If you’re looking for an honest BIC Xtra Smooth review, the short answer is yes, they are absolutely worth it. This 40-count pack delivers a genuinely smooth writing experience at a price that’s hard to beat, making it a no-brainer for students and anyone who burns through pencils.
Exceptional user satisfaction at an extremely low cost.
Price vs. rivals
Cheaper
CheaperTypicalPricier
Priced well below typical 40-count mechanical pencil packs from major brands; offers strong value relative to peers.
Ease of use
Excellent 85/100
The high rating and familiar mechanical pencil design indicate it is easy to use for most people, with a simple button-advance mechanism and comfortable grip.
Overview of the BIC Xtra Smooth Review
The BIC Xtra Smooth Bright Mechanical Pencils, 40-Count, are exactly what the name promises: a no-nonsense, reliable mechanical pencil that glides across the page without the scratchy feel common in cheap models. The “bright” part refers to the barrel colors, which does more than look cheerful—it makes them easy to find in a cluttered desk or backpack.
This pack solves the problem of constantly buying pencils that jam, snap lead, or feel like sandpaper. It is aimed at students, teachers, and anyone who values a dependable writing tool over a fancy design. At roughly 23 cents a pencil, the math works out in your favor instantly.
Key Features from this BIC Xtra Smooth Review
0.7 mm Lead The sweet spot for general writing. Thicker than 0.5 mm, so it doesn’t snap under the pressure of a fast note-taker, but fine enough for neat work.
Smooth Writing Formula The lead is blended with a lubricant that seriously reduces friction. You feel the difference compared to a standard store-brand pencil—it genuinely feathers across the page.
Bright Colored Barrels Each pack has a mix of vivid colors like neon green, pink, blue, and orange. You can color-code subjects or just enjoy not losing your pencil in a pile of boring beige ones.
Comfortable Grip The rubberized textured grip gives you control without being sticky or too squishy. It’s firm enough for a long exam session.
Sturdy Pocket Clip The metal clip holds up better than most in this price range. Keeps it attached to a notebook or shirt pocket without snapping off.
Bulk Value Forty pencils for under ten dollars means you can scatter them around your house, car, and desk without worrying about losing one.
Fit for You in this BIC Xtra Smooth Review
You stock up for the school year and want something that lasts the whole semester without needing constant refills.
You love the look of BIC Xtra Smooth bright colored mechanical pencils because they are easy to spot in a noisy classroom or shared workspace.
You take a lot of standardized tests where a clean, dark bubble is critical and lead breakage is not an option.
You or your kids lose pencils constantly; a 40-count box softens the blow of a missing one.
You hate the feeling of a pencil scratching across paper like a cat on a window screen.
You want a reliable backup for the office that you don’t have to baby.
Uses
Picture a college lecture where the professor is flying through slides. You need a pencil that keeps up without jamming. The BIC Xtra Smooth does that. The lead advances reliably with a single click, and the writing is dark enough to read easily later.
For high school students filling in Scantron sheets, this pencil is a classic choice. The 0.7 mm lead covers the oval quickly and the graphite doesn’t smudge as much as softer leads.
Even for everyday journaling, list-making, or crosswords, the smooth feedback makes writing a little less of a chore. If you pick up a cheap pen and it skips, you get annoyed. This pencil doesn’t give you that irritation.
Experience with the 40 Count Pack
Opening the 40-count pack is oddly satisfying. You get an army of colorful pencils ready to deploy. The colors are strong—neon greens, pinks, blues, oranges. Not pastel, not muted. They look good sitting in a cup on your desk.
The click action is crisp for a disposable-style pencil. It’s not a premium drafting pencil click, but it has a solid “thwack” that feels reliable. The erasers are small and typical for the category: they work, but they vanish fast if you do a lot of correcting. You’ll likely reach for a separate block eraser after a week of heavy use.
The writing feel is where it earns its name. “Smooth” is the right word. There is a distinct lack of resistance. It feathers across cheap notebook paper and printer paper equally well. The grip is a standard BIC texture—firm plastic bumps rather than a squishy cushion. Some people prefer a softer grip, so if that is you, look at the Paper Mate Clearpoint.
The main trade-off here is the tip. It is not retractable. If you drop one point-first onto a hard floor, the metal sleeve can bend. It is fixable with pliers, but a bent tip writes scratchy until you do. That is the price of admission for a pencil that costs a quarter.
