Great little pen (especially for the price) and the ink colours are lovely. Standard delivery was fantastic - well within the promised maximum number of days. Would defintely recommed the product and bureau direct.

I couldn't be happier with my order. Courteous communication, speedy shipping, great price. And the product is just what I wanted. (I'm a calligrapher, and was looking for a very fine line refillable pen). Many, many thanks!! Top recommendation!

Excellent and useful little pen - and a good value package with the included inks x 3. Fast service too.

I've purchased two of these now, one for and one for my friend. the pen is smooth and light and very easy to use, the ink colours are vibrant and make a real difference. i use my pen with moleskine or clairefontaine books and they go together really well. highly recommended at this price, go on pick a different colour and stand out from the crowd

Love this set. Having the choice of ink cartridges is fantastic. Nice and small to fit in my Mark's silicon A6 notebook.

Having done loads of research, I found the perfect combination of a rollerball that used both great colour ink cartridges and my favourite inks. Brilliant service too - really quick delivery.

Very scratchy and disappointed that the cartridge has leaked into the barrel and spoiled tbe appearance of the pen.

I was delighted at the Herbin pen that can use cartridges rathr than expensive roller ball refills or throwing a pen away, and the pen writes really well. Not so great is the ridge round the pen making fingers sore if using for any length of time - ie taking notes; I am loath to give up on this nice pen, and not sure I can find a fountain pen at this price that writes so well... any ideas?

The Rollerball writes very smoothly on quality paper and is very flexible given the choice of quality Ink colour cartridges available. Will shortly be back to purchase another!

This is wonderful ink in fabulous colours. Six cartridges in each dinky little tin that will be put to another use in the future. The pen is quite small but when you put the lid on the end of the pen, it is regular size and very comfortable to write with. It is almost a fineline, whilst I prefer something a little thicker and bolder. However, it's not enough of a problem to stop me from using the pen. The pen is really scratchy to start with and takes a while to 'run in'. I've been using mine for over a week and it's only just becoming smooth. It's definitely worth persevering through the scratchiness! It seems to get through a cartridge of ink quite quickly but since I got 18 cartridges with it, I won't have to buy any more this year. Overall, it's a good quality package at a great value price.

This is a great buy and it is remarkable value for the price. I only use J. Herbin inks so to discover their own rollerball that uses real ink cartridges is a real find. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, this is the scratchiest pen I have ever used. Pity, because the concept of using ink cartridges in a rollerball has tremendous appeal - particularly with the lovely Herbin inks. Good idea, but poor execution.

I love this little pen, and it is so easy to be creaticve with the different coloured inks. My 10 year old daughter thinks it is so lovely, and very good for small hands, I will order one for her too, as it keeps dissapearing at the moment, I wonder where! Lovely as a gift too, with 3 inks.

I got this pen with the inks as a present for my sister, so have not used the pen myself - it looks so nice and neat though that I think I'll be getting one for myself.

This pen is just what ive been waiting for. I use different colour inks all the time and a couple of these pens are just the job. As usual I recieved a great service from this company.

I love this pen - interchangeable cartridges (supplied in lovely cute tins) - not a long pen but comfortable to hold - will be buying more for presents. Try one.

Bit scratchy at first but soon became nice and smooth. The joy of fountain pen ink with the conveineance of a roller ball. Comfortable to hold in my small hand.

So far I've tried my J Herbin rollerball pen with the Violette Pensee - Violet ink. It's just lovely. Recommended by Dominic on Twitter, I wanted a pen I could use for writing notes, essays and drawing diagrams. I wanted something that had dark-ish ink but didn't show through notebook pages or bleed messily. The J Herbin rollerball is exactly that. I have slightly scruffy and very exaggerated handwriting, but it barely scratches or smudges at all. The cartridges are very easy to pop in and the little tins that they come in are adorable. The violet ink is a strong colour and very easy to read on light paper. I use this pen with a squared Leuchtturm 1917 notebook and it barely shows through the pages at all. The only problem I've had so far is that the handle of the pen has started to split where it screws into the tip. Though this is more than likely down to me twisting it too far when screwing the two parts together.

