Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool is pretty wild.
For a pen line that “celebrates life with a collection of pens devoted to different sources of simple, hedonistic pleasures, such as favorite music, a beautiful scene, an exquisite cocktail, or a delicacy,” the Endless Pens 2023 exclusive looks… delicious. Maybe this is just ice cream craving talking.
Then again, a lot about the pen is beyond this writer’s comfort zone.
Disclosure: This pen was provided by Endless Pens at no cost as of writing. Conversely, this post contains affiliate links. Read our editorial policy here.
READ: Benu Pen leaves for Armenia after drawing flak for Russian roots
BENU EUPHORIA SUNDAE BY THE POOL IN FOCUS
The etched branding is a nice touch.
- Aesthetics – This pen is much better seen in person. It is pretty difficult to get the body’s shimmer right in the photo, as there is an ample amount of glitter that “mixes” into a sundae melting in a pool. That makes the pen true to its name. There are parts that let you look through the body, and you can see multiple layers of white in the turquoise acrylic. Again, best seen up close.
- Durability – The body is acrylic, so it should be fine with daily use (and no serious drops). But you might find yourself giving it a little extra care due to the design.
- Ergonomics – Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool is a long pen at almost 5.5 inches uncapped. But it is light for its length. The section is long enough for the fingers to avoid where the cap screws on too. If you tend to put your fingers too close to the nib, the section has a small lip that prevents them from sliding further down.
- Ease of use – It is easy to unscrew the cap with 2 and a half rotations. Also the Schmidt nib starts well every time. Comes with a cartridge and converter. The pen’s shape is octagonal, and yes, the sides on both the cap and the body can line up perfectly.
- Price – The website already shows the pen’s price in local currency. On my end, it is Php8400 (or around US$150 as of Nov. 22)
- Availability – Exclusive on Endless Pens.
WHAT’S GOOD
CAPPED L-R: Sailor Fude d mannen, Pilot Vanishing Point, Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool, Kasama Una Acrylic and Delrin, Pilot Myu Black Striped, Pilot Kakuno, Pelikan M205 Demonstrator
UNCAPPED L-R: Sailor Fude d mannen, Pilot Vanishing Point, Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool, Kasama Una Acrylic and Delrin, Pilot Myu Black Striped, Pilot Kakuno, Pelikan M205 Demonstrator
The pen’s Schmidt nib is smooth across all papers used. As a light pen, it is also perfect for long writing sessions. No skipping issues at all. It also feels cool on the hand. Not sure though if that’s an accurate way to put it.
Ink used for the review is ON Inks Manda Blue.
Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool’s design accurately reflects its name, and you will find yourself starting at it for quite a long time. Perfect if you like pens that sparkle.
WHAT’S BAD
The cap doesn’t feel functional. Though it works, the gap to the cap is too small. It feels like it bends too much when clipped to a thin card, a cloth pen case, and on a coat’s inside pocket (if it fits, which leads us to the next issue).
It is also too long. This might be a good thing for users with big hands. Capped, it barely fits any of my pen cases. Uncapped, however, it is almost just as long as a Pilot Myu with posted cap.
NOOB VERDICT
At around US$150 the Benu Euphoria Sundae by the Pool is a good next level purchase for newbies who are developing their preferences for fountain pens. I don’t like swirly, sparkly pens, for example. So this pen is honestly not my style. But it is objectively pretty, and other people who have seen this in pen meets say that it looks much better than what photos show.
Is it a good first pen purchase? Yes, if the design works for you. For the price, there are already gold nib options available. But the pen’s steel nib already gives a really smooth writing experience that the material (and the body design that comes with it) won’t matter much.
This photo can’t give justice to how it looks in person.
