Fountain Pen Review: Jinhao 58 Fountain Pen (EF Nib, Spring-Inspired Colorway)

Disclaimer: This review is based entirely on my personal experience after several hours of using the pen. I purchased the Jinhao 58 with my own money and do not receive any form of commission or sponsorship from the brand. All opinions shared here are my own. Please make purchase decisions at your own discretion.

Hi, everyone! It’s been a few weeks since I last posted—I’ve been swamped with work and recently finished reviewing two science journal papers for Elsevier, which took up a good chunk of my time (in the evenings, after office hours). Now that that’s wrapped up, I’m currently focused on preparing a review presentation in Optical Mineralogy for this year’s batch of Geology Professional License Exam reviewers.

This morning, I received some happy mail from a seller on the blue app—a new pair of fountain pens! This purchase was inspired by a post from a member of a global fountain pen group in Facebook which I’m part of, who shared a review of the relatively new Jinhao 58. I say “relatively new” because it only came onto my pen radar last month. The moment I saw that they featured a wooden body, I thought—why not give them a try? I opened the parcel and the pens came in orange Jinhao boxes, 10 free cartridges, and each pen containing a converter inside. I am a bit surprised by how generous the seller was!

Short review: I’m genuinely impressed! For such an affordable pen—just Php 220 (around $3.75 USD) each— this pen delivers a smooth writing experience even on ordinary paper. The EF nib glides effortlessly with only a hint of feedback and writes with surprising consistency, without skips. The green one is currently inked with Diamine Aurora Borealis (one of my faves) while the yellow one is inked with Diamine 5 PM sun – a Manila Pen Show exclusive from last year.

What caught my eye was the spring-inspired colorway and wooden body, which give the pen a warm, refreshing look. It feels lightweight but sturdy, and the aesthetic perfectly matches the crocheted pen case from my husband—such a personal touch that makes using this pen even more enjoyable.

Designed with beginners and kids in mind, the grip section features two flat sides that help guide finger placement, promoting proper pen holding (photo above). The plastic cap which has black clips engraved with Jinhao name and with color that matches the tip of the barrel opens with just three partial turns, which secures the cap well. It even comes with a converter that fills to about 80% full. As mentioned, the seller was generous to have given 10 free cartridges filled with black ink so even if you don’t have a bottle of ink, this pen is ready to use. Unlike Jinhao 82, I didn’t need to flush this one. I just filled the converter with inks and after just a few scribbling, the ink came out without skips.

Overall, the Jinhao 58 is a fantastic beginner-friendly fountain pen—affordable, stylish, and functional. Whether you’re just getting into fountain pens, looking to penable someone without breaking the bank, or simply in need of a reliable everyday writer, this pen checks all the boxes. I mean, I’m actually considering getting a few from the same seller to penable friends!

Just for fun, I even swapped the caps between the two (photo below), and I’m loving the result—the yellow and green pair beautifully, giving off a fresh, playful vibe that still matched the crocheted case and spring season.

How about you, have you tried this pen yet? Let me know what you think of these pens in the comments section below.

xoxo,

Grass