Great to have a rollerbal lthat takes standard cartridges and gives us access to the Herbivilladrome. Excellent writer, yes it SOUNDS scratch, but writes smopoth and free flowing. The pen is nice basic design, not sure how durable it will be, but it is inexpensive - worth it for the colours! But Bureau, can you please sort out the 'choose your 3 colours of inks bit, because I thought I had been clear, but like others I got the wrong colours. Rather than sending me replacements and letting me keep the 2 wrong ones (nice of you, but unwanted) which must have cost you all the profit on the deal and more, why not just email me if you're not sure what I mean? Saves time and money.

Bureau replies...

If an order comes through without the colours specified then it is our policy to email the customer and check first. I don't know why this didn't happen with the above order but I am glad to hear it was resolved happily in the end.

Bureau Direct deliver their products quickly and efficiently- The J Herbin rollerball pen and Three Ink Tins are fantastic. I now have five pens to satisfy my love for writing with J Herbin Inks..colours are beautiful. This little rollerball, once charged with ink, writes really well. It doesn't clog, is easy to clean and does not leak. It's a fantastic product, well priced and a favourite item. Wish the Ink cartridges could be perfumed like some of the Herbin range but am well satisfied with the quality of the Ink in this offer and just love the pen.

Easy way to get young ones into pens, writing and colours. Inexpensive way to experiment and a smooth glide... Really fun.

what a pleasure to use and have next colour to try in little charming tins labeled with so wonderful names like Orange Indien ; Rose Cyclamen or Eclat De Saphir! many lovely thoughts have gone in manufacturing this writing /drawing transluscent pen and colourful refill funk. a fine, unique and affordable present for young and old. inspirational ! thank you !!!!

This is the second set I have bought. Super little pen, writes smoothly and fits neatly into pen loops. Inks are great, smashing colours and great little tins. Fabulous for a gift.

I'm really pleased with this and will be buying more!

The pen plus ink refills arrived in good time considering it was over the holidays, I wanted to try a J Herbin pen and ink combo after reading favourable comments on a forum i subscribe to, this offer seemed to be the perfect way in and so it proved, the pen although a little on the small side for my mitts is a delight to use, it comes with blue,black and green ink.All in all excellent value for money..

Excellent service by Bureau Direct, delivered very quickly. Good quality and they made a lovely present at a very good price.

Very satisfied with pen. Not happy about 2 of the 3 ink tins: I had to use a vice wrench to remove the tops, as it was impossible to remove them in any other way!

All the joy of Herbin inks for those who are not fans of fountain pens.

Bought 2 of these sets, one for myself and one as a gift. They are lovely - the pen was slightly smaller than I expected, but writes well, and is very well proportioned. I love the little tins of ink cartidges, and the range of colours is great. I will look forward to trying out the different ones in future.

I bought one of these for myself and another for a good friend, plus a pen on its own (no extra cartridges). One of the rollerball pens is a little scratchy (though it may smooth out with more use) and the other isn't scratchy at all. I ordered for myself: bleu pervenche, lie de the and lierre sauvage inks. The blue (bleu pervenche) is gorgeous, the brown (lie de the) is very classy (and I haven't used the green yet). The idea of ink cartridges in a rollerball is just genius! My only gripe is that the little tin of cartridges (extremely attractive) could easily hold 7 cartridges, so why only have 6? A minor gripe though!

Have ordered this as a gift several times, always appreciated. Use the pens daily myself.

The Grey is silver - pretty but quite hard to read. The brown, very pale. The pink a slightly more intense version of the brown. I have three more to try - and possibly I have been blinded by the stunning rollergel pens on the market today - but these natural inks are very....ummm discrete. If you are looking for vibrancy - not for you.

Great, although having the colour of Inks i'd asked for would have been good, I asked for orange, pink and lilac or similar if not available and got blue, black and red. Shame.

Bureau replies...

