As I’ve mentioned in past reviews, pencils really aren’t my first choice when it comes to writing tools but my sons will pick an automatic or mechanical pencil over a pen if given a choice. This means that they also go through their fair share of erasers, be it the small square ones or the ones that come with the pencils. Purchasing the replacements for the automatic pencils isn’t expensive but they do tend to go through them quickly. When we spotted the Pentel Clic Eraser about a year or so ago and decided to give them a try I wasn’t sure that they would go for the idea but they went crazy for them. I ended up purchasing them in the three pack then by the dozen not knowing that they sold refill packages. Now I keep the refills on hand when they are running low and although the plastic bodies are strong and sturdy, eventually one or two of them will break, get cracked or stop advancing the eraser.

The premise is simple, a pen shaped body that has a long thin eraser inside. Since it is shaped like a pen or pencil it is easier to work with when erasing a large area or when you need to erase a small precise part of a drawing or design. The eraser itself is white and a little stiffer than regular pink erasers so you have to use less pressure but at the same time, it will rip thinner sheets of paper like vellum or rice paper. Since my boys use these on index cards, notebook paper and loose leaf, the don’t really have a problem with pages ripping but just like regular erasers, if you go over the area too many times, you will eventually have a hole in your paper. As far as “eraser waste” – those small tiny pieces that are left over after you use it – this is minimal but it does still happen. The boys have really grown to love these and when they go on field trips or to a day camp they each take one with them. Me? I use them to art designs, to remove heel scuffs from the kitchen floor, to blend pastels or colored pencils and to clean up borders on a piece of art.

Using the Pentel Clic Eraser is a piece of cake, just advance the small clicker on the side of the pen, make sure it is locked in place and use it as you would a normal eraser. The refills slide in with no effort whatsoever and eliminate the need of having to purchase a complete assembly when you are running low on the eraser part. The refills cost about $1.29 and are a great alternative for those looking to cut down on plastic waste. These erasers can easily be used by both children as well as adults and should be considered an essential for those that have wrist or hand ailments and find it hard to use conventional erasers.

Things To Know

You can purchase these erasers individually, in three packs or by the dozen. If you try these out and like them, you can also purchase refills for them and save yourself a dollar or two over buying completely new ones when you run out. They are available in three colors; red, blue and black with either black or gray advance clips. If you don’t like those colors you can try to track down the transparent ones which I’ve only seen online. For some reason the local office supply stores don’t stock the clear ones – which seems a bit strange to me. You can find these at most office supply stores or retail locations that have a large pen section but I’ve had the best luck getting them at Office Depot. I originally purchased a few of these individually, then in the three pack, to see if they boys would like them and when they flipped over them I purchased a dozen of them. I didn’t know that they sold refills for these when I purchased the dozen but in all honesty, you can never have too many of these around the house.

The Bottom Line

These are great for art projects, erasing large amounts of pencil or when you need a fresh eraser when working with different colored inks. I’ve had a lot of success using this with Crayola Twistables Crayons to blend the colors together as well as the Crayola Washable Crayons when the kids are drawing or doing a project. I never thought that the boys would go for these since they are pretty picky about their pencils and pencil related supplies [lead, erasers etc] but they really freaked out over them after they saw how easy they were to use. If you do a lot of writing in pencil or work with colored pencils you owe it to yourself to check out the Pentel Clic Eraser to make your life a little easier.


As always, thanks for the visit …

^V^ Freak ^V^

© 2003 Freak369


Other Pentel product reviews …

Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Pens

Pentel EnerGel Liquid Gel Roller

Pentel Forte Automatic Pencil



Recommended: Yes