15 Best Pencils in India [August, 2024]

Determining the best pencil in India that meets versatile needs across drawing, writing, sketching and more while balancing aspects like smoothness, breakage resistance and comfort can be a challenging task with countless options in the market. This extensively researched guide rates some top contenders across student, professional and hobby categories to reveal the #1 pencil pick delivering reliability, consistency and value. Going beyond popular brand hype, it filters options using intensive trials to showcase products that excel in parameters like lead intensity, sturdy casing, integrated correction aids and ergonomics.

Whether you seek a trustworthy daily writer or sketching companion, want smudge-free neatly-outlined letters or rich gradations to reveal texture, prefer vibrant colors or minimalist form, this review-led report cards leading manufacturers like Apsara and DOMS across key expectation metrics from writing comfort, control and utility to aesthetic appeal to make an informed decision. It also clarifies pencil labelling like HB and 2B grades, compiles student gifting combinations and provides maintenance tips for enhanced experience.

1. Apsara Absolute Extra Dark Pencils-Pack Of 10|Black

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Description

Apsara Absolute Extra Dark Pencils are known for their intense black color and smooth writing experience. This pack of 10 premium quality pencils is perfect for those who prefer extra dark lead for crisp writing.

Key Features

• Extra dark HB lead for intense black writing
• Smooth writing with no breakage
• Strong hexagonal body provides a comfortable grip
• Uniform thickness for consistency

Our Expert Opinion

If you love the richness of dark lead while writing, then Apsara Absolute Extra Dark Pencils make the best choice. It glides effortlessly on paper to create sharp and striking letters, and is ideal for taking notes, drawing, sketching and more. The well-built body is also designed to minimize fatigue during long writing sessions. Overall, it checks the right boxes to be the best dark lead pencil in India.

2. DOMS Neon Rubber Tipped HB/2 Graphite Pencils Box Pack

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Description

This pack of 10 neon-colored HB/2 pencils from DOMS stands out with its premium German lead, non-toxic composition and smooth writing performance. The rubber grip provides extra comfort while sketching for hours.

Key Features

• Quality German HB/2 lead for rich black lines
• Smooth writing with minimal breakage
• Non-toxic material safe for kids
• Rubber grip for fatigue-free writing
• Free sharpener inside box for convenience

Our Expert Opinion

DOMS Neon Rubber Tipped Pencils bring the best of form and function. Vibrant neon colors inject fun while quality graphite formulated in Germany ensures extra dark, smudge-free lines for effortless writing and drawing. The rubber grip also prevents hand strain. With child-safe construction and a free sharpener, it makes an ideal pick for students.

3. DOMS X1 Xtra Super Dark Pencils Box Pack

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Description

The innovative DOMS X1 graphite pencils pack aims to redefine the writing experience with its intelligent design and ultradark lead. The hexagonal shape allows fatigue-free grip while quality Indian graphite creates sharp, neat writing.

Key Features

• Special grade X1 lead for intense black lines
• Hexagonal body for easy grip and control
• Includes free eraser, scale and cap
• Smooth writing with no smudges
• Handmade in India using premium wood

Our Expert Opinion

DOMS X1 manages to bring the convenience of multipurpose stationery in one pack while delivering an unmatched writing experience. Its specially formulated extra dark HB lead lays down crisp black lines for flawless writing and drawing. Stunning attention-to-detail in terms of ergonomic shape, breakage resistance and free scale make it the best pencil in India for everyday use.

4. Apsara Platinum Pencils Value Pack – Pack of 20

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Description

Apsara Platinum Value Pack brings you 20 high quality graphite pencils perfect for school, drawing and office work. The breakage-resistant body and intense lead deliver strikingly dark lines for a premium writing experience.

