Posted by Here’s ten typewriters that will be sure to please.
But before you get into them, I encourage you to read what has been posted on One Typed Page. It’s a site I created where you can submit a typed page. Each day we get pages from around the world. And I post them for everyone to read. Perhaps a page will help during these difficult times. If you have a typewriter, consider sending a page! Thanks for visiting.
The list is numbered, but don’t let the numbering sway you. Any of these will do the job. Most are from the 1950s or later. They’re not collectible. They’re not antiques. They’re for working writers.
You should be able to nab one for under $200 that probably just needs a new ribbon. They’re all portables, because they’re easier to ship and are more readily available. A quick search on eBay or Etsy will yield several results. Most are plentiful, while some may exist in fewer quantities. But wait a week or two and you’ll likely find a good one.
Have I overlooked any that should be on the list?
Nominate your worthy ones in the comments section!
Remember: this is the typewriter you’d recommend to your writer friend as their first typewriter. They’re relying on you to come through!
That’s why this list may appear conservative. I usually recommend a regular portable, not the ultra-portable and not a standard desktop.
Get started on a portable, then once you’re in the habit, decide if a different size or style might better suit your needs.
10. Royal Quiet Deluxe 1950s.
Post-war boomer style and function at its peak. The key action is light. It’s basket shifted. Plus it comes in a variety of colors! If you can’t match the right palate, the standard machine will fit with any style. The only issue I’ve found with these machines is the button that pops the lid can come pop open if you’re typing too hard. Just slap a little duct tape on it and you’re good to go! You’re a writer, improvise! This is a fun typewriter!
9. Hermes Rocket
My ultra-portable exception! Hey, it’s made in Switzerland! These babies were popular with the journalist set for a reason. Get a 1960s vintage or later. It’s only weakness: the stubby carriage return lever is not that great. The last version of the Rocket finally had a longer lever. Nice! Every Rocket I’ve owned had a rock hard platen. Maybe they came that way! If you plan on setting on your desk, unscrew the bottom plate and scrape off the hardened rubber feet and super glue some new ones on. I get the clear rubber kind from Ace Hardware (Part No. 5182381). Otherwise, it’d also work great on your lap reclining in a barcalounger.
8. Underwood Champion
Muscular and solid. When you punch a key it feels like you’re getting in the ring. Rock ‘em sock ‘em! You can go all twelve rounds with the Champ. The gloss black one is to die for. But hard to find and can get pricey! But the regular model is just as good. The keys tops are big for you big handed writers. Even if you have delicate digits, this handsome guy is not hard to wrangle. It’s only weakness: the heavier carriage shift.
7. Olympia SM 3&4
The key action is perfection. Each is spring loaded with solid Bakelite tops. These are writing machines. The lines and colors inspire. The chrome sparkles. The carriage glide is steel on glass. Quiet. Smooth. On track. An engineering marvel. That’s the great, what’s the dirt? Rock hard platens. If you get one on the cheap, you’ll probably be able to bounce a penny off the platen. I’ve had many and they’ve all had this issue, and when you type it makes an annoying smacking sound. It also has the heavy carriage shift. But the key action and carriage glide may outweigh any heaviness to you.
6. Olympia SM7
By the 1960s, Olympia ditched style in favor of a more utilitarian machine. The keys are light and the carriage glide is smooth and easy. You can usually find these for under a $100. Plus, sometimes you can find one with a blue front panel. Cool! It nudges the SM3 because the platen will most likely be in better condition. However, it still has the carriage shift. But it feels lighter than the SM3. When searching for these, sellers often don’t know about the SM7 and lump them with the SM9s, or don’t label it all. Do a search for Olympia typewriter and you’ll get everything. The front panel on the SM7 is what gives it away.
5. Smith-Corona Sterling (pre-1960s) / Silent / Super Silent
An American speedster. The floating shift is what sets this machine apart. Where Olympia over-engineered, Smith-Corona went for simplicity. They don’t feel as tight, but they can fly! It’s a smaller portable and feels very personal. My only complaint is the ratcheting sound when you return the carriage. The 1950s colors are not the most inspiring! The platens are usually rocks, but somehow this doesn’t affect the sound or the imprint. I’m lumping the 1950s with the 1940s models, because the internals feel the same, just the 1940s style is way cooler! Plus, those glass top keys! The 1950s models are plentiful, but there’s also plenty of junky ones. They must’ve made these by the millions. You’re buying a solid typewriter lineage. A good one will not disappoint.
4. Olivetti Studio 44
An under-appreciated performer. You can usually snag a good one on the cheap. They’re a bit big for a portable, but that’s a good thing. It feels solid. It’s heavy. It has a big paddle on the carriage return lever. The carriage return is quiet and smooth. I’ve always found them to have good, soft platens. The typing is muted. The curves and color speak to the artist. It’s called the Studio for a reason. What’s not to like? The keys feel a bit stiff. Just slightly. Not a biggie. Really.
3. Hermes 3000
Fleet footed for sure. The keys feel soft, yet strike confidently. They’re cupped just right to fit the tips of your fingers. The insulated body mutes the sound. Many typewriters have an exposed undercarriage, not so on the Hermes. The bottom is covered, helping keep out dust and other nasties. The carriage glide is butter. Not super quick, but oh, so smooth. This is a class act. It has a matching snap-on shell to keep her covered, yet maintain her good looks. I’ve always found them with good, rubbery platens. However, the feet have usually hardened. I’d say scrape them off, but unfortunately, they’re oblong shaped and hard to find something that would fit in their place. Get a typewriter pad and your problem is solved! Otherwise, this typewriter will slip on your desk.
