The Best Notebooks on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers

More than 20,000 reviewers give this Amazon Basics notebook a five-star rating, with the majority describing it as a quality notebook for a good price. “It has the same high quality hardcover and binding of notebooks twice the price,” one says, adding, “The paper is just the right shade of off-white and thickness so that ink does not bleed. The writing experience is smooth and the size is perfect to keep in a suitcase, bag, jacket pocket (large) or hand-carry.” Another writes, “Ghosting can be seen on the back of papers, same as Leuchtturm 1917 papers, but zero bleeds through, same as Leuchtturm 1917 papers.” Compared to the Moleskine, “There is no real difference in quality, the paper feels the same and there is a back pocket,” according to another reviewer. In addition to its no-bleed, sturdy paper, the outside of this notebook is pretty durable too, “even when jostled around in the trunk of a car with hostages,” one reviewer jokes. “Elastic keeps the cover closed so my enemies can not see my plans to destroy them.”

Reviewers are as impressed by the quality of this notebook as they are with its low price tag. One “repeat customer” who notes how inexpensive it is likes that the notebook is “sturdy” enough to “turn it inside out to where I’m at [and] then back again days later without them falling apart.” Another reviewer who says that the pricing is “on point” writes, “I LOVE THESE. No more page ripping like in spiral bound notebooks. I still fold these back and have no issues.” And even a high school English teacher attests that they’re a “quality product at an affordable price.” They write, “My students use theirs every day (they don’t exactly handle things with care) and they are holding up extraordinarily well.”

“It really is the ideal, classic black notebook,” one reviewer says of this very popular dotted notebook — which ranked eleventh in our comprehensive testing of 100 notebooks — and it’s the one that Ryder Carroll, who invented the Bullet Journaling system uses. And it’s a classic for a reason: “Six months into this bullet journal experiment and I find myself more organized and prepared than my previous ‘I’ll remember that’ attitude,” one reviewer writes. A few reviewers say that the paper is also fairly sturdy. “I painted a quick wash of watercolors and it did not tear,” one reviewer writes. Another says, “The paper isn’t so thin that my pens and markers bleed through to the next page but it isn’t thick enough that you can’t see the dark marker from behind the page.” And other reviewers confirm that there is some ghosting but no bleeding.

Nearly 10 percent of five-star reviewers use this Minimalism Art for bullet journaling, a handful of whom specifically write that the notebooks are not only “less expensive than Moleskine and Leuchtturm hardcover notebooks, but actually of better quality! Thicker pages (no ghosting), leather-like cover, back pocket, elastic closure, ribbon bookmark — it’s all here!” Another previous Leuchtturm user agrees that the quality of this Minimalism Art notebook is “just as good or maybe even better” than our pick for the best-rated bullet journal, and a third reviewer adds that it has all the same features of premium bullet journals for a fraction of the price: “This is the kind of journal that feels so nice it’s intimidating the first time you write in it, but at the price it’s affordable.” Over 100 other customers comment on the soft-yet-sturdy feel of this notebook, including one self-described “incredibly picky” notebook user who describes the paper and cover as “so sturdy and soft, like straight-up luxurious feeling, all for under 10 bucks.”

Strategist editors are long-time fans of Moleskine notebooks, as are many Amazon reviewers.“I have been keeping sketchbooks and journals for over 30 years and have never found anything better than Moleskine,” one writes. “Reasonably priced, archival paper and sturdy enough to put up with being stuck in backpacks, overnight bags, sketch kits and dragged all over the planet on my travels.” A main selling point of these classic notebooks is how well they hold up over time. “The exterior cover is made of a solid material that has resisted water spillages in the past,” one writes. Another admits theirs is now completely destroyed after two and a half years of use, but it was a tough time: “During that time, this notebook had many ‘roles’ kicking around the cab of my delivery van. Besides being an ordinary notebook, It also has been used as a writing surface, a lunch tray, a bug squisher, a sun shield, a weapon, and everything else between. No other notebook would survive half of that as well as this has.” Reviewers also point out that ink does not bleed from page to page, even when writing with fountain pen, and according to former Strategist writer Hilary Reid, who tested a larger version of this notebook, the page quality is “excellent and has that classic Bavarian-cream color of all Moleskine pages.”

