Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen Review

After the launch of their first pen over 100 years ago, Pilot has become a pioneer in the world of writing instruments. The brand holds its own with unwavering excellence, and its affordable pens have gained notoriety as some of the best on the market.

In this Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen review, we break down the main features of the pen to see for ourselves whether or not this pen is worth the hype.

The beautiful Metropolitan series has garnered interest for its unique variety of patterned pens that not only look great but write like a dream. Marketed as the ideal choice for professionals or beginners looking for their first fountain pen, we’re curious as to what it is that makes this pen so popular.

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen (Our Review)

Overall Assessment 

The first Pilot pens were launched in Japan in 1918, and have since been deemed the world’s number 2 brand in writing instruments. 

Buying a Pilot is buying guaranteed quality, and as far as we can tell, the Metropolitan is no different. 

It combines style and quality without the steep price of other fountain pens. Available in subtle colorways as well as bold, fashionable styles, the Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen is a great choice for personal or professional use. 

Its smooth writing and modern look and feel also make it a fantastic way to introduce beginners to the world of fountain pens. 

Metropolitans are refillable and come with a converter and cartridge. So whether you prefer to use disposable cartridges or you prefer using traditional bottled ink, the choice is yours.

Pros 

• Inexpensive
• Various colors and designs
• Converter included
• Good for beginners

Cons 

• Small converter bladder

Detailed Analysis 

Body

The Metropolitan sports a weighty, brass body that offers a comfortable writing experience without being too heavy or clunky.

Expressing your personal style has never been easier, with the Metropolitan boasting three unique collections. It’s available in the Classic Metropolitan, the MR Retro Pop, and the Pilot MR Animal Collection.

The Classic series includes more demure colors like plain black, silver, and gold. These pens have an understated beauty that makes them the perfect addition to your personal or professional stationery collection. 

For bolder writers who enjoy a bit more fashion and flair, the MR Retro Pop series offers a way to marry the elegance of a classic fountain pen with a more modern and stylish look. The Retro Pop pens showcase bright and colorful bodies and are paired with a patterned middle ring to give the pen its signature pazazz.

The MR Retro Pop fountain pen comes in patterns like houndstooth, waves, flowers, marble, ellipses, and dots. Of course, if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic while still keeping a fresh and funky look, the Metro also comes in an array of animal prints as part of the MR Animal collection.

The Animal collection pairs traditional colored bodies with patterns like crocodile, tiger, python, lizard, and leopard print. The mix of traditional colors and animal prints gives you a chance to express your wild side while still maintaining an air of professionalism and elegance. 

Nib

While the pen is offered in a variety of nib sizes, bear in mind that the points run slightly more fine than standard nibs. 

The steel nib is available with either a medium nib or fine nib, as well as a stub tip.

Stub tips are nibs that have a flat end that allows the tip to produce both fine and broad lines that mirror the line variation of a calligraphy pen. Unlike flex nibs, a stub doesn’t need an increase in pressure to change the width of your lines. 

The Metropolitan offers an effortless writing experience and has a hyper-resistant tip to withstand the pressure of everyday use. 

Refillable

The Pilot comes with a converter and blue ink cartridge. 

The squeeze converter has a small rubber bladder that’s simple to use. After inserting the converter, you simply need to squeeze your pen to rid the bladder of air. To refill your pen you simply need to submerge the tip into your ink to draw it back into the storage compartment.

The bladder of the converter is slightly smaller than some other pens and will last between 3 to 4 days of long writing sessions before it runs dry, meaning the pen will need to be filled on a more regular basis. This can be a hassle, and we would have liked a slightly larger converter considering the price point. 

Unfortunately, the Metropolitan is only compatible with No products found. and Con-70 converters. This limits its versatility as you’ll have to purchase Pilot products for the pen to work.

Price

It’s no secret that fountain pens can come at a hefty cost. 

Although it may look expensive, the Metropolitan is one of our favorite picks for a fountain pen on a budget. Coming in at under $20, this pen is a fantastic choice for first-time users or budget-conscious writers.

The Pilot Metropolitan is proof that you don’t need to break the bank to own a luxurious and elegant pen.

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