Filling system

Cartridge and converter pens

Push in a sealed ink cartridge, or fit a converter (a small refillable piston or squeeze unit) and fill from a bottle. Parker's 45 of 1960 helped make the system normal, and almost every modern pen uses it. There's little to wear out, which makes these the easiest pens to buy secondhand. The catch is the fit. Many makers used their own cartridge, so check which one the pen takes and whether a converter is included, or plan to buy the right one. Old converters can crack or lose their seal, but they're cheap and easy to swap.

9 pens we cover.