stores. As mentioned earlier, import sites list the pen at $35, but I honestly think the pen value tops out at about $30. About a decade ago, the pen was $20 and was a good deal. But now, not so much.

Anyway, here's to hoping the Prera lasts longer than the Grip, which I felt was a huge rip off given how quickly it fell apart, especially when the plastic itself is very sturdy. But apparently the glue is crap. I've had cheaper fountain pens that lasted much longer. So, consider this me retracting my support for the Grip as a good beginner pen. It is not.