When using gel pens, many of us have experienced mysterious, blotchy Rorschach tests on our hands and notes. We love gel pens for their smooth, bold lines, but they aren't always the quickest to dry, leaving unwanted smudges. In this guide, we tested all of our gel pens for drying time to find those that performed best, basing our recommendations on drying time, ink quality, and convenience.

We performed a finger smudge test at 5, 10, and 30 seconds for 30 different pens from various gel pen lines. We compared the pens with regards to their tip size group, since drying time depends on the tip width. The pens were tested for saturation—how bold it appears—and smoothness—how easy it feels to move the pen. In the "Dry Test" columns below, the first X is our dry test at 5 seconds, the second X is our dry test at 10 seconds, and the third X is our dry test at 30 seconds.

0.3 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pentel Slicci		Very fast	Saturated	Average
Pilot Hi-Tec-C		Fast	Average	Average
Zebra Sarasa Push Clip		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
0.38 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pilot G2		Slow	Saturated	Not smooth
Uni-ball Signo UM-151		Slow	Saturated	Not smooth
0.4 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pilot Hi-Tec-C		Fast	Saturated	Average
Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel		Very fast	Saturated	Very smooth
Zebra Sarasa Push Clip		Slow	Saturated	Average
0.5 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pentel EnerGel X		Very fast	Saturated	Very smooth
Pilot FriXion Ball Knock		Very fast	Not saturated	Average
Pilot G2		Average	Average	Average
Pilot Hi-Tec-C		Fast	Average	Average
Uni-ball Signo 207		Very fast	Saturated	Average
Uni-ball Signo UM-151		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
Yasutomo Y&C Gel Xtreme		Average	Average	Very smooth
Zebra Sarasa Dry		Very fast	Saturated	Very smooth
Zebra Sarasa Push Clip		Slow	Saturated	Average
0.7 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Paper Mate InkJoy		Fast	Saturated	Very smooth
Pentel EnerGel X		Fast	Saturated	Average
Pentel Slicci		Fast	Average	Very smooth
Pilot FriXion Ball Knock		Average	Saturated	Very smooth
Pilot G2		Average	Saturated	Average
Uni-ball Signo 207		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
Uni-ball Signo 307		Average	Saturated	Very smooth
Zebra Sarasa Push Clip		Slow	Saturated	Average
0.8 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pentel Hybrid		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
1.0 mm Gel Pen Dry Test
Product Line Name	Dry Test*	Drying Time	Saturation	Smoothness
Pentel EnerGel Deluxe		Fast	Saturated	Very smooth
Pilot G2		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153		Slow	Saturated	Very smooth
Zebra Sarasa Push Clip		Average	Saturated	Very smooth

* The first X is a dry test at 5 seconds, the second X is a dry test at 10 seconds, and the third X is a dry test at 30 seconds.

In addition to drying time, consider the following factors in deciding which pen works best for you.

Tip Characteristics

The tip can impact factors such as smoothness and boldness. No one tip is necessarily better than the other—some tip sizes and shapes work better for different purposes and people.

Tip Size

Thicker tips yield saturated, vibrant lines, and thinner tips create precise, thin lines. Tip size is correlated with how quickly ink dries since a thicker line usually takes longer to dry.

Tip Shape

The two main kinds of tip shapes are needle-point and conical.

The two main kinds of tip shapes are needle-point and conical. Most pens have conical tips, which have a strong cone shape. Conical tips, pragmatic for everyday writing, tend to be smoother to write with. Needle-point tips have a thin, pointed shape. They’re good for drawing fine, precise lines or tracing with templates and straightedges. However, they produce more feedback and may break or bend if you apply too much pressure.

Form Factors

Form factors play into how convenient or comfortable your pen will be, so it’s worth weighing what features work best for you.

Capped versus Retractable

Pens can be capped or retractable.

Allowing for one-handed operation, a retractable pen has a spring-loaded ink cartridge that retracts and extends. Some retractable pens also boast sturdy hinge clips for easy storage in notebook bindings or backpacks. On the other hand, a capped pen has an external component that protects the pen tip. People are less tempted to fidget with a capped pen, nixing the temptation for habitual pen clicking.

Grips

Grips are typically made with rubber, metal, and plastic.

Grips are typically made with rubber, metal, and plastic, and they come in textures such as knurled, grooved, and dimpled. When designed ergonomically, they alleviate and prevent conditions that degenerate hand strength. Rubber ones provide most comfort due to their softness and squishiness. If you have a latex allergy, consider a pen with a latex-free grip, like the Pentel EnerGel. For more tips on ergonomic pens, check out our Guide to Ergonomic Pens.

Here are our recommendations for dependable accessories to pair with your quick drying gel pens.

Paper

Rhodia Notebooks and Notepads

The Rhodia DotPad Notebook is practical for artists on the go.

These French notebooks pair well with gel pens because their paper is absorbent—which makes ink less likely to smudge—without bleeding. Rhodia notebooks are also well-loved for their smooth paper and easy to fold covers that make them practical for artists on the go.

Kokuyo MIO Paper Notebooks

The Kokuyo MIO Notebook has high grade paper that absorbs ink faster.

Kokuyo's MIO Paper Notebooks has high grade paper that absorbs ink faster, making it suitable for slower drying ink. Yet the high quality of the paper does not compromise the standard Kokuyo notebook’s thinness and smoothness. Each page is made of lightweight, silky paper, marked by headings that allow users to organize notes by date and lecture.

Highlighter

Zebra Knock Highlighter Pen

The Zebra Knock Highlighter Pen dries extremely quickly.

Zebra Knock Highlighter Pens come in a selection of colors. They dry extremely quickly (about 3 seconds) and are not prone to smudging or bleeding. If you’re anxious about losing highlighter caps, these retractable pens are the solution to the fluorescent ink disasters that leech highlighter ink.

Pen Smear Guard

SmudgeGuard Finger Glove

The SmudgeGuard Finger Glove barricades the dominant hand from ink and prevents smears by absorbing excess ink.

The savior of professional illustrators is the SmudgeGuard Finger Glove. Handy for lefties, the soft, stretchy glove barricades the dominant hand from ink and prevents smears by absorbing excess ink. As a side note, techies can use this accessory to protect their hands from heat exposure and electronics from hand smudges.

Who wants to sit around waiting for ink to dry? There are reliable quick drying pens that won’t leave you with an inky mess on your hands—literally.

Is there a pen that we missed that you would like us to test out? We’d love to hear your thoughts below.