The 10 Best Electric Erasers
Special Honors
Utrecht Founded in 1949 by artists in Brooklyn, Utrecht is a supplier and manufacturer of high-quality, handcrafted paints and other art supplies. They offer professional-grade pencil erasers, electric erasers, and eraser sticks priced for creatives who draw daily. They carry their own brand of soap, gum, and rubber erasers, plus a variety of styles from Prismacolor, Derwent, Faber-Castell, Staedtler, General's and Papermate. utrechtart.com
Editor's Notes
June 30, 2020:
Although this list was recently updated, the category tends to turn fast, with some selections becoming unavailable quickly while others are supplanted with better designs. For today's update, we said goodbye to the Sakura SE2000, which was discontinued, and the Tihoo Automatic, which became unavailable. Finally, when the Helix Auto was no longer available in black, we kept the design on our list in its blue iteration with the Helix Automatic.
We brought on two new items meant for casual artists and students. So while units like the Sakura SumoGrip are up to the task of helping professionals and priced to reflect that, we felt that Ogrmar Portable, which is a set of two, would fit much better in a teacher's tight budget. They come in a cheery blue color that's attractive to kids, and plenty of refills in a dedicated case to keep things tidy. They are more than up to the task of erasing the pencils that come in most art sets.
We also added the Afmat Detailer, which has a slim body that's easier for small hands to wield, but on top of that, it represents a solid quality for the cost. This one is best suited to students of all ages, hobbyists, and creatives looking to get more serious with their work, but for an entry-level price. If you don't mind having a chunkier design, the Afmat EE03 is a desirable choice thanks to its solid build and rechargeable battery. It comes with a USB cord and eliminates the need to buy and change out standard batteries.
March 07, 2020:
The average person may consider an electric eraser a waste of money, as they’re usually viewed as a standard eraser that simply vibrates. However, one familiar with these devices would appreciate the convenience and control they offer. Artists often have to make pinpoint erasures and treat an eraser similar to a pencil. Various effects such as blending can be accomplished much more effectively through the use of an electric eraser than a manual one. Creating whitespace with precision is just as important as adding new marks to a page. Most would agree using high-quality graphite or color pencils is important, and erasers should be thought of the same way.
For this list, we’ve chosen devices that artists recommend, as that seal of approval presumably makes them more than suitable for everyday use too. The Sakura SE2000 sits atop at #1 for its durability and prestige in the world of electric erasers. It’s extremely powerful and can remove most marks with ease. While relatively expensive, it’s well-worth the price tag.
Two other notable picks are the Ohuhu Kit and Afmat EE03. These both include plenty of refills and a handy brush that can be used to wipe away eraser remnants without disturbing the subject at hand. They’re also comfortable to hold and require very minimal setup.
Giving Your Hand A Break
You only have a large, chunky rubber eraser at your disposal, which could end up removing too much detail from your work.
Whether you're a graphic artist, an illustrator, or you're just trying to get your homework done with minimal fanfare, the act of tiring out your hand and wrist to correct every single mistake on paper with a bulky eraser certainly gets tedious and even downright painful after a while. Additionally, if you need an implement to help you make additional highlights or accents to an artistic work, that large eraser isn't going to make your job any easier. One possible solution to this problem is an electric eraser.
The electric eraser is a battery-operated tool that typically comes in the shape of a pen or pencil and is equipped with an electric motor connected to an eraser head. The tool ultimately removes either pencil or charcoal markings from various paper media without the need for unnecessary hand pressure or downward force that could otherwise cramp your hand or even damage the artistic creation you're attempting to perfect. For example, imagine that you've just been tasked with designing a large black-and-white poster for an art class. This poster must consist of a series of small dots or streaks surrounded by graphite markings. Producing this imagery requires precise detailing on a very small scale. So, what's the predicament? You only have a large, chunky rubber eraser at your disposal, which could end up removing too much detail from your work. This creates a unique niche that can be filled by nearly any pick on our list of electric erasers.
