Bic Cristal pens are the best

Image credit: David Cain on Unsplash

Anyone who's used a pen has used a Bic.

Bic Cristal pens are the gold standard for how a basic ballpoint pen should feel and sketch with.

They're great for laying down heavy or light lines quickly. The price is low yet generally consistent in producing smooth, quality lines.

The hexagonal shape mimics wooden pencils for gripping. A transparent barrel communicates to the user how much ink is left. The small hole in the barrel allows the ink to flow, similar to To-go coffee lids having a second, small hole.

Aside from being an affordable, quality sketching tool, it's a part of our lives in other ways: drumming sticks, a hair stick or a projectile to get your friend's attention.

The greatest products achieve what they were intended to, plus tasks they weren’t.