Office & WFH · Head-to-head
Pilot Metropolitan vs LAMY Safari
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Fountain Pens: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Pilot Metropolitan at $34 is the default answer: brass body, steel nib in three sizes, converter included - a pen that feels like $100 and writes immediately. LAMY's Safari ($30) is the rugged cult favorite with an iconic grip. The TWSBI ECO is the piston-filling hobbyist upgrade. Pilot's own Varsity is a $4 disposable - technically a fountain pen, philosophically a crime.
Pilot Metropolitan
Buy itBrass-barreled starter pen with Pilot's buttery steel nib - $34 that writes like $100.
- Brass body with glossy accent band - real heft; feels like a serious instrument, not a toy.
- Pilot's Japanese steel nib (F/M) - famously smooth out of the box, no tuning needed.
- Includes converter + cartridge - starts on cartridges, grows into bottled ink.
- M/F nib options cover both fine-note and flowing-signature writers.
- Capped design - the clip posts only in one direction, so cap discipline required.
- Proprietary Pilot cartridges - you can't use standard international cartridges.
LAMY Safari
Buy itThe ABS-plastic tank with the triangular grip - nearly indestructible, endlessly moddable.
- Triangular grip section teaches proper hold automatically - the teacher's favorite.
- ABS body survives drops that would dent metal; decades of proven durability.
- Swappable steel nib units - switch EF to B in 30 seconds with tape.
- Iconic Bauhaus design in a dozen colors - personality in a pen.
- $29.60 and the nib runs slightly broader/drier than the Pilot's out of the box.
- The grip triangle polarizes: love it or find it constraining - no middle.
Side by side
| Pilot Metropolitan | LAMY Safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | First-pen giftees, journalers, and desk workers who want grown-up gear cheap. | Students, sketchers, and anyone hard on their gear. |
| Price tier | $ · budget | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Pilot Metropolitan - Brass-barreled starter pen with Pilot's buttery steel nib - $34 that writes like $100. Choose the LAMY Safari instead if students, sketchers, and anyone hard on their gear.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Fountain Pens: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).