2. Olivetti Lettera 32
Slim. Quick. Light. It’s an Italian Ferrari, but without the iconic red. Who can write on a red typewriter? (There is the Olivetti Valentine, but that’s another story!) Olivetti picked the right color for the Lettera. The Lettera 32 occupies a unique position between portable and ultra-portable. It’s the laptop of typewriters. Plus, it has the easy going basket shift. The return lever is small and the space bar thin, but not so much that it affects usability, unless you’re in the brute squad. The key tops are flat, but have a slight indentation so you feel grounded on the keyboard. The platens are usually in great shape, pliant and soft. You could go with the Lettera 22 if it’s in great shape. They feel similar. But the 32 is newer. Newer is better. Here’s what Cormac McCarthy had to say of his Lettera 32:
It has never been serviced or cleaned other than blowing out the dust with a service station hose. I have typed on this typewriter every book I have written including three not published. Including all drafts and correspondence, I would put this at about 5 million words over a period of 50 years.
1. Olympia SM 9
The pinnacle of manual typewriter technology. Solid. Dependable. You can’t go wrong with one of these. Olympia finally went with the basket shift. Light and easy. The platens are usually in great condition. The carriage glide is smooth and quiet. The keys are light and responsive. There’s nothing wrong with an SM9. Nothing. It’s perfect. It’s plain vanilla, but hey, this is a writing machine and you’re a writer. It’s a job. The SM9 is up to the task.
I know, I know, Olympia, Hermes and Olivetti dominate the top 10! They were popular in the day and they remain that way.
Have another to nominate? Toss it in the comments and write a review!
Typewriter Review 
Daniel I think this is a fine list. I own several of the machines that you recommend. Oh, don’t forget about the Olympia SM2. Great machine. A little more basic than the SM3 (for example, no tabs), but for pure writing it does a fine job. I bought mine with recovered platen and rollers and it is very nice!
A nice list, I have some of these! But I’d put the Lettera 22 above my 32 every time, as the 32 has a more flimsy feel to it’s action, somehow. The 22 has much nicer lines too, and the smooth finish of the paint on the 22 is more pleasing to the fingers and eye than the slightly rough nubbly paint texture of the 32.
However my number one recommendation for writing long hours at the moment is the 1950s Smith Corona Sterling/Silent. Super machine. (the keys on the earlier Smith Coronas are some kind of bakelite-plastic material which have a better feel than glass)
Looking forward to your next post.
Lettera 22 and 32 have the same smooth paint if they’re the italian versions. The spanish version of the 32 seems to be the one with the textured paint. I like the 32 for a few reasons; feet in better condition (22’s are sometimes rotted away entirely), platen usually softer, draw string on larger mainspring more secure (it can easily slip off of 22’s tiny drum during shipping), flip up paper fingers better designed. Lettera 22 I prefer for the lines, the round keys on earlier ones, and the carriage lock is a lot nicer; 32’s seems flimsy and often engages automatically.
Enjoying your posts Daniel. I also own a few of your highlighted machines. I really like my Lettera 22 as the person above says. If it were my list, I would have included my SC Skyriter among the Top 10. Very solid little machine, with good feel for the size. But you have the Rocket in that category… a machine that’s on my wish list.
Great list! Thanks for putting it out there for us.
I’ve not used a Hermes 3000 but I very much enjoy using my Hermes 2000. I also use the SC SM7; great little typer.
Excellent list, but I question why the 1940’s Royal QDL/Aristocrat is not at the top of the list, rather than the 1950’s model? Have you not tried one? (:
The 1940s Royal Quiet Deluxe is a fine machine! I’ve reviewed it here with positive comments. My criteria weighted more towards newer machines as potentially having less issues. The 1950s model felt similar to the 1940s, so I gave the nod to newer. Plus, the 1950s model had all those cool colors!
Hello I was curious what typewriter you would suggest now that it’s 2018? I’d like to start typing again. I would like a typewriter that has a case, perhaps lighter weight and not so light on the keys more solid touch, what do you suggest?
In my experience solid comes with weight! I went from the wafer-light (like the Smith Corona Skyriter – a great machine) to my present favorite of Olympia SM 3 & Triumph Perfekt. Neither are particularly light – but man what fun to type with! Next Stop – Olympia SG 1 – even more gargantuan, but that’s OK.
I am amazed indeed. You have included the Olivetti Lettera 32 in the second place, despite I am mistrustful about portable Olivetties (What do know Italy about industry and engineering?). For example, I have the Lettera 31 (a.k.a. Dora), the previous model whose “chassis” and whose “engine” (I don’t know how to name the inner metallic body that supports the rest of the pieces, and those pieces) were inherited from the Olivetti Valentine (Valentine and Dora are almost the same machine; the difference is in the cases only) and later used for the Lettera 32 (The difference between the 31 and the 32 are just the keyboard, the case and some extra features such as the tabulator and the sheet’s back holder included in the Lettera 32). But the main trouble with all portable Olivetties are their misaligned types (It’s very hard to match and to twin uppercases with lowercases in the same line. Normally they are slightly twisted and sometimes some letters are printed either above or below the line). Besides, sometimes those models share a serious defect: The lack of this sign “!”. Putting aside those errors, I could consider Olivetti Valentine, Lettera 31 (Dora) and Lettera 32 as almost perfect portables because of its weight (I can lift one of them with only one hand, and even a little four-aged child could handle it) and its size (the Lettera 32 comes inside a bag that seems a purse, perfect for traveling to places without neither electricity nor adequate places for working with it; even it might rest on my lap like a portable computer). I suppose this is the why the Olivetti Lettera 32 is still the most popular portable typewriter in Mexico (Our poverty sometimes forces us to use “obsolete” technology)…xD
Regarding the first model on your list, the Olympia SM 9, I am more amazed, because I have the standard machine that was used as basis for creating the portable version, the Olympia SG 3. It means I have a complete, full version of the SM 9 and therefore a beautiful piece of German engineering, but made in my own country, Mexico. Now I understand why the Olympia SG 3 (SM 9 is hard to find) is the most popular standard typewriter in my country, Mexico…xD
I’ve heard rumblings on various blogs about sketchy Lettera 32s. I’ve gone through several and they’ve all been fine machines. Even the Spanish and Canadian ones! Smile. I agree the type alignment is sometimes off a bit, but the adjustment on them is super easy. But then again, unless the alignment is way off, I’m not too concerned. The typewriter is for rough drafts only. Super rough. Bad copy, rough.
