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Steel is reel.
Finally switched to steel reels and tanks. In SF, Glass Key Photo usually has a bunch of used steel reels and tanks and they’ve very affordable there. They also last forever. I started with Paterson and plastic, and think I’ll start phasing those out in favor of these ones.
Also, the Leatherman Micra is my favorite tool for cutting film inside a changing bag. It’s so tiny and works well and I feel it gives me better control
@skinnylatte@hachyderm.io I always liked metal reels because I felt like it I fucked up winding the film it was my fault, whereas if I fucked up the film on a plastic reel it was the reel's fault
I also like to wind the film almost back into the cannister after exposing, and trimming the leader off in the light, it's nicer to make sure you're cutting between the sprocket holes especially if you're using a reel that has the little tabs instead of a clip
@skinnylatte@hachyderm.io tab style reel is also nice because you don't have to worry about centering the film when you clip it on
@skinnylatte I loved steel reels for 35mm but used plastic for 120. I could never get the hang of steel reels for the bigger film.
Note, this was a LONG time ago. My late father taught me darkroom work. I have not done any since the early 1980s.
@trollball The plastic reels with the large lip (Samigon or AP brand) are much easier for 120 than the regular plastic reels.
@skinnylatte I haven’t developed film in too long. I’m quite jealous.
@skinnylatte
Look for the ones with the black plastic tops. They pour in and out at least twice as fast and they, too, last forever (I've been using the same ones since somewhere around 1970).
@skinnylatte I love steel reels. It’s what I learnt when I started developing. As a result I’m not as confident and mess up plastic reels….
@skinnylatte I've only ever used plastic reels, but getting a set of metal ones would be nice, so I can just throw them into the dishwasher, if there's one thing I strongly dislike, it's cleaning the reels. 
Also, are those reusable film canisters? I've been splicing the film onto standard, spent canisters, and tinkering with it, but I really should just get a bunch of reusable ones... 