I never put much thought into the quality of a pencil until I started using Ticonderoga. Suddenly, I'm comparing every pencil in my arsenal - which, as a teacher, is a pretty big thing. These pencils come pre-sharpened, which is always a plus in my book. They're also very comfortable to hold, the graphite writes smoothly and the pencil erases all errors easily. Even my son has started looking to make sure he picks up the Ticonderoga pencils for his writing assignments. We are not very brand-loyal in this household, but I have definitely given exception for these pencils. They truly do make a difference.