Are Typewriters Still Made Today?
Yes. New manual and electronic typewriters are still available for people who want a tactile, distraction-free way to write. Modern choices are fewer than they were at the typewriter’s commercial peak, but brands such as Nakajima and Royal keep the experience accessible in two distinctly different forms.
YES.
You can still buy a newly made typewriter. The key is deciding whether you want the completely mechanical feel of a manual machine or the speed, correction tools, and printwheel versatility of an electronic model.
What Does a “Modern Typewriter” Mean?
A modern typewriter is not necessarily a computer disguised in retro housing. It is a machine built to put characters directly onto paper, either through a fully mechanical action or an electrically powered printing system.
That distinction matters. A new manual typewriter gives you the classic process: load paper, set the margins, press the keys, move the carriage, and watch each letter appear. A modern electronic typewriter still creates a physical page, but it can add conveniences such as powered printing, automatic carriage return, correction memory, interchangeable printwheels, and—on advanced models—text storage and a small display.
Manual
No outlet is required. Each keystroke mechanically transfers ink from a ribbon to the page.
Electronic
Powered assistance delivers consistent impressions and adds useful document-formatting features.
Reconditioned
An earlier machine restored for continued use—not newly manufactured, but often a compelling alternative.
| Experience | Power | How it prints | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| New manual typewriter | None | Mechanical typebars and ink ribbon | Analog writing, journaling, letters, screen-free drafting |
| New electronic typewriter | Electrical outlet | Motor-driven printwheel and ribbon cartridge | Forms, correspondence, office work, polished paper documents |
| Reconditioned typewriter | Depends on model | Original machine’s printing system | Buyers seeking a particular era, feel, feature set, or professional model |
Nakajima: Modern Electronic Typewriting
Nakajima’s WPT series keeps the direct-to-paper workflow while adding electronic speed, consistent print quality, correction features, and swappable printwheels. These machines suit writers and offices that want to step away from a computer without giving up every modern convenience.
Nakajima WPT-150
- 12-character-per-second print speed
- 100-character drop-in printwheel
- One-line correction memory with word and character erase
- Automatic centering, return, margins, and programmable tabs
- Prestige Pica 10 printwheel, ribbon, and correction tape included
Nakajima WPT-160
- 20-character, one-line LCD for reviewing text and functions
- Memory for up to 16,000 characters across as many as 50 files
- Integrated 80,000-word spell checker
- Text tools including search, block copy, and overlay
- Automatic formatting features and a built-in carrying handle
Why Printwheels Still Matter
A printwheel carries the characters a compatible electronic typewriter prints. Changing the printwheel can change the type style or pitch, giving a physical document a different visual personality without opening a font menu on a screen. Both featured Nakajima models include a Prestige Pica 10 printwheel, and Typewriters.com carries additional Nakajima printwheels for compatible machines.
Royal: The Manual Tradition Continues
The Royal name remains closely connected to the familiar manual typewriting experience. The Royal Classic is designed for people who want a machine that feels deliberately analog: no screen, no software, and no electrical outlet between an idea and the printed page.
Royal Classic Manual Typewriter
- Full-size keyboard with 44 keys and 88 symbols
- Black-and-red ribbon selector and impression control
- Adjustable line spacing, tab setting, and margin stops
- 11-inch carriage for common writing and correspondence tasks
- Available in several colors for a more personal retro look
Why Are Typewriters Still Being Made?
Their continued appeal is not just nostalgia. A typewriter changes the writing environment itself: the tool has one purpose, the page is physical, and every keystroke produces an immediate result.
Fewer Digital Distractions
There are no browser tabs, notifications, social feeds, or app updates competing with the next sentence.
A Tactile Writing Rhythm
The resistance, sound, and visible movement of the machine make typing feel physical and deliberate.
Immediate Paper Output
A completed page can be held, annotated, mailed, filed, or displayed without first sending it to a printer.
A Different Creative Pace
Because revision is less frictionless than on a computer, many writers use a typewriter to draft forward and edit later.
Which Modern Typewriter Is Right for You?
Start with the experience you want rather than the most impressive feature list. The best machine is the one that fits how—and where—you expect to write.
Choose a Royal Classic if…
You want a fully manual, screen-free machine with traditional carriage movement, tactile key action, and no need for electricity.
Choose a WPT-150 if…
You want an accessible electronic typewriter for correspondence, forms, schoolwork, or focused everyday typing with easy correction.
Choose a WPT-160 if…
You want more support before words reach the page, including a small display, document memory, spell checking, and text-editing functions.
New Is Not the Only Option
If you want a wider range of sizes, eras, features, or professional machines, a reconditioned typewriter may be a better fit. Browse the full new and reconditioned typewriter collection or use the Typewriter Comparison Chart to compare available models.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you still buy a brand-new typewriter?
Yes. Newly made manual and electronic typewriters are still available. Typewriters.com carries current Royal and Nakajima options alongside professionally reconditioned machines.
Are modern typewriters manual or electric?
Both types exist. The Royal Classic provides a fully manual experience, while Nakajima’s WPT models use electrical power, a printwheel, ribbon cartridge, and electronic features.
Do new typewriters use ink?
They use an inked ribbon or ribbon cartridge rather than liquid printer ink. The correct supply depends on the machine, so always match ribbons and correction products to the model.
Can a typewriter replace a computer?
For drafting, letters, forms, journaling, and distraction-free writing, it may replace a computer during part of the workflow. A computer remains more practical for online research, extensive revision, collaboration, file storage, and digital distribution.
Are supplies still available for modern typewriters?
Yes. Typewriters.com carries typewriter ribbons, correction supplies, printwheels, and other compatible products across major brands. Check your model number before ordering.
Find Your Focused Writing Machine
Whether you want the complete analog ritual of a manual typewriter or the clean, consistent output of an electronic model, there is still a machine ready to put your words on paper.
