While shopping at Wal-Mart today with my lovely wife I ran across a set of gel pens by Peachtree Playthings. They are sold under the brand name, Inc. They are called Magna Tank Smooth Gel Ink Pens. They have a sturdy 0.5mm needle point that writes fairly smooth and the set came in 5 colors, Black, Red, Green, Blue, and Violet. They are called Magna Tank because, as the manufacturer claims, they contain 3 times the ink of a standard gel pen. It has a refillable ink cartridge called an S.H.V. (Super High Volume) ink cartridge. They have a "Precision Swiss tip" and a rubber grip in the color of the ink. The plastic barrels are black and clear so some of the ink cartridge is visible. They have a clear cap with a stainless steel pocket clip under a color coded cap. The color coded tail cap is removable, which is how the refill is removed and inserted. The end cap is also removable. The pens are comfortably fat while the rubber grip is a thin sleeve which is firm, not squishy.It's unusual to find gel pens in 0.5mm nib widths, especially in a department store. Most commonly these are found in 0.7mm and broader. I prefer the narrower width, which is why I bought them. The pens are truly smooth writing, as smooth as more expensive pens like Pilot and uni-ball gel pens. The large diameter of the pens make them comfortable to write with, even for those who have small hands. For the price, under $3.00 for the set, the Inc. Magna Tank Gel Pens are a very good buy.
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73 comments:
Love them, Love them,
These are my favorite pens and before I knew they were sold in Walmart it became my mission to find out where they came from when my first ones that were given to me ran out. The are the only pens that I use in college and I don't know what I would do without them!!!!!
I love these too! I bought one completely by accident at a 7-11 believe it or not. I went out late at night needing a notebook and a pen (while visiting my mom) and picked up a black magna tank. It's my new favorite toy.
I really like the Magna Tank pen. I am blessed to be within 18 miles of a Wal Mart that sells them. I think we should start an exchange program where we trade colors. I like to use the red pen, almost exclusively, I use a blue ink pen to write checks and the like but I write all my notes in red and letters and other things that I write. But!!! I can find them only in the 4 colors and I don’t like having to buy 4 pens to get one red one. I’d go for a refill if I could find such, Wal Mart doesn’t have refills for the Magna Tank. So, Can I send to you a couple blue or black pens for a couple red pens, postage only???
I might ad, I like the pilot G-2 07 pen better, because of my old age and eyesight, I feel that I can see the line easier with the width of the line made with the Pilot better than that of the Magna Tank. Here’s another thing, I like the shade of red from the Pilot better too, it’s brighter and more cheery. The red in the Magna Tank is darker and a bit too fine for my sight and personal preference. Another thing, The bright gel ink from the Pilot is not water proof!!! I really wish it were. The ink in the Magna Tank is water proof!!! I really like that because I carry some of my notes in my inner T shirt pocket and in the summer when it is hot I often sweat on them and they become unreadable, there are other ways to get moisture on the paper and it runs, I very much dislike that. What can I do?
I am the pen geek, no question about that. Everyone who does not carry a pen knows that they can borrow one from me. I carry five in my shirt pocket and one Sharpie in my pants pocket. I don’t loan my red pen if I can get out of it. I carry one just for loaning. People who don’t have pens on them, don’t know how to keep track of a pen, it seems to be a character defect. I feel that I am able to keep pens till they run out of ink because after I use it, I put it back in my pocket.
I could go on and on. Maybe another time and place.
Blessings on you and your pens!
I happened to get one from an aunt that was visiting from Florida. I love this pen! I only have the black so will check my local Wal-Mart to see if they have them. If not, can I order them on-line anywhere? I've been collecting pens since I started college (many moons ago) and new ones that I haven't seen or used before are fun surprises! Thanks for the blog!
All I see are blue pens at Office Depot. Try this link:
http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Office-Depot-Foray-Big-Tank-Gel-Pens-0-5-mm-Needle-Point-Blue-Barrel-Blue-Ink-Pack-Of-12
It looks in the photo like the same pen though they don't call it the same thing. I'd ask if they have other colors.
hapyday!