Facit TP1 definitely belongs in there. 🙂
Love the Facit! Just hard to find. I’d rank next to the Olympia SM 9. But the nod went to the SM 9 because there’s tons of them! But if you can find a Facit TP1, 2 or 1620, go for it!
No love for the standards, I see. My blue Royal FP is sad.
One machine which I feel ought to be represented here is the often-overlooked Remington QuietRiter(tab) & LetterRiter(no tab). They’re as common as cows, almost always have excellent rubber, and offer a unique light & snappy touch at the keys. Mechanically they are about as durable as typewriters get: extremely well designed, easy to work on, simple to adjust, and in the event something does go wrong, parts machines are easily available. Aesthetically, I prefer the very first model(the green & black two-tone All New Personal) but the layer models are almost identical under the hood.
The only drawback with these for a newcomer to typewriters might be the spool design on the ribbon – it’s a unique thing, requiring one to wind the ribbon into the machine by hand, but it isn’t as hard to manage as you might think & is by no means a deal breaker. Given that you can normally find one of these quiet little gems in excellent shape for well under $50, I believe they certainly merit consideration.
All this being said, my daily writing normally happens on a Torpedo 18…or an Erika 5…or a Tippa…or a Consul…or a Streamliner…or a good ol’ Corona Folding…but that’s all another story 🙂
The 50s QDLs are so much flimsier and unpleasant than the 1940s ones. And in my experience the 50s ones are for more likely to have skipping issues or mechanical failures. I think you have left off the greatest typewriter ever made and substituted it’s poor successor.
I agree with every entry on the list. Personally, the SM9 wasn’t my favorite. The feel and sound didn’t do anything for me, but I ADORE my SM3. I’ve never had a QDL pop open on me while typing, but then again, I haven’t used mine nearly that much.
I agree…kinda. I find that the SM3 is more stately and solid feeling, but the SM9 just FLIES! So it’s really a matter of mood rather than quality for me (my mood – their quality!)
It surprises me every time that Seidel & Naumann Erika’s go so unnoticed and underestimated by most writers and collectors.
I have used and owned many, many machines. I tried them all, SM3, 7, 9, Hermes 3000, lettera 32, 22, all those royal’s, corona’s, Remington’s and underwood’s, but no one, not a single one comes even close to the quality’s of an Erika.
To Everybody who wants a machine to truly work with, if you can get one, get an Erika. If you don’t love them, you haven’t tried them.
My 1939 Erika Modell M is the finest machine I have ever written on, most standard machines don’t even come close to it’s sturdy, smooth and valuable feel.
The Erika Modell M might be the “best” portable out there.
However, there are better standard (office) machines out there, the Mercedes favorite, some Ideal machines, many underwood’s and Remington’s, Royal’s and many more. But so far as portables go, the Erika Model M is as good as it gets.
Which machine do you prefer between the Erika M and the Erika 9?
I second the motion! Once you’ve used an Erika, all others feel flat. They are a rare breed, indeed. And especially ones with the QWERTY layout.
Although the Olivetti Lettera 32 and 22 are the ones which in my opinion come the closest to the experience some Erika’s provide, plus there are much more common, relatively cheap and easier to get. You simply cant go wrong with a Lettera 32 / 22.
When someone asks me what machines to get, I always suggest those two.
I really don’t like the studio 44. The typing feels off and the keys are poorly shaped and oddly spaced.
I’ll throw in the pre-war royal portables. The Model O is gorgeous, if light on features, and the quiet deluxe is at least as good as anything else I’ve typed on. Both are fast, beautiful, and easy to use.
However, if we are talking a typewriter for writers, nothing beats a good segment shifted standard machine. Particularly the Corona super speeds.
Thanks for the great list. I use an Olympia SM4 and don’t find the lack of a basket shift much of an issue. There are two nuts which can be tightened to lighten the carriage lift mechanism. I have it adjusted so that it takes very little effort to raise it and I’m very happy with it. It’s also a gorgeous grey and yellow machine in perfect shape which a retired typewriter repairman sold to me for forty dollars. And that’s including the tuneup!
Rob
Hmm I’m really debating between a Olympia SM9 or A SM 2,3,4 lol Someone help…… please 🙂
SM 4, or a early 3 if you cant get a 4, SM9’s are flimsy in my opinion, and of much lower quality. but there are some who prefer them over the SM 3 and 4, I think this is more about personal preference. But a clear fact is that the Olympia SM 3 and 4 are of much higher quality and are more “compact” machines the the SM 9, also the Keys have less “play” on the SM 3/4, which is a big deal for some (me for example). In the end I think is all comes down to what design you prefer.
But then again, a Erika (5 Tab, 6, M, 8, 10) is allays the best way to go regarding typing experience and quality, but they are hard to get in the US.
Thank you for your opinion!
