Best Erasers for 2027: MONO, Mars Plastic & More

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Staedtler Mars plastic eraser (526 50)Staedtler	Germany	Germany*	Price range: $
Tombow MONO eraser, PE-04ATombow	Japan	Japan*	Price range: $
Tombow MONO Zero eraser, round 2.3 mm tip (57305 / EH-KUR)Tombow	Japan	Japan*	Price range: $$
Faber-Castell Art Eraser kneadable eraser, grey (127220)Faber-Castell	Germany	Not stated*	Price range: $
Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser, large (ZEH10)Pentel	Japan	Taiwan*	Price range: $

Notes on these facts

• Staedtler Mars plastic eraser (526 50): Made by Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG (Nuremberg). Made in Germany: Galaxus lists Germany as the country of origin, an Australian retailer (Office National) says it is made in Germany, and a UK office supplier also gives Germany. But the best-selling US Amazon listing (ASIN B00006IFAN, a 4-pack), as copied by ASINsight in July 2026, is titled "Made in Peru", so US stock may differ. Staedtler's German product page doesn't state the country, and Galaxus and Office National blocked our reader on October 20, 2026; check the packaging. Source. Price: example listing.
• Tombow MONO eraser, PE-04A: Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Officeworks in Australia lists Japan as the country of manufacture for the PE-04A, and Galaxus gives Japan as the country of origin. But St. Louis Art Supply, a US shop, says its PE-04A is made in Vietnam, so US stock may differ. Tombow's Japanese MONO page (read on October 21, 2026) doesn't state a country; check the packaging. Source. Released: Tombow says the MONO eraser was created as a giveaway with the MONO 100 pencil (launched 1967) and became a product in 1969; that is the line's launch year, not necessarily the PE-04A code's.
• Tombow MONO Zero eraser, round 2.3 mm tip (57305 / EH-KUR): Made by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: STL Art Supply says the MONO Zero 2.3 mm eraser is made in Japan, and Officeworks in Australia lists Japan as the country of manufacture for its black round MONO Zero. Tombow's Japanese page doesn't state a country, and we found no reliable origin for the ER-KUR refills. Source. Price: example listing.
• Faber-Castell Art Eraser kneadable eraser, grey (127220): Made by Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany. Country of manufacture not stated: Faber-Castell's German and English product pages for 127220 (read on October 21, 2026) don't state a country of manufacture, and we found no retailer spec sheet that does. ShopSavvy lists the UPC as 9556089009225; its 955 prefix is the Malaysian GS1 range, which shows where the code was registered, not where the eraser was made.
• Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser, large (ZEH10): Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Made in Taiwan: Pentel of America's 2023–2024 product guide lists the origin of the Hi-Polymer block erasers (ZEH05, ZEH10, ZEH20, ZEH99) as Taiwan, with the eraser caps made in China. PartsSource also lists Taiwan for the single ZEH10, and On Time Supplies gives the country code TW for the single, the 3-pack and the box of 10. Source. Price: example listing.
• Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

• The three block erasers are close in size: Mars plastic 65 × 23 × 13 mm, Hi-Polymer ZEH10 65 × 24.5 × 12.5 mm, and the MONO PE-04A 23 × 55 mm per a Bic Camera listing.
• Tombow's MONO eraser started as a free gift with the MONO 100 pencil in 1967 and went on sale on its own in 1969; Tombow sells it in 5 sizes.
• The MONO Zero's round tip is 2.3 mm across, and Tombow says each click advances it by less than 1 mm.
• Tombow Japan lists the MONO PE-04A at ¥132 (about US$0.80) and the MONO Zero at ¥495 (about US$3.10), with tax.
• Faber-Castell says its kneadable Art Eraser lightens charcoal, pencil and pastel and leaves no crumbs.

What is the best eraser?

For most people, the best eraser is a white plastic block such as the Staedtler Mars plastic, but clean erasing, small details, colored pencil and bulk buying each have a better pick. Picks are based on published specs and maker claims; we haven’t tested them yet.

• Everyday pencil: Staedtler Mars plastic 526 50. A 65 × 23 × 13 mm white vinyl block, phthalate- and latex-free per Staedtler; ASINsight estimated its top Amazon US listing at about 10,000 sales a month in July 2026.
• Cleanest erase: Tombow MONO PE-04A. The Well-Appointed Desk named it a finalist on both smooth and toothy paper, and Tombow has sold it since 1969; it lists at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan.
• Precision: Tombow MONO Zero. A refillable pen-style eraser with a 2.3 mm round tip that Tombow says clicks out less than 1 mm at a time.
• For colored pencil: Faber-Castell Art Eraser 127220. A grey kneadable eraser that Faber-Castell says lightens drawings and leaves no crumbs; dab it to lift layers.
• Budget: Pentel Hi-Polymer ZEH10. A 65 × 24.5 × 12.5 mm latex-free block sold singly and in 3-packs, whose Staples 3-pack shows 4.84 stars from 1,187 reviews.

How do these erasers compare?

Three are white plastic blocks of about the same size; the other two are a refillable pen eraser and a kneadable eraser for art.