Sure looks like the same pen to me! Has anybody gone to WalMart on-line to see if they carry them on-line?
Hi, I use this brand of pens too. I bought it at a "Family Dollar Store" and was afraid that it wouldn't be good because they were fairly cheap. I completely fell in love with these pens too. I hear that Walgreens also carries them as well. Hopes this helps anyone searching for this brand name of pens. :-)
Thanks, Lily. I'm sure that will help others find the pens some place besides WalMart. Thanks for reading my blog.
omg i LOVE this pen!! i am so glad my boyfriend bought it by accident,hated it and gave it to me!!! so very hard to find a nice 0.5 gel pen and i especially love the large barrell!!! BRAVO!! i am also very happy to see other folks as excited about writing utensils as i am!!! and yes, he bought them at walmart but i will have my eyes PEELED to find any and all other shops that sell my new fave pen!!!
Indeed, a great pen. I have visited a couple of Walmarts and did not find the Magnatank. I called Peachtree Playthings and the number has been disconnected. Anyone have other current source info?
I bought the Inc. MagnaBlast Neon gel pens at Walmart a month or two ago and I love them, especially the Neon Pink pen! I went to 2 Walmarts this weekend to find them and neither one had them. My pink has run out of ink and I'm going crazy trying to find another Neon Pink gel pen. I would of bought a bunch of packs of these if I would of known they would of stopped selling them. They were definatly the best gel pen that I ever bought.
I oucldn't find the Magnatank at Walgreens either. The Office Depot Foray Big Tank Gel Pen had only one review an it scored poorly. Other than a different name, it is the same pen - on the outside at least. Tis ashame that such a great product could get sidetracked!
I cannot beleive I found a blog about a pen I have come to love but cannot find. I am a teacher, and these are absolutely wonderful grading pens. Every WalMart I have visited within the last week does not have them. The space is there with a price tag but no pens. The MagnaTank, however, is available but not the MagnaBlast. I settled today, so I'll have to see how I like the MagnaTank. By the way, a coworker said she purchased hers at Dollar Tree.
Found the Magnatank at Dollar Tree except under a different name - "Maxgel" and is distributed by Greenbrier Intl as opposed to Peachtree Playthings. Same exact shell and cartridge, slightly different grip and pocket clip. Only minor negative is the Maxgel body does not hold the cartridge as tightly as the Magnatank so there's a little play with the tip as you write - too bad. Interesting how there can be so many iterations of the same product! I encourage future readers of this blog to share their sources. Maybe this great pen will go mainstream some day. As for finding a blog about a pen, as my father would say - whodathunkit?
Thanks for all the kudos everyone. I never knew that such an obscure pen had such a following! I went to several "dollar" type stores in my area the other day and could not find any Magna Tanks! I did find a few other Peachtree Playthings (Inc.) items, including some R2Blast 0.7mm gel pens. I also found a set of 2 click type stick erasers. DO NOT buy them!!! They are junk! If it were not for the fact that it would cost me more in gas than the buck I spent on them I'd return them! Neither work very well and on one the pocket clip broke somehow without me even noticing how!!! Then it flew apart when I let the push button go (while the barrel was empty)!!! The only good thing about them... no, wait, there is nothing good about them! Avoid them at all costs!
Anyway, all you Magna Tank lovers keep tuning in as soon I just may have a surprise for all of you!
You have nice handwriting!
Thanks, but that was done with a cheat. I used a lettering guide and wrote between the lines.
I too, bought my Megna Tank at a DollarTree store. I got two per pack, which cost only $1! I bought only two packs and am very sorry now. I truly loved these pens, which finally ran out, much later than normal gel pens. I loved everything about the pens - the design, the ink color, the tip, the...oh, I just loved them. But they seem to be gone forever. Am very sad. Nothing, absolutely nothing measures up as a substitute.