We think there is an occasional fault with our system whereby the colour choice doesn't come through and we usually send red, blue and black in that situation. If this has happened, please contact us directly and we will replace the inks for you. We can't always trace the reviews as they are anonymous.

Good price simple but pleasing design. Use a lot of pens for drawing. This works very well a pleasure to use. l think it'd a bargain.

Really a nice product

Very nice, I bought one for myself and then immediately bought another as a present

Very good and I got three different ink colours as requested. I used it to write out all my Christmas cards. Very good and speedy service.

Why not, I buy great gifts fo everybody else so here is a bit of self indulgence. Ideal for my jottings.Always quality.

A very handy and neat little ink roller. The choice of Herbin colours is great.

A straight forward pen and ink at a low price. Perfect combination and a great stocking filler.

Easy to hold and write with, and great choice of inks.

The pen is very small, so unless you have tiny hands, it's necessary to use it with the cap posted on the barrel. Once that's done, though, the pen writes very well, in my experience smoother than the much more expensive Pelikan R400 rollerball. The inks are good, and the choice of colours goes way beyond what a typical rollerball or ballpoint offers. Side note: Olive Vert, while a fun colour, is very light and can be difficult to read, especially on densely lined or gridded paper.

Perfect for when using a fountain pen isn't the best option but you still want access to a full spectrum of colors. Easy to use, easy to clean, and comes with a selection of quality Herbin inks.

Need I say more? I have far more expensive pens but I do keep turning to these little beauties. They're just great. I may be a bit of a geek but I also love the little tins of ink cartridges. They come in a range of great colours and I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of the ink. Great product, great fun. Should I get out more???

I have already purchased five of these delightful pen & ink sets! I have plans to buy another three. They are a tremendous low cost gift, and always a delight to receive Thank you Bureau Direct!

So far I've only used the Ambre De Birmanie, which is quite a distinctive orange-brown, more towards orange and I really wouldn't refer to this as brown at all really. Nice flow, and I've not noticed any problems in drying time. I've only a Platinum fountain pen to hand with which to compare it with at the moment, but I'd say its of the same or thicker consistency on paper. The pen writes pleasantly, and feels solid in the hand despite the plastic construction. It is very light, and so I always write with the cap on just to balance it a little. The clip has bent away from the pen due to being placed in my jeans pocket all the time, which is to be expected eventually from a pen, though the clip could be of a little better quality. Finally, the tins the cartridges come in are just as nice in person as in photos.

Wow what a wonderfull little pen. Ink my favorite colours and a rollerball for doing my crosswords with. Yesssssss. Sent quickly and colours were great. will buy some more

Purchased two of these excellent value pen/ink sets and the choice of ink colours is fantastic - thus my being overjoyed. However, one of the pens has cracked very noticeably to the extent that I have been left no option but to tape it up around the end of the barrel (where the nib & barrel screw together) & again around the open end of the cap. Without the tape, the pen literally falls apart, & even with it, it has a tendency to work very loose... Thus the underwhelmed! I do find it odd that only one of the pens has suffered in this manner, leading me to guess it is not just me being ham-fisted & writing "heavily" or over-tightening the sections of pen; the previous comments which also mention this occasional trait in some of the pens further re-assures me that it is an intermittent flaw, possibly with the manufacturing. It is a shame that this dramatically lets down an otherwise excellent writing implement!

Bureau replies...

We will always replace faulty products if you let us know but please contact us directly. We are only aware of one other pen barrel cracking out of the hundreds sold so it looks like an occasional fault.

I’ve been using this pen for well over a month (with Herbin cartridges) on a daily basis and can say this pen is remarkable, simple in its design and execution. I’ve not had any issues with it at all, my only one niggle is you do need to place the cap on the other end while writing to keep the pen balanced. The pen produces a smooth thin line, which dries almost instantly. A number of friends, family and colleagues have borrowed mine to try and I know of at least 5 that have then purchased, which for me reinforces the fact that this pen is not only unique being a roller ball that takes a standard cartridge but offers superb value when purchased with the three tins of cartridges.

great size to fit into my new dotty notebook. inks are great colours and the tins are beautiful. i have been gazing at this for a while and now want more tins!