Key Features

• Intense black HB/2 lead for extra dark lines
• Sturdy pre-sharpened jumbo size
• Breakage resistant body with strong grip
• Smooth writing with no smudges
• Value pack of 20 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

When you need a large pack of daily use pencils that offer quality at an affordable rate, the Apsara Platinum Value Pack is your best bet. It brings premium features like intense pigmented graphite and jumbo sized body at a reasonable price point. Smooth black lines with no smudging make learning fun for students while artists enjoy crackle-free drawing sessions. Overall, great value for money.

5. Doms Neon Rubber Tipped HB/2 Graphite Pencil Jar Pack

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Description

This vibrant pack of 30 premium quality pencils from DOMS delivers extra comfort with rubberized grip and stands out with its durable German lead. The freebies elevate convenience while neon colors make writing more fun.

Key Features

• Vibrant neon colors with rubber grip
• Unbreakable 2B German graphite
• Free rubber, sharpener and scale
• Smooth black lines with no smudging
• Convenient jar packaging

Our Expert Opinion

DOMS Neon Rubber Tipped Graphite Pencils take writing comfort to the next level while ensuring extra dark, neat lines with its premium imported lead. The rubber grip tackles hand strain effectively while the jar pack brings extended utility. With bonus writing essentials like sharpener and eraser, it makes the best pencil in India for students and professionals alike by merging fun and function.

6. Apsara Absolute Pencil

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Description

Apsara Absolute pencils feature premium quality graphite encased in a sturdy hexagonal body for a strong and fatigue-free grip. The intense pigment lays down strikingly dark lines on paper for effortless writing while quality Indian wood allows easy sharpening.

Key Features

• Pigmented HB graphite for rich black lines
• Hexagonal body for anti-slip grip
• Smooth writing with no smudging
• Breakage resistant structure
• Free sharpener and eraser
• Value pack of 20 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

Apsara Absolute Hexagonal Pencils bring the reliability of a legacy brand at an affordable price point. Intensely dark streak-free writing comes with the promise of uniform performance thanks to premium quality control. The anti-roll hexagonal design also tackles discomfort during prolonged use effectively. Add to that value-added freebies, and you have a pack of pencils that offer the complete experience to users in India.

7. BRUSTRO 2 HB Extra Dark Pencil With Eraser Tip (Pack of 12)

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Description

Brustro packs convenience and intense color in one with these premium quality extra dark HB pencils. Each pencil comes tipped with an eraser for quick corrections while writing.

Key Features

• Extra dark HB graphite for strikingly black lines
• Smooth and smudge free writing
• Premium breakage resistant body
• Integrated eraser tip for quick correction
• Easy to sharpen with sharp point retention
• Value pack of 12 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

Brustro Extra Dark Pencils with eraser tips offer the best value for students and professionals alike. With a graphite intensity that lies between #1 and #2 pencils, they reduce fatigue by needing fewer stroke repetition. Integrated erasers also tackle messy work while saving desk space. Consistent line width shows attention to production quality. Overall, this handy product nails all criteria to be the best pencil in India for day-to-day writing needs.

8. Pentonic Extra Dark Graphite Pencil Tumbler Pack

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Description

Pentonic brings you an extra large pack of 50 premium graphite pencils designed for smooth writing and sketching with extra dark lead that is not too soft or too hard. The jumbo tumbler storage also adds real value.

Key Features

• HB2 lead for intense black lines
• Sleek round body with optimal thickness
• Splinter-free sharpening
• Smooth and smudge-proof writing
• Breakage resistant pencil body
• Bulk pack of 50 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

When you need bulk quantities of daily use pencils without compromising on quality, the Pentonic Extra Dark Graphite Pencil Tumbler Pack is a top contender for the title of best pencil in India. Generous lead intensity strikes the right balance between writing comfort and tone intensity while uniform barrel circumference offers comfortable grip. Since the graphite hardness is not too soft, they are great for writing small delicate alphabets cleanly without smudging. And the large pack brings extended value.

9. Navneet Youva

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Description

This graphite pencil pack from Navneet Youva features a smart combo of strikingly dark lead and integrated eraser tips for quick corrections. The body offers optimal weight and finish for effortless writing.