Success!!! Just returned from WalMart (here in Pittsburgh) this July 4th with (9) 5-packs of this excellent pen. There were 6 packs of the 0.7mm tip and 3 packs of the 0.5mm tip. They are still distributed by Peachtree Playthings of Atlanta. Has the same "inc" and "Magnatank" logo on the same shell. Same smooth and consistent ink flow. Someone picked up my Magnatank the other day to make a note and they immediately said "what a nice pen!" I am going to attempt to contact the buyers at WalMart to alert them to the following this pen seems to be attracting. Hope all of you are able to fine this pen again in your part of the country. Good luck!
Tivoli21,
So glad that you found some locally! My Wal-Mart has them in stock now as well as several Peachtree Playthings (Inc) products! Maybe the company just had a few distribution problems! I have noticed that the dates on some products go back as far as 2007. Maybe the crisis is over?
I am interested in purchasing the black ink version of this pen but cannot find it either online or in either Walmart or Dollar Tree. If any of you are able to purchase some I will make it worth your while. Contact me at billythekid72@msn.com
I love this pen. Someone randomly gave me one a couple of years ago and then I bought a bunch of them at the Dollar Tree a few weeks back.
By the way, great blog!
The only problem with Peach Tree pens is they are 100% copies, including the packaging of Mega Brands SRX products. In fact an executive left Mega and now works for Peach Tree Playthings. Wal-Mart should be ashamed of themselvers for putting products on their shelves that are exact copies of somebody elses products. Well OK, anybody can go to China and buy all of Inc's line of products so I guess they are not copies(except their packaging is the exact same). The only hard part is that you have to be in the pocket of a Wal-Mart buyer. In any case I don't think it is right that one company can work hard to establish a brand and image and then somebody can just copy them. Another great example of this is Cra-A-Art at Wal-Mart. Holly cow, they copied Crayola and RoseArt. Even the name Cra(yola)-Z(Rose)Art. Another example of being in the pocket of the Wal-Mart buyer. Shame on you Wal-Mart.
Well, Anon, I went to the Mega Brands web site and only saw 3 SRX products and none were gel pens and none looked like the Magna Tanks. I appreciate feedback and comments, even negative ones, as long as they can be backed up. So please post a link were we can find the SRX pens that the Magna Tanks are supposedly copies of! I'm quite curious to see them! Thanks!
HELP!! They do not make the origional Magna Tank anymore, they have canged them to 0.7 which I hate. Does anyonw know where I can buy the 0.5 still? I have checked Dollar Tree as well without any luck. I love the black and still have all of the other colors if someone wants to trade. Please let me know if there is a website that I can order them from, I will go crazy without it.
Thanks.
Wow. Thanks all. Quite a following. We made the decision to switch from .5mm to .7mm about 6 months ago. Was this a mistake? How many of you prefer .5 over .7mm?
Thx
hey guys can anyone tell me where to buy the other pens by inc? ive heard they have some real nice fine and needlepoints, im also curious about that chunky pen id appreciate it le me know at x915xaero@xgmailx.com just remove all the x's no spaces or nderscores thanks
Melissa says she doesn't like the .7mm pen and I have some .5mm pens that I would trade. Can I trade with her?
Steve, I have not used the .7mm pen yet, but due to my poor eye sight, I think I would like a boulder look.
Ok, Steve, I only like the .5mm pens & especially with the gel. From what the others say here, it looks like many others prefer that also. So when are you going to go back to making them? Other question.....do you provide the refills for purchase or is it only made that way so you could put the pen together in the first place. I would love to just buy the refills since there is nothing wrong with the actual pen, but can't find the refills anywhere. I color coordinate my comments & my notes to myself in my organizer & use all the colors including the neon ones. I love the orange & the purple especially. Haven't been able to find those again at all after first finding them at WalMart.
Finding a blog on my favorite pen when I was looking for where I could just buy my replacements was awesome. So glad you started this blog Old Geezer. This is another old geezer that is very opinionated on the pens I like to write with. I have enjoyed reading all the other people who love this pen....it sure has quite a following.
Thanks.....I love these pens!!!! I was given 1 and didn't know how to find....googled them & found your helpful blog......thanks.
