Fountain Pens · owner-verdict comparison

Pilot Custom 823 vs Pilot Metropolitan: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 72% of 279 Pilot Custom 823 owners recommend it, vs 70% of 446 for the Pilot Metropolitan.

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

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 →

Pilot Metropolitan

70%of 446 owners recommend
70% recommend · 13% neutral · 17% don't
Owners praise
  • Smooth, buttery nib that glides across the page
  • Exceptional value; writes like pens many times the price
  • Durable all-metal body holds up for years of daily use
Owners complain about
  • Sharp step-down from barrel to grip makes it uncomfortable to hold
  • Scratchy nib, especially the fine and extra-fine versions
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

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
Get the Pilot Metropolitan if
  • ✓Beginners wanting a reliable first fountain pen under $20
  • ✓Everyday work, journaling and note-taking
  • ✓Buyers who value a durable, weighty metal body
  • ✓Medium-nib writers who like a smooth line
Skip it if
  • Anyone bothered by the sharp step down to the grip
  • Fine and extra-fine seekers, often called scratchy or dry

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

What Pilot Metropolitan owners say

“I love my Pilot Metropolitan.”
— @hariwebbyin152 on YouTube
“The Pilot Metropolitan was my gateway pen. Now I'm a full-fledged addict with a loooong wishlist of pens, inks, and notebooks.”
— @polynikes5631 on YouTube
“One of the things that bugs me about my Metro is how it always wants to throw itself onto the floor. The damn thing is determined to destroy itself.”
— @evilcritter on YouTube

Pilot Custom 823 vs Pilot Metropolitan: frequently asked questions

Is the Pilot Custom 823 or the Pilot Metropolitan better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 72% of 279 Pilot Custom 823 owners recommend it, vs 70% of 446 for the Pilot Metropolitan.

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.

Who should get the Pilot Metropolitan?

Owners point the Pilot Metropolitan at beginners wanting a reliable first fountain pen under $20, and everyday work, journaling and note-taking.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Pilot Custom 823 is the Fine runs finer and drier than many owners expected, with noticeable feedback. For the Pilot Metropolitan, it's sharp step-down from barrel to grip makes it uncomfortable to hold.