The allure of vintage items never fades, and it’s truly amazing that typewriters are included in this category. While they may be considered outdated for practical use, they now serve mainly as decorative pieces.
However, on the market, there are working models that can also boast a beautiful design. Reading this page, it will be possible to understand which features to look for in a good typewriter and buy the right model by making a good investment.
Although not so old, typewriters are objects considered obsolete, now replaced by faster and more practical PCs both in the office and at home.
The charm of vintage, however, never dies; many users look for typewriters on the market that evoke the memory of a distant past. Here we will be listing the top 10 best electric typewriters.
- 13" Carriage
- 9" Typing width
- 45-Key, 17-function keyboard
- 20-Keystroke buffer
- 12 characters per second type speed
- Portable electronic typewriter
- One-line correction memory
- Word and character erase
- Automatic centering, underlining and carriage return
- 13-inch carriage and 9-inch print width
- 45 Key, 17 Function Keyboard; 12 Character per Second Type Speed
- 10, 12, 15 Pitch; 1, 1.5, 2 Line Spacing; Impression Control
- Automatic Underlining, Bold Typing, Superscript & Subscript
- Margin Set and Release, Indent, Decimal Tabulation - 12 Places
- Centering, Right Margin Flush, Auto Return, Relocation Feature
- Perfect type professional touch keyboard
- 70,000 word dictionary with error-locating FIND feature
- Line-by-line printing
- Automatic relocation after correction
- 1-Year limited warranty
- Bundle Includes: Nakajima WPT-160 Electronic Portable Typewriter with Display and Memory and Nakajima XC001 Correctable Carbon...
- Portable Typewriter: Use the Nakajima WPT-160 Electronic Portable Typewriter for fast and easy typing. With its full line...
- Speed and Spacing: The typewriter offers up to 12 characters per second speed and a selection of line spacing options of 1, 1.5,...
- LCD Display: The LCD screen displays a number of characters remaining to right margin, and CODE/MODE functions activated
- Memory: Easily store up to 50 files - 16 KB memory
- 16k Storage Memory
- 20 Character LCD Display
- 100 Character Drop-In Printwheel
- 17 Function Keys
- 13-inch Paper Capacity
- Designed for the student, home user, or small business
- Professional touch keyboard
- 65-character correction memory
- Compact and portable
- Variety of automatic timesaving features
- Type in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese
- Automatic paper insertion
- Automatic center, underline, bold, and right-margin printing
- 65-character correction memory with automatic relocation
- Perfectype professional touch keyboard
- Includes extra ribbon and correction tape.
- Shipped with 2 Printwheels
- New dust cover with machine.
How to Choose Best Electric Typewriters?
Before rushing to purchase a model, we recommend comparing the prices of the appliances in the ranking, perhaps also reading the review to understand what their advantages and disadvantages are. As an additional help, we offer below a guide to the main features to look for in a good product.
Functionality
It isn’t easy to think that you can work using a typewriter, while everyone else has a PC. However, this does not mean that amateur writers cannot prefer the drafting of their works by typing characters on a sheet of paper, perhaps even less straining their eyesight.
You will find working typewriters that allow all nostalgics to put the PC aside. Moreover, these models are also suitable for older adults who do not want to know about technology. However, it must be taken into account that it is difficult to find high performing typewriters, especially if you choose a model with a vintage look.
The best ones in terms of performance have a modern design and a keyboard similar to that of the PC that allows you to write at a reasonable speed.
Design
Often when looking for the best brand typewriter, you can be perplexed to see how many of these objects have turned into ornaments.
The design of most models is reminiscent of that of the first typewriters, which leads consumers to buy them only for their aesthetic part.
Indeed, some articles are not functional and are limited to the function of ornament. If you want to buy a product to embellish a room or maybe to make a nice gift, you can only rely on your tastes; we can only advise you to look for a model built with good materials so that it can last in the time.
Speaking of gifts, if you have a friend or relative who is trying to quit smoking, a good idea would be to introduce them to electronic cigarettes: here are our reviews.
For Children
Lately, we have been complaining about the fact that children are always attached to their smartphone and tablet … well dear parents, if the little ones want to press keys, why not give them a nice typewriter?
At a meagre price, it will be possible to buy a colourful children’s model, fully functional by electricity. So the child can immediately start pressing keys and see the characters appear on the sheet, to learn the signs and read the first sentences.
It will undoubtedly be much healthier than being in front of a screen, and it could also help him develop a real passion for writing.
Do you know? Another idea appreciated by several parents to spend a few hours in an “analogue” way is to buy a good fishing rod for their children who can discover a new passion while having fun.
It is certainly not a novelty: even today, characterized by the destructuring of objects and reality, many prefer to return to using analogue things.
The typewriter lives a new life in the hands of enthusiasts who rediscover it, restructure it or buy new models with ancient functions.
They do it to feel the pleasure of contact with the manufactured object, the imprecise and uncertain mechanics of the keys. This paper runs along with the roller and the overwhelming feeling of imagining yourself writing as the great writers of the twentieth century did.
How do you use a typewriter? What secrets must be mastered to fully relive the feeling of typing just like the grown-ups did?
The Basics to Start Writing.
Those who have never had an old mechanic or electronics at home to play with as a child may not even know where to start.
The first steps are usually standard for all models powered or not by electricity it also be run on power supplies. It is a question of passing the sheet through the roller from back to front.
The crunch, the ticking, the mechanism that allows you to bring the sheet to the right height and lock it under the blank holder. These are all sensations with undeniable charm. In automatic models, it will be the same key that is used to carry the wrapping to capture the sheet and put it in position to start writing.
One of the precautions that cannot be overlooked is that of checking the voltage of electrical machines. It is important not to connect them to a different voltage because they could compromise the whole machine. Often they are not equipped with a fuse.
How to Understand the Differences Between the Different Models?
Electric machines are those that established themselves in the late 70s and spread throughout the 80s when computers still had prohibitive prices. Then came the 90s, the first Commodore and typewriters remained to collect dust.
Some machines have written (helped to write) the story. Hemingway also brought many with him to the trenches. Agatha Christie claimed that thanks to her Remington, she could better follow the narrative flow and carefully choose the words to use. Montanelli and his iconographic Letter 22 told the story of Italy as he pitted in front of him.
Each typewriter has specific characteristics. The best ones have precise and rigid mechanics at the same time. The bows alternate quickly, and the fingers sink a few centimetres into the body of the machine, with a stroke that leaps take letter after letter.
Understand the Assonances and Differences with The Computer Keyboard
A PC keyboard is a direct descendant. Some substantial differences contrast them and make the transition from one way of writing to another difficult.
At the computer, many text formatting functions are delegated to the writing program, such as the definition of the line spacing, the centring of the text, or tabulation.
The typewriters, on the other hand, have levers and keys that allow you to set the writing in upper case or lower case, and above all, the writing style and the subdivision of the paragraphs.
