Miniature painting supplies, independently reviewed
The right tools for your
best work yet.
Hands-on picks for the paints, brushes, airbrushes, primers, and basing supplies that hobbyist painters actually rely on. No paid placements, no brand bias.
Independently tested / Updated regularly / No paid placements
What's on the bench
- Best Miniature Paints The Vallejo Game Color 16-bottle Starter Set is the best pick for most painters starting out or building a flexible palette, delivering consistent dropper-bottle acrylics at a price that covers every basic color category.
- Best Brushes for Miniature Painting The Raphael 8404 Kolinsky Sable brush in size 1 is the best single all-purpose brush for miniature painting, holding a needle point that handles both basecoating and fine detail without switching brushes.
- Best Airbrush for Miniature Painting The Iwata Eclipse HP-CS is the best airbrush for miniature painting across all skill levels, offering a 0.
- Best Wet Palette for Miniature Painting The Redgrass Games Everlasting Wet Palette Painter XL is the best wet palette for miniature painting, combining a well-calibrated hydration sponge, high-quality palette paper, and a tight-sealing lid that keeps paint workable overnight.
- Best Primer for Miniatures Vallejo Surface Primer through an airbrush is the best overall primer for miniatures, delivering thin, detail-preserving coats with excellent adhesion across plastic, resin, and metal at a cost-per-miniature lower than any rattle-can.
- Best Basing Materials for Miniatures Citadel Stirland Mud texture paste is the best single starting material for miniature bases, giving a convincing, paint-ready earth texture in one application that works as a standalone finish or as a foundation for static grass and tufts.
- Best Hobby Tools for Miniature Painting The Daylight Company Slimline 3 hobby lamp is the best lighting upgrade for miniature painters, delivering calibrated 5000K natural light on an adjustable arm at a size that fits any desk.
Currently on the bench
No. 01 CategoryBest Miniature Paints
Price$28-$38
Best forBeginners building their first palette and painters switching from pots to dropper bottles.
Vallejo Game Color 16-Bottle Starter Set
The best beginner paint set in the hobby, practical dropper bottles and a full colour range at a reasonable price.
Check price →We paint on actual miniatures -- not cardboard tiles -- because the way paint flows, covers, and behaves on textured resin and plastic is the only test that matters to a hobbyist buying a full range.
Current No. 1 in each category
Updated regularly
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Best Miniature Paints
Vallejo Game Color 16-Bottle Starter Set
The best beginner paint set in the hobby, practical dropper bottles and a full colour range at a reasonable price.
$28-$38 Check price -
Best Brushes for Miniature Painting
Raphael 8404 Kolinsky Sable Brush Size 1
The best all-purpose brush in the hobby, a sable point that makes every other step easier.
$12-$18 Check price -
Best Airbrush for Miniature Painting
Iwata Eclipse HP-CS Airbrush
The best airbrush for miniature painting at any skill level, the investment that does not require an upgrade.
$140-$175 Check price -
Best Wet Palette for Miniature Painting
Redgrass Games Everlasting Wet Palette Painter XL
The best wet palette in the hobby, the lid seal and sponge calibration make it a genuine upgrade over DIY alternatives.
$35-$48 Check price -
Best Primer for Miniatures
Vallejo Surface Primer Grey (200ml)
The best primer for miniatures with an airbrush, thinner coats and better economy than any rattle-can.
$10-$16 Check price -
Best Basing Materials for Miniatures
Citadel Stirland Mud Texture Paint
The best single basing material for speed and reliability, the starting point for almost any natural ground base.
$7-$12 Check price -
Best Hobby Tools for Miniature Painting
Daylight Company Slimline 3 Hobby Lamp
The most impactful single tool upgrade for painters working indoors, natural-daylight output changes what you can see and paint.
$75-$110 Check price
Studio notes
- Beginner Miniature Painting: The Starter Kit Guide What to buy first when starting miniature painting, from paints and brushes to primer and a wet palette, without wasting money on gear you do not need yet.
- Setting Up an Airbrush for Miniature Painting How to choose, set up, and start using an airbrush for miniature painting, from picking the right nozzle size to thinning paints and cleaning between colours.
- How to Paint Miniature Bases: A Step-by-Step Guide A complete walkthrough of miniature basing from texture paste application through final tufts and varnish, with material recommendations for natural earth, snow, and water effects.
- Wet Palette Techniques for Miniature Painters How to use a wet palette effectively for miniature painting, from setup and hydration control to blending, glazing, and keeping paint fresh across multiple sessions.
Why painters trust BrushBench
We paint on actual miniatures -- not cardboard tiles -- because the way paint flows, covers, and behaves on textured resin and plastic is the only test that matters to a hobbyist buying a full range.
- Paint performance Coverage, flow, reactivation in a wet palette, and compatibility with common varnishes and contrast mediums.
- Brush quality and retention Point retention after 20-plus painting sessions, belly fullness for ink loading, and tip snap-back on synthetic vs sable.
- Airbrush fit and finish Needle and nozzle precision for 0.2-0.3mm detail work, compressor noise and psi consistency, ease of cleaning with standard airbrush cleaner.
- Value for the range Price per ml or per brush session, not just sticker price -- because a cheap brush that lasts two sessions costs more than one that lasts twenty.
- Beginner accessibility Whether the product comes with enough instruction or ecosystem support for a first-time painter to succeed on day one.