Monteverde vs. Lamy M16 Ballpoint Refills

[Updated July 19th, 2021]

For decades, writers who use Lamy ballpoint pens were limited to refilling with the Lamy M16 proprietary ballpoint cartridge (or M22 if you use the mini-sized Pico or other multi-function pens). When a refill is made by only one manufacturer, in this case Lamy, it limits the number of colors and point sizes available to the writer. Also, if Lamy decides to discontinue a particular refill or increase its price, there is no other compatible option. Yikes! Thankfully, Monteverde introduced an alternative cartridge to fit most Lamy retractable ballpoint pens.

Besides the usual black and blue ink colors that Lamy offers, Monteverde opens up the color palette with 8 additional hues, including turquoise, orange and blue-black. Although the Lamy proprietary cartridge is offered in fine, medium, or broad tip sizes, the Monteverde version is only produced in a medium point size.

The reputation of the Monteverde L131 refills grows with every piece of feedback we receive from our customers. The consensus has been overwhelmingly positive. Have you made the switch? Please comment below. We'd love to hear your thoughts.