I really enjoy using the pen and the variety of inks. My only criticism would be that after carefully listing 3 different inks and then 3 more (in case my first choices were not available) in the appropriate place on the website when placing my order, only one out of 6 of my choices arrived.

Bureau replies...

Occasionally these orders come through without the colour choices listed due to technical reasons we can't quite work out. If you are unhappy with the inks provided, please let us know and we will change them for you.

As a fountain pen user I love Herbin inks, and I was pleased to see that their roller pen takes cartridges. I also like little tins ( sad I know!), so this is a perfect buy. I was a little surprised at the size of the pen itself, but when the top sits on the end the length and weight make it a delight to write with!

I am a great fan of Herbin inks, as I am predominantly a fountain pen user, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that their roller pen is one that takes cartridges. I love little tins as well ( sad I know!), so this was a perfect buy!! I was concerned that the pen was rather small, but when the top is put on the end, the length and weight make it a delight to write with.

The first pen I received after a few days developed a fault but I returned it and was sent out very quickly a replacement, which works fine. Great Service! The pen is a little scratchy at times and I find the inks are very weak and not necessarily clear but on the whole good value.

The quality of both pen and inks is excellent but I was disappointed that, although. Had requested tins of brown ink I received Blue, Black and Red.

Bureau replies...

When ordering this item please make sure you clearly indicate which colours you want otherwise we will send you the most popular. If you are unhappy about any aspect of your order, please let us know and we will be happy to put things right. A tin of brown ink is on its way to Mary now.

Pen is great and deal is good value too

I was sent this set as a gift from my sister who is an officionado of all things stationery related. She made an excellent choice for me to use it for my sketchbook work as it draws beautifully and precisely, and the colours are delightful. I have no other pen capable of such precise delicate line work. Just lovely. Thank you!

I received this pen a few weeks ago, and had been waiting until now to review it because I wanted to see if it got better with time. When I first used it, on the day of its purchase... It was a little disappointing. The ink flow is horribly inconsistent at times, to the point where one has to write at a rather unusual angle to even get ink on the page. Furthermore, it has not gotten better yet; I still have issues with it. However, when it does work, it is quite satisfactory; it has a nice fine line and is fairly smooth. Additionally, the inks are simply superlative; I couldn't be happier with them. Overall, I couldn't advise against buying this set, as it is fantastic value, but don't expect magic.

This is a great value package of pen and cartridges, my main reason for purchasing. On one hand, the ink colours are unusual with attractive and useful storage tins. On the other hand, I'm not too impressed with the pen. It's sturdy enough and the clip on/off cap makes it convenient to use and carry around but it's lacklustre when it comes to its intended purpose of writing. The rollerball feels and sounds rough in its housing and will only lay down a smooth line on good quality paper. I have a similar cartridge rollerball pen from Kaweco that's infinitely superior at writing. It will be a good match for the Herbin cartridges but the Herbin pen is heading for the bin.

Concept is good but disappointed with pen. It is not comfortable in hand. The pen is too short and the cap has to be placed on the barrel to give adequate pen length. Ink flow when writing is eratic. Alas, this one has been retired to the back of the draw!

Bureau replies....

Any pen that is faulty can be returned for exchange or refund but please contact us directly as we can't track reviews.

This is a lovely pen. It is great to hold, writes beautifully and looks very stylish. The range of coloured inks are good and add a nice variety to the usual black and blue. My husband and I have both purchased this pen to stop us fighting over it!

