I don't care for cursive, myself. While it might be a nice novelty from time to time, I'd say it's only good for a very short message before it gets annoying to read.

Also, I find myself studying the numerals closely when reviewing a type sample, since it seems as though you get the most variation there, even among typefaces that are otherwise pretty similar (I'm thinking here of the serif, "Courier" style more common on the older machines -- I realize this is a very broad description). In particular, I find myself not caring as much for the style of 5 where the top line has an upward curve, like an upswept forelock of hair. I think of this as being more an American style. Don't ask me why I don't like it; I just don't!

As for font size, I like elite a lot -- funny that of the machines I have, I only have it on standard size typewriters. Could be that it's more common on office machines. But I won't reject a machine because of the font size.

Personally, I love the cursive typefaces.  If I was using typewriters back in the day, I don't think I'd want cursive for everyday use, but as a collector I love having them.  I'm really longing for a vertical cursive typeface machine.  All the ones I have now are slanted cursive.

I also really love my Adler Primus, which has um... I think it's called Imperial Elite. It is small and bold. My very favorite.

I'm also longing for a Royal Vogue machine. I can't afford one from someone who knows what they have, so I'm hoping to run across one unidentified in an antique mall one of these days.

I like small sharp fonts. I presume "sharp" is usually more a function of the ribbon and the remaining bits of the imprint train but since we are talking about aesthetics I think I can refer to the final result - and this definitely means I am not a big fan of pica: besides putting less information on the page means more carriage returns. I thought I must be imagining that I noticed this, but when I realized 12 CPI vs. 10 CPI means 20% more letters on a line it became quite plausible.

I own one typewriter with a cursive font. I was never gaga about cursive in the first place but I bought this Adler because it was the Holy Grail of eBay cursive purchases - visible in poor resolution in the third or fourth photo though neither the seller nor anybody else seemed to realize what it was! You can't refuse that sort of thing. I cleaned the machine up until it worked smoothly and found that it is satisfying to use and produces a sharp cursive elite script - so there are two of my font criteria right there. I agree I would not like to read an entire page of text, an essay on security or even a friendly letter in this font, where it would merely be an annoyance. Then I realized what it is for - it's for writing love poems! I can never recall writing a love poem in my life but as soon as I got the idea one just kind of flowed out of my fingers into cursive typescript like guided writing. This typewriter is a love poem Ouija board! At least in June.

If I can get just my elite Double Gothic Olympia working smoothly I hope to figure out what that is for also - neither cyber security nor love poems I think, but probably some kind of poetry in any case. A strange and potentially distracting typeface is probably best suited for poetry, where its form may add something to function rather than detract from it. I'm no poet and I know it, but I'll bend that rule to make use of a good typewriter.

In my attempt to get my typewriters posted on the Typewriter Database along with a type sample for each, I've made little cards for each one with the sample type on them.  It was having the cards side by side that I really paid attention to the differences between the machines.  Mostly in the appearance of the numbers.  I even did a cpi measurement on the cards and found the following:  10 cpi - 10 , 12 cpi - 5, and 11 cpi - 1. There are a couple that I don't recall which typeface they are and will have to see about making cards for them later.

I sold an Olympia SM9 to a local family via Craigslist because, after a few years of use, I just couldn't get along with the "techno" type face in elite size.

Later, the Typewriter Muse rewarded me with a wide-carriage SM9 of the same vintage in a pleasing sans-serif type face, then later two Hermes 3000s, one sans serif and the other a very pleasing serif font that's now the "Nekkid-Riter."

Yes, type face is important to me. Kind of like the optical characteristic of a camera lens. And just as importantly is how the mechanics of the machine work to produce a quality, well aligned imprint.

~Joe