This is to Steve: YES WE LOVE THE .5mm!!! Please bring it back!!! I too was VERY upset upon entering Walmart and seeint the .7mm!! Then I even noticed that the UPC code was the same as the .5! That REALLY upset me, because I then realized that there was no distinction and that this may be the only point available. YES!!! it was a HUGE mistake!!! At least give us the option between the two. Is there any other way to get the pens other than at Wal Mart?
I have never been to your website and I find it very interesting. I am a nut over pens and notebooks. I found the magnatank pens in a dollar store. Two in a package for a buck. The choices were black or blue. Now that I know Walmart has them I will investigate our two stores today. I two have the love for pens a magna-ficent obsession. Thanks will be back often. Gary H. South St Paul MN
I also am in love with these pens. I bought them about a year ago and wont use any others. The problem i bought them at walmart they came in a 5 pack of neon colors. I also love the pink one and have tried others brands and hate them. I went back to buy more. Oh by the way got them at walmart and also found some at the dollar general. When I went to get more they still have them but only in the office colors not neon. I bought them anyway because of the purple but I want the neon ones. Walmart has a spot for the neon but its always empty. I have checked 3 walmarts and dollar general about 20 times in last few months. Same thing. Does anyone know where I can find the neon maybe I cant help someone with these colors Ive found since noone has mentioned them. Anyway help please post a link or anything. thanks
ok, guys, i see all of you are magna tank fans. i just bought a pack of the .07 from walmart here in north georgia and every one of them skip! what's up with this? have i got those cheap china copies or something?
I have tried the .7mm pen now for a while and I think I would like it except it tends to make my writing look sloppy. That is, the ink seems to come out in abundance and drags between letters without the pen touching the paper and doesn't dry fast enough and if you get up against it within the first minute, it is going to smear or smudge or whatever. It looks pretty bad. I had no such trouble with the .5mm pens. Maybe what we need is a .6mm pen.
By the way, I have a purple pen in the 0.5mm if anyone would trade with me a red.
I have asked the Geezer if I could do commerce with other commenters and he has not replied to me about that.
my email is hapyday@gmail.com
The above email should have been hapyday7@gmail.com for trading of pens.
I bought a set of 2 Magna Tank pens from a Dollar Tree for...$1! They are amazing!! Check out your local Dollar Tree! (by the way, I live in Virginia)
Hey everyone,
I love the 0.5 manga tank pens also. I couldn't find them at Walmart so I emailed Peachtree. They said all the .5 had been sent to the Dollar Tree and 99 cent stores, which tells me they are discontinued.
I found a pen that is almost exactly like these. It is made by Universal and looks to be made by the same company as the look pretty much the same just different barrel color. I found the best price at Officeworld.com. They only come in black, red and blue but at least they are the .5 mm. Check them out! I ordered a dozen for $7.88 plus $4.95 shipping. Other office supply store have them if you do a google search but these were the best price. Happy writing!
Thanks for the great investigative work. discountofficeitems.com has very good pricing also.
I might add Universal has several types of pens but the ones that are just like the magna tank are the Universal high capacity gel pens...UNV39318. These are the ones that are .05mm. They may come in the .07 also but I wasn't looking for them in the .07. Love them!
I also love Magna Blast pens. I bought a pack a few years ago. I have lost the green, blue, and pink, but the orange and purple are still in operation. All around very good pens.
I LOVE Magna Tank pens... and oddly enough... my first purchase of the was in a DOLLAR TREE! of all places... shopping for back to school items for my senior year in high school.... I bought 4 double packs (2 blue & 2 black) and LOVE them very much! They are still working and I use them for almost everything! :) Great product!
I just bought 24 double packs from a Dollar Tree lol Been looking everywhere for these pens and was almost abotu to pull the trigger on the UNV39318 from officeworld, but thank goodness I found these today!
