NOTE: The pictures below do not do the products justice. Because of the camera situation, the pictures did not come out as well as I thought they did. Please see the linked-to pages for each product to see pictures that truly do them justice, as well as to check out the competitive prices offered by Shoplet.
Now, many of you know I love office supplies, so you'll know I was very excited to be able to perform this review! The items I got to review were:
- BIC Atlantis Ballpoint Retractable Pen
- BIC For Her Retractable Ballpoint Pen
- BIC Velocity Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen
- BIC Mark-it Grip Permanent Marker Set
- BIC Wite-Out EZ Correct Correction Tape
First, let's focus on the BIC Atlantis Ballpoint Retractable Pen. I tested this one out by taking notes in one of my classes (actually, I used one different BIC pen per class, not including my math class in which I prefer to use pencil to take notes). The class I used this one for is computer networking. It writes very well, unlike many other pens I have used. It writes smoothly, and has a deep blue color that I just love! When I first tried it that is what I noticed, along with the fact that the 'clicker', or the part that you push down to open the pen, has a barely noticeable sound and feel, so it just feels natural to click.
Next, the BIC For Her Retractable Ballpoint Pen. One word: GORGEOUS! There are lovely flowery designs etched into the pen, making this a work of art for a great price! They come together in light pink and light purple, but in a perfect world there would also be light blue... yes I love the color blue xD I tested this with my business communications course. Unfortunately, while the design is absolutely stunning to me, the ink is not. I could not read the ink very well at all after just a couple of weeks taking notes (this class only meets 2x a week, so that isn't a big strain on the pen) and am pretty bummed. But, I really love the design, so I will be looking for replacement ink that will fit in the pens. I can't help it, they're so pretty!
Now for my favorite one! The BIC Velocity Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen! I'll admit, at first I wasn't so impressed. Since I hold my pens the 'wrong' way, I thought it might cause some discomfort since it is definitely made for people who hold their pens correctly. Boy was I wrong. Sure, it isn't 'made' for the way I hold my pens, but that was not a hindrance at all! Also, it comes with one of those ink caps that seal in the ink before your first use to keep it from getting too dry, which I absolutely loved. On top of this good news, it writes SO well! It glides smoothly and the ink doesn't bleed through the paper! The only downside to this pen is that when I used it, at times the ink would stop. I'm not sure if I lifted my hand, subconsciously fearing the ink would bleed should I press too hard, or if it really was the pen. I suspect it was the pen though. But, I still favor this pen because though the ink would stop and I would have to go over my writing, it was still much better than other pens that make you go over your writing because they are simply too dry.
I also got to try out some BIC Mark-it Grip Permanent Markers. Now, I did like these as well, and they are especially perfect for writing on cardboard. If you write on copy/printer paper, or on notebook paper, the ink shouldn't bleed through (at least it didn't for me) but it does show up rather noticeably on the opposite side. However, I feel that would be the case for most markers, so there isn't much one can do about it. They wrote really well on cardboard, and the colors, while I typically prefer lighter ones, are awesome.
Finally, I reviewed the BIC Wite-Out EZ Correct Correction Tape. I'll be upfront about this. I don't like correction tape, and this is no different. I find it difficult to use and therefore inefficient. The difficulty I find with correction tape is that you have to press down just right, and then it may or may not completely cover what you want it to. However, I must give credit where credit is due, and there was definitely a plus to this product. The tape covered EVERYTHING I tried it on, including the markers' ink, as a good, solid, not see-through white, though I did have trouble getting it out at times. I could also write over the tape relatively easily. So the reason I didn't like it was because of personal preference I think.
Do I recommend these products? You bet! I would say if you like similar products, you should definitely give these a try. They work really well (even though the tape really isn't my type of thing) and are affordable, which is important these days.
Disclosure/Disclaimer: I received the above products free of charge from Shoplet.com in exchange for a review. I was not required to post a positive review. The above opinions are 100% honest and my own, and may be different from your own.
