The Perkeo is being pitched as Kaweco’s entry-level pen. It comes in some unusual colours. Is it any good, though?
Price: £15
Filling method: standard international cartridge/converter
Barrel options: oh my goodness: ‘cotton candy’ (pink and grey); ‘old chambray’ (blue and ivory); ‘bad taste’ (pink and black, with a black nib); ‘Indian summer’ (mustard and black, with a black nib)
Nib options: stainless steel, fine or medium
I’d like to go for a drink with the person who came up with these colours. It would be quite an experience. I mean, crikey. They are certainly different. I picked the Indian Summer version because it wasn’t as offensive to my eyes as the Cotton Candy and the Bad Taste but had more going for it than the Old Chambray. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, look here and filter out the Perkeo range.
In real life, though, it’s okay. I suspect these are pens you need to see in person. The Indian Summer Perkeo works, somehow. That said, maybe it’s my age, but I hope Kaweco realise some more pleasant colour combinations soon.
Now I’ve got the colour schemes out of the way, let’s look at the construction. The Perkeo is made from what is obviously cheap plastic and the moulding lines are visible. However, the cap closes with a satisfying click and everything fits together well. It’s been made to Kaweco’s usual high standards.
The cap is Sport-esque with an octagonal cross-section, ‘Kaweco Germany’ embossed along one side and the Kaweco logo on the end.
It pushes securely onto the faceted barrel to post.
You can use standard international cartridges or converters.
The black medium steel nib on my pen writes smoothly and has good flow.
The pen’s a good length, posted or not, and is very light in weight.
The Perkeo has a shaped grip section which dictates where you fingers should go, like the Safari. If you like to hold you pen in a different way it can be uncomfortable. The Safari works for me, the Perkeo less so, perhaps because it’s a little narrower.
There are quite a few options at this price point, the Lamy Safari, Pilot MR/Metropolitan (if you’re in the US – it’s a lot more expensive in the UK) and even Kaweco’s. As I’ve used the Perkeo more, it’s grown on me. It’s full of fun but it’s also a good pen. It’s comfortable to hold, it feels like a proper pen and it has a great nib.
Pros
Highly original colours
Good writer
Cons
Highly original colours
Grip section might not suit everyone
Giveaway
This pen was given to me by Kaweco to review and so in keeping with my usual policy I’m giving it away.
All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is leave a comment here suggesting a colour combination for your own version of a Perkeo. (Just to be clear, you’ll be getting this Indian Summer pen, no matter how much more lovely your suggestion might be.)
I’ll use random.org to pick a winner. You may enter only once. The giveaway is open worldwide and will close at 9am GMT on Sunday 18th March 2018.
I don’t dislike the Indian Summer, and I sort of admire the gumption of labeling one of the color schemes Bad Taste! It could have been badder. I’d go for a dark blue body and an orange cap and accents.
I would love one with a green body and a yellow cap.
The Indian Summer is an interesting color, it’s definitely mustard-y. I like pink, so I think the pink and grey would be lovely, and turquoise and grey or black would also be pretty cool.
I’d suggest a purple & black or a blue & black combo. Also an all black would be neat too…the Stealth Perkeo.
Unicorn barf! Blue and pink.
I’m a huge fan of blue, but I’d swap out the ivory for black.
All blacked out Perkeo!!!
I’d like to see a lime green and electric purple Perkeo.
I prefer subtle colorways and would simply suggest a black and gray motif.
Soccer team colours will get todays kids again on love of fountain pen .
I would choose a lime green and black combination.
Garnet and black! A nice looking combination but also those of several sports teams so that it should sell good. Man, I would love a great garnet & black pen…
Orange and black is a favorite combo for me. Like a Rhodia notebook!
I would like a Perkeo in psychedelic colours to commemorate the Summer of Love. I would write some groovy letters to my Canadian girlfriend while listening to Jimi Hendrix.
Turquoise-black would be my favorite but i really liked the Indian summer too. thanks for the giveaway.
I’d love to see a Perkeo in all black or black and gray/silver trim.
Personally I like the “bad taste” color. Indian summer isn’t bad ether!
Yellow and Black. Very stark contrast!
I’d go for navy and green. Some of these colour combinations sound pretty awful Ian!
I would go for yellow and grey, if they did it!
Tirquiose and black
I would love an orange body and red cap = The Red Cap
Autumn Leaves- brown & orange
I like the Indian Summer.
Indian Summer looks great to me so I’d perhaps go with the same as that but make the grip black too.
Well, this is really a quite distinctive range of colours, as you said… In order to go with the flow, I would like to suggest an orange and yellow pen, bright and sunny as a summer day! In other hand, something more discreet is more in line with my taste, so I would prefer to use one in deep burgundy and matte black!
I like the bumble bee color combo here, but my favorite color combination that I would do would be brown and teal.
Both cap & body in dark metal grey and small orange detailing.
bright yellow&navy blue
Dark Red and Black
neon green + pink!
or the “Stormtrooper”: white+black
Maroon body with black top.
I like pink and blue
It would have to be ‘Neo-politan Twist’ which is Fluorescent Pink body, Fluorescent Yellow cap & accents with a Dark-Brown (Black) nib! Comes with fluorescent green ink cartridge, complimentary sunglasses and a LARGE health-warning notice! :o)
I love all things mustard yellow-colored, but another color combination I’d love is turquoise and bright yellow!
I’d like a green body and a brown cap – like a tree. 🙂
Black and Rhodia orange, definitely.
I would like it best with a dark gray body and black cap, although an all-blacked out stealth one like someone else suggested would look pretty stellar too.
I have this thing about demos but that would not work so translucent pastel purple with hot pink cap. Your sample will not be lonely in my collection
I’d like to one made with two shades of green that contrast a lot!
I’d like to see dark grey and deep orange.
I think Kaweco could do a sports-themed release where they have a color scheme for each major franchise. But for me, I’m partial to a cardinal and gold combo.
I would like one with the blue and orange of the classic Gulf racing livery. I think that would be awesome!
forest green and burnt orange, could call it Forest Fire
I would go with a forest green and brown
I like the cotton candy shade of pink, but in my opinion the gray doesn’t go that well with it. It would look way better if it was replaced with white
Matte Dark Purple body with Matte Black cap!
I’d have to go with some combo of Molteni Orange and dark Navy Blue
Navy blue and mustard would be my choice!
I’d love this in a clear plastic for the mustard part and black (or any color, really) opaque plastic for the accent color. Or two shades of blue for an ocean theme.
I’d like acid green with a really dark pine green.
I’m thinking a dark copper color with black. Or, entirely different, a matte terra-cotta barrel with a burnt umber cap.
Industrial Orange, and Black!
Red and gray would look good!!
Fire engine red with a white cap for the Baywatch lifeguard inside all of us.
I would go with hotdog red and mustard yellow.