As other responses have indicated, Magna Tank pens are no longer available at Walmart. They've been replaced by a similar product labeled "@ The Office." Unfortunately, the 0.5 fine point seems to have been discontinued; what @ The Office labels as "fine point" is the 0.7 medium point that Magna Tank made. Looks, feels, and performs like Magna Tank, but as The Old Geezer comments, the 0.5 is of a nicer quality, and the fine point actually makes the ink last much longer. I grade a lot of papers every semester, and came to prefer and rely upon the Magna Tank 0.5 fine point red pens. Much to my chagrin, I have been unable to locate them for several months now, although I will track down local Dollar Tree stores and stock up -- if it's not too late. -- Smitty60
If you grade papers, you likely use a red pen and are in the se boat I'm in. I use red mostly, but I have black, blue, green & that other color that I had to buy in order to get a red pen. So, I'd trade a few dark ink pens that are .05mm for red ink pens on either size point. Just let me know how to contact you.
I happened on the MagnaTank pens in the dollar store and love them too. Staples Optiflow pens are pretty good too and not as expensive as Uniball etc....PS Never knew there were some many pen freaks like me around!
Ok so whats a good fountain pen? not too expensive?
Anon, If you like then really extra, extra fine, then the Pilot Penmanship from JetPens can't be beat at $7.50! If you like them medium then the Platinum Preppy at $3.00 is outstanding! If you like them medium and disposable then the Pilot Varsity is good, the V-Pen (not sold by JetPens) is a finer point, which I prefer. By the way, please e-mail me at theoldgeezer@live.com. I'd like to discuss the Magna Tanks with you at length!
I'm writing a book series and the Magna Tank became my favorite pen because it doesn't run out of ink as fast as the other, smaller gel pens. I too am having difficulty finding them. I'm going out tomorrow and searching all the places you all mentioned. Thank you. From the beginning of my book project I have been saving the rubber finger grips. At first I figured my grandkids would get a kick out of stringing them together but I developed suck a stash that I put them in a clear canister and it sits on my desk reminding me how much I've written. 1800 pages later and I can't find the Magna Tanks!!!! What's a girl to do?
Kathy,
I hope that you vist this post again soon! I wish to find a source for the 0.5 mm Magna Tank pens as well and have gotten nowhere! Peachtree Playthings claims that the Dollar Tree is supposed to carry them but I have yet to come across a Dollar Tree in Florida that carries them!
In fact I appeal to every one who reads this comment to please contact me by e-mail (the old geezer@live.com) if you can easily obtain the Magna Tank 0.5 mm Pens! I will like to purchase some through anyone will to work with me on this. This has become a major issue here at Pens And Pencils!
Here's a tip. If you are into tip mods then SAVE all the empty 0.5 mm Magna Tank empties and use the tips as replacements on the 0.7 mm Magna Tanks!
Or, if you don't want to do that, I'll buy a full set of empty 0.5 mm empties (5 per set) for a dollar US ($1.00) as long as the tips are in good shape, regardless of the original color that was in the tube! Just e-mail me!
I absolutely love these pens and I'm down to my last one!! My hubby came home with a bunch of them to give away as "stocking stuffers" and I just have my violet one left! I've looked at Walmart but not Dollar Tree--guess where I'm going today! Gotta find these, I love, love, love them... anyone finds them, PLEASE let us all know!! Erlinda in Ohio
I love these pens also but cannot find them at Walmart or any where else. Does anyone know where else to look. I have even tried online and can't find them either.
Anonymous,
I have some pens that I would part with if you would like to trade on line with me. I have Blue, Black, Purple, and Green that I would trace for red. and if you can not find red, I will sell them for something, lets talk about it. hapyday7@gmail.com
The new WalMart pens are under a new name: @TheOffice
Not called MagnaTank any more at WalMart
Not .5mm anymore either, the only size available is .7mm tip or ball size.
Hey Magna Tank Fans!
I have great news. Your positive comments about the Magna Tank have been heard...Walmart has agreed to switch back to the 0.5mm needle tip! You will need to have a little patience as it will take 3 to 4 months for the product to hit the stores. It is up to you all to make sure they sell better than the 0.7mm.
Thanks for your continued loyalty!
The INC team
My Mom got one of these pens from someone and she just loves it. She is 81 and wants me to find her several of them. I have not been able to find them anywhere!! Does anyone have a clue where they are now being sold, not at our Walmart. Please help me if you know where I should look.
Your 81 year old mother wants pens like this. I would be happy to share some of mine. Do you want black, blue, green or purple?
