Given the expense and hassles associated with using fountain pens, the surprise is not that there are so few fountain pen users in the world, but that there are so many given these costs. This essay offers several arguments in favor of fountain pen use.

The first important difference between the typical fountain pen and other writing instruments is aesthetics. While it is the case that one can write with ornate ballpoint or rollerball pens, neither of these integrates the business end of the writing instrument into the aesthetic experience the way a fountain pen does. The writing area of ballpoints and rollerballs tends to be pretty blah. Moreover, this writing surface is replaced every time a user runs out of ink. For this reason, it makes little sense to make a large investment in the looks of these. In contrast, the nib of a fountain pen is designed to last for years. Now, suddenly, it pays to closely integrate this into the overall design of the pen. The combination of the aesthetic beauty and engineering precision of a fountain pen nib is simply unavailable from other writers.