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An electric typewriter is not a laptop. It is a single-purpose machine that turns your thoughts into ink with zero notifications and a satisfying mechanical snap on every key press. The best electric typewriter for you depends on how forgiving the keyboard is, how fast it prints, and whether it has a correction ribbon for the inevitable mistype — because on paper, there is no backspace button. The Nakajima WPT-150 Bundle tops this list because it includes a correctable film ribbon and a printwheel right in the box, so you can start typing immediately without hunting for supplies.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind WellFizz. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
This breakdown of the best electric typewriter options on Amazon covers the real-world trade-offs that a spec sheet alone never shows you.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Electric Typewriter
Electric typewriters look similar at first glance, but a few key specs separate a machine that is a joy to use from one that will drive you mad. Here is what to focus on.
Carriage size and print width
The carriage is the moving part that holds the daisy wheel and ribbon. A longer carriage (often 13 inches) supports wider paper and envelopes. The print width is the area the typewriter can cover from left to right. A 9-inch print width handles standard A4 or letter paper fine, but you will struggle with legal-sized documents. Check both numbers before buying if you plan to type on anything wider than a standard sheet of paper.
Characters per second (CPS) — your typing pace
This is the top speed at which the machine can print characters. Most electric typewriters in this guide run at 12 characters per second. That is comfortably faster than most people’s real typing speed, so you will not feel like the machine is holding you back. A slower machine (under 10 CPS) introduces an audible lag between pressing a key and seeing the letter on the page, which can break your rhythm.
Correction memory and erase functions
A correction ribbon physically lifts ink off the page, which is different from a white-out strip. Some machines have a memory that remembers the last word or a line, letting you erase whole mistakes with one button. Others only correct the last character. If you make frequent typos (and who does not on paper), look for at least word-erase capability — it saves far more time than character-by-character fixes.
Pitch selection and line spacing
Pitch refers to how many characters fit in one horizontal inch. The common options are 10 pitch (Pica — larger, easier to read), 12 pitch (Elite — fits more text per line), and 15 pitch (tiny, for charts or margins). If you plan to type labels, forms, or any document that needs specific sizing, make sure the machine offers multiple pitch settings. Line spacing options (1-inch, 1.5-inch, 2-inch) also matter for double-spaced drafts or tightly packed address labels.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Print Speed | Carriage / Print Width | Correction Memory | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROYAL 69149V Scriptor★ Best Overall | Mid-range value for basic typing needs | 12 CPS | 13″ / 9″ | 20-keystroke buffer | Amazon |
| Nakajima WPT-150 (Bundle)Also Great | Most versatile modern electric | 12 CPS | 13″ / 9″ | Word & Character Erase | Amazon |
| Nakajima WPT-150 (Standard) | Proven crowd favorite with 600+ ratings | 12 CPS | 13″ / 9″ | One-line correction memory | Amazon |
| Brother GX-6750 (Renewed) | Compact office workhorse with correction memory | — | — / — | 65-character correction memory | Amazon |
| Brother SX-4000 (Renewed) | LCD screen for viewing before printing | — | — / — | — | Amazon |
| Smith Corona (Renewed) | Renewed classic with included extras | — | — / — | Correction tape included | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. ROYAL 69149V Scriptor Typewriter
Our pick — over 4★ from 350+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
A white-and-simple Royal that looks the part and types at 12 CPS, if you treat the ribbon kindly.
The ROYAL Scriptor is the lightest full-size electric on this list at 12 pounds, and it is also the most compact — its 16.25 x 14.75 x 4.75-inch footprint is smaller than the Nakajima bundle (25.6 x 19.6 x 8.5 inches). That makes it the easiest to tuck onto a crowded desk or slide into a closet when not in use. The 45-key, 17-function keyboard with a 20-keystroke buffer (a small memory that holds your typing if you get ahead of the print head) means it handles normal typing speeds without skipping. Quality is the thing owners praise most, with over three dozen people specifically calling it well-built right from the start.
The honest catch is the ribbon alignment. A vocal minority report that “the print tape jumps up and only prints half of letter,” meaning the machine requires patience to get the ribbon and printwheel seated correctly. Typing performance receives mixed feedback overall — many owners say it types beautifully, while others hit the ribbon issue. The ribbon quality itself is also flagged as a weak point. If you are comfortable tinkering with a ribbon cartridge to get it seated right, this is a solid mid-range machine; if you want a guarantee of flawless printing from day one, the Nakajima above is a safer bet.