What do you mean by less play? I’m really new to this…
Just that the Key tops “wiggle” a little bit less, that feels more solid and contributes to a more precise typing feel. But like I said, there are many who actually prefer the feel of the later Olympia, like the SM7 and 9. I think the best would be to give both of them a shot, these machine are usually relatively cheap to get in good condition. To have more then just one machine can be quite beneficial on the long therm for a writer, and just because you have more then one doesn’t make you a collector 😉
I agree, the earlier Olympias are more solid. However, the SM9 has a lighter key touch and the basket shift makes the shifted characters easier on the fingers. The SM3 & 4s use the heavier carriage shift, meaning the entire carriage needs lifting, rather than just the basket of keys.
Thank you both for your help 🙂 I really appreciate it and I am excited to find the right one for me. Do you use it to write or for fun?
what are your thoughts on the sm2?
I never owned a SM2, but most people preffer the SM3 & 4. The SM2 is basically a stripped down SM3 (without tabulator For example). I would always prefer a early SM3 or a SM4 over a SM2, but I never typed on one, they may be lovely typers, they are just not as comfortable to work with.
The SM2 specimen I own has a slightly heavier key touch than my later SM machines (SM4, SM9). They keys don’t leap off your finger tips the way they do on the SM4 and SM9. Even so, the SM2 is a fine machine. I don’t know what Olympia did engineering-wise to improve the key touch on the SM models.
For what it’s worth, I find the key touch on the Smith Corona Galaxie machines to be the best I have experienced, even if the keys have a lot of play. But the Galaxie’s carriage action is very inferior to that of the Olympias.
I also found this Video on YT, maybe that gives you a little overview of the SM2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHWw361oMSQ
I use a Blue Bird (1954) as my main typewriter. It’s the same as the Torpedo 18, but rebranded for the UK, as I don’t suppose ‘Torpedo’ would have gone down too well in the UK after the war. It really feels up to the job.
Another great writer’s typewriter is the Imperial Good Companion 5. Mine is 1960. This has probably the sleekest carriage return lever of any typewriter ever.
Both of those are workhorses. But I also like my 1935 Underwood Universal, simply because it puts me in the typewriter ‘zone’. But not so much a workhorse. That said, I typed half a novel on a 1923 Underwood 3-bank. When I returned to this typewriter a few years later I was really surprised I’d typed so much on it, as it’s quite fiddly. But this just shows that the best typewriter for writing on is the one you happen to be writing on.
I’ve always wanted to try an Imperial! What a great name, The Good Companion.
The Blue Bird is a much lovelier name for The Torpedo.
And great parting advice! Thanks for the reminder.
Some of the very early Imperials have a massive arc of throw for the keys, and I don’t find them very usable, like watching fish thrashing about on the deck of a boat, but at least I trebled my money by fixing one up, dating it, and selling it to someone looking for an authentic typewriter to use in a war movie.
The Good Companion 5 is probably the best one they made. Quite similar action to the Torpedo/Blue Bird, but a little lighter. I believe there was some crossover between Imperial and Torpedo in terms of mechanisms. I think though for me when typing fast the Blue Bird ‘keeps up’ just marginally better than the Good Companion 5, but the carriage return is better on the Imperial. It gets to the point of excessive fussiness and when I want to write the one that’s on the desk already is the one I want to use.
I couldn’t get on at all with the Lettera 22. Quite ‘spongy’ action I think, as if the keys are held back by elastic bands. I prefer the decisiveness of the Blue Bird and Imperial GC5.
I own two late 60’s Hermes 3000 typewriters and use them daily for writing. I’ve owned and used an Underwood manual and two different Smith-Corona electric typewriters, but my Hermes ones are by far my favorite. I bought my two Hermes beauties from an Etsy shop (NeOld) that refurbishes classic typewriters. They are majestic machines. I got my first one and loved it so much. But I was hauling it back and forth from our lakehouse. Finally broke down and got a second one. I love the smooth feel.
Should be noted for those considering that manual typewriters are much different than electric ones. The keys are harder to strike and do not type like a computer keyboard. But, that is what I love. It makes me think more about what I’m writing. The result is more succinct, fluid text that requires less editing later.
Get some good heavy paper for the Hermes 3000. I use 24-pound paper. Because cheap paper is thinner, the keys will sometimes strike through the paper. It took me some time to learn to type with a lighter touch.
Love the hard shell case. Keep the cover on when not in use to keep out dust. They are on the heavy side, but are well made and built to last.
Great endorsement for the 3000! Also, good tip about the paper. In fact, typewriter companies often recommended TWO sheets of paper.
I agree re the Quiet Riter – it’s a brilliant machine and so unsung. I think if I made my Top 10 it would also include: the SMs3 & 9, &/or an SG3. The Hermes 2000 & 3000 (but NOT the Baby). Silent-Super. Lettera 22. I mean, these are the famous ones you can just work work work on. I also just got a Blue Bird 18b and it feels like an SM3 to me. Which is a great thing. But it lacks the touch control: the only downer.
And the other ones I love, and I mean love, are the Gromas. I know most people don’t, but I seem to have got really lucky with a slightly beat-up-looking Kolibri: it has an amazing touch. And a 1955 Modell T. The Gromas have a really beautiful typeface.
Also, I got a 1955 Halda not too long ago and it has a really unique sort of light touch. Very nice indeed.
But for sheer hard work, really I might go with the SG3 or the 3000. Or the 2000.
Fwiw I can’t stand the good Companion – despite its name it seems a grim little machine to me. Stingy in its proportions and with that weird flatbed arm throw. The Skyriter has a better feel than the Baby but it’s not sturdy enough to be in a Top 10. My favourite ultra-portable at the moment, for actually travelling with, is a Consul. Light, uncomplicated, and really fast and easy to type on. Lighter than the Kolibri. Very sweet and pleasant indeed.
