Underwood No. 5 (1924)

 This machine has a wonderful, solid feel and is very well built. I drove all the way to another state to purchase it off of Marketplace. I paid $30 for it, which was a excellent deal! The glass covered keys are easy to operate and fit your fingers well. 

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use: 4/5 

• Typing Feel: 5/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 5/5

• Value: 5/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

Royal Quiet De Luxe "Arrow" (1948/49)

 I love the feel of this machine! The keys are just the right size and glide while typing. This machine is one of my most enjoyable to type on! It is built like a tank! I prefer this design to the newer Quiet De Luxe redesign below. 

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 4/5

• Typing Feel: 5/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 5/5

• Value: 5/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

Remington Rand "All New" (1949-1950) 

  I may have found my #1 favorite manual typewriter. Actually, I think it may be a draw between this machine and my 1948/49 Royal Arrow. I purchased this machine on Marketplace for around $30. EXCELLENT, smooth typing feel. The keys are as easy to use as an electric typewriter. It operates very smoothly. The green keys are wide and chunky. I originally purchased one of these typewriters at the beginning of 2022 for $15 from a bookstore. It was high up on a bookshelf. I asked if it was for sale, next thing I knew, I was taking it home! Unfortunately, once I got it home, I realized that the machine was not working properly. The carriage was sliding all over the place and was not maintaining proper tension. I soon discovered that one of the "star" shaped gears, that also contained a ball bearing inside, was missing. These bearings are essential to the carriages proper function. I ended up taking the machine to a local repair shop. Unfortunately, even after following up after a few months, the repair shop never came through. 

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 5/5

• Typing Feel: 5/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 5/5

• Value: 5/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

*Video Coming Soon

Royal Quiet De Luxe (1953)

 This machine has a nice feel overall, but the keys are not always consistent with print quality and feel. To get the right feel, you have to set the touch control setting (inside the cover) just right. the Magic Margin on this machine does not let me go all the way to the left with my margin, there is a slight space. I think the adjustable "tab" margins that my other machines have (Smith Coronas') are easier to use. 

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 3/5 

• Typing Feel: 4/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 4/5

• Value: 4/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

Olympia Deluxe (195x) 

 I purchased this machine from an estate sale auction for about $14, I believe. I was initially disappointed when I purchased it, because it was completely seized up. I was worried it was a draw band issue. I started by oiling the machine. While doing this, I discovered a lever that locks the keys and carriage during transport, changing that setting solved the problem. Something to note if you acquire an Olympia from this era.  As for feel, the keys are oddly spaced. You have to pay extra attention to where your fingers are and it is easy to hit the wrong keys.  

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 3/5 

• Typing Feel: 3/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 4/5

• Value: 4/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

Remington Monarch (196x)

  I acquired this machine at Goodwill in February 2023. I saw a small bag on the shelf and was curious what was in it. Sure enough, a typewriter! This Is my smallest manual machine.  

 What I love about this machine, is it's lightweight and highly portable design. I also love the design and aesthetic of the machine. What I dislike, is the level of force needed for typing (this is after proper cleaning and lubrication).

UPDATE: SOLD

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 4/5

• Ease of Use 3/5

• Typing Feel: 2/5(Uncomfortable for everyday use)

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 5/5

• Value: 3/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? No

• Recommended: No

Smith Corona Super Sterling (196x)

   This Super Sterling was acquired from Marketplace. 

I was not finding anything interesting, until this machine popped up at the top of my feed. I quickly tested the machine before I put it in the trunk of the car, and was immediately surprised with how solid and crisp the keys felt. The key-sensitivity feature really makes a difference on this machine. The medium setting seems to be the sweet spot. Not too hard, not too soft. The keys are well weighted and have a nice chunky feel to them, while still easy to operate. They are also spaced out perfectly. This machine definitely makes typing enjoyable.

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 5/5

• Typing Feel: 5/5 

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 5/5

• Value: 5/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes

Olympia Deluxe (197x) 

   This Olympia was thrift store purchase. I often hear good things about Olympia machines, so I decided to put it in my shopping cart for $21. This machine has a light feel to the keys, especially the spacebar. This era Olympia feels somewhat plasticky. The keys, in my opinion, are placed too close together. I found myself unintentionally hitting other keys while typing. I haven't pulled this machine out in awhile I will have to take it for a test run soon. 

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 3/5

• Ease of Use 3/5

• Typing Feel: 3/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 3/5

• Value: 3/5

• Reliability: n/a

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: no

Sears/Brother Portable 

  This machine came from an estate sale, I think I paid around $14 for it. I liked the simplicity of this typewriter. It has a very crisp, light feel to the keys. A very well built and easy to use machine for everyday use.

• Ranking: 

• Build Quality: 5/5

• Ease of Use 5/5

• Typing Feel: 5/5

• Aesthetic/Design Factor: 4/5

• Value: 5/5

• Reliability: 5/5

• Good for everyday use? Yes

• Recommended: Yes