Its real strengths
- Lightest full-size electric at 12 pounds and the most compact footprint on the list
- 37 owners highlight the build quality as excellent right from the start
- 20-keystroke buffer keeps up with fast typing without dropping letters
- Classic Royal aesthetic with a white body that looks great on a desk
Where it trips up
- Print tape alignment can be finicky; several buyers report it jumping up and printing only half of each letter
- The included ribbon quality draws consistent criticism from the community
- Durability is rated negatively by a group of owners who experienced hinge breakage
Best for: anyone who wants a light, compact electric typewriter with classic looks and is comfortable working through a minor ribbon-seating process.
skip it if: you need a typewriter that works perfectly with zero adjustment or you plan to type for hours daily, where ribbon alignment frustrations would mount.
2. Nakajima WPT 150 Portable Electronic Typewriter Bundle
The bundle gives you everything to start typing immediately, with no trips for extra supplies.
This Nakajima bundle pairs the WPT-150 machine with a correctable film ribbon and a Prestige Pica 10 printwheel right in the box, so you are up and running from the moment you unpack it. The 13-inch carriage and 9-inch print width handle standard letter paper and envelopes with room to spare. The 12 characters-per-second (CPS — the number of letters the machine prints in one second) print speed means the machine will never feel like it is waiting on you to finish a sentence. What wins people over is the word and character erase function that uses a correction ribbon to lift mistakes off the page — as owners put it, they “like the correction ribbon on it” for how cleanly it removes errors without leaving a smear.
The ROYAL Scriptor measures 16.25 x 14.75 x 4.75 inches, while this bundle measures 25.6 x 19.6 x 8.5 inches, giving it a more substantial footprint on a desk. That larger size translates into a sturdier typing platform, though the keyboard is described as “sensitive” — meaning your fingers barely need to push before a letter fires off, which some typists love and others need a day to adjust to. At 12.97 pounds it is also about one pound heavier than the Scriptor, so it is not really a machine you will carry around in a bag; it lives on a desk.
What makes it the top pick
- Bundle includes a correctable film ribbon and Prestige Pica 10 printwheel, so you do not need to hunt for supplies right away
- Word and character erase system lets you correct mistakes cleanly without white-out or erasers
- 10, 12, and 15 pitch selections plus three line spacing options give real flexibility for different documents
- Automatic centering and underlining save time when formatting titles or addresses
The honest trade-offs
- Sensitive keyboard may feel too light for people used to a heavier mechanical keypress
- At 12.97 pounds it is not portable for daily bag-carrying
- A small number of units arrive with alignment issues, and the seller does not accept returns according to a few reports
Reach for this if: you want a fully modern electric typewriter from a major brand, with all the starter supplies included and the most useful correction system available.
Look elsewhere if: you need a lightweight machine you can pack into a backpack, or you prefer a keyboard with a firmer, more tactile press.
3. Nakajima WPT-150 Electronic Typewriter
The same excellent Nakajima engine, backed by over 600 owners who have put it through its paces.
This is the standalone version of the Nakajima WPT-150, identical in its core specs — the same 13-inch carriage, 9-inch print width, and 12 characters-per-second speed — but without the bundle extras. What makes it stand out is the sheer volume of real-world experience behind it. It is the most-reviewed electric typewriter on this list, and the crowd consensus is clear: owners find it “easy to use” and “good value for money.” The one-line correction memory is a standout feature — it remembers a full line of text so you can erase an entire mistake with one press, rather than hunting down individual characters.
Where this machine truly shines is for anyone who finds typing painful. Buyers consistently report it is “excellent for arthritis sufferers” because the key action is light and “easy on hands,” enabling fast typing without finger fatigue. That is a concrete advantage over older manual machines or stiffer electrics. On the downside, the typewriter lacks a visible line guide for realigning the page after you reposition it, making it tricky to pick up exactly where you left off. A few owners also noted a minor setup step — you need to remove a styrofoam block under the lid and a plastic piece on the ink cartridge before it will work properly.
Six hundred owners can’t be wrong: the typing action is the lightest in its class and the one-line correction memory is genuinely faster than character-by-character fixes. The only recurring setup hiccup is the hidden packing pieces under the lid — a thirty-second check before first use solves it.
