Office & Desk
The Best Notebooks: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared four A5-class notebooks on page count, paper weight, binding, size, extras and how much of that each maker actually publishes.
The short version
The Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook in Medium A5 is the pick: 251 numbered pages of 80 g/m² paper, a blank table of contents, two page markers, eight perforated sheets and a thread-bound spine that opens flat, with every size and weight published. The Baron Fig Confidant is the second buy, with heavier 90 gsm acid-free paper, a clothbound cover and manufacture in the USA, at the cost of fewer pages. The Archer & Olive Field Mouse suits anyone using fountain pens, brush pens or watercolour, since its 160 gsm paper is twice the weight of the others. Skip the Rocketbook Core as a replacement for a paper notebook: the Executive size has 36 pages, nothing is kept unless you scan it, and it asks you to write with erasable pens. Best for: students, journal keepers, planners and anyone who takes notes by hand.
Our picks at a glance
- Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook, Medium (A5) - Buy. 251 numbered pages, a table of contents, two markers and a flat-opening thread-bound spine, with every format fully specified.
- Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook - Buy. A clothbound, thread-bound notebook with heavier 90 gsm acid-free paper, made in the USA.
- Archer & Olive Field Mouse Dot Grid Notebook - It depends. Ultra-thick 160 gsm paper for fountain pens, markers and paint, which is either essential or wasted depending on what you write with.
- Rocketbook Core, Next Gen - Skip. A reusable, erasable notebook that keeps nothing unless you scan it, sold with 36 pages in the Executive size.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Size checked
- Pages
- Paper weight
- Rulings
- Binding
- Extras
A notebook is a simple object with a handful of numbers that decide whether you enjoy using it: the paper weight in gsm, the number of pages, whether it opens flat, the page ruling, and the size. Heavier paper handles fountain pens and markers, lighter paper means more pages for the same thickness, and a thread-bound spine is what lets the book lie open on a desk. We compared three paper notebooks and one reusable smart notebook, because the smart one is increasingly bought as a replacement.
251 numbered pages, a table of contents, two markers and a flat-opening thread-bound spine, with every format fully specified.
Best for: Anyone who wants a long-lasting, well-organised everyday notebook.
- Leuchtturm1917 publishes dimensions, page count, paper weight and book weight for each format: Medium A5 is 5.71 x 8.27 in, 251 pages, 80 g/m², 0.93 lb.
- Numbered pages, a blank table of contents, two page markers, a gusseted pocket, eight perforated sheets and a sticker set for labelling.
- Thread-bound so it opens flat, on FSC-certified, slightly chamois-coloured paper, in blank, dotted, ruled or squared rulings.
- 80 g/m² paper in the A5 size shows more ghosting with wet inks than the heavier paper in the other notebooks.
- At 0.93 lb for the A5 size, it is a noticeable weight in a bag.
- Personalised notebooks are final sale.
- The chamois tint is pleasant for writing but can shift colours if you sketch.
A clothbound, thread-bound notebook with heavier 90 gsm acid-free paper, made in the USA.
Best for: Writers who care most about paper feel and a book that looks good on a desk.
- Acid-free fine-grain 90 gsm paper, heavier than the Leuchtturm's A5 paper, with 7 mm ruling or a 5 mm dot grid.
- Clothbound hardcover, thread-bound, opens flat, rounded corners and a cloth bookmark.
- Flagship size is 5.4 x 7.7 in with 192 pages, and Baron Fig states it is made in the USA with free 30-day returns in the US on non-limited products.
- 192 pages is 59 fewer than the Leuchtturm A5.
- No numbered pages, no table of contents and no back pocket.
- No book weight is published.
- The fabric cover marks more easily than a coated one.
Ultra-thick 160 gsm paper for fountain pens, markers and paint, which is either essential or wasted depending on what you write with.
Best for: Bullet journallers, artists and fountain pen users who need paper that will not bleed.
- 160 gsm paper, twice the weight of the Leuchtturm's A5 paper, described as no-bleed for writing, sketching and layering.
- Sold in many formats, from A5 at 5.75 x 8.25 in with 192 pages to B5, square, traveller's and pocket sizes.
- Lay-flat binding, an elastic pen loop and a soft vegan leather cover with a debossed design.
- Heavy paper means fewer pages for a given thickness, and it adds weight, which Archer & Olive does not publish.
- The most expensive notebook here.
- Dot grid only in most sizes; ruled and blank are offered in A5 only.
- The decorative cover is the point for many buyers and a drawback for anyone who wants a plain book.
A reusable, erasable notebook that keeps nothing unless you scan it, sold with 36 pages in the Executive size.
Best for: Someone who already works digitally and wants a scratchpad to scan, not a notebook to keep.
- Pages can be scanned with the Rocketbook app and sent to cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneNote.
- Reusable: Rocketbook states pages wipe clean with a damp cloth.