The beauty of an electric eraser is in its precision. This is true regardless of whether you're attempting to undo a mistake, add intricate line work to a drawing, or clean up the edging around a work piece. With such a tool, it becomes easier to depict those small white dots on paper, as the eraser head spins rapidly to remove only a small diameter of the graphite-marked surface onto which it has been placed. Such precision is also accomplished without a lot of downward pressure from the user.
Other benefits of the electric eraser include a lightweight construction and overall style. Unlike a chunky rubber or vinyl-made eraser, the electric variety is made with a sturdy plastic outer shell that is ergonomically-fashioned to fit comfortably in your hand like a pen. The eraser usually has a convenient power switch right on its body for seamless operation. Additionally, because the tool requires very little pressure on paper, it can be used to lighten an image without removing the mark completely, making shading a much easier process.
Choosing An Electric Eraser
There are several practical considerations to keep in mind when purchasing an electric eraser, the most important of which is its overall dimensions. When using the tool for extended periods of time, its length and width will make all the difference in terms of comfort. This is especially important when you have to perform line work, shadowing, or edging effects on paper that require specific attention to detail. The eraser should fit easily in your hand with a reach similar to that of an ordinary pen or pencil, but without cramping your muscles or causing wrist pain in the process.
If you have the opportunity to test the tool before purchasing it, make sure the tip remains secure when attached and that normal force won't cause it to come off easily.
The electric motor in the device should be powerful enough to spin the eraser head at a fast speed so as to minimize the amount of force you have to exert on the paper. A reliable electric motor will save your wrist and hand from cramping, while also preventing potential damage to your work piece.
If you anticipate sharing an electric eraser with a lot of people, look for one that will support both left and right-handed users.
Pay attention to the number and types of tips that come with your eraser of choice. If you have the opportunity to test the tool before purchasing it, make sure the tip remains secure when attached and that normal force won't cause it to come off easily.
One final addition to the battery-powered eraser you might consider is an integrated pencil sharpener. This comes in quite handy if you're a traveling architect, art student, or designer, and you don't always have access to conventional office supplies when you're on the road.
A Brief History Of Electric Erasers
Prior to the use of modern rubber, the earliest types of eraser technology appeared during ancient Greek and Roman times, taking the form of smoothable wax tablets used to erase lead or charcoal from pieces of parchment. Other rudimentary materials included sandstone and pumice, which could be used to remove mistakes from papyrus documents written in ink.
Nairne claimed to have stumbled upon his invention accidentally, inadvertently picking up a piece of rubber instead of breadcrumbs.
Up until the latter part of the 18th century, de-crusted, moistened, and balled bread crumbs were favored as the most popular material for erasing erroneous marks. Unfortunately, bread wasn't the most practical of choices, due to its potential to mold and rot over time. This makes you think twice about maintaining that nervous habit of chewing on your pencil eraser were it made of aging bread.
British engineer Edward Nairne is generally credited with having developed and marketed the first rubber eraser in Europe as early as 1770. Nairne claimed to have stumbled upon his invention accidentally, inadvertently picking up a piece of rubber instead of breadcrumbs.
Like its bread-made counterpart, raw rubber was also perishable. It wasn't until 1839 when American chemist Charles Goodyear would discover the process of vulcanization, which was capable of curing rubber and increasing its level of durability for use as an eraser tool. In 1858, Hymen Lipman of Philadelphia patented the first pencil with a rubber eraser attached to one end.
The first electric eraser was invented in 1932 by Arthur Dremel of Wisconsin. Dremel's device consisted of a replaceable cylinder of eraser material attached to a chuck and driven by an electric motor. This addition of motor speed allowed for significantly less pressure to be applied to paper, preventing damage to artistic works.
Today's electric erasers maintain a focus on portability, precision, quality, comfort, and ease of use with an ability to improve upon even the smallest of details.