Uni Jetstream Stylus Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Over the years, I've come to really enjoy the Jetstream line of hybrid ballpoint pens. The ink is extremely smooth, the colors are vibrant, and the lines are crisp. When I received a Jetstream with a touchscreen stylus attached to the top, I was intrigued. In my experience, a stylus on a pen is a gimmick. I don't mind it if the stylus stays out of the way, but if it hinders my ability to use the pen in any way, I'll never use it again. Thankfully, the stylus on the Jetstream stays out of the way until you need to use it.

Since this pen uses the same refills found in the Jetstream multi-pens, you can expect the same level of performance and quality. A black 0.7mm refill is included with the pen, but there are a variety of sizes and colors available to guarantee you have a great writing experience.

The bright blue exterior of the model I have is a really great color. There's a slight hint of green in the color under certain light, giving it a hidden depth that you wouldn't expect for a pen in this price range. The cap, clip, and nozzle are all black plastic and are fairly well-made. The nozzle has an excessive number of threads, which means it can take about 10 full turns to unscrew or screw on the tip after replacing the refill. It's not a deal-breaker, but just odd. Another potential problem is the weakness of the clip. It doesn't offer a strong grip when clipping it to things. Luckily, the pen is light and doesn't need a massive amount of grip to stay put. The clip also serves as the mechanism that extends the refill for writing. There's a small notch/button on the opposite side of the barrel to retract the refill. It works, but it's not the best system for a retractable pen because it feels clunky. Still, it works dependably.

On top of the pen where the nock usually sits, there's a black stylus dome. You'll probably recognize this little piece as the same type of stylus tip used on a number of cheap styli. It gets the job done, but it's incredibly squishy and imprecise. For signing an iPad at a coffee shop, it's perfect, but I can't imagine it would be great for technical drawings, coloring books, or other forms of art that iPads and other devices are capable of today. At the end of the day, it's a functional stylus that is convenient in a pinch, but it also stays out of the way when you're not using it. If you intend to use the stylus a lot, you can even pick up a pack of replacements. The sleeve around the stylus unscrews, allowing you to pull the old tip off and replace it with a new one.

All things considered, this pen is exactly what it says it is. It's a known quantity (the Jetstream refill) with a stylus stuck on the end. It's also available in a handful of colors, like the blue featured here, black, silver, and pink gold. At the $6 price point, it's not a bad deal considering the inclusion of a touchscreen stylus. If you like the Jetstream and also need to use a stylus from time to time, this is a perfect match.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Uni-ball Jetstream Premier Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

I'm a huge fan of the Jetstream line of pens from Uniball. It's the first ballpoint pen I tried that featured the new hybrid ink that feels so smooth and rich and lays down a consistent line—something ballpoints of the past just couldn't do. The Jetstream line has expanded, and there's plenty of various offerings now, such as different tip sizes, different bodies, and multi-refill bodies. I've always wanted to put a Jetstream refill into a nice pen body, but never have found a good fit. When I noticed the Jetstream Premier on JetPens, I jumped at it.

This is another pen that Brad took a look at back in 2008. I don't think it really spoke to him, and I agree with some of his observations. But, then again, I also think it's a pretty great pen. I think of it like this: if you want a wider bodied Jetstream with a soft touch clicker, this is a great pen. Also, if you're a fan of the Jetstream line already, you can't go wrong. The pen ships with a 1.0mm refill, but you can swap that out with whatever size you prefer.

There aren't many "premium" Jetstream models available. There's the Jetstream Alpha Gel Grip series, which is a few dollars more than the Premier. Like the name says, it has a soft, gel-like grip that gives way when squeezed. Personally, I've never been a fan of soft gel grips on pens, so I never pulled the trigger on this one. The other nice feature of the pen is that the body is metal. Sadly, the Premier is just plastic. Given the price difference, I'm not really sure why the Premier is not also metal. It's a little disappointing.

The Premier on its own is a great pen. The grip is soft to the touch, but still firm. The click mechanism is unique—there's a certain amount of smooth friction involved when you operate it. Unlike most mechanisms that give a very pronounced feedback, this one is soft and almost unnoticeable. For me, I don't really care either way. I can see how this would really bother some people, or do the complete opposite. Either way, it does the job.

The clip is strong, but has a cheap look to it. It would look more pleasing if the clip was more integrated into the click mechanism or the body of the pen. As it is, it looks like someone super glued it onto the pen. It's my least favorite feature of the pen.

I went for the black model, and if I did it again I'd go the other way. I think the silver model would look much better in person. The black model has a small red section in the body under the clip. It gives the pen a cheap, gimmicky feel.

Now, after those harsh words, I still enjoy using the pen. For one, I love the way it feels in my hand when writing. It's a very comfortable grip and it also uses those fantastic Jetstream refills. Win-win situation.

The tip of the pen screws off of the body, and it's made of plastic. I really wish it was made of metal instead of a plastic that is painted to look like metal. It would improve the look of the pen quite a bit.

Overall, I don't know if I can recommend this pen unless you want to collect all of the different Jetstream offerings. It's a good pen, but I can't justify the cost. At just under $12, I don't think it's any better than the Jetstream Rubber Body Series, which is just over $4.

Ideally, I'd like to find a metal body that accepts the Jetstream refill. Until then, I'll use the Premier and enjoy it for what it is: a pen that feels good in the hand.

Uni Jetstream Prime 3 Color Ballpoint Multi Pen Review

The latest entry into Uni-ball's ever changing Jetstream multi pen line, the Prime 3 Color Ballpoint is the professionally-styled pen many users have been waiting for. It features the first metal barrel in the lineup and a classic style perfect for the office. But is it worth the premium $45.00 price? Maybe.

There is no denying the design of the Prime is excellent. I chose the two-tone black model and it is sharp looking with chrome accents against the black barrel. The grip is smooth and I had no troubles gripping it but sweaty fingers might pose a problem. The retractable mechanisms are flawless - very responsive and snappy. They pop out one of the three ink colors, all of which are standard D1 refills. That is a big deal because that opens up a wide range of refills to use, like my favorite D1 the Zebra Sharbo X Gel 0.4 mm.

On the downside, the Prime falls victim to what all most barrel multipens have trouble with: Rattling noise while writing. It is almost unavoidable with all of the moving parts. It just depends on how much it bothers you. This pen falls in the middle of the noise category. I've used quieter and louder. What actually bothers me more is the silly faux jewel on the top of the clip. Why it is there I have no clue. This pen has many beautiful Lamy-like design elements going for it then boom! Tacky jewel.

I like the Jetstream Prime a lot but in the end it comes down to a value proposition. If you want the full metal barrel and D1 refill flexibility then it is worth it. If that is not important to you and you just need a good Jetstream writing experience then their less expensive models will suit you just fine. I have reviewed some of them here:

Uni-Ball Jetstream 4+1 0.7mm Ballpoint Multi Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstream 3 Multi-Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstram 3 0.5mm Multi Pen

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)