The best mechanical pencils for drawing and writing enable you to create art and handwritten gifts and cards with extra precision. With mechanical pencils, there’s no need for a pencil sharpener. Instead the graphite (or ‘lead’) sits in a well inside the pencil. As it wears down, you can keep extending it simply by clicking a button. Then when it’s all used up, you just insert a replacement.
Crucially, the pencil itself stays the same length, unlike wooden pencils which get shorter as you sharpen them (even with one of the best pencil sharpeners). And because replacement leads are cheap it saves you money over time, because you won’t have to buy new pencils.
The best mechanical pencils for drawing
Best overall
1. Uni Kurutoga Pipe Slide
Lead: 0.5 mm
Action: Pipe slide
+ Consistently sharp lead
+ Clever design
– 0.7mm is hard to find
On many mechanical pencils, the lead wears down on one side, forming a slanted, wedge-shaped tip, which can potentially cause variations in line thickness. The Kurutoga Pipe Slide from Japanese brand Uni sidesteps this problem with a clever mechanism that continually rotates the pencil lead as you draw. This allows for a uniform wearing of the lead, and cleaner and more consistent lines as a result.
Best cheap
Lead: 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, 0.9mm
Action: Push-top button
+ Value for money
+ Good all-rounder
– Short-lived eraser
Looking for a decent mechanical pencil, but short on funds? Then here’s our top recommendation. The Pentel 200 is a quality pencil that’s expertly engineered for drawing, drafting or writing, but it doesn’t cost much at all. Each one comes with Super Hi Polymer HB leads and an eraser. The set covers a range of lead thicknesses from 0.3mm to 0.9mm. And the fact that you’re getting four pencils for such a low price represents fantastic value.
Best for sketching
Lead: 0.5mm or 0.7mm
Action: Twist and click
+ High-end engineering
+ Luxury feel
– A costly pencil
If you mainly use a pencil for sketching, rather than finished work, then check out the Rotring 800. This high-quality pencil gives you precise, consistent lines and has a luxurious feel that makes it perfect for sketchbooks. Weighing 91g, it’s nice and solid, and feels comfortable in the hand. Its non-slip metal grip ‘twist and click’ retractable mechanism makes it easy to use, and its hexagonal shape makes it less likely to slide off your desk. It’s on the pricey side, but its superior craftsmanship makes it worth the extra outlay.
Best for drafting
4. Pentel Graphgear 500 Automatic Drafting Pencil
Lead: 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 0.9mm
Action: Button
+ Built-in lead indicator
+ Range of diameters
– 0.3mm is hard to find
Whether you work in architecture, design, engineering, or any other role that requires drafting, we recommend the excellent Pentel Graphgear 500. Its weight feels good in the hand, and it’s light enough to be comfortable over long sessions. It’s lovely and accurate, too. With a 4mm fixed sleeve, metallic-mesh grip and a barrel weighted at your fingertips, this pencil is designed to help you draw precisely.
Best giftset
5. Pentel Graphgear 1000 set
Lead: 0.3mm / 0.5mm / 0.7mm / 0.9mm
Action: Click-off cap
+ 12 Piece Set
+ Excellent quality
– Light in the hand
The GraphGear 1000 Premium Mechanical Pencil Set is an excellent gift for anyone who loves drawing. The pens themselves are superbly built and come with neat colour-coding so you know which lead is in each pencil, just like the Pentel Graphgear 500 (to the right). While these mechanical pencils are sturdy and comfortable, it should be noted they are rather light.
Best durable
Lead: 0.7mm
Action: Button
+ Heavy and accurate
+ 2 year warranty
– Too chunky for some
The Rotring Rapid Pro drafting pencil is an all-metal, weighted self-sharpening mechanical pencil that impresses. It contains a number of eye-catching features, including a unique cushioned lead mechanism that avoids breakage and a ‘knurled’ grip for comfort. If you’re after a mechanical pencil built to last and like your pencils a little heavier for greater control, then the Rotring Rapid Pro is a great choice. It even comes with a two-year warranty.
The best mechanical pencils for writing
Best overall
Lead: 0.5 or 0.7mm
Action: Button
+ Produces smooth lines
+ Highly durable
– An expensive choice
This is our number one choice when it comes to mechancial pencils for writing. Based on the well-known fountain pen designed by Gerd A. Müller, the LAMY 2000 is a true modern classic, and we love it. It’s comfortable to hold and use, and it produces smooth, consistent writing. Its weight of 18.1g, meanwhile, strikes the perfect balance between being light enough to write with, but solid enough to feel sturdy. Reliable and durable, this is a pencil you expect to last for years.
Best for students
Lead: 0.5mm
Action: Button
+ Self-sharpening
+ Great value
– A little light
Looking for a bargain? If you want a quality pencil for writing, but can’t stretch to the high price of the LAMY 2000, check out the Uni Kurutoga Roulette, which offer truly excellent value. Its sophisticated design means that it sharpens the lead consistently as you write. This gives you an even stroke width that keeps your handwriting effortlessly neat and polished. This pencil is also very comfortable to hold, with a nicely balanced weight and a knurled metal finger-plate for better grip.
Best for pros
9. Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm
Lead: 0.5mm
Action: Button
+ Excellent quality
+ Strong lead
– Pencil cap is loose
If you want a pencil for writing professionally, the Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm offers top quality craftsmanship without breaking the bank. This pencil is handcrafted using watchmakers’ tools for precision, beauty and accuracy. It also has a solid tip that means you’ll very rarely, if ever, break the lead. Plus, the removable cap makes it nice and portable. We think this mechanical pencil would also make a great gift.