I use the red ones myself.
I will have to have some contact info. Or you can call me about it if you want to. My number is 731-925-4979
I love these pens too. They used to be available in double packs (two pens per pack) at another chain of stores. I bought about sixty of those packs, and thank God that I did, because now I can't find them anywhere.
Out of desperation looking for Magna Tanks,I found this site.Thank you very much for revealing what I should have read on the package but didn't,that they're refillable.Finding refills may present my next challenge.I love bold script and learning that Walmart is changing the size is disconcerting.If any of you also love bold writing,Pilot Precise Grip has a BOLD in colors that's pretty decent.I ordered mine on-line but can't remember who from.I just Googled it and found what I wanted.I ordered per pen,not packs.I don't recall seeing that option.I'm off to see if I can find refills.I didn't read all Posts-short on time but will be back barring the X factor....
Jenny Come-Lately
I first ran across the Magna tank gel pens 2 years ago at the Dollar store in Del Cty, PA. I bought a number of them at the time. I really like the pen, but I can not find anymore of them. They have disappeared. I've checked Walmart, Walgreens, numerous dollar stores, but nothing. i even contacted Peachtree Playthings and I don't think they appreciated my inquiry. Anyway does anyone have any good ideas as to how to find these great pens.
Tootsie
I've been trying for about 2 years to sell a few pens on this blog. I guess no one trusts me. Sorry about that, I suppose you are going by the law of averages. None the less, if you get tired of looking for these pens, I have a few just let me know.
hapyday7@gmail.com
I have been looking for these pens for MONTHS! I love the 0.5 one...I don't like the 0.7. All other pens don't really compare at all! I have tried to find it EVERYWHERE! Has anyone been able to purchase it recently???
According to a Peachtree laythings rep, Wal-Mart should be carring them again sometime this summer!
Could someone please help me. I really want these pens really bad and have no luck finding them anywhere, from Dollar Tree to Walmart.
Is someone willing to send me a couple packages of these pens, brand new? I will pay them by PayPal.
All Im asking is that if you buy a bunch Im willing to purchase some off you. Please and Thank You.
Contact me at: dachampionshak@live.com
This has really helped me! I've been using the Magna Tank pen (0.5) since my second year of college in 2006! I'm glad to know that Wal-mart will soon be carrying them again! I can't stand the 0.7 point!
I have been to 4 Walmarts within the past 3 hours and cannot find these pens anywhere! Walmart may have stated that they are going to start carrying them but they are not here in Massachusetts yet! I do a great deal of writing at work and need to find these pens as soon possible!
Any ideas or has anyone located them in a Walmart near you?
I have been following and contributing to this thread for over a year. I have just placed my second order of the Universal labeled pen which is identical to the Magnatank.
Has anyone else found the .5mm at Walmart again yet? I have not and I have been to several locations. Right now my local stores in ga are only selling the 5 pack of the .7mm... any word back from INC on when they will hit stores? I've been checking this site for about a year and a half now - hoping to find some soon! - Natasha
As stated in my post above. I found a pen that is almost exactly like these. It is made by Universal and looks to be made by the same company as the look pretty much the same just different barrel color. I found the best price at Officeworld.com. They only come in black, red and blue but at least they are the .5 mm. Check them out! I ordered a dozen for $7.88 plus $4.95 shipping. Other office supply store have them if you do a google search but these were the best price. Happy writing!
I just found ur blog while trying to find info on the mini magna tank. I lv all the info from the comments. I bought my mini from the thrift shop, & was instantly in lv ! My fav color is also red. The writing of this pen is pure perfection ! Have to know where Robitussin more minis here in San Diego, CA. !!
Stupid spell ck !! Should have said "to buy", not "Robitussin" ! Also ment my mini pen is red, my favorite color.
I have just put a comment into www.peachtreeplaythngs.com place and asked if they would re-release the magna tanks again in the 0.5mm size. If you agree with my plea, please do the same thing I did and hopefully get the momentum going toward what we want.
BTW--if anybody can still lay their hands on a couple packs of the colored pens, please send me an email anne_wanger@cox.net
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