I actually bought these for my dad, who goes through word search books like nobody's business, but I've ended up nicking a few myself for bits and pieces around the house. For the price, they are incredibly reliable. The 0.7mm HB lead gives a lovely, consistent dark line without needing to press down hard at all, which is spot on for sketching out quick notes or filling in crosswords. The main reason they've been such a hit with my dad is that they never need sharpening. It means there are no messy graphite shavings left all over the coffee table or the carpet. They are also a brilliant alternative to pens for paperbacks. Whilst ballpoints can feel scratchy and felt-tips tend to bleed right through thin puzzle paper, these pencils stay clean and never ruin the grid on the next page. Plus, with three leads tucked inside each one, they genuinely last for ages before you need a replacement. My only real niggle is the little white eraser on the end. It is a bit on the small side, and if you use it heavily, it wears down to the plastic casing quite quickly. Once that happens, you have to be careful not to scratch the paper. It is perfectly fine for rubbing out a quick slip of the hand, but if you tend to make a lot of mistakes, you will probably want a proper standalone rubber nearby. Pro Tip: To get the absolute most out of each lead, try to only click out a tiny amount at a time-just enough to write with. If you let the lead get too long, it is much more prone to snapping under pressure, which just wastes the pencil. Keeping it short keeps it sturdy.
