The short answer
For under $300 delivered, the safest first typewriter is a 1950s American portable that a seller has actually typed on: a Smith-Corona Silent or Silent-Super, a Royal Quiet De Luxe, or an Underwood Universal. All four are well-made, common and simple enough that most repair shops are happy to service them. In late 2026 Silents asked about $110–210 delivered, Quiet De Luxes about $100–180 and Silent-Supers about $180–360, so a tested machine with money left over for a new ribbon is realistic.
If you want a German machine, the Olympia SM9 and SM7 are the ones to watch. Unserviced SM9s mostly asked $250–430 delivered, so a $300 budget means patience: auctions and listings without a case are where the sub-$300 machines turn up. The Remington Quiet-Riter is the cheapest good option of all, typically $90–170 delivered.
What to look for in a listing
Reading the listing well matters more than picking the perfect model. Three signals matter, in this order:
- A photo of typed output. A line of text typed with the actual machine tells you the typebars, escapement and ribbon feed all work. It is worth more than any condition badge.
- What "tested" means. "Keys move freely" is not a test. "Typed a page with a new ribbon; carriage returns, bell rings, shift works" is the floor you want.
- The ribbon spool the machine needs. Most portables take 2-inch Group 1 universal spools, but Royal portables want Royal-style spools, Olivetti Letteras need Olivetti spools, and the Smith-Corona Skyriter and Corsair take small 1⅝-inch spools. Our ribbon spool guide covers the details.
Budget for the work most machines need
Even a working typewriter from the 1950s usually has a hard platen and dried-out lubricant. A specialist clean and adjust typically costs $100–180, and a platen re-cover $150–250. You do not have to do either straight away, but if your purchase plus those two would exceed what a serviced machine costs, buy the serviced one. Our five fixes guide explains what you can do yourself.
What to avoid
Cheap 1970s portables such as the Brother Charger 11 or late Smith-Corona Galaxie type perfectly well, but many repair shops will not work on them. They make sense only when the listing proves the machine types. Also avoid beautiful "for parts" machines bought for their looks: the cheapest route to a working typewriter is almost always a tested listing, not a parts machine plus a repair bill. Finally, check the keyboard layout. German QWERTZ, French AZERTY and Cyrillic machines are common on eBay, especially among Hermes and Olympia listings.
After you buy
Order a fresh ribbon for the right spool type, a stiff brush for cleaning the type slugs, and a small bottle of light machine oil for the carriage rails (not the typebar segment, which should be cleaned rather than oiled). Then type a page every day for a week; machines that have sat for decades often loosen up noticeably with use. If a key still sticks or the carriage hesitates after that, it is time for a clean rather than more oil. And if the first machine hooks you, the Hermes, Olympia and Royal comparison is a good place to plan the second.