One real shortcoming: the lack of a line guide means that if you take the paper out and reinsert it later, you will have to eyeball which line you are on. For letter writing it is fine; for filling in pre-printed forms it is a mild frustration.
Ideal if: you want the proven reliability of a typewriter with over 600 ratings behind it and the lightest keypress available for pain-free typing.
Consider something else if: you frequently remove and reinsert paper mid-project and need a visible line guide to realign the page.
4. Brother GX-6750 Daisy Wheel Electric Typewriter (Renewed)
The compact Brother that sacrifices nothing on correction memory, at just over 10 pounds.
The Brother GX-6750 is the lightest machine on this list at 10.4 pounds, making it the most portable option if you need to move a typewriter between rooms or to an office desk. Its standout spec is the 65-character correction memory — that is about a full line of text that the machine can remember and erase in one go, which is far more generous than the 20-keystroke buffer on the Royal or the per-line memory on the Nakajima. The professional touch keyboard is designed for the home user or small business, and a buyer specifically noted it “can type through 3-part forms,” meaning it has enough striking force to print legibly through carbon paper (thin sheets with carbon coating that transfer writing to the copies beneath).
Being a renewed (refurbished) unit, the condition depends entirely on the seller. A significant number of owners mention their unit arriving with problems — dried-out ribbons, broken eraser tape, or in the worst cases, a machine that “would not power on” with the ribbon “all twisted and stuck down in the body.” The 90-day limited warranty offers some protection, but the negative feedback on functionality is the highest of any electric on this list. If you buy this, factor in the cost of a fresh ribbon immediately and be prepared to spend time getting it set up right.
The appeal is clear: a 10.4-pound Brother with 65-character correction memory is a real feat of compact engineering, and for owners who get a good unit it delivers clean, professional typing. The design is straightforward — no complex codes or screens, just a keyboard that works.
The gamble: renewed units vary wildly. Some arrive in perfect shape; others are dead on arrival or have dried-out consumables. Budget for a fresh ribbon and correction tape upfront, and check the seller’s return policy before clicking buy.
Grab it if: you need the lightest possible electric typewriter and you are comfortable rolling the dice on a refurb unit with the expectation you may need to replace the ribbon immediately.
Think twice if: you cannot tolerate the risk of a dead-on-arrival machine or you need guaranteed functionality for daily office use without tinkering.
5. Brother SX-4000 LCD Display Typewriter (Renewed)
A Brother with an LCD screen that lets you see your line before it prints, then prints it line by line.
The Brother SX-4000 takes a different approach to electric typing: instead of printing each character the moment you press the key, it uses a View Mode that shows the full line on an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen first. When you are done with the line, the machine prints it all at once with automatic carriage return. This is a massive advantage for anyone who wants to catch formatting mistakes — a stray bold, a missing underline, or a typing error — before committing anything to paper. The Perfectype professional touch keyboard is the same reliable platform as the GX-6750, wrapped in a machine designed for clean, error-free output.
Renewed-unit variance applies here too. While one long-time typewriter owner with 60 years of experience reports using it “everyday since” it arrived and calling it perfect, others received units with “the carriage arms not attached” — a total loss from the start. A third owner found the roller loose, making paper advancement an issue. The SX-4000 is a wonderful machine when you get a properly refurbished unit, but the condition lottery is real. The LCD and line-by-line printing make this the best option if you hate white-out and want to verify your work before it hits paper.
what separates it
- LCD display lets you review a full line of text before printing, catching errors early
- Line-by-line printing with automatic carriage return creates exceptionally clean pages
- Forward and reverse indexing for precise paper positioning
The refurb reality
- Some units arrive with detached carriage arms or loose rollers, making them unusable
- Fewer than 30 ratings on this model, so the track record is thinner than other picks
- Requires a patient setup and potentially contacting the seller for replacement if defective
Perfect if: you are a perfectionist who wants to see the line before it goes on paper and you are buying from a seller with a solid return policy for renewed electronics.
Not for you if: you need the typewriter to work immediately with zero chance of mechanical defects, or you prefer the instant tactile feedback of print-on-every-keypress machines.
6. Smith Corona Typewriter (Renewed)
A renewed Smith Corona that comes with extra ribbons, two printwheels, and a dust cover ready to go.
