HOW ERASER MADE ME A BETTER PERSON
"Make the most of yourself....for that is all there is of you." --Ralph Waldo Emerson
We've all made mistakes throughout our lives that haven't exactly put us in the best light--like bullying someone in school or telling what seemed like a little white lie. Chances are, however, you probably felt a little guilt and grew because of the situation.
We all have memories of using pink erasers in our elementary school days. The pink smears, damaged paper, and mountains of crumbs they left were as inevitable as the erasers were ubiquitous. These days, specialized erasers remove pencil marks with just a gentle touch and roll eraser dust into easy-to-manage pills. Even ordinary erasers erase more cleanly and easily than those we grew up with. Read this guide to learn what to look for in an eraser and which ones we recommend.
Why You buy my Eraser
Most people assume they know all there is to know about erasers. But there are different types for different jobs and you are more likely to get the result you want if you use the right tool. After testing different types of erasers, different brands, and different methods I have discovered a few things that might help you get the most from this small but important drawing implement.
Erasability
Look for erasers that remove graphite cleanly.
All erasers have the same job, but some are better at it than others. Look for an eraser that reliably removes graphite from paper with light pressure and little to no smearing.
Shape
Differently-shaped erasers can be more or less precise.
Erasers come in many different shapes, including large and small
rectangles,
cylinders housed in pen-like holders, and even
animal silhouettes. Rectangular erasers have better coverage and are less likely to break due to their broader shape. They’re better for erasing large areas and whole sentences. Thinner erasers offer more precision and control. They are better for erasing details without disturbing the graphite around them. Consider how you plan to use your eraser as well as what shape you find easier to hold.
Paper Trauma
Use soft erasers to avoid paper damage.
Some erasers are made of hard materials or include pumice to help remove pencil marks. These can leave scuffs or even rub holes through paper, especially if used with hard pressure. Look for gentle erasers that don’t require you to damage your work to remove mistakes.
Tidiness
Erasers whose debris sticks together are easier to clean up after.
Most erasers leave some sort of mess behind as they rub the paper. This isn’t entirely bad - sloughing off dirty surfaces allows erasers to expose fresh areas and erase more effectively. Still, that’s no excuse for piles of fine eraser dust. Look for erasers whose residue sticks together into larger pieces for
RECOMMENDATIONS
For General Use
General-use erasers should erase cleanly with minimal mess, be gentle on paper, and avoid smearing graphite. In addition, their shape should make them easy to grab and use without any extra thought.
The
Sakura Foam Eraser is our favorite general-purpose eraser. It is made from soft plastic that erases thoroughly with remarkably little pressure. It produces almost no streaking. It is easy to clean up after since used bits of eraser come off and clump together as you use it. The Sakura Foam is available as a
standard block-style eraser or with a special break-reducing sleeve. These
Sakura Arch Foam Erasers are available in both
white and
black.
However lightly you touch the
Light-Erasing Pentel Hi-Polymer Ain Eraser to your pencil marks, it will have some effect. Just a few passes are enough to thoroughly remove writing. It occasionally smudges slightly, but you can easily erase those marks as well. Its crumbs do roll together but stay fairly small. If you want even less mess, go with the
Dust-Gathering Pentel Hi-Polymer Ain Eraser. It offers similar performance and clumpier residue but requires slightly more pressure. Both come in a familiar block shape and have a sleeve for ease of handling.
For Students
Students of all ages use pencils to do homework and take tests. These erasers allow them to quickly correct mistakes so that their work is easy for teachers to read.
Kokuyo Resare erasers are fun and functional additions to any student’s pencil case. They thoroughly erase graphite marks with little effort and no smearing. What little eraser dust they generate clumps together and sticks to the eraser itself so it’s easy to keep your desk clean. As a plus, the Kokuyo Resare comes in cheerful colors like purple, orange, and blue that make it hard not to smile even when you’re fixing a mistake. You can even color-coordinate your eraser with the rest of your stationery!
The
Tombow Mono One Air Touch is a clear example of why
Tombow Mono is the go-to stationery brand among Japanese students. The eraser removes marks cleanly with little pressure and no streaking. It is housed in a compact cylinder that is easy to hold and control, protects the eraser from damage, and fits easily into pencil cases and pockets. Its small size is ideal for fixing small mistakes and erasing test bubbles.
