Do you love using a fountain pen as your everyday writing pen? If so, then you know that the type of ink you use is important. Different inks create different results, and some colors are just more fun to write with than others. 

In this buying guide, we will discuss red fountain pen ink and provide a buying guide for the best options available. Whether you are looking for a bright cherry red or something darker and more mysterious, we have you covered.

The 5 Best Red Fountain Pen Ink Options

Here are some of the best red fountain pen ink options available on the market today:

1. Thornton’s Luxury Goods Premium Fountain Pen Ink Bottle

This high-quality fountain pen ink bottle is newly designed, durable, secure, and exquisitely beautiful. This fountain pen ink allows you to write many with ease.

These vibrant red quality inks are created in Europe, and they’re perfect for your favorite fountain pens because they’re non-corrosive, free-flowing, and sediment-free. The ink bottle’s nozzle is unique in that it prevents spilling when injecting ink, making it quick and easy to use.

The Thornton’s fountain pen ink bottle is perfect for authors, artists, students, and more.

This bottled ink is compatible with all fountain pen brands, including Nemosine, Shearer, Parker, Cross, Pelikan, Namiki, Noodler’s, Pilot, JinHao, Waterman, Lamy, and Visconti.

Specifications:

• Color: Red
• Color Ink: Red
• Brand: Thornton’s Luxury Goods
• Material: Glass, Ink
• Item Dimensions: 2.26 x 2.26 x 1.46 inches
• Item Weight: ‎4.6 ounces
• Item Model Number: TLG-IB02
• Size: 30ml
• Manufacturer Part Number: TLG-IB02
• ASIN: B012H7T8XS

 Pros:

• It can be layered up to reach the desired level of brilliance or intensity.
• Even with low-cost fountain pens, it runs smoothly.
• You can easily fill syringes and use piston-filler pens because of the design.
• Thornton’s purple is a vibrant purple that keeps its color beautifully on paper.
• On low-quality paper, it dries up quickly.
• The ink comes in a nice container.
• It is smooth to write with and does not smear.

 Cons:

• The ink is quite watery.
• Although it’s a lovely shade of red, it’s not particularly brilliant or bold.

2. Waterman Fountain Pen Ink Bottle

This Waterman Fountain Pen Ink Bottle is ideal for use on all Waterman fountain pens. The liquid ink creates a thick line with vibrant hues. Audacious Red makes your words jump off the page, whispering strength and sensuality with passion. 

The sensation of using traditional fountain pens is enhanced by the ritual of pouring ink from a bottle. This red ink for fountain pens appears to be well-made and lasts a long time. It also applies beautifully and is quite simple to use. It is also reasonably priced, and the quality is excellent.

The ink writes extremely well, with a lovely, silky flow of ink. Although the shading is excellent, there might be some ghosting depending on the paper you use. This ink is ideal for anyone searching for a bright red ink that sticks out.

Specifications:

• Color: Audacious Red
• Ink Color: Red
• Brand: Waterman
• Item Dimensions: 2.56 x 2.76 x 1.58 inches
• Unit Count: 1.0 Count
• Manufacturer: Waterman
• Item Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Item Model Number: S0110730
• Manufacturer Part Number: S0110730
• ASIN: B000J3X9WO 

Pros:

• This ink is safe for use on any luxury pen.
• It dries fast and does not smear, which is great if you are looking to save on time. 
• It flows easily for a smooth writing experience.
• It has excellent adherence on a wide variety of papers.
• This is a great ink that performs well on low-cost paper.
• Pens are easy to clean when you use this ink.

 Cons:

• Some people may find this ink a bit too dry for their writing needs.
• On porous paper, there is some feathering.

3. Cross Fountain Pen Ink Red (Single Bottle)

This fountain pen ink is packaged in a beautiful glass bottle with a bespoke cap imprinted with the new Cross Lion emblem. Their proprietary formula offers a better-than-average writing experience as well as full chemical compatibility with all the Cross premium writing instruments. 

The ink bottle holds 62.5 ml (2 oz.) of ink. Because of its gorgeous red color, the Cross Fountain Pen Ink is a favorite. It’s a good shade of red with a professional appearance.

The quality is excellent, and the durability is exceptional. This ink lasts long and holds on the paper or other medium for long. It’s also relatively waterproof and does not fade as quickly as the others. If you’re looking for durability, this is the one to choose.

Specifications:

• Color: Red
• Ink Color: Red
• Brand: Cross
• Material: Glass
• Item Dimensions: 1.75 x 3.25 x 3.75 inches
• Manufacturer: A. T. Cross Co – PCA
• Item Weight: 9 ounces
• Item Model Number: 8945S-4
• Material Type: Glass
• Size: 1 Count(Pack of 1)
• Point Type: ‎Fine
• Manufacturer Part Number: 8945S-4
• ASIN: B01DPGYVSM

 Pros:

• This ink is properly packaged in a beautiful glass bottle.
• The ink is compatible with all the Cross premium writing instruments. 
• The ink has a gorgeous red color which has a professional appearance.
• The ink quality is excellent, and the durability is exceptional. 

 Cons:

• The ink bottle is hard to open for the first time.

4. Noodlers Fountain Pen Ink

This is a high-performing ink that works well on thin paper. It is inexpensive, permanent, and dark. Because the ink is so saturated, it takes a long dry time on ink-resistant paper. 

Given that this is permanent ink, it may take a little longer to clean compared to other inks. Even after only a minute, the water resistance of this ink is impressive.

