Fountain Pens · owner-verdict comparison

Lamy AL-Star vs Pilot Custom 823: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Pilot Custom 823: 72% of 279 owners recommend it, vs 61% of 94 for the Lamy AL-Star.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Lamy AL-Star

61%of 94 owners recommend
61% recommend · 15% neutral · 24% don't
Owners praise
  • Smooth, enjoyable to write with
  • Durable, holds up for years
  • Premium aluminum feel, good value
Owners complain about
  • Nibs can be scratchy or dry, need tuning
  • Body or looks feel cheap and divisive
  • Heavier than some prefer
Full owner report →

Pilot Custom 823

72%of 279 owners recommend
72% recommend · 20% neutral · 8% don't
Owners praise
  • A nib owners describe over and over as buttery or glass smooth, with almost no tooth
  • Huge ink capacity from the vacuum filler, enough to go a long time between refills
  • Consistent starts for most owners, and a cap seal that holds ink through weeks unused
Owners complain about
  • The Fine runs finer and drier than many owners expected, with noticeable feedback
  • The Medium runs wide and wet, and owners who came from a Fine repeatedly call it too broad for their hand
  • A run of owners got a dry or skipping nib that needed a wetter ink, a feed swap, or a replacement nib
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Lamy AL-Star if
  • ✓Fountain pen beginners wanting a reliable starter
  • ✓Writers who like swapping nibs to customize
  • ✓Students and sketchers needing a durable everyday carry
  • ✓People who prefer the aluminum feel over the plastic Safari
Skip it if
  • Writers who dislike the triangular grip
  • People wanting a guaranteed-smooth nib straight from the box
Get the Pilot Custom 823 if
  • ✓Writers looking for one pen to settle on instead of a growing collection
  • ✓Heavy daily writers who want to refill rarely, for notes, journaling and long work sessions
  • ✓Anyone who prefers a wet, glass-smooth nib over one with tooth
  • ✓Buyers who can try the nib grades in hand before picking one
Skip it if
  • Owners who rotate inks often and do not want a slow flush between them
  • Small, cramped handwriting that the Medium's wider, wetter line would swamp

What Lamy AL-Star owners say

“The Aquatic grip with the Ocean Blue body is a great match!”
— @AlanDayley on YouTube
“I do find I like the Al-Star as I think it ground you.”
— @athenaenergyshine7616 on YouTube
“No matter how fancy the colors of AL Star is I am team Lamy Safari.”
— @wordywordpecker on YouTube

What Pilot Custom 823 owners say

“823 is perfect if you already found your "main" ink and in my case, the iroshizuku shin-kai because the ink capacity is awesome but cleaning and switching inks can be a hassle.”
— Different-Relation21 on Reddit
“It feels much more substantial in the hand and is nicer to hold, IMO (because of the metal mechanism) and I feel like the nib writes smoother and wetter, which is my preference.”
— tidy-dinosaur323 on Reddit
“I personally didn't love it enough for the price. It's a thick pen, so you have to like something a little girthier in your hand, and I didn't love the vacuum feed, either.”
— Travels4Food on Reddit

Lamy AL-Star vs Pilot Custom 823: frequently asked questions

Is the Lamy AL-Star or the Pilot Custom 823 better?

Real owners lean toward the Pilot Custom 823: 72% of 279 owners recommend it, vs 61% of 94 for the Lamy AL-Star.

Who should get the Lamy AL-Star?

Owners point the Lamy AL-Star at fountain pen beginners wanting a reliable starter, and writers who like swapping nibs to customize.

Who should get the Pilot Custom 823?

Owners point the Pilot Custom 823 at writers looking for one pen to settle on instead of a growing collection, and heavy daily writers who want to refill rarely, for notes, journaling and long work sessions.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Lamy AL-Star is nibs can be scratchy or dry, need tuning. For the Pilot Custom 823, it's the Fine runs finer and drier than many owners expected, with noticeable feedback.