- Comes with a Pilot FriXion pen and a microfiber towel, in Executive (6 x 8.8 in) or Letter (8.5 x 11 in) sizes.
- The Executive size has 36 pages and the Letter size 32, a fraction of a paper notebook.
- Notes are only kept if you scan them before wiping, so the book itself is not a record.
- Writing depends on the included erasable pen or compatible pens, and a spray bottle is not included.
- A customer review displayed on Rocketbook's own page reports that after a few wipes writing on the pages becomes significantly harder.
| Criteria | Hardcover Notebook, Medium (A5) Top pick | Confidant Hardcover Notebook | Field Mouse Dot Grid Notebook | Rocketbook Core, Next Gen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Anyone who wants a long-lasting, well-organised everyday notebook. | Writers who care most about paper feel and a book that looks good on a desk. | Bullet journallers, artists and fountain pen users who need paper that will not bleed. | Someone who already works digitally and wants a scratchpad to scan, not a notebook to keep. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Size checked | Medium A5, 5.71 x 8.27 in | Flagship, 5.4 x 7.7 in | A5, 5.75 x 8.25 in | Executive, 6 x 8.8 in |
| Pages | 251, numbered | 192 | 192 | 36, reusable |
| Paper weight | 80 g/m² | 90 gsm, acid-free | 160 gsm | Reusable synthetic, weight not published |
| Rulings | Blank, dotted, ruled, squared | Blank, ruled, dot grid | Dot grid; ruled and blank in A5 | Dot grid or lined |
| Binding | Thread-bound, opens flat | Thread-bound, opens flat | Lay-flat binding | Not stated on the product page |
| Extras | Table of contents, 2 markers, pocket, 8 perforated sheets, stickers | Cloth bookmark, 12 perforated pages | Elastic pen loop | FriXion pen, microfiber towel, app |
| Book weight | 0.93 lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Stated origin | Not stated | Made in USA | Not stated | Not stated |
Which one is right for you?
- Anyone who wants a long-lasting, well-organised everyday notebook. Buy it Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook, Medium (A5)
- Writers who care most about paper feel and a book that looks good on a desk. Buy it Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook
- Bullet journallers, artists and fountain pen users who need paper that will not bleed. It depends Archer & Olive Field Mouse Dot Grid Notebook
- Someone who already works digitally and wants a scratchpad to scan, not a notebook to keep. Skip it Rocketbook Core, Next Gen
How we judged the field
Five things decide whether a notebook is a pleasure to use. The first is paper weight, because it governs how inks behave, how much shows through and how many pages fit in a book of a given thickness. The second is page count, which is how long the book lasts. The third is binding, since a notebook that opens flat is far easier to write in. The fourth is organisation: numbered pages, contents pages, markers and pockets matter for anyone keeping records. The fifth is how much the maker publishes, because a notebook sold without its paper weight or page count is hard to judge.
The field splits between everyday writing notebooks with lighter paper and many pages, premium notebooks with heavier paper and nicer covers, art-journalling books with very heavy paper, and reusable smart notebooks. We took one of each, choosing A5-class sizes so the comparison is fair.
The Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook is the best-documented notebook here, and the documentation reflects a genuinely thought-through product. For each format Leuchtturm lists dimensions, page count, paper weight and book weight; the Medium A5 is 5.71 x 8.27 in with 251 pages of 80 g/m² paper and weighs 0.93 lb. Pages are numbered, there is a blank table of contents at the front, two page markers, a gusseted pocket at the back, eight perforated sheets and a sticker set for labelling spines and archiving. It is thread-bound so it opens flat, and the FSC-certified paper is slightly chamois-coloured for readability, in blank, dotted with 5 mm spacing, ruled or 5 mm squared. The one real limitation is paper weight. At 80 g/m² in this size, wetter inks ghost more than on the heavier papers here. At 0.93 lb it is also a noticeable weight to carry. For everyday notes, planning and records, it is the most useful notebook you can buy.
The Baron Fig Confidant is the notebook for people who notice paper. Baron Fig uses acid-free fine-grain 90 gsm paper, heavier than the Leuchtturm’s A5 stock, with 7 mm ruling or a 5 mm dot grid, and wraps it in a textured clothbound hardcover with rounded corners and a cloth bookmark. It is thread-bound and opens flat, the back has 12 perforated pages, and Baron Fig states it is designed in New York City and made in the USA, with free 30-day returns in the US on non-limited products. The Flagship size is 5.4 x 7.7 in with 192 pages, and there is a larger Plus at 7 x 10 in with 208 pages. What it gives up is organisation: no numbered pages, no contents page and no back pocket, and 59 fewer pages than the Leuchtturm A5. Baron Fig does not publish a book weight. For writing, it feels the better notebook.
