Hero’s Staff Pick: Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen – Stonewashed Blue (Broad Nib)

It was my birthday this month, so I decided to treat myself to the Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen in Stonewashed Blue. It’s a gorgeous wee pen with a really cool, denim-inspired design. I also picked up a Kaweco Nostalgic Clip in silver—it looks really pretty on the pen as the silver perfectly matches the nib!

I’ve loved using the plastic Kaweco Sports, but wanted something a bit more luxe for my birthday. The brass Kawecos are beautiful but a bit too heavy for me personally, so the aluminum body was the perfect compromise. The Sport size fits exceptionally well in my hand when the pen is posted, making it very comfortable to use for long writing sessions.

My go-to notebook is the Nakabayashi Yu-sari, and the AL Sport writes incredibly smoothly in it. I’m using a broad nib, so quite a bit of ink goes down, but it dries quickly and doesn’t feather or smudge. At the minute, I'm using a Diamine Steel Blue cartridge from the Diamine Prestige set. I wanted to try a few different colors, and the Diamine cartridges are a bit cheaper than the Kaweco ones, so I went with them. It’s a really lovely ink—I love the color and can’t wait to try the others in the set.

Alice’s Staff Pick: Lamy AL-Star Special Edition – Disco (Medium Nib)

I chose the Lamy AL-Star Special Edition Fountain Pen in Disco with a medium nib. The pen is a beautiful metallic light green color featuring vibrant pink accents and a transparent pink grip. I’m a committed Kaweco fan, but wanted to try the other German giant in fountain pens, and I have to say: I am a convert! I completely understand why this is one of the most popular fountain pens in the world.

The aluminum body feels lightweight yet substantial enough in the hand. It’s comfortable to hold, and I found the ergonomic grip helped prevent cramping and kept my writing neater. I’m using a LAMY Z28 converter with a beautiful Pilot Iroshizuku green ink (called Chiku-Rin), which pairs perfectly with the pen. With the medium nib, the pen isn't overly inky and flows very smoothly.

I’ve been using this pen for both writing and sketching in my Traveler's Notebook, and it’s been brilliant for both. The paper holds the ink so well and shows off its unique characteristics. Plus, the ink window lets you check your ink levels easily, and the sturdy clip is great for securing to my notebook on the go. I love the bright colors—it's easy to spot in my bag!

Hollie’s Staff Pick: Kinto Travel Tumbler (350ml – Sand)

As a busy mum to a 5-year-old, I’m always looking for products that make life a little easier. The Kinto Travel Tumbler has been fantastic! I recently took it camping in Connemara, where it kept my water ice-cold all day—even on very hot days. I was genuinely impressed!

It’s my go-to mug for family adventures and trips to the park. I love knowing that I can fill it before leaving the house and still have a cold or hot drink hours later. It’s lightweight, leak-proof, and fits easily into my bag without taking up too much space. The simple, stylish design looks sleek, and my favorite part is the comfortable drinking rim—no spills while drinking is a major win!

Note: It comes in 7 colorways and 2 different sizes. I chose the colour Sand in the 350ml size, which is perfect for my lifestyle.

Carys’ Staff Pick: Leuchtturm Covered For Sunshine A5 – Beach Rose

For my July pick, I chose the Leuchtturm Covered for Sunshine Journal in the Beach Rose pink colorway with purple sprayed edges to use as my new junk journal. I'm using it to document my summer adventures, filling it with photos, tickets, postcards, receipts, and little mementoes from days out so I have a lovely place to look back on all my memories.

I always come back to Leuchtturm for my junk journals because the elastic closure keeps everything securely together as all the ephemera starts to bulk it out. The linen cover gives it a beautiful, premium finish, making it feel extra special to use every day. There are also two other gorgeous colorways available, so there’s something for every style of journaling.

Jenny’s Staff Picks: Wxy 519 Candle & Darkroom 70% Peru Chocolate

I had the pleasure of trying the beautiful 5.3oz Wxy Candle from their 519 range. The scent features notes of lemon, rose, bergamot, iris, jasmine, vanilla, leather, and white musks. As soon as you open the box, you're greeted with a gorgeous aroma that feels like bringing an expensive spa into your own home. Some scented candles give me headaches, but Wxy’s range offers a subtle scent that lightly fills the room without being overpowering. They’ve recently switched from a wooden wick to a traditional wick, which I think improves the burn time and overall experience.

I paired my candle with a bar of Darkroom 70% Peru Dark Chocolate. Containing only two ingredients, you can properly enjoy it without worrying about additives. I normally don’t buy high-percentage dark chocolate, but this was so tasty! It isn't bitter at all, featuring lovely natural notes of blackcurrant through the cacao. Together, they make the ultimate treat to sit back, relax, and indulge.

Emily’s Staff Picks: MD Paper, Leuchtturm Atlantic Linen Notebook & Pilot Kaküno

MD Paper B6 Slim Dot Grid & A4 Blank Pad

I was eager to try out MD Paper products for the first time! I usually avoid white covers for fear of ruining them, but after seeing how others decorate theirs, I'm planning to customize mine soon! The paper quality is remarkably smooth and handles fountain pen inks exceptionally well with no bleed-through, feathering, or smudging.

I’ve been using the A4 pad to practice cursive handwriting, and the B6 Slim notebook has been my trusty to-do list tracker paired with Zebra Mildliners. Tip: grab the B6 clear cover if you like keeping your notebook covers pristine!

Leuchtturm A5 Linen Bound (Atlantic) & Pilot Kaküno (Coral Pink)

The new Leuchtturm linen-bound cover in Atlantic is a stunning combination of blue and pink with a colored sprayed edge. It’s smooth to write on and handles fountain pen ink beautifully.

Paired with it is the Pilot Kaküno Fountain Pen (Fine Nib in Coral Pink). It feels lightweight yet balanced in the hand with a pleasant touch of tactile feedback on paper. At a great price point, it’s an ideal choice for a beginner fountain pen or a fun daily driver!