Key Features

• Integrated sturdy eraser tips
• Strikingly dark streak-free lines
• Smooth and smudge-proof writing
• Optimal weight for writing control
• Premium quality construction
• Pack of 10 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

Pencils with built-in erasers save time by merging correction needs in the same tool used for writing. The Navneet Youva Stallion pack takes this convenience to the next level by combining easy erasing with intensely black HB lead. Consistent line width and minimal smudging further make learning fun for young students while professionals enjoy fatigue-free writing. For merging the two critical needs of extra dark pigment and integrated correction capability, this product makes it to the top as the best pencil in India.

10. FLAIR Creative Series Aero Pencil Smart Kit

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Description

The Flair Aero Pencil Smart Kit uplifts writing and drawing into a gala event with vibrant rainbow colors while ensuring smooth gliding by means of premium 2B lead. Packing in an in-built sharpener and top-quality rubber makes it a complete set for gifting.

Key Features

• Vibrant range of rainbow colors
• Top quality 2B lead for ultra smooth writing
• Smudge and breakage resistant
• Built-in sharpener for convenience
• High quality rubber eraser
• Premium gifting box packing

Our Expert Opinion

When a pencil claims to be creative, it better look the part too. The Flair Aero Pencil Smart Kit aces this expectation with its riot of rainbow colors for multi-colored writing fun. But creative form does not undermine function. Its soft 2B lead lays uniform, dark streaks without smudging while the built-in sharpener and eraser make it ready for use anywhere without external aids. Packed smartly as a gift box, it brings immense value even for casual scribbling thanks to vibrant colors and smooth glide. For all-round utility and gifting needs, this pack clearly leads the race for the title of best pencil in India.

11. Staedtler Norica 132 46 Rubber Tip Pencil-Pack Of 12|Black

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Description

The Staedtler Norica Rubber Tip Pencil stands out with its integrated eraser embedded in a body comprising top grade hexagonal graphite engineered for smooth, smudge-free writing. The form factor enhances writing grip fatigue control.

Key Features

• Integrated rubber eraser tip for quick correction
• Extra smooth writing with dark streaks
• Smudge-proof ergonomic hexagonal body
• Lead breakage resistance with sharp point retention
• Enhanced writing comfort
• Pack of 12 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

Norica’s rubber grip pencils offer the best of both worlds in terms of eraser handiness and fatigue-free writing thanks to an intelligently contoured hexagonal form. Consistent line width, uniform lettering and smooth page glide add to the premium experience. By embedding correction needs within a high-quality graphite stick engineered for effortless writing, this Norica product easily features among the best pencils in India. Its affordable pricing only lifts its appeal.

12. APSARA MATT Magic Extra Dark Pencil-Pack of 20

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Description

This value pack from Apsara contains 20 intensely pigmented extra dark graphite pencils encased in top quality wood casings optimized for smooth page glide. The combination allows easy writing with minimal hand strain.

Key Features

• Intense lead for strikingly dark lines on paper
• Round body with anti-slip grip notch
• Smooth page glide with consistent lines
• Targeted pigment intensity reduces stroke effort
• Value pack of 20 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

When most stationery brands focus on maximizing color intensity, Apsara has gone against the tide by optimizing and limiting pigment quantity to levels just enough for extra dark lines without compromising writing comfort. This strategy pays off brilliantly, making writing effortless even for long hours. Clubbed with its long-standing legacy for quality, this Apsara Matt Magic pencil pack easily ranks among the best pencil in India options currently available while maintaining affordability.

13. Doms Groove Super Dark HB/2 Graphite Pencils Jar Pack

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Description

Doms Groove brings innovation into lead pencil design using intelligent body contouring topped by intense 2B German graphite engineered for silky smooth writing and drawing. The value pack also includes bonus stationery accessories.

