Ensso Piuma
Fountain Pen Review

This is a review by contributor Tim Pockett. Tim is an EDC and stationery enthusiast from the South West U.K. with a background in copywriting. You can follow his Instagram account here for some awesome pen, paper, watch, and EDC shots. To read more reviews by Tim, click his author page next to the little pencil icon above.

• Description: A machined metal pen with a minimalist design.
• Nib: Steel Bock #6
• Filling Mechanism: Cartridge/Converter
• Weight: 32g overall
• Measurements: 5.51″ (140mm) closed, 5″ (128mm) open,
• Material Options: Raw aluminum, titanium and brass in various finishes.
• Price: $79 – available here

What is it?

The Piuma by Ensso is a sleek, cigar-shaped aluminium fountain pen with all the hallmarks of Ensso’s typically tight design briefs. Appearance is lead by function, and the flourishes and features you might expect have been stripped away to create a minimalist writing instrument. Let’s run through the finer details for a closer look.

Form & Finish

This is one shiny torpedo of a pen. Barrel and cap fit flush for an unbroken silhouette, and with no pocket clip to disrupt the smooth profile, everything stays clean to both the eye and the touch.

The section’s end flares out with a defined ridge, adding a subtle point of interest whilst lowering the likelihood of ink-stained digits.

Lid, barrel and section are machined from a solid block of aluminium and given a brushed finish for a high quality look and feel. Whilst scratches and scuffs are to be expected with any brushed metal pen, they do show up very quickly on the Piuma.

Feel

Put nib to paper, and it’s obvious writing ergonomics were high on Ensso’s considerations. Little details have been considered, such as the squaring off of the screw threads above the section so that they don’t feel sharp to the touch.

Whilst it’s a sizable pen, the Piuma’s smooth form and balanced weight make it very comfortable to write with. The flush cap and body mean it isn’t designed to be posted.

Obviously, the Piuma’s clipless and completely rounded body make it a desk rolling champion, and the sort of pen you’ll want to carry in a case or slip.

Nib & Filling System

Ensso opted for a Bock #6 nib and feed system, so the Piuma writes much like any pen with this setup. As with most Bock nibs, flow is consistent and the writing performance is good.

The nib has the Bock branding, and in my opinion this detracts from the rest of the pen’s thought-through appearance. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker but it would be nice if Ensso had gone the extra mile and added their own design. Fortunately, there is a subtle, all-black nib option currently offered with this model.

The Piuma takes International long and short cartridges. If you want to use bottled ink, you’ll need a standard converter.

Final thoughts

At $79, the aluminum Piuma feels reasonably priced for what is a well-executed, machined pen. Ensso have produced a simple yet eye-catching design, which refreshingly distills the fountain pen concept right back to the essentials. The result? A fine writing instrument with comfortable ergonomics and a quality construction — all which make for a great daily writer.

You can pick up a Piuma for yourself right here. 

This pen was provided free of charge for review by Ensso Design.
All opinions are my own.