The SG3 is a regal machine. Consul minis are magnificent. And they usually come with a stylish carrying bag!
I purchased an SM9 (1970) a few weeks ago and have banging away at it for the last two weeks. It is a fine machine, a real writer’s machine and I have been loving the feel of it. That said, for the first time in two weeks, I took out my Smith Corona Silent (1949) and went to town on it for a few pages. Truth to tell, I’m partial to the feel of the Smith Corona over the Olympia. It’s a much louder machine (ironically called Silent) and I’ll send the platen out next week to have it recovered, but I’m impressed with how that 1949 machine still holds up. Both are still great machines, but I’m leaning toward the Smith Corona.
Those late 1940s Smith-Coronas are wonderful writing machines! They don’t get much better than those! Glass top keys, floating shift, fade to black body, they got the feel in spades! Enjoy the new platen!
Interesting list, but I miss Erika M and 10. My top 5 would be Erika M, Hermes Baby, Erika 10, Facit Privat, Olivetti Lettera.
I think this a solid list, and I consulted it when I started buying typewriters two months ago (I now have 14). I love my Underwood Champion and use the SM9 occasionally, mostly for submissions to publishers, since I find its typeface best suited for that purpose. I prefer the SM5, though, and think it’s vastly underrated. Another machine that gets short shrift is the Remington Monarch. If I had to choose just one, that would be it. I also have two tanks I would never part with: an Underwood Rhythm-Touch and a Royal KMM. The latter, however, gets little use because of its tiny typeface. However, it’s the one I use when I really want the words to flow. And it’s beautiful to look at.
What about the East German machines?
Groma, Rheinmetall, and Erika come to mind.
I have a Rheinmetall and a Triumph Perfekt – I adore them both.
My Underwood Deluxe Quiet Tabs remain some of my best typers. Nice short crisp action, excellent key spacing, and they really fly. The two earlier Deluxe Quiet Tab versions remind me of a 1950s Buick; there is also a later boxier “Golden Touch” version. Plus, with the “Golden Touch” version and the 2nd “Buick” version, you may get that way cool semi-techno typeface with the bulbous p,q,d, and b and the square period. They’re worth it for that alone!
I get why you focused on portables, but would you say that for someone whose typewriter never leaves the desk, a standard is better? If so, which is the best?
Great question! I’ve used a few standards and must admit the action feels quite superb and often exceeds a portable. I don’t often get them since shipping can be much higher and since they don’t have a case, extra care needs to be taken so it arrives undamaged.
The best one I used was a 1950s Olympia SG1. Looks like an overgrown SM3, but here’s the best part, it had the much lighter basket shift! But considering the size of the carriage, that would’ve been an impossible feat. For a big machine it felt more nimble than the portable counterpart.
Also, the standards seem more forgiving in terms of typebars getting stuck together. I always had a hard time no matter how fast I typed to get any to jam. While the action is quite nice, I found the size of the standard rather distracting. And doo-dads and levers and all sorts of stuff, they have them in spades. Things we writers don’t need. I view the portable more like writing on a laptop, and the standard like writing on an office PC with a 21″ display.
Here’s a piece about David McCullough writing with his Royal KMM — an office standard:
http://blog.wellreadlife.com/my_weblog/2009/12/david-mcculloughs-ode-to-slow-and-a-tribute-to-the-typewriter.html
As I write you this message, I’m listening to my 11-year-old daughter bang away at my Smith Corona Skyriter that she has co-opted. Although that makes my humble writer’s heart sing, I am now in need of another portable typewriter so I can gift it to her for Christmas and reclaim my own. I’m currently eyeing the Olympias on eBay, but I’ve read on Reddit (of all places!) that the newer models (white top, black keys and base) suffer from poorer quality control and don’t feel as nice as the older models (greyish base and blue-green shift keys). Is this true or would a neophyte/writer hobbyist such as myself not really notice the difference?
First she steals your iPad, now your typewriter!! ha. You big softie! smile.
Not sure about the color combination theory of quality control. I do know the difference between SM3&4, 5, 7 and 9 — spanning much of the 1950s and 60s, and with these models the higher the model number the newer it becomes. The 3&4s are super nice and solid. The 5 looks similar, and I’ve just gotten them in the all white models. The 5 feels a bit lighter and quicker and less prone to mechanical ills. It is a bit newer. And usually the platen is more supple than the older models. It comes down to color. The 3&4s come in nice muted colors: green, brown, burgundy, grey– while the 5 has similar body, but usually all white. Which seemed to be the future trend for Olympia. The 7 and 9 — that bland white. Not my fav. But still great typers! Bottom line: will you notice the difference? Not much between 3-4-5s. Just make sure it works good and from reputable seller. Ask for typed sample with mixed upper and lower. These can often get way out of alignment. A little bit off is OK. You’re not turning in final draft here. Enjoy!
Ah, thanks for such a speedy and comprehensive reply! If I may be so forward as to make one more inquiry? Would you happen to know what model this could be? http://www.ebay.com/itm/152352449888?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&autorefresh=true
It’s an SM7.
Brilliant! Thank you! 🙂
A great list!! All of these are worthy tools and loyal companions to the writer! I’m lucky to own a Royal QDL, Underwood Champion and an Olympia SM3 – all wonderful in their own unique ways and all of them great machines.
