Best ruled paper notebooks

Top pick: Leuchtturm1917 A5 Hardcover, Ruled. It's the notebook most people end up keeping: 80 gsm paper that takes fountain pen and gel ink without ghosting, a thread-bound spine that lies flat, and numbered pages with an index — so it works as a journal, a class notebook or a work log.

Who the others suit:

• Rhodia Rhodiarama A5 — heavier 90 gsm paper and a sturdier faux-leather cover; pick it if you write wet and want the smoothest page.
• Leuchtturm A5 Softcover — same paper, lighter and more flexible for a bag or back pocket.
• Cambridge Limited hardbound — letter-size pages and a pocket; best for meetings and desk work.
• Five Star spiral, college ruled — the cheap, tough choice for school, with perforated pages to tear out.
• Wirebound A5/B6 ruled — small, simple and pocketable for quick lists.
• Rifle Paper Co Pomegranate — if the cover matters as much as the paper.

Skip the Leuchtturm hardcover listing that shows no price — no store currently sells it at a price we could confirm.