InkJoy Quatro

4.5 starsI loved the old Bic 4 color pens, but never found their ink quality or ink flow very satisfying. They seemed to dry up too quickly and write with fits and starts. I also was not a big fan of their hues of red, blue and green. Then came the Paper Mate InkJoin Quatro ... problems solved. Mostly.INK COLORSThe vibrant colors of these pens sold me in an instant ... so intense and bright. I'd say the colors are just perfect. Nothing dull or flat about these. Very satisfying to lay these colors down on paper.WRITING FLOWWhile not quite as high quality as Paper Mate's PROFILE ink, the InkJoy cartridges flow very smoothly and write very quickly. I really do love the way I can write with these. And the fact that I can take notes in 8 colors with just two pens ... I'm sold. Color is information, and being able to switch back and forth between eight colors with only two pens is perfect for me. I've bought 9 of these pens already.SMEARINGInkJoy inks, in my experience, both with this pen and with other InkJoy pens, are a bit prone to smearing, not so much after you write, but more around the tip after you stop writing ... it's almost as if a bit of ink keeps flowing after you stop. It's not been a problem for me, but if you prefer your gel pens to be perfectly well behaved, the InkJoy's tend to be a bit messier than the PROFILEs and some other gel inks I've used. A touch of ink wadded up on the tip is not unheard of with these pens. For my work, that's not an issue, but if you think it might be, keep it in mind.CLICK ISSUESI have 9 Quatro pens, multiplied times 4 clicker's each, that's 36 click buttons in all, and only 1 of them doesn't work. I haven't pulled the pen apart to see what's failed, but for some reason one of the red buttons just won't stay down. If a gnat landed on the tip, it would be enough pressure to send the cartridge back up into the pen. The other three buttons on that pen work fine, and all 32 other buttons on the other 8 pens also work fine. I suspect it was a manufacturing defect, as the pen is rather new.

For once something actually delivers what the product description promises (almost): "The new Paper Mate InkJoy Quatro features the revolutionary InkJoy writing system, giving you the best in effortless writing. The InkJoy writing system starts quickly without dragging, requires minimal pressure from your hand, and delivers crisp, clean lines every time. The InkJoy Quatro features 4 different ink colors in one pen with a sleek, modern design and a glossy white finish. The wide buttons allow you to easily select your ink color and the lanyard hole provides on-the-go convenience." I was getting so tired of switching pens for different colors. I tested all of the pens I received and the colors are true. The writing action is so smooth. Superior to Bic. The only thing I miss is the neck cord I used to be able to get with this type of pen. I don't see any lanyard hole. I looked this up on papermate.com and there is no lanyard hole mentioned in the description there. The main complaint and it is a BIG one, is that the black ink ran out after less than 12 pages of writing (less than one month's use) and there are no refills available.

Overall, this a much better product than the previously made multicolor pens of the 80's and 90's. The 2 most important qualities in my pens are quality of ink (smoothness, saturation and durability of color) and the comfort of holding it in my hand. I was skeptical, but the promise of Ink Joy ink, caught my attention. I am a very color centered person and use various color when not taking and setting up my family calendar. That is the main purpose for these pens.So far the ink writes smooth and does not "clot". The ink will smear slightly if you run your finger over it immediately after writing, but what good ink doesn't? The barrel of the pen is a little wider than that of a standard Sharpie Fine point marker. The rubberized barrel makes it easier to grasp and hold, but the textured rubber may be an issue if you prefer a very smooth hold. The rubber doesn't bother me and should bother most people.

First of all, I own both the Bic 4-color pens and the InkJoy ones, and both brands come in Business colors or Fashion colors. I much prefer the "smoothness" of the InkJoy pens, they really do glide across the page. Also, the colors are slightly brighter than the Bic ones.Why 2 stars? For starters, the little globs of ink which come out regularly are a big pain. Sometimes the globs are little, other times they're enough to get all over your fingers, and thus the barrel of the pen. I had owned my InkJoy less than a day before the white barrel was covered with multi-colored smudges. This has never happened with the Bic.But one complaint I haven't seen anyone else make is the mechanism is very temperamental! Pushing down one color often causes that color to pause, then slowly retract on its own. It is almost like a ghost is retracting it, it happens right in front of my eyes, even though I'm firmly locking the plastic tab into place. It is sometimes amusing, my self-retracting pen (sometimes it retracts as soon as the pen tip touches the paper... very comical), other times I just want to write and I have to fight with my own pen to stay in the "out" position! There have been many times it's taken five or more pushes before it finally "catches." As a former engineering student, I've closely examined the mechanism and I can't find out the cause, other than poor design. The Bic pens have never, ever had this problem.

I bought this pack of pens for my Erin Condren planner and because I remember how cool they were when I was a kid. I only really wanted the one pastel color pen, and thought the 8.99 price was a bit steep for a non refillable pen. They are really smooth to write with though and so far haven't noticed any leaking (and I remember these leaking when I was a kid). You don't have to press down hard and the ink does not skip at all. The rubber grip on the pen is a nice touch from the "old school" ones that were just slick plastic. So convenient to be able to switch ink colors and make special dates stand out in my planner.

super

Excellent

I bought and received this product on April 29, 2016 and did NOT receive it free from Paper Mate for an unbiased review.I tested the pens to confirm its claim of having the InkJoy Writing System, which allows for effortless and cleaner lines. It delivered because I could feel that my hands were not tired after having to write 3 essays in a final exam with only 1.5 hours time limit! Also, I will confirm that the colors that claim to be in the package are true. However, the picture given on Amazon is misleading because it looks to be that there is a yellow color on the far right pen, which is actually the Lime Green color.I am very satisfied with the pens because they are so useful when writing notes for school, meetings, etc. I like to organize my notes based on colors because it is easier for me to retain the information that way. I would definitely buy this product again.

I bought these pens a while ago and I absolutely love them. I have been using them for a couple months and they are my absolute favourite pens of all time. The shippng was fast which is always a bonus. The pack comes with three pens. Two pens are the same with red, blue, green and black ink which is great for school work to mark, write papers, etc. The other pen has colours of pink, green, purple and blue which I found writing my notes in school so much more fun! These pens actually motivated me to do my school work. It always made me excited to work and take notes. One of my favourite things about these pens are how smooth they are. Writing with these is absolutely amazing. Lots of pens that I have purchased are good, but they aren't that smooth writing. These are THE best pens to write with. They also feature grips on each pen that make writing more "comfortable". These are the best pens I have ever owned, so if you are not sure, BUY THEM.

Paper Mate is my favorite brand name for pens, and this product is as good as I expected! Having four colors in one pen is great, especially since it is light and easy to use too. Love the color choices! Ink glides on the paper as with other Ink Joy products. At this price, a great buy!!!