Tombow Mono Holder Erasers are also available in
Dust Catch and standard versions.
For Artists
Artists use erasers to do more than just fix mistakes. Soft block erasers like the Sakura Foam and Kokuyo Campus Student Eraser For 2B Lead are ideal for gently removing pencil sketches that have been inked over. Kneaded and precision erasers let you remove or lighten small areas of graphite without disturbing the surrounding work.
An electric eraser may seem over the top, but trust us—once you go electric, it’ll spoil you for anything else. The powerful
Seed Sun Dolphin spins a slim eraser refill at 10,000 rpm to remove pencil marks with extraordinary speed and thoroughness. It’s also gentle on paper and highly precise since you don’t need to apply pressure or rub the eraser back and forth to lift graphite.
As a bonus, the Seed Sun Dolphin can also be used to draw negative lines and details onto penciled areas. Simply turn the eraser on and draw with it like a pen! You can even sharpen the eraser refill with sandpaper to achieve very fine details. For those occasions when you need a softer erasing effect, use the refill as a pencil eraser without turning on the motor.
The downside of the Seed Sun Dolphin is that it generates a lot of eraser dust and wears through erasers quickly. We recommend that you always keep a pack of eraser refills on hand. Since brushing eraser debris away with a hand can smear your art, it’s a good idea to use gentler cleaning tools like the Deleter Feather Sweeper to tidy up.
Kneaded erasers are particularly good for art because they can be formed into different shapes and lift graphite from paper without rubbing. This lets you remove or lighten very precise areas with no risk of smudging.
Prismacolor Kneaded Rubber Erasers have a pleasant texture and are soft enough to shape easily. They lift graphite well and lightened colored pencil marks better in our tests than any of the other kneaded erasers.
For Colored Pencils
Most colored pencils are not very erasable, but they will usually lighten when erased. This is handy for lightening over-pigmented areas and adding highlights to artwork. Some colored pencils are specifically made to be erasable. You can see how well they and other colored pencils erase in our Guide to Colored Pencils.
The
Kokuyo Campus Student Eraser For 2B Lead is designed to remove the stubborn marks of soft 2B graphite so it’s not surprising that it also does well with colored pencil. It did not remove colored pencil marks completely in our tests, but did lighten them significantly with very little smearing and no hard edges. This makes it a good choice for artistic applications.
Use the
Seed Graph For Color Eraser if your goal is to get rid of as much color as possible. As the name suggests, it is made specifically for erasing colored pencils. At first it appears to simply smear colored pencil marks, but it will remove almost everything if you keep rubbing. The eraser is gentle on paper and its residue sticks together very well.
For Fun
If you want more from your office supplies than simple functionality, these charmingly shaped yet perfectly effective erasers are for you.
Iwako Novelty Erasers come in more than 40 themed sets to delight kids and kids at heart. The designs include many different animals, foods, toys, and more. Most are made of multiple parts. This lets young engineers explore their construction by taking them apart and putting them back together again. They erase surprisingly well but can smudge.
For a similar idea with a stronger puzzle component, try the Seed Animal Balance Game Eraser Sets. They challenge you to stack as many erasers as possible on an unstable eraser boat.
As its name suggests, the
Kokuyo Will Stationery Actic Egg Shape Eraser’s oblong shape sets it apart from other erasers. Its unusual silhouette lets it nestle perfectly into a comfortable three-finger hold. In addition to the ergonomic benefits, it’s impossible not to smile when using this cute little oval. The Kokuyo Actic Egg erases well but is prone to smudging.
For the Environment
Even small steps like choosing eco-friendly office supplies can make a difference to the environment. Get started with erasers made with renewable resources, green manufacturing processes, and recycled materials.
The
Tombow Mono NP Non-PVC Eraser is made from a special styrene rubber that minimizes the emission of toxic gases during production. It takes a little more rubbing and leaves a tad more residue than Tombow’s regular erasers, but it gets the job done reliably and without smearing. The sleeve is made from 100% recycled material.
