Portable: the default answer
A portable has a full four-row keyboard and a full-size carriage in a body that fits in its own carrying case, usually somewhere between 10 and 20 pounds with the case. This is what most people picture when they want a typewriter, and it is the right first choice for most buyers. The classics include the Olympia SM4 and SM9, the Hermes 3000, the Royal Quiet De Luxe, the Smith-Corona Silent-Super and the Remington Quiet-Riter.
Buy a portable if you want one machine that does everything reasonably well and that you can put away when you are not using it. They are the most common machines on eBay, every repair shop works on them, and prices range from about $90–170 delivered for a Quiet-Riter to $390 and up for a Hermes 3000 in late 2026.
Ultra-portable: for travel
An ultra-portable such as the Hermes Baby, Olivetti Lettera 32 or Smith-Corona Skyriter is flatter and lighter, often under 10 pounds. They are lovely for letters, journals and travel, but the lighter action and compact carriage are less comfortable for long sessions, and some need unusual ribbon spools. Buy one as a second machine, or as your only machine if portability really matters.
Standard: the desk machine
A desk standard such as the Olympia SG1, Royal HH or Underwood No. 5 weighs around 30–40 pounds, stays on the desk, and often has wider or interchangeable carriages and features like decimal tabulators. The typing feel is firmer and more stable than any portable, and they were built to run all day in an office.
Buy a standard if you have a permanent place for it and will type for hours at a time. The catch is shipping: a desk machine costs $30–130 to ship and is easily damaged in transit, which is why delivered eBay prices (about $150–580 in late 2026) are often far higher than local estate-sale prices. If you can collect one locally, a standard is often the best-value typewriter you can buy.
Noiseless: the quiet option
A noiseless typewriter, such as the Remington Noiseless Portable, uses a mechanism that carries each type slug to the paper through a weighted linkage and presses it on, instead of flinging it at the platen. The result is a soft thump rather than a sharp clack. Remington owned the technology from 1924, and Underwood sold the same machine as the Noiseless 77.
Buy a noiseless if you share a space or type late at night. The trade-offs are a softer impression that can look faint, poor carbon copies, and a more complicated mechanism that fewer shops service well. They are not expensive: Remington Noiseless Portables asked about $150–250 delivered in late 2026, though a professionally serviced one (about $335) is worth considering given the service complexity.
Semi-portables
Between the portable and the standard sit semi-portables such as the Olivetti Studio 44 and Royal Futura 800: bigger and better-equipped than a typical portable but still sold with a case. They get less attention than the famous portables and often sell for less, which makes them good value for anyone who wants a more substantial machine without a desk standard's bulk.
Quick decision
- One machine, general use: a portable.
- Travel or a second machine: an ultra-portable.
- Long daily sessions at a fixed desk, with local pickup available: a standard.
- Shared space or late nights: a noiseless.
