The folks at Ellington Pens have said their goal is to provide a luxury pen experience at an affordable price. Have they succeeded with the Ellington Stealth?
When Ellington reached out and asked if I’d like to review the Stealth, of course I said yes. Of all their pen designs, it’s one of the ones I like the look of most. It has all the hallmarks of a great pen: A sleek black nib, a matte black finish, an included converter, and it just looks bold. Now that I’ve got to spend some time with it, let’s discuss how it performs.
Disclaimer: Ellington sent me this pen to review. However, they asked for no influence over the review, have not paid me, and will not see this review before it is live on my site. These are my personal thoughts on this pen, and nothing more!
The good:
- Well balanced, feels good in hand
- Generous, juicy feed
- Lined cap seals well
- Includes a converter
- Gorgeous design
The less good:
- A bit more feedback than I’m used to in a medium nib
- Pointy end on clip can be an annoyance
- Grip section can be a little slippy at times
The Ellington Stealth — In the hand
I was pleasantly surprised with the Ellington Stealth when I first put pen to paper. The pen is a great size and weight. For being a metal pen, I find it to be a light and agile writer. I think the size of the pen is great for a wide variety of people. It’s just large enough to be quite comfortable in my larger hands. However, it is not a big pen. It hits the Goldilocks zone well.
The Stealth has a nice, lined cap that does a good job of preventing dry-out of the nib. It also allows it to be posted well. It seems like a design that shouldn’t mar the finish of the pen, but it’s such a nice finish that I’d hate to risk it. Also, I find that posting it does throw the balance a bit too far back for my tastes.
Speaking of the cap, I do have to say I’m not a fan of the clip. The pointy end of it can be downright unpleasant. I often stick a fingernail under clips to slide them on or away from my shirt. This one is a bit sharp and unpleasant if you hit it the wrong way. It can also hang up when going on. That said, the tension on the clip is about right and it otherwise works fine.
The grip section is also well designed. The step to the body is small and smooth. It has a nice flair at the nib end to keep your fingers on the section. All the edges are nicely finished and comfortable. My only criticism here is the section has a glossy finish that can be a little slippery in a long writing session.
Writing with the Ellington Stealth
Juicy feed? Check. Gorgeous black nib to watch while writing? Check. Nice nib feel on paper? Also check. The Ellington Stealth is indeed a great writing pen. It provides a lovely, straightforward writing experience. The nib on my pen is a medium and delivers the type and size of line you would expect. It has a good bit of feedback, which I found curious for a medium nib. It’s nowhere near being scratchy, but I was a little surprised at the sensation. It makes for a “connected” feel while writing.
I think the Ellington Stealth hits the mark for being a great gift and/or entry point to nice fountain pens. That bit of nib feedback makes it very controllable and friendly to use. The quality of the included ink cartridges also surprised me. Paired with the generous ink flow, the Stealth performs well. I love watching those juicy ink lines be put down by the glossy black nib.
The Stealth also wrote perfectly right out of the box. I didn’t even take the time to pre-wash the pen, as I figured many new users wouldn’t either, and the pen didn’t mind a bit. It’s also pretty cool that Ellington includes an ink converter with their pens. Often, that is an extra expense. This will make it much easier for new fountain pen users to dive into the wide world of inks. Existing pen addicts like myself will just appreciate not having to buy it as an extra. Kudos to you, Ellington!
So did Ellington meet their goal?
A luxury fountain pen at an affordable price is the Ellington dream. I think it will depend on your definition of luxury as to whether or not the Ellington Stealth has hit the target. It’s a metal bodied pen with a nice heft, great looks, an included converter, and a pretty good nib. In my personal collection, it seems most closely matched to my more expensive Platinum Procyon.
While I have limited experience with pens like Montblanc or vintage Watermans, etc., I think it’s safe to say that Ellington has reached some level of luxury at a reasonable price. It is a pleasing pen to look at and hold while also delivering an enjoyable writing experience. I think practical luxury might be a good way to phrase it. This is a pen I don’t hesitate to take to work and it makes me much happier to use than any ballpoint pen could.
If you need exotic materials, gold nibs, and brand prestige, the Ellington Stealth probably isn’t your definition of luxury. However, if a nice writing, good looking, metal body fountain pen sounds luxurious to you, I can recommend it as a nice pen to add to the collection. I’d also recommend it as a great gift or first fountain pen. Ellington has some pretty cool gift sets that include this pen on their website. Check ’em out! I’m grateful they sent me a pen to add to my fountain pen reviews, but again, these thoughts are my own!
Editors note: Since publishing this review, Ellington reached out to offer my readers a discount! Use code PaST20 at checkout to receive 20% off of your order! Also, some of the links in this post are now affiliate links. Buying from them helps me out with a small commission and is much appreciated!