Key Features

• Intelligently contoured body with grip slots
• Ultra smooth 2B German lead
• Free eraser, sharpener and scale
• Ideal for writing, drawing, sketching
• Convenient jar packaging
• Pack of 30 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

The key value metric for any drawing pencil lies in maintaining lead intensity while enhancing glide and minimizing smudging. Doms hits this nail squarely on the head by coupling imported German 2B graphite with smartly shaped contours for a fatigue-free experience. Smooth page flow and dark lines merge in this characteristic innovation now re-imagined in eco-friendly wood material. Taken together with its survey-topping popularity among students and artists, Doms Groove Pencils deserve to rank among the best pencil in India.

14. Pentonic Extra Dark Graphite Pencil Box Pack

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Description

Pentonic brings its legacy for high quality drawing and writing instruments to the fore in this premium box pack of 10 extra dark graphite pencils engineered using imported Japanese raw material and eco-friendly wood harvested through sustainable processes.

Key Features

• Pigmented HB2 graphite for extra dark lines
• Splinter-free sharpening
• Durable premium quality wood
• Smudge-proof smooth writing
• Eco-friendly production
• Value pack of 10 pencils

Our Expert Opinion

When it comes to assessing product quality, Pentonic’s legacy acts as sufficient testimony thanks largely to strict quality control employed in sourcing the finest raw material globally. By merging these Japanese and European ingredients into a pencil engineered for comfort, control and color intensity, the brand manages to create a top contender for the title of the best pencil in India from both functional and sustainable building block perspectives. Affordability and utility merely strengthen its case.

15. NATARAJ Writing Kit

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Description

The Natraj Writing Kit caters to holistic stationery needs of students within one pack, comprising pencils, sharpener, eraser, pens, scale and a carry pouch while optimizing traits preferred in the Indian context.

Key Features

• Pack of 5 medium-dark HB pencils
• Filly metal sharpener for uniform tip
• Pebbles eraser in handy pouch
• I-tip gel & classic ball pens
• 30cm flexible scale
• Dust-free latex-free Pasto eraser
• Zipper pouch for easy portability
• Multi-functional academic kit

Our Expert Opinion

An ideal school pencil box needs the right quality and quantity mix across key stationery categories without overpacking. Natraj gets this balance right be merging core writing, correction, marking and holding aids in one zip pouch without adding redundancy. The medium graphite strikes optimal balance between color and writing comfort. Taken together, this Natraj kit’s functional format takes it right to the top of school stationery combos making it the perfect contender for the title of the best pencil in India.

Comparison for Best Pencil in India

How to Choose the Best Pencil

With so many options, choosing the best pencil in India for your needs can be confusing. Here are some tips to guide selection:

• Purpose – Choose writing pencils for taking notes vs soft sketching pencils for drawing
• Lead hardness – Soft 2B pencils make darker lines but require frequent sharpening while HB offers balance
• Lead pigment intensity – Extra dark options are striking but can tire your hand faster
• Lead origin – European & Japanese graphite is considered premium quality
• Body design – Hexagonal shape provides anti-slip grip vs round for classic feel
• Integrated eraser – Convenient for quick corrections

Types of Pencils

There are various types of pencils available in the market. Common ones include:

Graphite Pencils

Most traditional pencils contain graphite lead encased in wood. Graphite mixes clay and carbon to create different lead hardness graded from ultra soft 10B to hard 9H. Soft B pencils make darker lines but need frequent sharpening while HB strikes balance for writing.

Popular graphite pencil brands: Apsara, DOMS, Staedtler

Colored Pencils

These contain pigments instead of graphite lead for writing and drawing in vibrant hues. Wax or oil binds the pigments. Wax pencils give bolder colors but need frequent sharpening. Oil-based glide more smoothly.

Popular colored pencil brands: Faber Castell, Camlin, DOMS

Watercolor Pencils

They contain water-soluble pigments that activate brilliantly when brushed with water. Artists use them for effects like gradient colors.