Over 100 reviewers say this notebook’s pages can more than accommodate the ink from fountain pens. “There is no bleeding or feathering. And sheen and shimmer does show up fairly well on the pages,” one reviewer writes. Another says, “The ink I use is a really wet J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir with a medium-sized Japanese nib and the pages take the ink like a champ.” They add, “There is no bleed through whatsoever and I was incredibly impressed.” The other benefit of the thick paper, even if you’re not using a fountain pen, is that it’s hard to smudge the ink across the page. When Strategist senior editor Anthony Rotunno tested the spiral version of this notebook for our ranking, he said, “I am a lefty, and I tested all my notebooks with a pencil, and this excelled at the smudge test.”

This spiral notebook is a hit among college students on Amazon. “The five subject aspect is perfect for the standard college student,” one says. “I’ve been using these since I was a freshman — I’m now a junior — and they are perfect for hefty college use.” Each section can be dedicated to a different class, and according to one engineering student, they last an entire semester: “I usually take about 18 credits every term and this has plenty of space for me to take notes on.” As far as the quality goes, the pages are thick enough that ink does not bleed through the page, which means “both sides are still useable.” Another reviewer says that the “pages flip smoothly through the rings.”

Of this Moleskine’s nearly 6,000 five star reviewers, well-over 100 of them call out its soft cover. “The cover is very supple, soft and durable,” writes a reviewer who also likes that the pages are “sewn in rather than glued.” Another devout purchaser who claims they’ve “been using Moleskine for the last 8 years or so” notes that the “soft flexible cover is ideal for being on-the-go, because you can always bend it back and around unlike the hardcovers.” And a third reviewer who’s “tried countless notebooks from various brands” keeps coming back to this one because “the quality of the paper is amazing and something about having a soft cover makes it more comfortable for me to lug around in my bags.”

In addition to being well-constructed, this Dingbats notebook is sustainably crafted from degradable, recyclable, and vegan materials — and that’s what convinces many reviewers to pick it over others. “It can be difficult to find a product that looks cute and is functional but vegan. This one checks all the boxes,” writes one reviewer, who also describes the notebook as “high quality,” with a “durable cover.” Another reviewer, who finished writing a book in this notebook, agrees that in addition to its long-lasting cover and pages, “What’s really special is the company’s commitment to the environment and wildlife” — pointing to Dingbats’ ongoing contributions to the UK World Wildlife Fund. In addition to including details in each notebook about endangered species, the notebook includes an index, future log, and bullet keys, which over 100 customers say make it great for bullet journaling. The features are “time savers, but pretty subtle and unobtrusive” says one bullet journaler, who appreciates the company’s commitment to sustainability and this journal’s “smooth yet sturdy” pages.

“I’m only half-joking when I say these notebooks kind of make me mad,” writes one reviewer. “I’m upset that nobody told me about them sooner!” This reviewer lives in the Pacific Northwest and says, “They are perfect for wet and rainy weather as well as anything else you can throw at them.” Dozens of other reviewers also say this little top-spiral notebook holds up to its waterproof claims. “The paper in these notebooks truly can be used in the rain with no problem, yet there is no need for a special pen, and of the dozen or so I tried work just fine,” one writes, while another says, “Yes, I have put them thru the laundry (both the washing machine and the dryer) and when I realized what I had done I didn’t feel too badly — The writing was still on each page.” They can even withstand more intense situations. “I’ve tested them TOTALLY SUBMERGED for 12 HOURS with very favorable results,” one writes, while a phlebotomist says, “This notebook even repels blood and other bodily fluids when accidents happen.” Its durability combined with its compact size make a lot of reviewers call this the perfect EDC or everyday carry notebook. When Strategist editor Simone Kitchens tested this she felt the same saying “This shrunken notepad is best equipped for grocery lists, daily tasks, or highly abbreviated notes. It takes up minimal room in a bag or coat and could be stuffed into a back pocket.”