Smith Corona is a name that carries weight for anyone who grew up around typewriters, and this renewed model comes with thoughtful extras: an extra ribbon, correction tape, two printwheels, and a new dust cover to protect the machine when it is not in use. At 12.42 pounds, it is between the Royal Scriptor and the Nakajima in heft, and owners who received good units describe it as “working wonderfully” and “impressed with all the features included.” The fact that it ships with an owner’s manual is a small but meaningful bonus for anyone unfamiliar with electric typewriter maintenance.
The renewed condition is the main variable. Some owners confirm the machine “works extremely well” and is “easy to use” with the extra consumables making it a complete package. Others found the quality disappointing — one owner was explicit: “did not operated smoothly” and felt let down given the price. A worn keyboard is also a realistic trade-off; one report notes “some of the keys had been used so much the letters had worn off,” so the machine is definitely a pre-owned item, not a like-new unit. If you buy this, the 3-year warranty option that one buyer purchased is probably worth considering for confidence.
The package deal
- Includes extra ribbon, correction tape, two printwheels, and a matching dust cover — a complete starter set
- Smith Corona brand has decades of typewriter engineering behind it
- Owners who got good units report it types wonderfully and is easy to use for letters or long papers
Condition caveats
- Some units arrive with worn keys where the lettering has faded or worn off completely
- Not every unit operates smoothly; a few buyers describe it as disappointing for the price
- At this price point, it is the most expensive renewed option with the smallest owner community (only about two dozen ratings)
Who should buy it: Smith Corona enthusiasts who want the nostalgia of the brand plus a full starter kit of consumables, and are willing to add a warranty for safety.
Who should reconsider: anyone who wants a guaranteed like-new typing experience without visible wear on the keys or any risk of smoothness issues, especially at this price tier.
Understanding the Specs
Characters Per Second (CPS)
This is the top speed at which the typewriter prints individual characters. At 12 CPS, the machine can print about 140 words per minute — far faster than almost anyone actually types. If the CPS is lower, you may notice a brief delay between pressing the key and seeing the letter on the page, which can feel like the machine is struggling to keep up with your typing rhythm.
Carriage Width vs. Print Width
The carriage width is the total width of the moving mechanism that holds the printwheel and ribbon. The print width is the actual area on the paper where ink lands. A 13-inch carriage with a 9-inch print width gives you about 2 inches of margin space on each side of a standard letter page. If you need to type on wider paper or into the margins of pre-printed forms, you need a wider print width.
Correction Memory and Erase
A correction memory (measured in characters) stores what you just typed so the machine can reverse the platen and lift the ink off with a correction ribbon. A 20-character buffer can correct about three to four average words. A 65-character buffer can correct a full line. Machines without this memory erase one character at a time, which is slower when you catch a mistake several words back.
Pitch and Line Spacing
Pitch controls how many characters fit in one inch. The most common are 10 pitch (Pica — 10 characters per inch, larger text) and 12 pitch (Elite — 12 characters per inch, more compact). Some machines also offer 15 pitch for very small labels or notes. Line spacing lets you set how far the paper advances with each line — typical options are single (1-inch), one-and-a-half, and double spacing.
FAQ
Will an electric typewriter work without being plugged in?
Can I use an electric typewriter to fill in pre-printed forms?
What is the difference between a correction ribbon and a white-out strip?
How long does a ribbon last on an electric typewriter?
Can I use a fountain pen or calligraphy nib on an electric typewriter?
Does an electric typewriter work with carbon paper or multipart forms?
Why does my electric typewriter skip spaces or print half letters?
Is it hard to find ribbons and printwheels for older models?
Can I connect an electric typewriter to a computer or printer?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most buyers, the best electric typewriter winner is the Nakajima WPT 150 Bundle because it packages the most capable modern electric typewriter with the supplies you need to start typing immediately — a correctable film ribbon and a Prestige Pica 10 printwheel — plus the word and character erase system that saves time on every single page. If you want the same excellent typing action backed by over 600 ratings and a one-line correction memory, grab the Nakajima WPT-150 (Standard). And for a compact, light 10.4-pound option with a generous 65-character correction memory, the Brother GX-6750 (Renewed) is worth considering if you are comfortable checking the seller’s return policy and buying a fresh ribbon upfront.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of July 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, WellFizz earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.
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Mo Maruf
I created WellFizz to bridge the gap between vague wellness advice and actionable solutions. My mission is simple: to decode the research and give you practical tools you can actually use.
Beyond the data, I am a passionate traveler. I believe that stepping away from the screen to explore new environments is essential for mental clarity and physical vitality.