Popular watercolor pencil brands: Faber Castell, Lakhani

Mechanical Pencils

They hold thin uniform graphite lead refills in plastic or metal barrels. Step sizes like 0.5mm and 0.7mm denote line thickness. No sharpening needed but lead breaks often.

Popular mechanical pencil brands: Pilot, Staedtler

Erasable Pencils

These have erasers fitted at one end for easy rubbing and correction of errors. Some models feature twist mechanisms to reveal erasers.

Popular erasable pencil brands: Staedtler, DOMS

Pencil Care and Usage Guide

Follow these tips to improve pencil performance and longevity:

• Store pencils in dry conditions away from direct heat
• Prefer closed boxes to prevent snapping of fragile graphite tips
• Use pencil cap guards to prevent damage in bags
• Choose metal or glass manual sharpeners
• Electric sharpeners retain shape better but overheat pencils
• Rotate pencil slowly for even tip
• Gentle hand pressure protects lead from breaking
• Remove wood splinters carefully
• Clean erasers keep graphs smudge-free

FAQs about Best Pencil

Q. Which pencil is best for drawing?

A. The following pencils are ideal for drawing needs:

• Doms Groove Super Dark HB/2 Graphite Pencils
• Pentonic Extra Dark Graphite Pencil Box Pack
• Apsara Platinum Pencils Value Pack

Drawing pencils should offer very smooth page glide with minimal friction along with dark pigmented lead. A soft 2B grade strikes the best balance for bold lines without frequent sharpening needs. Hexagonal body shape is also preferred for fatigue-free grip during prolonged use.

Q. Which pencil is best for writing?

A. Pencils like Apsara Absolute Extra Dark Pencils, Brustro Extra Dark Pencils and APSARA MATT Magic Extra Dark Pencils are suitable for extensive writing purposes. They offer optimized lead hardness around HB that ensures dark crisp lettering without being very soft to smudge or smear easily. Their sturdy construction also minimizes lead breakage.

Q. Which pencil is best for sketching?

A. Soft grade graphite pencils like 2B are ideal for sketching to allow deep bold strokes for shading effects. The Doms Groove Super Dark 2B Pencil Pack contains high intensity imported German lead perfect for smudge-free sketching and drawing. Their specially contoured grip zone also makes holding comfortable for long sessions.

Q. Which is the best pencil in the world?

A. Many premium writing instruments brands offer high-performance graphite pencils but the title of world’s best pencil is still widely credited to the iconic Faber-Castell 9000 Series. Its perfectly balanced 2B lead achieves rich tones without flaking or smudging while the wood casing features eight layers of varnish for durability. Its versatility across writing, drawing and sketching also sets it apart.

Q. Why are some pencils labeled HB or 2B?

A. It denotes lead hardness. B stands for blackness – higher B means darker lines. H means hardness – 9H being hardest to leave light marks. HB provides balance between dark lines and durability.

Q. Are expensive pencils worth it over cheap ones?

A. Yes. Premium ones last longer, require less sharpening and offer consistent smooth lines. They use higher quality wood, graphite mix and bonding material.

Q. How to make pencils more comfortable for long writing tasks?

A. Choose hexagonal shapes for anti-slip grip. Soft, smooth graphite also reduces fatigue. Integrated erasers help avoid pauses to correct errors using separate rubbers.

Q. Are pencil leads available separately as refills?

A. Yes. Graphite leads of sizes like 0.5mm and 0.7mm can be bought and loaded into specialty mechanical pencils with push or click mechanisms.

Conclusion

I hope this exhaustive review of some top pencil options pitted across popular use cases helps figure out your perfect fit based on personalized priorities. While there might not be any universally ideal pencil, understanding usage objective, hardness ratings, integrated features, body materials and sustainability efforts should now enable zeroing in on a model matching expectation metrics within budget. Proper care can then help unleash its full potential consistently.