Best notebooks

Shortlist and buying guide · the ranked board is on its way

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What to look for

Paper weight (gsm) decides whether pens bleed through; dotted pages suit both writing and sketching.

Models worth comparing

From manufacturers' specifications and published UK reviews, read on 6 October 2026. Not tested by us. In no particular order: these are not ranked, and we do not say which is best until the customer ratings are in.

Budget

Oxford Black n' Red A4 Hardback Casebound Notebook

Students and office workers who want a tough, large-format ruled notebook for everyday notes at a low cost.

Sewn binding inside a hard-wearing matt hardback cover
Smooth white Optik Paper+ designed for writing on both sides
192 ruled A4 pages with a ribbon page marker

Watch out for: Oxford does not publish the paper weight, and it lacks extras such as numbered pages, an elastic closure or a back pocket.

Size: A4
Pages: 192
Ruling: Ruled
Binding: Sewn, hardback

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Sources: Oxford UK product page

Mid-range

Moleskine Classic Notebook Hard Cover Large

Anyone who wants the familiar hardback journal with a wide choice of sizes and page styles, from pocket to desk formats.

Lies flat and opens to 180 degrees
Rounded corners, elastic closure, ribbon marker and expandable back pocket
Offered dotted, ruled, squared or plain in five sizes from Pocket to XXL

Watch out for: Its 70 g/m² paper is the lightest of the hardback notebooks here, which matters if you write with wet inks.

Size: Large, 13 x 21 cm
Paper weight: 70 g/m², ivory, acid-free
Ruling: Ruled, dotted, squared or plain
Binding: Hard cover, lies flat

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Sources: Moleskine UK product page

Premium

Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Hardcover Notebook

Students, bullet journallers and anyone who needs to find notes again later, thanks to numbered pages and an index.

251 numbered pages with a blank contents page for indexing
Two page markers, gusseted pocket, elastic band and eight perforated sheets
Thread-bound so it opens flat, with labelling stickers included

Watch out for: Its 80 g/m² paper is lighter than Rhodia's 90 g/m², so fountain-pen users may prefer the Webnotebook.

Size: A5, 145 x 210 mm
Pages: 251, numbered
Paper weight: 80 g/m²
Ruling: Ruled, dotted, squared or plain
Binding: Thread-bound hardcover, opens flat

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Sources: Leuchtturm1917 UK product page · The Gadgeteer notebook guide

Pro

Rhodia Webnotebook A5

Fountain-pen users and long-form writers who care most about smooth, heavier paper.

90 g/m² ivory brushed vellum paper from Clairefontaine Rhodia
Italian leatherette hardcover with elastic closure, ribbon and expanding pocket
96 sheets, offered lined, blank or dot grid

Watch out for: There are no numbered pages or index, and it has fewer pages than the Leuchtturm1917 Medium.

Size: A5, 14.8 x 21 cm
Pages: 192 (96 sheets)
Paper weight: 90 g/m², ivory
Ruling: Lined, blank or dot grid
Binding: Leatherette hardcover

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Sources: Rhodia UK product page · The Gadgeteer notebook guide

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