About a year and a half ago, I posted about the Monteverde tool pen, an inexpensive aluminum-bodied pen with a built-in ruler, mini screwdriver, level, and stylus. It takes easy to find ink refills.
I happened across a pen store at a mall recently, and spied a few Monteverde tool pens on a shelf. They looked pretty good, but I saw enough through the glass to know that I wanted to finally order one from Amazon. I did get hosed on an inexpensive pocket pen. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
So I went home, bought the pen, waited 2 days, and it arrived today.
A $3 coupon made the purchasing decision a lot easier to make. That’s why I’m mentioning the pen now, instead of when I’m able to spend more time with it. It’s on sale now, and by the time I’m ready to review it, it might be back to full price.
There are 5 color choices. 3 of them are currently priced slightly above $20, the other 2 are around $24 each. “Clip the coupon” on the Amazon product pages, and the price goes down $3.
Less than $17 before tax? Okay, sold!
What I Like
- Solid construction
- Nice grip
- All 4 ruler scales are clear and crisp to read
- Excellent capacitive stylus tip (works with touch devices)
- If I don’t like the pen, I could cap the front with the stylus and use it as just a stylus
What I Don’t Like
- Mini screwdriver is okay, might or might not be compatible with micro bits
- Pocket clip is just okay
- Bubble level vial is a little small, dark, cheap looking
- COO info is nowhere to be found on packaging
Overall, it seems like a very good pen. It’s a little chunky, but comfortable to grip. I don’t care much for the medium ballpoint ink cartridge, and might seek out fine-point refills when I have a chance. Other brands make D1-sizes refills, which is a relief.
At their regular Amazon price of around $20-21, for the ballpoint styles, I’d recommend the Monteverde tool pen. At the clipped-coupon sale price of $17 or so, I feel a lot more enthusiastic about the recommendation.
$3 might not seem like much, but psychologically, $17 and change vs. $20 and change is a big difference.
I don’t see the coupon anymore on the pen I bought (the black colored one), bit it reappears when I log out. I still see the coupons for the other versions, which suggests that the coupon is one-time-use, but with each color pen counting as a different product with its own one-time-use coupon. In other words, you should be able to use the coupon on multiple pens if they’re all different colors.
The coupon only works if you buy directly from Amazon, and not a 3rd party seller.
Buy Now(via Amazon)