On the positive side, the clip is genuinely sturdy. You can clip it to a thin shirt pocket without ripping the fabric. BIC has a long history with this clip design and it shows in the durability.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Insane value Less than $10 for 40 pieces is tough to beat. It works out to around 23 cents per pencil.
Genuinely smooth writer The lubricated lead is noticeably less scratchy than generics and even some premium models.
Visible design The bright barrels are a productivity boost in a messy environment or dark backpack.
Good lead thickness 0.7 mm is the perfect compromise between durability and precision for everyday handwriting.
Reliable mechanism The click advance rarely jams, which is rare for pencils in this price bracket.
Cons
Small erasers They get consumed quickly with heavy use. You will want a decent block eraser on standby.
Non-retractable tip The metal sleeve can bend if you drop it. Students who drop things often might prefer a retractable model.
Grip shows wear The rubberized texture collects dust and grime over a long semester. It cleans up, but it takes effort.
Not for fine drafting work If you need a 0.5 mm lead for technical drawing or precise sketch work, this is the wrong tool.
Refill challenge While technically refillable, most people will just toss the pencil and grab a new one from the box due to the low cost.
Advantages
Let’s settle the debate of BIC Xtra Smooth vs Paper Mate Clearpoint. The Clearpoint has a twist-up eraser and a wider, softer grip, which some people love. The BIC has a firmer, more controlled feel, and the writing is objectively smoother due to the lead lubricant.
Compared to the standard BIC Evolution or regular BIC mechanical pencils, the “Xtra Smooth” name is not just marketing. The writing difference is immediate. As this BIC Xtra Smooth review has shown, the writing feel punches above the price tag. For anyone hunting for the best mechanical pencils for students on a budget, this combo of price, smoothness, and color variety is a strong contender.
The color variety is another real advantage. Most bulk packs are boring beige or black. The bright colors make them easy to share, easy to spot, and a little more fun to use daily.
Who Should Buy
Buy them if: You are a student, a teacher stocking a classroom, or a parent prepping for the school year. The smoothness and value are unmatched at this price point.
Skip them if: You need a giant eraser on the back of your pencil. Look at the Paper Mate Clearpoint or a Pentel Twist-Erase III. Also skip if you want a retractable tip for pocket carry.
Grab them if: You write a lot of notes and hate scratchy feedback. The “smooth” claim holds up.
Avoid if: You are a collector or need a metal drafting tool. This is a consumable, not an heirloom.
FAQ
Are BIC Xtra Smooth mechanical pencils worth it?
Yes, for standard school and office use. You get a reliable, smooth writing tool for a low price per unit. The writing experience punches well above its weight class for under ten dollars.
What lead size do BIC Xtra Smooth mechanical pencils use?
They use standard 0.7 mm lead. You can find refills at any office supply store, though the bulk pack price makes it easier to just grab a new pencil from the box.
Are BIC Xtra Smooth pencils good for standardized tests?
Very. The thick, dark line fills in bubbles cleanly and the 0.7 mm lead is less prone to breaking under the pressure of test conditions. It is a classic choice for a reason.
BIC Xtra Smooth vs Paper Mate Clearpoint: which is better?
The BIC writes smoother. The Paper Mate has a bigger eraser and a wider, softer grip. Choose the BIC for pure writing feel, choose the Paper Mate if you erase a lot or want a squishier hold.
How many pencils are in the BIC Xtra Smooth 40 count box?
Exactly 40 pencils. You get a mix of bright colors in the Bright edition, which makes them easy to spot in a backpack or on a cluttered desk.
Can you refill BIC Xtra Smooth pencils?
Yes. Take off the eraser and the metal tip, drop in a standard 0.7 mm lead stick, and put it back together. It is a simple process that gives the pencil a long life.
Final Verdict
The BIC Xtra Smooth is the smart choice for anyone who needs a pencil that works well and won’t cost a lot. It solves the problem of scratchy, unreliable cheap pencils without demanding the budget of a premium drafting tool.
This BIC Xtra Smooth review gives the 40-count pack a strong recommendation. Keep in mind the eraser is small and the tip isn’t retractable. But at this price for BIC Xtra Smooth mechanical pencils 40 count, you can just grab another one from the box. If you want a smooth writer that you do not have to baby, this is the one to get.
