Looking for a lighted pen

January 9, 2006 8:18 AM

Recommendations for a lighted pen? I'm looking for a ball point pen with a lighted tip, so I can write in the dark. I've searched the web and found many, but before I order one, I'd love to hear from the Metafilter pen fetishists.

Some things to keep in mind:
1. I've seen the cheapo LED pens with clear barrels and ugly colored lights, but that's not what I'm looking for. I don't want one with a bright, glowing barrel. Ideally it should be just enough light to write with, mainly focused at the tip.
2. Preferably something classy looking, and durable.
3. I'm willing to spend in the neighborhood of $30.00 if it's the right pen.
4. My day-to-day pen is the Fisher Space Pen and I really like the feel of how it writes. Something with a similar feel (ink-wise) would be nice.

Thanks in advance.

posted by evoo to shopping (6 comments total)

I suspect that what you describe won't do what you want it to. When you write, you don't look at the tip of your pen, you look where it is going because you need to track reference points in order to keep your written words properly alligned. If you light only the tip of your pen, you won't notice that your sentence is bending up or down until it is far too late. Similarly, you won't discover that you need to start a new line until the long word you are writing abruptly runs off the edge of the page.

The LightWriter might be what you are looking for, but I remain skeptical that any pen with a light on it will be of much use to anyone.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:07 AM on January 9, 2006

I remember seeing this kind of pen in some Michael J. Fox film in the 80's. Secret of My Success, I think.

I don't know why I'm mentioning this.
posted by Wild_Eep at 11:38 AM on January 9, 2006

My first instinct was that I had seen such a pen in a Levenger ("Tools for serious readers") catalog, but on their website I can't seem to find one. And it may be spendier than you want to go.
posted by misterbrandt at 7:45 PM on January 9, 2006

I have one of the 'cheap, tacky barrel' ones and I use it for jotting quick ideas when I'm in bed, about to fall asleep. It works well enough for that, but the construction is shoddy. If you've found many online, maybe you could post a few links? I'd be interested in knowing what's out there. Thanks!
posted by Rubber Soul at 8:18 PM on January 9, 2006

I've only ever had and used a fairly cheap lighted pen, but in my limited experience, they're not that great. Like b1tr0t says, they're not well designed for prolific writing in dark places. If you want to jot down a sentence or two in a journal upon waking, without turning on the room lights, it'll probably be ok. But if you envision yourself sitting in a pitch dark room for hours on end, writing novels with your lighted pen, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed - as well as have a headache.

What is your desired application for this pen?
posted by attercoppe at 9:25 PM on January 9, 2006

Thanks for the responses so far. Let me see if I can answer some questions.

I found a dozen "illuminated pens" with a quick google search, but they were all $2 to $5 plastic jobs that seemed to glow quite a bit. Example

I did come across b1tr0t's suggestion, The Lightwriter. That actually looked like what I had in mind. I was hoping someone else around here had tried one out and could give a little review, but it doesn't seem like there are any Mefites who need to write in the dark.

A bit more searching today turned up this: Powerglo Pen which actually takes Fisher Space Pen cartridges! Exactly what I was looking for.

It's not the nicest looking pen, but it does use the ink I like and seems to be a bit less cheesy than most of the other stuff I've come across.

It's intended use:
I'm not planning on writing long essays in pitch black darkness! I like to write notes and to-do lists at night, in bed, right before I fall asleep. However, my girlfriend is often in bed before I am, and turning on a lamp on the nightstand in order to write is not an option. I was hoping a lighted pen would give just enough light to jot down a few notes and to-dos while lying in bed and not disturb my girlfriend. I just want to avoid something that's "flashlight" bright. It only has to illuminate the area of about a 3x5 index card.

I think I'm going to give the Powerglo pen a shot.
posted by evoo at 10:30 PM on January 9, 2006