There’s something so satisfying about writing with a gel pen: the fluid ink glides seamlessly across your paper in bold bright colours. Available in a huge range of colours, metallics, glitters and even scented, these pens make writing a dream!
When buying your gel pen, it's best to go for quality over quantity. This is because the cheaper gel pens tend to be less well-made and might scratch your paper. We’ll guide you through our top-rated and top picks of the best gel pens on the market.
What is a gel pen?
The ink of a gel pen is gel-based as opposed to the oil-based ink of a ballpoint pen. The gel gives the pens a smooth glide without any drag which makes for a comfortable writing experience (not to mention they look so pretty!).
Gel pens do take a little longer to dry than other inks, so might not be the right choice for lefties!
Main image: KACO soft-touch retractable gel ink pens, Buy now, Amazon
Best gel pens for your arts and crafts projects
1. Helix Oxford Colour Gel Pens
- Buy now, Amazon
Treat yourself to a set of high-quality gel pens from the reputable Helix Oxford. In the box, you’ll find ten rich rainbow colours.
These pens have a 0.7mm line width, making them perfect for both neat writing and intricate drawing.
These aren’t just nice to write with, they’re comfortable to hold thanks to the ergonomic handle. The ink is contained in aesthetically pleasing translucent barrels.
2. KACO soft-touch retractable gel ink pens
- Buy now, Amazon
Do you love soft pastel colours for scrapbooking? These pretty gel pens are just what you need. In pale shades of pink, purple, blue, green and yellow, these pens will elevate your writing and drawing.
The pens contain smooth free-flowing ink, which is a breeze to write with! They glide effortlessly onto your paper without drag.
An excellent purchase for those who prefer subtle colours, over the usual saturated rainbow colours.
3. SAKURA Gelly Roll Stardust – Glitter gel pens
- Buy now, Amazon
Time to bring in the shinies! Of course, we had to include glitter gel pens. These are not just a hit of nostalgia, they’re a joy to write with too.
The set contains a mixture of bright colours swirled with glitter. It’s not just a smidge either, the glitter is very visible and sparkly, making these pens ideal for scrapbooking and drawing.
With a 0.5mm nib, these pens are ideal for precise mark-making and detailed drawings.
4. Castle Art 100 gel pens
- Buy now, Amazon
If you’re looking for the ultimate gel pen gift set, this is it. The box contains an impressive 100 gel pens of various types, including bright neons, metallics and glitters.
The pens are housed in a sleek box, with four fold-out sections, providing a convenient way to use and store your pens. It also makes for a lovely gift box if you are giving them to somebody special.
The price is fantastic for what you get too, it works out at about 28p per pen, which is an absolute steal!
5. Zebra classic metallic gel pens
- Buy now, Amazon
Do you want purely metallic gel pens? This high-quality kit from Zebra contains eight pens, including three black pens too with stylish rose gold barrels.
The rest of the set is made up of vibrant metallic colours, which will add sparkle and shine to your scrapbooking and artwork (or even just your note-making if you’re feeling fancy).
Looking for something a little more arty?
Have you considered watercolour pens? With these nifty tools, you can produce striking brush strokes, ideally suited to lettering.
6. Scentos scented gel pens
- Buy now, Smyths
Now these are a throwback! Do you remember scented gel pens, whether your kids had them or you had them yourself? Well, they’re back (we’re not sure they ever left actually).
This brilliant set from Scentos contains 20 colours including neons, glitters and metallics. All of the pens have a strong fruity smell including strawberry, orange, banana, apple, blueberry, grape, watermelon and raspberry scents.
This set is ideal for kids to encourage them to write and draw by making the process more colourful and exciting!
7. WHSmith Mini Gel Pen Case
- Buy now, WHSmiths
Do you just need a tiny splash of colour? Try these mini gel pens. Available as a pack of 24, you’ll have plenty of bold and bright colours to brighten up your work.
Thanks to their small size they’re great for popping into your bag to use them on the go. They are low-cost too, so worth the money for the number of colours you get! Ideal for writing and scrapbooking.
8. BIC Gel-ocity Illusion Erasable Gel Pens
- Buy now, WHSmiths
Not only are these gel pens beautiful in colour and a treat to write with, but they can also be erased!
This is a fantastic addition if you are a perfectionist when it comes to your writing, scrapbooking or artwork. When you’re using these pens you can relax a little more in the knowledge that you can undo any mistakes you make.
The pens come in a set of eight including blue, black, red, green, turquoise, purple, pink, and orange. Each is complete with its own eraser attached to the cap.
9. Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens
- Buy now, WHSmiths
This gorgeous set of pens from uni-ball contains eight vibrant metallic colours including metallic blue, bronze, gold, green, pink, red, silver and violet shades.
The barrels are made using a classic design, so they look just as they did in the late 90s and early 00s. They’re classics for a reason! The pens easily glide across paper, and are comfortable to hold.
These pens will add a touch of class to your project whether it's journaling or writing wedding invites.
10. LEGO Blue Gel Pen with Minifigure
- Buy now, WHSmiths
Lego and gel pens crossover? Yes, please! Combine your love of doodling with Lego with this fun pen. The pen has a block near the top where your Lego Minifigure can perch. If you’re a Minifigure fan too, change up your pen with a new figure every day of the week!
This pen is an excellent stocking stuffer for kids to get them excited about writing.
Writing doesn't have to be a chore with gel pens!
These gel pens are highly pigmented, practical and provide a smooth writing and drawing experience. It’ll make you want to pick up a gel pen at any opportunity, whether it's glittery, metallic, neon or scented!
Put your gel pens to good use!
It’s time to take your brand-new set of gel pens for a test run! We’d recommend one of these beautiful colouring books for adults with intricate designs perfect for use with gel pens.