BIC Xtra Smooth pencils vs the Competition in 2026
The mechanical pencil aisle is full of bad choices. You have the bulk packs that jam the second you look at them wrong, and the high-end drafting pencils that cost more than a lunch budget for a week. The BIC Xtra Smooth Bright pencils try to sit right in the middle. They are cheap enough to buy in bulk but claim to have solved the lead breakage that makes cheap pencils so annoying. The 4.8 out of 5 star rating from thousands of buyers suggests they pulled it off. This BIC Xtra Smooth review compares the bright 40-count pack against the three biggest rivals in the 0.7mm space.
Product
Price Range
Key Strength
Key Weakness
Best For
BIC Xtra Smooth (40 count)
Budget (~$9.25)
Very smooth, low breakage lead; bright barrel colors
Small cap eraser; plastic tip; sleeve doesn’t retract
Bulk buyers; general schoolwork; color coding
Paper Mate Clearpoint
Budget (~$5/12)
Fully retractable lead sleeve; strong metal clip
Slightly scratchier lead; dull barrel colors
Pocket carriers; younger students
Pentel Twist-Erase III
Mid (~$7/3)
Large twist eraser; comfortable rubber grip
High cost per pencil; thick barrel
Heavy erasing; long writing sessions
Pentel P205
Premium (~$10/1)
Precision metal drafting sleeve; durable build
High cost; no eraser; sparse grip
Drafting; precise writing; artists
BIC Xtra Smooth pencils vs Paper Mate Clearpoint
This is the fight for the cheap-pencil crown. The Paper Mate Clearpoint has been the default classroom choice for years, mostly because of the retractable sleeve. You can throw it in a pocket or a binder loop without worrying about eating a hole through the fabric. The BIC Xtra Smooth doesn’t do that. Instead you get a metal collar that protects the tip from sideways snapping when you write—the kind of stress that kills cheaper pencils.
The BIC writes smoother. That is its main weapon. The lead genuinely feels slicker on standard notebook paper than the Clearpoint refill. You also get bright barrel colors in the 40-count pack, which makes them easy to spot in a crowded pencil case. For the same money, you get almost double the pencils compared to Clearpoint. If you keep your pencils in a case and want the best writing feel for the lowest price, the BIC wins. If you need a pocket pencil, the Clearpoint is a better fit.
BIC Xtra Smooth pencils vs Pentel Twist-Erase III
The Twist-Erase III is a luxury item in comparison. It has a big rubber grip, a massive eraser that you twist up, and a weightier feel. Every student who took a standardized test in the 2010s probably used one. The BIC Xtra Smooth feels like a disposable toy next to it. The barrel is smooth plastic, and the eraser is a tiny cap.
But the BIC lead is an actual competitor. BIC engineered it to break less often than standard Pentel refills, and the difference is noticeable on the page. The Pentel feels better in your hand. The BIC is just cheaper. For the cost of one three-pack of Twist-Erase IIIs, you can buy three 40-count boxes of BIC Xtra Smooth pencils. If you want a premium writing tool and erase constantly, get the Pentel. If you see pencils as a disposable tool for fast note-taking, the BIC Xtra Smooth is the smarter logic.
BIC Xtra Smooth pencils vs Pentel P205
The Pentel P205 is an icon. It uses 0.5mm lead, has a metal drafting sleeve, and is built like a tank. It costs ten bucks. The BIC Xtra Smooth uses 0.7mm lead, has a plastic tip, and costs a quarter. This is not a direct comparison, but plenty of people end up deciding between them because they are the two top sellers.
The P205 writes a very precise, thin line. If you draw or write tiny, it is the best for that. The BIC writes a dark, thick line that feels faster and smoother on the page. The P205 has no eraser. The BIC has a small cap eraser. The P205 is a long-term investment. The BIC is a commodity. If you need a drafting tool, the P205 is unbeatable. If you just want to write notes and do homework without thinking about your pencil, the BIC Xtra Smooth is the no-brainer.
The question of whether BIC Xtra Smooth mechanical pencils are worth it depends on your habits. For the vast majority of students, yes. You get a year’s supply of bright, easy-to-spot pencils that actually write smoother than the standard budget alternatives. If you hate losing expensive pens and want a pencil that just works without jamming, this is the one to get.
The only people who should look elsewhere are those who absolutely need a pocket-safe retractable sleeve (buy the Paper Mate Clearpoint instead). Or those who want a premium drafting tool or a heavy grip (the Pentel P205 or Twist-Erase III are better single investments). For everyone else in 2026, the BIC Xtra Smooth is the best mechanical pencil for students on a budget.
Ready to decide on the BIC Xtra Smooth pencils?
See today’s price, stock and delivery options on Amazon.
