AI Email Writing Tools: Real Testing Results

I write 30-50 emails per day. Tested AI email tools on actual work communication.

Here’s what actually saves time.

The Testing

I used each tool for real emails over two weeks:

• Client communications
• Cold outreach
• Internal team updates
• Follow-ups
• Difficult conversations

Then evaluated: speed, quality, and actual usefulness.

The Tools Tested

1. ChatGPT/Claude - General AI
2. Superhuman AI - Gmail enhancement
3. Lavender - Sales-focused
4. Mailbutler - Gmail/Outlook assistant
5. Grammarly - Writing enhancement

General AI: ChatGPT and Claude

Cost: Free or $20/month for Pro

How I use them:

Copy email context into AI, get draft response.

My actual prompt:

I need to reply to this email: [paste email]

Context: This is a client who’s 3 weeks into a project. They’re asking about timeline. We’re slightly behind but not critical.

Tone: Professional but reassuring. Acknowledge the concern, give update, show we’re on top of it.

Keep it under 150 words.

What I get: A solid draft I tweak and send.

Pros:

• Most flexible option
• Handles any email type
• Free tiers available
• Gets context right when you provide it

Cons:

• Requires copy/paste workflow
• Not integrated into email client
• You need to know how to prompt

Verdict:

Best value option. More work than integrated tools but more powerful and free.

Rating: 8/10 for capability, 6/10 for convenience

Superhuman AI

Cost: $30/month (includes Superhuman email client)

What it does:

Built into Superhuman email client:

• “Write” - Drafts from brief description
• “Reply” - One-click reply drafts
• “Shorten/Lengthen” - Adjust length
• “Fix grammar” - Polish writing

What I liked:

Speed. Type brief description, get full email. Genuinely fast.

Integration. Right there in my inbox. No switching apps.

Reply quality. “Reply” feature understands thread context.

What I didn’t like:

Price. $30/month for email client. Expensive.

Gmail dependency. You’re switching email clients.

Occasional misses. Sometimes drafts miss the nuance.

Verdict:

Best integrated experience, but you’re paying for the whole Superhuman package.

Rating: 8.5/10 for integration, 6/10 for value

Lavender

Cost: Free (limited) | $29/month Pro

What it does:

Sales email optimization:

• Real-time writing suggestions
• Email scoring
• Personalization tips
• Best practices coaching

What I liked:

Sales-specific. Knows what works in cold outreach.

Scoring. “This email is 72/100” with specific improvements.

Learning. Actually improved my cold emails over time.

What I didn’t like:

Sales focus. Less useful for non-sales emails.

Price. $29/month for a specialized tool.

Chrome-only. No mobile, no desktop app.

Verdict:

If you send lots of cold emails, worth it. Otherwise, too specialized.

Rating: 8/10 for sales users, 5/10 for general use

Mailbutler

Cost: Free (limited) | $9/month Essential | $15/month Pro

What it does:

Gmail/Outlook assistant:

• AI email drafting
• Email scheduling
• Tracking (opens, clicks)
• Templates

What I liked:

Affordable. $9-15/month is reasonable.

Multi-purpose. AI + scheduling + tracking.

Both platforms. Gmail and Outlook.

What I didn’t like:

AI quality. Not as good as ChatGPT/Claude.

Interface. Adds clutter to email.

Reliability. Occasional sync issues.

Verdict:

Good budget option if you want AI + other features. AI alone isn’t compelling.

Rating: 6.5/10

Grammarly

Cost: Free | $12/month Premium

What it does:

Writing enhancement (not AI generation):

• Grammar/spelling checks
• Tone detection
• Clarity suggestions
• Rewrite suggestions

What I liked:

Catches errors. Before sending important emails, Grammarly catches typos.

Tone checker. “This sounds slightly harsh” - useful feedback.

Everywhere. Works across all email clients.

What I didn’t like:

Not AI writing. Improves, doesn’t generate.

Oversuggests. Too many suggestions can be distracting.

Verdict:

Different category - editing, not writing. Useful alongside other tools.

Rating: 7/10 for what it does

My Actual Recommendation

For most people:

ChatGPT or Claude (free/Pro) + Grammarly (free)

Workflow:

1. Write key points or paste context to AI
2. Get draft
3. Paste into email client
4. Quick Grammarly check
5. Send

Cost: $0-20/month Time saved: 30-60 minutes daily

For high-volume emailers:

Superhuman (if budget allows)

All-in-one solution. Expensive but saves clicks.

For sales teams:

Lavender (for cold email optimization)

Specialized and worth it if outreach is your job.

For Gmail users on a budget:

Mailbutler Essential ($9/month)

Good enough AI plus useful extras.

What AI Email Tools Can’t Do

Write truly personal emails

Family, close friends, emotional situations - write these yourself.

Understand complex context

If the situation is nuanced, AI might miss it. Review carefully.

Replace judgment

Is this the right thing to say? When to be direct vs. diplomatic? Human decisions.

Be you

Your voice, your relationships, your reputation. AI drafts, you decide.

Best Practices

Do:

• Use AI for first drafts
• Always read before sending
• Customize AI output
• Add personal touches

Don’t:

• Send AI output blindly
• Use AI for highly sensitive emails
• Expect perfection
• Forget to proofread

Bottom Line

AI email tools save real time. The best choice:

Free/cheap: ChatGPT/Claude + Grammarly Integrated: Superhuman AI (expensive) Sales: Lavender

Start with free tools. Add paid options only when you hit limits. Email AI is helpful but not mandatory - the free options work well.