M&G Chenguang Ballpoint Pen, 0.7 mm

A ballpoint writes with oil-based ink pushed out by a rotating ball, which is why it works on almost any paper, survives being loose in a bag, and still starts after months in a drawer. It is the pen you rely on rather than the one you enjoy.

0.7 mm is the standard ball size: a line heavy enough to photocopy cleanly and light enough for ordinary handwriting. Oil-based ink dries more slowly than gel, which matters if you write left-handed and drag the heel of your hand across the line — but it is the same property that stops a ballpoint bleeding through thin paper or smearing when a page gets damp.

At this price it is a pen to buy by the handful rather than to keep track of: the one you hand across a counter, leave beside a form, or lose without noticing.

• 0.7 mm ball, oil-based ink
• Works on almost any paper and restarts after long storage
• Does not bleed through thin paper
• Slower to dry than gel — worth knowing if you write left-handed