I'm really happy to have such a reasonably-priced pen which takes fountain pen cartridges, thereby opening up a world of rich varied, and high-quality colours to philistines such as I. By and large, this pen is very good: it looks nice, feels good in the hand, and writes well on the whole. However, since using it for about a week, I'm noticing a few small problems. First, as someone mentions, it leaks a little bit: in mine the area between the nib and where the cartridge inserts has accumulated some ink, and some has at some point leaked into and stained the inside of the cap. I'm sure this is a simple matter of giving it a rinse between refills, so not big problem. Second, while my first cartridge (Perl Noir/black) gave a smooth and consistent flow, the second (Orange Indien) is less so, producing writing that alternates between slightly washed out, and almost brown. Finally the most significant problem is that mine has, despite light use, developed a few small cracks -- two on the upper section next to where the pen screws together, one at the edge of the cap -- the former of which look like the might expand out to the edge and split. I don't screw the pen together especially tight, or push the cap down hard before writing. So for me, this pen has proven to be a little frustrating, but I still feel it is worth 4 stars since it has great potential, and I see that others are having a great time with it, so maybe my problems are just bad luck.

Lovely pen to use especially with the purple ink. nice easy feel in hand and looks modern too.

Ideal for handbag and great ink colours.

Small and charming transparent ballpoint with three brilliant tiny tins containing refills. It writes well and the black ink recalls that great Nigel Tufnel scene in 'Spinal Tap': "...there is something about this that's...so black, it's like, 'How much more black could this be?' and the answer is: "None, none...more black".

Once again a superb product range, great idea, a rollerball which takes cartridges. I have not stopped using this pen since it has arrived. Great range of cartridge colours, even the tins they come in are superb.

I like the idea but I found it a bit scratchy used grey colour 1st that was a bit to faint but now using brown and a lot better.

Excellent value, great pen and lovely colours

J Herbin rollerball pen is quite petite at only 4.5 inches but an acceptable 5.5 when posted. I like the clear demonstrator style that displays the ink colour and that it's reusable and not disposable, with a wonderful choice of fine inks. The line is quite fine. A lot more stylish than the average rather ugly rollerball pen. I love the rather dinky little tins of cartridges. It's smaller than I anticipated but that will appeal to some. I'm used to the big chunky Berol-type pen so this requires a bit of getting used to. Should appeal to - and is probably aimed at - the young female market but will interest a much wider demographic. An impulse buy that I'm pleased I made - and at these prices you really can't go wrong. Review submitted by email.

Writes very well although a bit of leakage which is always boring. Ink colours delighful.

shame that the lighter colours do not seem to flow from the pen nib as easily as the black/brown inks do

I was looking forward to having some different ink colours, but, although I am certain I ordered purple/violet, I got black. My other choices were brown and grey - the grey is very pale - it looks as if I am writing with a ball pen that is running out! The brown is fine. The pen itself is a really good size as it fits in my Moleskine diary pen holder. so far it is very scratchy to write with - I am hoping it will become smoother in time

This is a great little pen for the money. Very stylish and nicer to write with than the normal rollerball. The inks are lovely too, the grey when used on cream paper seems a little shy and gives a seductive air to the words. I'll keep stocked up on inks, the colour choices add a whole new dimension to your writing. Wierdly!

As a pen lover this is the best roller ball I have ever used I bought two and am ordering a third for my daughter! The ink flows well and dries quickly a real must for me. The ink colours are good valve too and the tins are really handy so you never have to run out. If you love Pens you really do have to try this one.

The provision of ink cartridges in metal pots is unusual - and the lids can be difficult to remove. Once assembled the pen works well and there is an interesting range of coloured inks to explore ...

x

I was happy with the Lie de The (Brown) ink and also the Orange Indien but I found the Gris Nuage a little too Nuage and hardly Gris enough. A very washed-out effect which I am still undecided on. I may yet use it to write cheques to people I don't like. The pen itself had a fine point which at first I thought too sharp - but it has settled down smoothly with use.

I've owned many cartridge-fed pens in the past that have claimed the convenience of a rollerball, but all have suffered feed problems (possibly as I continue to insist on writing with my left hand). This neat pen from Herbin, though, seems to bring the quality of engineering to the feed that most manufacturers reserve for the outward appearance of their pens (I'm talking specifically about Bic and Rotring, although it's anyone's guess who owns either brand at the moment!). The included ink is a bonus and I'm putting the three wacky shades I ordered (purple, grey and light green) to good use. All seem to give even coverage and none have halted so far.