The Archer & Olive Field Mouse Dot Grid Notebook is built around its paper. At 160 gsm it is twice the weight of the Leuchtturm’s A5 paper, and Archer & Olive describes it as ultra-thick and no-bleed for writing, sketching and layering, which is what bullet journallers, letterers and watercolourists need. It comes in a wide range of formats, from A5 at 5.75 x 8.25 in with 192 pages to B5, 8 x 8 square, traveller’s, B6 and pocket sizes, mostly in dot grid, with ruled and blank offered in A5. The binding lies flat, there is an elastic pen loop, and the cover is soft vegan leather with a debossed mouse illustration. The drawbacks follow from the paper. Heavy stock adds weight, which Archer & Olive does not publish, and it is the most expensive notebook here. If you write with a ballpoint, the extra paper weight is wasted. If you use fountain pens or brush pens, it is the notebook to buy.
The Rocketbook Core is a clever product answering a different question. You write on reusable pages with the included Pilot FriXion pen, scan them with the Rocketbook app, send them to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneNote or similar services, and wipe the pages clean with a damp cloth. For people who organise everything digitally, that is genuinely useful, and the new pages include Smart Titles and Smart Tags for filing. As a notebook replacement it falls short. The Executive size has 36 pages and the Letter size 32, the book holds nothing permanently unless you scan it before wiping, and you are tied to erasable pens. A spray bottle is not included. A customer review displayed on Rocketbook’s own product page reports that after a few wipes writing on the pages becomes significantly harder. Treat it as a scanning scratchpad, not a notebook you keep.
Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook, Medium (A5) vs Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook: which should you buy?
The Leuchtturm1917 and the Baron Fig Confidant are both excellent thread-bound hardcover notebooks, and the choice comes down to organisation against paper. The Leuchtturm gives you 251 numbered pages in A5, a contents page, two markers, a pocket, perforated sheets and labels. It is the better notebook for anyone who keeps records, plans projects or wants to find a note from three months ago.
The Confidant gives you heavier 90 gsm acid-free paper, a clothbound cover and a nicer object, with fewer pages and none of the indexing features. It is the better notebook for journalling, drafting and anyone using fountain pens occasionally. If you mostly write with ballpoint or gel pens and value structure, buy the Leuchtturm. If paper feel is what you notice, buy the Confidant.
What to look for
- Check paper weight against your pens: 80 gsm for ballpoints and pencils, 90 to 120 gsm for fountain pens, 160 gsm and up for markers and paint.
- Look for a thread-bound or lay-flat spine: it is what lets the notebook lie open on a desk.
- Count the pages, not the thickness: heavier paper means fewer pages in the same size book.
- Value numbered pages and a contents page if you keep records: they make an archive searchable.
- Compare sizes in inches or millimetres: A5 is a family, not a single size, and brands vary slightly.
- Treat smart notebooks as scanners, not notebooks: they only keep what you digitise.
Our final take
The best notebook is the one that suits what you write with and how long you keep your notes. The Leuchtturm1917 A5 is the pick for its page count, organisation features and complete specification sheet. The Baron Fig Confidant is the one to buy for heavier paper and a better-feeling book. The Archer & Olive Field Mouse is the specialist choice for fountain pens, markers and art journalling. The Rocketbook Core is a useful digital capture tool that makes a poor notebook, with 36 pages that keep nothing unless you scan them first.
Questions, answered
What paper weight do I need?
It depends on what you write with. Ballpoints, gel pens and pencils work well on 80 gsm paper, which keeps notebooks thin and page counts high. Fountain pens and wet gel inks start to ghost or bleed on thin paper, so 90 to 120 gsm is more comfortable. Brush pens, markers and watercolour need much heavier paper, which is why art-journalling notebooks such as the Archer & Olive use 160 gsm.
Dot grid, ruled or blank?
Ruled is best for continuous writing. Dot grid gives enough structure to keep lines straight while leaving room for diagrams, tables and layouts, which is why bullet journallers favour it. Blank suits sketching. If you are unsure, dot grid is the most flexible, and the 5 mm spacing used by Leuchtturm1917 and Baron Fig is a common standard.
Why does it matter whether a notebook opens flat?
Because a notebook that springs closed is tiring to write in, especially near the spine. Thread-bound or lay-flat bindings let the book lie open on a desk so both pages are usable to the edge. Glued bindings are cheaper and tend to fight you. All three paper notebooks here are thread-bound or lay-flat.
Is a smart notebook a good replacement for paper?
Only if you scan everything. A reusable notebook like the Rocketbook is a capture device: you write, scan the page with the app, and wipe it clean, so the book itself holds nothing permanent. That suits people who already organise digitally. If you want a physical record, want to flip back through last month, or do not want to depend on an app and erasable pens, a paper notebook is the better tool.
What does gsm mean?
Grams per square metre, the standard measure of paper weight. Higher gsm means heavier, usually thicker paper that resists show-through and bleed. It is not a perfect guide to ink behaviour, because paper coating and sizing matter too, but it is the easiest number to compare between notebooks.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Notebook, Medium (A5) vs Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook.
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