But when it’s really crunch time, and I need to get down to business I generally bypass my portables. My issue is that I find myself taking my portables to a location where the environment is not conducive to typing or writing. Writing out on the back patio is wonderful on a beautiful day, and I succumb to the million distractions lurking around the yard. Or, the table is too high or the chair is too low, or the typewriter slides around too much, or the wind keeps blowing my notes around … seems like I just don’t get very much accomplished.
For my own good, I need to be in a controlled environment, with good lighting, and a heavy, muscular, writing machine perched next to my desk on a stand that is between 26 and 28 inches high. My manual, full-sized, standard typewriters are my most writerly typewriters. I would enjoy seeing your list of favorite standards!! You mentioned the Olympia SG1, which is an incredible machine! Any others you enjoy using?
Don’t get me wrong, I love my portables, too! But I save those for traveling and fun projects that don’t have hard deadlines or urgency.
Thanks for the list and your site!!
To be honest, I haven’t used many “standard” typewriters! Though, I agree, the portable I write with is stout and heavy — a 1947 Smith-Corona Sterling! There is something to be said about establishing a solid foothold for your writing station. A place that never wavers, despite the shifting winds of our desires and distractions. A standard typewriter is great because its size limits your ability to swap it out for another. And if you’ve never used a well-tuned standard, they’re actually quite a bit more nimble and precise than most portables. It’s what all the pro typists used.
I have a fantastic Olympia Monica bought for 20 euros in a market. Many advertisements of this machine called it “the poor man’s SM9″… In fact it’s true, because it’s an SM9 with grey keys and without tab control. It’s quite noisy, agreeing to me, and the keys are heavier than Olivetti’s ones, but the typing result is perfect and the keyboard feedback while typing is fantastic.. you always understand if a letter was written well on the paper or not.
I have to say that I am Italian, the country where the Olivettis were made. Every italian family had one of these typewriters: the most common were Lettera 22 and 32 but another common model is the Lettera 35. I don’t like its design: i think it’s too thin compared to its width and length, and I don’t like the color. But my favourite one is a typewriter that I don’t see very often: the Valentine, I love its design and the red color, I’d like to buy one.. For the moment I have the fantastic Olympia Monica and an electronic Olivetti ET personal 510-ll that i use for studying and making homework… My classmates think I am like an alien or similar… But it doesn’t matter 😉
Fab information here. Gave me some insight before I got my machines. I’ve been lucky enough to find an almost mint Lettera 22, and now an ‘as new’ SM8. I’m hooked!
My only disagreement is that I would consider the Underwood Champion and the Smith Corona models collectable. I have several of each.
Functional and collectable! Though, for the working stiff, one of each is perhaps the right balance of form and function. Grab the Champ for those days when you don’t mind working all the joints in your digits and the Smith Corona for when that light, fast touch frees your muse.
Great list! I’d toss in my Facit and Halda there too… And my Remington Portable nr.1. The first two are really made for writing and the nr.1? Well, I love the mechanical feel to it, the pling and smack it makes while the granite platen sings. It’s norwegian black metal in the shape of a typewriter… Since I haven’t had my Kolibri for more than about 24 hours I can’t yet say if it belongs on a list like this. I find myself writing on different machines, depending on my mood. But hey, as long as it’s a typewriter and not a computer…
Hi! Thanks for your great reviews!
I just bought my first typewriter Olivetti Lettera 25, it was one of the best options I could find in China that would not make me live on the street ahhaha unfortunately I can not find any good reviews on it, everyone mainly talks about 22 or 32.
Have you ever had a chance to use Lettera 25? 🙂
I learned to type on an Olympia sm9, but I can’t really evaluate it since someone (not me!) gave it away during the early days of pcs.
But the sm4 I have now is terrific. I also use a smith-corona silent from 1953. Sort of bulbous, but once I started thinking of it as an old Pontiac car, it grew on me. The touch is great, too, but just slightly heavy at the start so that it’s a bit more plodding than the others. Sort of like large shoes slapping onto the pavement.
The others include an Olympia Traveller – a really great ultraportable. I like the touch, but I do miss the more solid feel of a heavier machine just a little.
The last machine I use is my grandmother’s 1941 Royal Arrow. No paper support, no tabs, but the least likely of them all to jam the keys. The keys just fly back after they hit the platen. The touch is lovely, but different, as if each key was small trampoline for your finger. Not heavy, though; nice and light, but I think the finger action is more of a quick jab with no lingering at the end of the stroke.
If forced into a lifeboat from a sinking ocean liner with only a sheaf of paper and one typewriter, I guess I would choose my Olympia sm4. But there is something great about that Arrow. Partly it’s knowing my grandmother got it to handle correspondence with her loved ones during the war, partly it’s that it was made here in Canada and partly it’s that it is a pleasure to use. The truth is, I like one machine best for a few days and then I pull out another machine and, “ah… perfection.”
Thank you for the list and time invested to provide this knowledge! I am looking to purchase my first typewriter soon and so far I am narrowing down towards a late 40’s SC Sterling Silent or a Late 30’s Underwood Champion. Do you have any thoughts on these and comparisons or differences between the two? I looked into the Hermes 3000 as well it as it is often recommended but I liked these cause they fit the look and style Im going for as well as having the footprint for sharing my desk with my Mac. I am open to suggestions and tips along with other makes. Thank you!
It’s my opinion that typing on a portable will never match up to the excellent feel of writing on a proper office machine, whether manual or electric, but preferably with automatic carriage return. The best typewriter ever made, I believe, was the Hermes Ambassador, with thin film ribbon attachment. Produces copy equal to a laser printer. The carriage glides silently—like a figure skater—and the beautiful Eton blue colour is just gravy. Only downside: Hermes platens are famously hard.