Eraser	Pick	Size	Type	Made in	Band
Staedtler Mars plastic 526 50	Everyday pencil	65 × 23 × 13 mm	Vinyl (PVC) block, blue sleeve	Germany (some US packs say Peru)	$
Tombow MONO PE-04A	Cleanest erase	55 × 23 × 11 mm	Plastic block, striped sleeve	Japan (one US shop says Vietnam)	$
Tombow MONO Zero (round)	Precision	120 mm pen, 2.3 mm tip	Refillable stick, non-PVC	Japan	$$
Faber-Castell Art Eraser 127220	Colored pencil	Box 50 × 35 × 9 mm (retailer)	Kneadable, in a case	Not stated	$
Pentel Hi-Polymer ZEH10	Budget	65 × 24.5 × 12.5 mm	Polymer block, sleeve	Taiwan	$

Sizes are from Staedtler, Tombow and the Hobonichi store, and retailers (Bic Camera for the MONO, Swiss Post and Cromwell for the Hi-Polymer). Origins are from retailer listings and Pentel of America’s product guide; see Notes on these facts.

Mars plastic, MONO or Hi-Polymer: which block eraser should you buy?

Any of the three will erase graphite well; buy the Mars plastic for availability, the MONO for the cleanest erase and the Hi-Polymer for multi-packs. In The Well-Appointed Desk’s 2016 test, the MONO and a Pilot foam eraser were the finalists, and the Mars plastic was runner-up on toothy paper.

The MONO comes in five sizes in Japan, from PE-01A at ¥77 (about US$0.50) to PE-09A at ¥396 (about US$2.50). It began as a free gift with a dozen Tombow MONO 100 pencils.

What is the best eraser for small details?

Use a pen-style eraser such as the Tombow MONO Zero, which removes a single letter without touching its neighbors. Its round tip is 2.3 mm across, and a rectangular version has a 2.5 × 5 mm tip, per Tombow.

Tombow Japan lists the pen at ¥495 (about US$3.10) and a 2-stick ER-KUR refill at ¥231 (about US$1.50). It is the only pick here that takes refills.

Can you erase colored pencil?

Only partly: colored pencil cores are bound with wax or oil, so the realistic goal is to lighten a layer, not remove it. A kneadable eraser lifts pigment when you press and lift instead of rubbing, which is less likely to polish the waxy layer or damage the paper.

Faber-Castell markets the Art Eraser for charcoal, pencil and pastel rather than colored pencil, so lifting Polychromos layers is our suggested use, not a maker claim. The Well-Appointed Desk found foam erasers removed colored pencil best on smooth paper.

What do other reviewers recommend?

The Well-Appointed Desk’s eraser test backs the main picks.

• The Well-Appointed Desk tested erasers on graphite and colored pencil and named the Tombow MONO and Pilot foam erasers finalists, with the Staedtler Mars plastic best on toothy paper.
• Staples shoppers rate the Pentel Hi-Polymer 3-pack 4.84 out of 5 from 1,187 reviews.
• Tombow received a 2011 Good Design Long Life Design Award for the MONO eraser.

Where are these erasers made?

Retailers list the Mars plastic as made in Germany, the MONO and MONO Zero in Japan and the Hi-Polymer in Taiwan; Faber-Castell doesn’t state it for the Art Eraser. St. Louis Art Supply says its MONO PE-04A stock is made in Vietnam. One top-selling US Amazon 4-pack of Mars plastic says made in Peru, so check the pack you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best eraser for pencil?

The Staedtler Mars plastic 526 50 is the safe default: a 65 mm white vinyl block that's phthalate- and latex-free and sold almost everywhere in the US. The Tombow MONO and Pentel Hi-Polymer are close alternatives at a similar size.

Which eraser erases most cleanly?

In The Well-Appointed Desk's side-by-side test, the Tombow MONO was a finalist on both smooth and toothy paper, with the Staedtler Mars plastic runner-up on toothy paper. Tombow itself promotes the MONO's erasing performance; we haven't tested it yet.

What is the best eraser for small details?

A pen-style eraser such as the Tombow MONO Zero, whose round tip is 2.3 mm across; a rectangular version has a 2.5 × 5 mm tip. It refills with ER-KUR sticks and erases single letters without touching nearby lines.

Can you erase colored pencil?

Only partly. A kneadable eraser such as Faber-Castell's Art Eraser lightens layers by dabbing rather than rubbing, and The Well-Appointed Desk found foam erasers removed colored pencil best on smooth paper.

How big is a Tombow MONO eraser?

Tombow sells the standard MONO in five sizes, PE-01A to PE-09A. The common PE-04A is 23 × 55 mm per a Bic Camera listing, a little shorter than the 65 mm Mars plastic and Hi-Polymer blocks.

Are these erasers latex-free?

Staedtler lists the Mars plastic as latex-free, and US retailers list the Pentel Hi-Polymer as latex-free and AP certified nontoxic. Tombow says its MONO eraser contains no phthalates.

Why does my eraser stick to my pencil case?

Tombow warns that erasers and their crumbs can stick to or melt painted and plastic surfaces, and tells users to keep the eraser in its sleeve after use.

Sources (10)

1. Tombow Pencil (Japanese): MONO eraser (モノ消しゴム; launched 1969, 5 sizes, PE-04A ¥132, phthalate-free)
2. Tombow Pencil (Japanese): MONO Air Touch eraser (EL-AT)
3. Tombow Pencil: MONO Zero
4. Bic Camera: Tombow MONO eraser PE-04A (23 × 55 mm)
5. Faber-Castell: Art Eraser kneadable eraser, grey (127220)
6. Faber-Castell (German): Art Eraser Knetgummi, grau (127220)
7. Staedtler (German): Mars plastic 526 50 eraser
8. Pentel of America: Hi-Polymer Eraser, Large (ZEH-10)
9. Staples: Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser, white (ZEH10)
10. The Well-Appointed Desk: The Great Eraser Rub-Off Challenge (July 7, 2016)

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