Hello, fellow artists! Welcome to my Pentel Twist Erase III review, where you’ll quickly find out why it’s one of my favorite mechanical pencils.
I’m very excited to share my thoughts on this one because I’ve been using it since… good grief, since middle school. And I’m over 30 now! Having the right pencil can make a huge difference in your work, so let’s take a look at why the Pentel Twist III is (in my opinion) one of your best options. Here’s a quick summary of the pencil in table form:
| Mechanical Pencil Name | Price (Each) | Eraser | Durability | Grip |
| Pentel Twist-Erase III | ~$4.60 | Extendable | High | Comfortable |
Pros and Cons of the Pentel Twist Erase III
Pros
- The Large Twist-Up Eraser
- I needed to list this as my first pro. It’s literally in the name. But for good reason! This eraser is perfect for artists who make big mistakes. Do you make big mistakes? I don’t! Jk, I make huge mistakes. But none of them are too big for this eraser to handle.
- Comfortable Grip
- The way the Pentel Twist Erase III feels in your hand makes you think you could be the next Picasso. This pencil was clearly made by someone who knows there are people out there holding pencils for hours at a time, crying out for a pencil that doesn’t make their fingers want to weep.
- Durable Build
- Don’t let the lightweight exterior fool you. This pencil was built to last. I’m still using the same Pentel Twist Erase III that I had in middle school, and that was over FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. I can’t even get a car that lasts that long, let alone most mechanical pencils.
- Replaceable Eraser
- Back to the eraser. If you ever actually use the gargantuan eraser shoved inside this pencil, you can just get another one rather than replace the whole pencil. They usually come in multi-packs, and I’ve actually only had to buy a few over the many years I’ve had mine.
Cons
- Bulky Eraser Mechanism
- The eraser itself is awesome, but it comes at a cost. The Pentel Twist Erase III is notably bulkier than your average mechanical pencil in order to allow room for the mechanism that pushes out more of the eraser when you need it. It doesn’t really bother me, but some people are fond of sleek mechanical pencil designs. If you’re one of those people, then this might be the dealbreaker.
- Not Ideal for Precision Work
- The pencil itself is pretty bulky, and the eraser is substantially thicker than what other mechanical pencils have. Due to this, it’s not ideal to add intricate details or attempt to correct mistakes with your gigantic eraser. I typically keep a fine-tipped mechanical eraser nearby to make up for this.
- Higher Price
- If you look at the alternatives below, you’ll immediately notice that the Pentel Twist Erase III is notably more expensive than its competitors
Should You Buy the Pentel Twist Erase III?
So, do I recommend buying the Pentel Twist Erase III? Absolutely! The pros far outweigh the cons for me, especially in the areas of comfort and durability. This is why you’ll see that I have this pencil in my list of the best mechanical pencils for sketching! The fact that I’m still using the same mechanical pencil from 15 years ago is unreal. I obviously can’t guarantee yours is going to last that long, and mine went through some periods of slow use, but still!
The eraser is probably the biggest selling point for me. It works perfectly for sketching in all forms and keeps you from needing to carry extra erasers if you just want to carry a pencil and a sketchbook out to draw.
You should, however, keep in mind the cons I listed above. If you’re a bigger fan of sleek-looking pencils, then the Pentel Twist Erase III probably isn’t for you.
Pentel Twist Erase III Alternatives
Since the Pentel Twist Erase III obviously can’t be everyone’s cup of tea, I wanted to throw in some order recommendations with similar features or that I feel are just overall great mechanical pencils. Here are some alternatives if you don’t think the Pentel Twist Erase III is right for you:
| Mechanical Pencil Name | Price (Each) | Eraser | Durability | Grip |
| Pentel Twist-Erase CLICK | ~$1.80 | Extendable | Standard | Comfortable |
| BIC Break-Resistant | ~$2.20 | Extendable | High | Standard |
| Pentel Quick Click Pop | ~$2.40 | Extendable | Standard | Standard |
And that’s it for my review of the Pentel Twist Erase III. I hope you liked it! Let me know in the comments if you use this pencil or if you think there’s something I missed. I’d love to update my review to be the best it can be!
Thank you for reading!