I’m on the market for my first “real” typewriter in decades. Used to be I had one for papers (and Typing class) back in Jr High…Now as a writer, I want the feel of the old school typewriter again.
Any suggestions?
I’m an Olivettian: several people suggested you some great office machines, but if you haven’t many space and you’re going to buy a portable typewriter, I suggest you a Lettera 22 or 32. Both are probably some of the best portables ever. If they’re too small, try a bigger and similar model such as a Studio 44-45-46 😉
What about the Olympia Splendid 66. Lovely to type with.
Mine’s a little touchy. Action too stiff (even when adjusted) – the alignment is off but that’s not its fault. A big fan, though, of my SM2.
Dan and Friends:
Hi, i am thankful for the typewriter reviews and subsequent comments. It has been decades (or, perhaps more, but who can count) since I used a typewriter. In my youth, I used a behemouth Underwood that my Dad brought home from work. My god, the thing must have weighed 50 pounds. Anyway, my kid sister ruined it after I moved away. Since then, I haven’t really used a typewriter, but recently felt I needed to get another. I can thank Tom Hanks, and his newly published book of short stories for my renewed interest in typewriters. So, I started out looking for a Hermes 2000, but switched my desires to a Hermes 3000. I was actively bidding for one on eBay, but when the price hit 500 bucks, I dropped out. Actually, I had dropped out at $275 but lost interest at $500. So, now my pursuit is aimed at an Olympia SM9.
I am, and do not claim to be a typist, or even a writer worthy of any note. I hunt and peck, and make lots of mistakes, but autocorrect and spell check fix me up on my Macbook. The typewriter will make me go slower and acquire better accuracy.
I know this is not actually a review of a typewriter, but I felt the need to offer my thoughts to a community of folks who share a somewhat common interest, albeit, a more pronounced interest, and probably many more, and better refined skills.
The list has been very helpful, and, for that, I am eternally in your debt.
Welcome to the typewriter revolution! Thanks for the good words!
Greetings from Brazil!
I’ve been trying some typewriters since the beginning of 2017. So far, I’ve bought (and resold some) the Lettera 32; the SC Skyriter, the Olympia SM3, the Studio 44, the SM9, the 50’s QDL and a Remington 5 DL.
I must say that I found the QDL really disappointing. It was a typewriter for which I had high hopes. In my opinion, it’s the worst that I’ve tried. t. it doesn’t have any solidity. It just doesn’t feel right. I didn’t like it.
The SM3 was the first that I bought, and I must that any of the others matched to it. But I had problems with it: too loud (and for those who live in appartments that’s a real problem) and too heavy (I’m 24, I’m used to computers, heavy shifts are really weird to me). Plus, mine had a wide carriage, which made it heavier (and uglier, in my opinion).
So I got a Studio 44. I just love this machine, and I agree with you: it is underrated, and I don’t understand why. It is beautiful, solid, types just fine, etc. It’s a keeper.
Recently, about a few days ago, I finally got my hands on a SM9. The 60’s models are hard to find here in Brazil. Almost everytime I could only find the 77 model, with black horrible plastic knobs, etc. Didn’t want those, I wanted either the 60’s models or the early 70’s. Now, I must agree that this is the best machine so far. It’s functionality from one end to the other. It’s quieter, easier to type on and softer then the SM3. Uglier? I don’t think so: functionality can also work as an aesthetic criteria. I get the feeling that most typewriters collectors are really nostalgic about the 50’s design, probably related to those golden days of medium class life. I get the feeling that people of my age aren’t so attached to this ideal. That’s my opinion.
Great review, it was my reference when I began buying typewriters… and still is!
I agree, Felipe — for writers, function over form. Toss in reliability and the SM9 is top dog. Though the Studio 44 is pretty close in terms of solid feel. What also makes these two tops are availability and price. Lots of them and can usually grab for a song. Thanks for reminding us of what’s important.
My favorite typewriter is the L.C. Smith 8–10 “Secretarial.” First made in the late twenties, it had a heavy business-like appearance, yet it’s lines were curved and graceful—a bit of 1930s art-decor. It operated like a like a fine American automobile. Many of these Secretarials came in a rich olive green paint job, which with its gold lettering, has always been reminiscent to me of the graceful and impressive Pullman cars which shared the same era.
A little late to this party, but…I have an older (early 60’s??) Consul De Luxe. It’s a big solid portable with cast aluminum body, and a key action that is to die for. Crisp, snappy, precise, the feel is like no other typewriter I’ve seen ( I own a couple dozen). A very close second is my Consul 232, another late 50’s / early 60’s machine in the ultraportable class. These are Czech machines, very well engineered and precisely built. I have an Olympia SM3 and an SM9, an Olivetti Studio 44 and a Lettera 22, a Royal Quiet Deluxe (vintage 1949), a Facit 1621 and a TP1, among others. These are all great machines and very servicable, but I’ll take my Consuls over all of them. Not sure why the Consuls aren’t more popular in the US, maybe they weren’t produced in large enough numbers (I think most were made for the European market with non-QWERTY keyboards). The newer Consuls are not nearly as nice in my opinion.
I agree; I picked up a ‘Viscount’ branded Consul 221, and the key action is incredible–light, snappy and quick. The keys depress to the perfect depth… hard to describe other than to say that it feels extremely well built. It’s better than my 1967 SM8, and far superior to my late-70s SM9. And it looks gorgeous with its two-tone paint job and soft curves. My only issue is that the line-space lever is miniscule.
Reblogged this on Uberdoog's Blog and commented:
Halp! The typewriter collector’s bug has bitten hard!
