Best cig pull I ever used (I still have it) is an old P&L metal pull. I used to keep it pinned in the sleeve of my colors (old Levis jacket) until I quit smoking.

I also kept a utility pull in there too which was basically an alligator clip on a piece of monofilament tied to a length of black elastic. I could make a torn up card vanish and did regularly. In fact I think I will resurrect this old thing. Thanks for the reminder.

My favorite pull is the rubber ball that fits into a shot glass for vanishing a shot glass of liquid. Was it called "Squash?"

-=tabman

I vote with LeLand on that one. In fact mine isn't that fancy. It is made from a plastic Easter egg but it is covered with flesh-colored Band-Aids. (The hot pink was a little flashy!) This happened before I knew there was a Royal Magic company.

The worst I've had were also expensive.

Tabman is right about vanishing cigarettes. I still have a very nice metal tank pull that will vanish lit cigarettes. It was having it that led to the plastic Easter Egg for silks (after my plastic golf ball fell apart). My nice metal one even has a fishing swivel between the elastic and the tank. It was just that once I started doing magic for the # 3 life insurance company in the world, cigarette magic came to an end for me. I’ve never gone back and that was in the 60s! I can just imagine what the elastic on it must be like now. But that leads to an important note: change the elastic very often and check the knots. Remember that the audience is NEVER supposed to see a gimmick.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I think Werry's transformer is great for coins and very small objects...

Its not designed for other things, just coins really, its basically a raven
without the magnet. When used just for coins, it works wonderfully, I swear by
them, I have two...

Steven

Amadeus_Magi:

The worst reel that I've ever used are electric reels. They work on a different principle than the tradition reel or pull but they're noisy and nothing but trouble. They are not dependable.

Like several others have mentioned above in their posts, the best all around pull to use is the Vernet Universal Reel. It's actually more of a pull than a reel. It works on a different principle than a reel and it is not expensive like some of the overpriced fancy modern reels. The Universal Reel is an inexpensive pull that uses an old simple principle for vanishes, etc. Many famous and old-time magicians have been using this type of pulls for many years. It has stood the test of time. Vernet's Universal Reel is a basic simple pull that will not let you down when you need to use it and the pull will last you forever.

Another great vanisher that uses a different principle than the Vernet Universal Reel is the Raven Reel. The Raven is one of the best reels to use for s****d or f****t objects.

The Vernet Universal Reel and the Raven are probably the two best pulls/reels or vanishers you can buy and both are inexpensive as well.

Gerard

Another pull that some magicians seem to like is the Royal Magic Vanisher. II've never tried one so I can't really comment on this particular pull.

I want somthing strong and silent to pull a hat off my head. What do you recommend?

A good lady assistant, that will provide the misdirection to steal an elephant!!!

Bill, I think you missed the "silent" qualification.

I saw today a great lecture of Michel from Argentina, who is coowner of the Vernet magic. His lecture was on the holdout device called invisible hand. The main difference to all the other pulls is, that it is very universal and you can use it many times in your performance in various moments. You can vanish and reapear balls, coins, silks, anything, which fits in your sleeve. My strong recommendation.

This Invisible hand sounds interesting. I been on the Vernet website but the device doesn't seem to be there for sale. Anyone know anymore about it?

Also I have the SUV by Woody Pittman and this is noisey also.

I know this is an old post, but researching the SUV Vanisher.

And agree with Pete, the best pulls can be the ones you make. Every jacket/blazer I wear when performing has two 360 balloon animal balloons tied together and then tied to the collar material or origin of manufacturer hoop label. The other end has a couple knots tied into it so when ready to do walk around I can take a sharpie and hook the cap clip to it and just let it hang. Every signed card looks like I'm just reaching into my back pocket for a pen, I uncap it and let them have the marker, best part is I'm holding the "vanisher" at my finger tips right in front of them. Just recap the pen and basically clap and it's gone with no noise and reset for the next table.

My favorite pull is a Riser one that I use to vanish a 3CM. Totally silent. Great craftsmanship!