The Noodlers fountain pen ink is cellulose reactive. This implies that it permanently attaches to the cellulose on paper (wood pulp). However, you have to give it time to completely dry and connect with cellulose so that it can be waterproof. The downside to this is that this ink takes a long time to dry. If water makes contact with the wet ink before it has fully dried, it will still smudge.

The fountain ink works well for sketching and line work. 

Specifications:

• Color: Black
• Brand: NOODLER’S
• Material: Glass
• Unit Count: 1.000 Count
• Style: Noodlers
• Item Weight: ‎5.6 ounces
• Package Dimensions: 3.4 x 1.7 x 1.7 inches
• Item Model Number: 19019
• Material Type: Glass
• ASIN: B000WP0SOG
• Manufacturer Part Number: 19019

 Pros:

• The ink is water-resistant which makes it great for both art and as your everyday fountain pen.
• The flow is excellent right out of the bottle.
• This is a very unique color that is guaranteed to stand out.
• This ink is permanent, which means you do not need to worry about it smudging off.

 Cons:

• The ink takes a long time to dry.
• You need to shake the bottle properly before use to get the right blend of ink.

5. Private Reserve Refills 12-pack Fountain Pen Ink Cartridge

Fiesta Red is a vibrant red with intense coloring. The tone is better defined as a rich, bright red, not fire-engine red or burgundy. 

The drying time for this ink takes a while. Three seconds would not be enough for it to be fully smudge-proof. 

To achieve their vibrant beautiful color, Private Reserve inks tend to have a high dye concentration compared to the majority of other brands. This indicates that you would need to clean your fountain pen more often than usual to prevent clogging. 

The flow is excellent, and there’s plenty of ink that provides some shading. Although there is no feathering, you will see some show-through on the paper’s back. Altogether, this is a lovely color.

Specifications:

• Ink Color: Red
• Brand: Private Reserve
• Item Dimensions: 4.27 x 1.73 x 0.38 inches
• Manufacturer: Private Reserve
• Brand: Private Reserve
• Item Weight: ‎0.352 ounces
• Item Dimensions: 4.27 x 1.73 x 0.38 inches
• Manufacturer Part Number: ‎C09
• ASIN: B00B9EFBRI

 Pros:

• This ink is a vibrant red with intense coloring that stands out.
• The ink flow is excellent, and the ink provides some shading. 
• With this ink, you do not have to deal with feathering.
• This ink can be used on a wide range of budget fountain pen options.

 Cons:

• The drying time for this ink takes a while.
• There is some show-through for lightweight paper. 

Factors To Consider When Buying Fountain Pen Ink

When looking to buy fountain pen ink, there are a few factors you need to consider. Here are some of them:

• The Ink Color: The most important factor is the color of the ink that you want. There are many different color options of fountain pen ink available, so you should be able to find one that will fit your needs.
• The Brand of Ink: Not all fountain pen inks are created equal. Some brands are known for their high-quality ink, while others may be less reliable. It’s important to do your research before making a purchase.
• The Purpose of the Ink: If you’re using your fountain pen for everyday writing, a standard water-based or dye-based ink will be sufficient. However, if you want something that can produce more vibrant colors and that is less likely to fade over time (for example, when coloring or sketching), pigmented inks are a better choice.
• The Type of Fountain Pen: Different types of fountain pens require different types of ink. If you have a piston-filler, you’ll need to buy ink that has design elements to suit your type of fountain pen.
• The Volume of Ink: If you’re looking for a large volume of ink, then choose one that has a higher capacity. This will allow you to fill up your pen with more ink and avoid having to refill it as often.
• The Price: Fountain pen ink can be expensive, but there are a few cheaper options available. It’s important to find an ink that fits your budget without sacrificing quality.

Fountain Pen Ink FAQs

What Types of Ink Are Available for Fountain Pens?

There is a wide variety of ink types you can choose from, including:

• Water-based inks: These tend to be the most common type of inks used with fountain pens. They are non-toxic and come in a huge range of colors. Water-based inks may also be referred to as dye-based inks.
• Oil-based inks: These are less common than water-based inks, but they offer a wider range of colors and can be more resistant to fading over time. However, oil-based inks can also be more difficult to clean from your fountain pen.
• Pigmented inks: These are a type of water-based ink that contains pigment, which gives them a higher level of saturation and vibrancy than other types of ink.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Permanent or Non-Permanent Ink?

Permanent inks contain dye that is not water-soluble, so it will not dissolve when it comes into contact with liquids like water or alcohol. This makes them ideal for use on glossy fountain pen-friendly paper because they won’t smudge. However, they can be more difficult to clean from your fountain pen.

Non-permanent inks are water-soluble and will dissolve when coming into contact with liquids, making them easy to clean from your fountain pen. However, their colors may not be as vibrant or intense as those of permanent inks, and they may also fade over time.

Which Type of Ink Is Best for a Beginner?

Water-based inks are generally the best type of ink to start with when you’re first learning how to use fountain pens. They are easy to clean and come in a wide range of colors. However, if you want to try out other types of ink fountain pen-related, oil-based inks and pigmented inks can be good options as well.

Do I Need To Buy Special Ink for My Fountain Pen?

You may not, but it’s always good practice to check with your manufacturer first before using ink in their pens. Some manufacturers recommend specific types of ink for their pens, while others allow you to use any type of ink you like. 

Bottom Line

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fountain pen user, we hope that this buying guide has helped you to find the best red fountain pen ink for your needs. They are great for cursive writers.

As with any other type of product, there is no one “best” option – it all depends on what works best for each individual. With that in mind, we encourage you to try out different inks and brands until you find the perfect one for you.