Over the last 2 years, I have procured and tried out multiple mid-late 1940’s Royal portables, a 1947 SC Silent, a 1936 Remington Model 5…and most recently a few early 50’s SC Silents & Sterlings. And, lest I forget…a 1966 Olympia SM8. The SC’s are my faves to write long and hard, and although I far prefer the older glass-top keyed models for their looks (1947 Silent is a dream machine – sending off for a new platen soon), these modestly-clad machines are wonderful to work on. I have found the Royals’ keyboards to be less snappy that SC models, and their sound rather “thuddy”, as compared to the crisp, high-pitched snap that my SC sing with. I’m almost finished refurbishing a 1947 KMM, and can’t wait to try her out. She just may “out-snap” the SC’s! Strange as it may seem to some, I find the Olympia SM-8 to feel too soft on the fingers. A beautiful typer, but as my tastes lean to machines from
the 40’s-50’s, her fab 1966 looks and feel are just too “groovy” for me.
OH! I love your Olympia choices. Simply wonderful machines. But in the portable – but not ultra – category, I am simply in love with the action from my 1958 Erika Model 10. My Hermes 3000 also fits your rating, but even though I have somewhat 20 machines of all sorts, I am missing the SM3/4 the most… Haven’t been able to find one in a decent condition ever, and it is the number one on my WANT list. Great list. Keep it up! From Denmark with type love.
I would also add the Triumph Gabriele 1 (feels like a toy, in a weirdly wonderful way, and the key are thick and rich!) Also – The Rheinmettal – pure and amazing – and the parts are often rubber coated which gives it a comfortable and warm feeling – and truly a beautiful machine to the eye.
I have gone a little loco lately and also purchased an Olympia SM2 (which I adore – I hesitated because my Dad had a similar model in the 60’s and I thought it was too difficult to type – once I got it, I remembered I was 8 at the time and my fingers were toothpicks – any typewriter was too difficult to type!) –
Also purchased a Triumph Perfekt – which, along with the Olympia, I feel is as close to perfect as a typewriter can get. The Gabriele above couldn’t be more different – artificial in a good way (like a yummy Hostess Twinkie of a typewriter) but with that cool mod sci-fi typeset.
Also a pretty neat Olivetti Studio 44 which is just a bear to thread (have others had that problem?) – Something about its chunkiness I find really appealing! I have started looking up the old monsters like Remington Rands and Olympia SG1s and 3s and would love opinions on those, too. They seem well suited for a movie like Billy Wilder’s APARTMENT, somehow.
Would you buy a Hermess 3000 or QWERTY Erika M for the same price? Both in excellent condition. Having a hard time making this decision. Pros/cons?
I would – if I could buy it locally. I have ordered two online (eBay and Etsy) both properly packaged, and both damaged in shipping. It can be dainty, even though it appears robust. I have an Erika 10 and I am lukewarm about it. Ones that I have and love: Olympia SM2, SM9 and SG3 (but a monster, to be sure); Triumph Perfekt (which is) and Triumph Gabriele (funky plastic but still wonderful); Smith Corona Silent, Clipper, and Skyriter (great for obviously different reasons); Royal Deluxe 600 (which is a sweet although slightly less robust machine) and the extremely stylish and lovable Rheinmetall KST. I would be happy to have any of these at any time!
Agree here about the perils of shipping, despite the best packing! And to be properly packed is up for interpretation. I always recommend a new box, 4 inches of bubble all around the case, plus rubber banding the carriage in a released position, then wrapping the typewriter in plastic wrap. Put, “This Side Up” stickers on all four sides of the box and label fragile. If you drop off at FedEx Office, they’ll pack it you for around $22, plus the cost of shipping. The new box is often skipped. Even if the used box looks good, the rigors of shipping often cause unseen structural integrity degradation, especially the corners.
A QWERTY Erika M! A rare bird, indeed. Though a 3000 is most likely in top writing condition. If you’re looking for the daily writer, go Hermes. But hard to pass up the Erika!
QWERTY German machines are so excellent – I have an Erika M and an S that feel marvellous, a whole range of Olympias (Progress, SM4 with wide carriage (2x), SM7 with regular carriages, SM9 with wide carriages (2x, an early type with the tab on the space bar and a later version with the tab on the left) and I just picked up a 1962 Triumph Perfekt with solid case, manual and brushes.
As to the rock hard platens, I’ve had great success using a cleaner for the rubber rollers in printers. One or two treatments and they feel better already.
What’s the cleaner you use? And any tips for how to apply?
I buy mine in the Netherlands, AF Platenclene Print Roller Cleaner and Restorer. I take a cotton pad, spray the AF on it and wipe it over the platen as I turn it, let it sit for 15-30 minutes and wipe down the platen with wasbenzine (Mineral Spirits). Then let it dry.
This was easiest on my FP though, with the removable platen.
As for the exterior, I clean with ordinary dishwashing liquid first, then Dunlop 65 Lemon Oil, which has a cotton swab on the neck of the bottle. Then I finish with Dunlop 65 Carnauba Wax. Both bought at a classic vintage music instruments shop where these cleaning products are used on the necks and bodies of priceless guitars.
Fortunate to come across this community of folks with so much passion and nlove for their priceless machines. I’m about to buy the Hermes Baby Script…I always wanted a cursive. Would the machine be a good choice? At 200 USD it’s certainly not cheap so wanted to be sure. Any problems I’m likely to encounter? Grateful to all and especially Daniel for being so generous with knowledge and information…it’s precious! Happy New Year to all.
I love Hermes but I wouldn’t. They are fragile to ship and the Baby and Rocket though lovely and with wonderful keyboards and action have slight carriage returns which I am not fond of (same with the Smith Corona Skyriter, which I also adore with that reservation.)