iPenBox is a monthly box for the 'pen, paper and ink enthusiast'. Each box contains 5–10 items curated around a theme.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: iPenBox
The Cost: $30 a month for the US or $40 a month for Canada/International, both with free shipping
The Products: Each box will contain a fountain pen, an ink sample, paper and at least two more items.
Ships to: USA & International
Check out all of our iPenBox reviews and the Paper & Stationery Subscription Box Directory for more writing subscription boxes!
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The theme for September was 'Back 2 School'. A 10% coupon code for the iPenstore shop was included. There was also Smarties candy as an extra treat!
Sheaffer VFM Metal Barrel Fountain Pen, Peacock Blue, Medium Nib – Value $14.97
I was excited to see a fountain pen as the main item in the box this month. The beautiful peacock blue is even prettier in person. It takes a standard international cartridge and one was included in the gift box. It was somewhat difficult to install the cartridge – I had to apply more pressure than I usually do with other pens. I found the ink to be a little too wet and smudgy for my taste, and the nib did drag a little. However, the quality is decent for the price and it's so pretty that I'll forgive its little flaws.
Kyoto Kyo-No-Oto 2ml sample of Fountain Pen Ink, Kokeiro – Value $1.40 ($27.97 for 40ml)
One of my favorite things about iPenBox is that they always send an ink sample. I look forward to trying this ink in a pen, but I didn't have a spare fountain pen to use with it for testing. I loved using it with a brush – it's a nice vibrant green.
Tops Multi Color Index Cards – Value $1.97
These index cards come in five different colors. I've been wanting to try mind mapping with index cards, so I will definitely use these. Of course, they can also be used as flashcards, which fits the school theme.
Miquelrius Mini Sneaker Notepad – Value $2.49
This little notebook has graph paper inside and an attached elastic band to keep it shut. I like graph paper notebooks, so this will come in handy to sketch out ideas.
Uniball Gel Rollerball 207 – Value $1.24 (buy 10 for $12.39 on Amazon)
I'm not a big fan of rollerball pens, but was pleasantly surprised by this one. The ink is a nice deep black and it didn't smudge.
Col Erase Blue Pencil – Value $0.53 (buy 12 for $6.38 on Amazon)
Prismacolor Turquoise 375 Drawing Pencil, 2B – Value $1.19
Mirado Black Warrior #2 Pencil – Value $0.17 (buy 12 for $1.99)
A back-to-school box wouldn't be complete without pencils! The Mirado and Prismacolor Turquoise pencils both had regular 2B lead, but the Prismacolor was much smoother and a little darker. The blue pencil has a special use – cameras and copiers have a hard time picking it up. This means you can use it as a base drawing that you intend to photograph, or make notations on documents you want to scan. However, I found it to be almost too light to see.
Pentel Champ Mechanical Pencils (.5, .7 and .9) – Value $2.22 for three (buy 12 for $8.86 on Amazon)
I love mechanical pencils and like that three different widths were included. Each pencil came pre-filled with one stick of lead. These have a soft grip that is very comfortable to use.
Tombow Mono Knock 3.8 Eraser – Value $1.65
This Tombow click eraser goes well with the mechanical pencils. Erasers like this are great for cleaning up precise areas of pencil drawings.
Verdict: My estimated RV is around $28, which is in the ballpark of the $30 cost. I was surprised at how many different items they managed to fit into such a small box! My favorite items this month are the fountain pen and green ink, though I know I will probably get the most use out of the mechanical pencils and click eraser. All in all, a useful box with a nice variety of items.
What do you think of September's iPenBox? What were your favorite back-to-school supplies when you were growing up?
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