The
Sakura Phytogreen Biomass eraser is made entirely from sustainable plant-derived resin. Not only is this resin renewable, but the carbon dioxide generated during the manufacturing process is partially offset by the plants used to make it! The Sakura Phytogreen Biomass erases with a light touch but does exhibit some smearing.
TEST RESULTS
We divided our erasers into two categories for testing: traditional and kneaded. We defined traditional erasers as any erasers intended to erase pencil marks through rubbing. This includes retractable and novelty erasers in addition to more typical block erasers. Kneaded erasers are designed to lift pencil marks from paper without a rubbing motion. Ink erasers are any erasers intended to remove ink rather than pencil.
Traditional Erasers
We used three swatches to test our traditional erasers:
- HB graphite
- 4B graphite
- Colored pencil
We used a Prismacolor Premier pencil to make the colored pencil swatch. These pencils are difficult to erase due to their high wax content. Other colored pencils should perform similarly or better. To make sure the tests were easily comparable, we rubbed each swatch the same number of times. The “Crumbs” column shows the “4B Graphite” swatch before we brushed away the debris generated by the eraser.
Traditional Eraser Test Results
Kneaded Erasers
We tested the kneaded erasers against the same kinds of graphite and colored pencil swatches as the traditional erasers. Instead of rubbing the swatches, however, we formed the erasers to a point and pressed down with a twisting motion.
Kneaded Eraser Test Results
ERASER TYPES
Rubber Erasers
Rubber erasers are what most people think of when they think of erasers. These classic erasers include the common pink eraser and the ones found on the backs of pencils. They are usually made from a blend of rubber and pumice and tend to smear. The pumice in the eraser can be abrasive to paper. However, there are some rubber erasers that have an improved formula, like the
Tombow Mono Non PVC Eraser. These are more gentle on paper and leave no residue or smearing.
If you are allergic to natural rubber latex, look for erasers made from synthetic rubber or choose vinyl erasers instead. You can consult our end table to see which erasers are not made with natural rubber latex.
Soft Vinyl Erasers
Also known as plastic erasers, soft vinyl erasers provide an easy, clean erase as leftover residue tends to clump together. They are similar to rubber erasers in that they may be abrasive enough to damage paper, but manufacturers have experimented with different types of plastic to minimize paper trauma. Plastic is a popular material for erasers because it is easily manipulated to have different shapes and properties.
Iwako Novelty Erasers are made from plastic, as are the gentle
Sakura Foam Erasers.
All vinyl erasers are made with chemical compounds called phthalates. These help make plastics flexible but certain varieties may also affect people’s health if ingested. Phthalates that have been shown to be potentially harmful are regulated at the state and federal level. Some people prefer to avoid these phthalates altogether even though the chance of exposure from erasers is low. It’s worth noting that products marked as “phthalate free” may still contain very low levels of regulated phthalates as well as phthalates that have not been shown to be harmful. You can check our end table to see which of our erasers are not made with significant levels of harmful phthalates.
Kneaded Erasers
Kneaded erasers are made from a soft type of rubber that can be pulled and kneaded with your hands. Graphite adheres to them by touch. This lets them remove pencil marks with no residue or debris. The graphite they pick up quickly makes their exposed surfaces dirty, but you can “clean” them by stretching and folding them them just like bread dough. This hides the graphite inside the eraser and exposes a new, clean surface. Kneaded erasers may smear or get sticky if kept in a warm area.
Ink Erasers
Ink is known for its permanence, but
ink erasers do exist. They are typically hard and abrasive to allow them to scrape ink from the surface of the paper. This makes them especially likely to damage paper, so it’s best to only use them for small mistakes. If you want to correct larger errors, stick with
correction tape and fluid or use
erasable ink pens.
COMPARE THESE ERASERS
Do you want to review all of our recommended erasers at once? Use our comparison tool to see their specifications side by side.
Our writers draw on their personal expertise, consult our in-house subject matter experts, and do extensive research to make our guides as accurate and comprehensive as possible. We then test every finding that makes it through the research stage. Only the techniques and tools whose performance we personally confirm make it into our guides as recommendations
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