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Wirecutter's top pick. Its panelists called the paper the "best out of the bunch", and the stitched binding lies flat. Sold out? Stock has been running low. Our backup is the Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Medium A5, with page numbers, an index and two ribbons. View on Amazon
View on AmazonPens to go with them are in our pen guide.
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Notable | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5 | Everyday notes with smooth paper | A5 · 192 pages | Wirecutter top pick | View on Amazon |
| Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Medium A5 | Journaling and planning | A5 hardcover · 251 pages | Wirecutter pick | View on Amazon |
| Paperage Hardcover Lined Journal | A hardcover notebook on a budget | 160 pages · 100 gsm | Wirecutter budget pick | View on Amazon |
| Maruman Mnemosyne N194A | Meeting notes and class notes | B5 spiral · 80 sheets (160 pages) | Wirecutter spiral pick | View on Amazon |
| Field Notes Original Kraft Memo Books (3-pack) | Carrying a notebook everywhere | Pocket · 48 pages | Wirecutter pocket pick | View on Amazon |
Best for: Everyday notes with smooth paper
✅ Buy if you like silky paper that shows off ink.
❌ Skip if you want a ribbon marker or page numbers.
View on Amazon
Best for: Journaling and planning
✅ Buy if you want an organized hardcover journal.
❌ Skip if you have large handwriting.
View on Amazon
Best for: A hardcover notebook on a budget
✅ Buy if you want hardcover features for less.
❌ Skip if you prefer thin, elegant paper.
View on Amazon
Best for: Meeting notes and class notes
✅ Buy if you want spiral binding and tear-out pages.
❌ Skip if you dislike plastic covers.
View on Amazon
Best for: Carrying a notebook everywhere
✅ Buy if you want a sturdy pocket notebook.
❌ Skip if you write with very wet fountain-pen ink.
View on AmazonThe Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5, Wirecutter's top pick. It has 192 pages, and its stitched binding lies flat.
Pocket for carrying (Field Notes, 3.5 × 5.5 in), A5 for everyday (Apica or Leuchtturm1917), and B5 for meetings and class (Maruman Mnemosyne N194A).
The Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Medium A5, with page numbers, index pages and two ribbons. Its 6 mm ruling is narrower than most, so skip it if you have large handwriting.
The Paperage Hardcover Lined Journal, Wirecutter's budget pick: 160 pages of thick 100 gsm paper, a ribbon bookmark and a back pocket.
Smooth paper flatters gel and fountain pens. Skip the Field Notes memo books if you write with very wet fountain-pen ink.
For list-makers, journalers and meeting-note takers who want paper that's nicer to write on than a drugstore notebook. These picks are our team's curated selection, checked against listing details. We haven't tested them hands-on.
Smooth or toothy? Wirecutter's panel compared feathering, ghosting and bleed.
Pocket, A5 or B5, matched to where you write.
Stitched, hardcover, spiral or staple. It changes how flat it lies.
Lined, dot or grid, plus ruling width where the review notes it.
