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Pick and Review » Arts, Crafts & Sewing » Colored Pencils

Best Colored Pencil for the Money – 2018 (Updated!) Reviews

By Jane | Last Updated September 29, 2018

All the colored pencils available in the current market are not of the same quality. Our experts have reviewed them and narrowed down your choices to the top 3 with every tiny detail.

Table of Contents

  • Considerations
  • Top Picks for Colored Pencils
  • Final Thoughts

Considerations

Be precise in regards to what you are looking for, and pick that kind of colored pencil which serves you best. Before buying any colored pencils, check the following points:

  • Color Range: Make sure you can get all the color you need for your project, especially the quality of the fundamental colors.
  • Price: Obviously you have a budget. Check that the product can meet your requirements within your budget.
  • Packing: Colored pencils are very sophisticated products. Excessive pressure or humidity may damage their outside or the core. Make sure your colored pencils come in a good package.
  • Grip: Most of the colored pencils are hexagonal, which is really helpful to grip. Avoid the round shapes as they will be slippery after a while.
  • Intensity of Color:The color intensity should be high-quality, otherwise you will not get sufficient output from your pencils. Check the color intensity of the pencil before purchasing it.
  • Core Quality:You need to consider the core quality of the pencils depending upon your requirement. Some cores are soft and some are hard. Soft cores have a smooth lining but a tendency to break. Hard cores can cover a large area but are unable to bloom or shade. Buy the colored pencils that serve your needs the best.

Top Picks for Colored Pencils

Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer

The Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer is an excellent colored pencil set, having a range of sets up to 120 count.


You can get any color you want. The output from this pencil is very lovely and thick; a mixture of water will create a marvelous blending effect. The colors in these pencils have a little bit of moisture which make the color buttery. It can be used by both beginners and professionals. The oil-based core is capable of withstanding repeated use. The hexagonal structure provides better control. They have great packaging, with both the thin metal or thick cardboard box. A wooden case is provided for the original 73 and 120 set. The amazing thing is this high-quality color comes at such an affordable price. They cost a bit more than the average pencils in the market, from $1.15-$1.85/pencil, but you are going to experience some of the best watercolors in the world.

Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils

The Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils are the best choice if anyone is looking for very soft and waxy color.


They have up to 150 different color shades, and are able to have the exact, precise color you are looking for. They are better than the Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils for this reason. These pencils are also more cost-efficient than the previous ones. The pencil shape is a user-friendly hexagonal, and the colors are waterproof. Unlike the Albrecht Durer, it is not buttery, but its thick core can handle very passionate use. Again, Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils offer you the huge variety of sets like 12, 24, 36, and all the way up to 150. This would be the best choice if you are climbing the vertical way from beginner to seasoned professional. The huge color variation, waterproof quality, great control, and reasonable price made them one of the top choices.

It is the best color option among these three. Great intensity of color, color quality, and wide range, superb blending and shading, as well as the excellent price value, make it the top of the chart.

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

The Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils come in a tin case.


The pencil, along with its core, is soft but it has a great advantage from its equivalent Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils. Prismacolor Softcore has a tendency to break down in the core as those are very soft.  Prismacolor Premier Color Pencils are soft too, but they are not as vulnerable. This pencil set has a very smooth and soft lead to create better shading.  The pigments are light-resistant and waterproof. Their main drawback is that they do not offer you as wide a range of colors as the previous one, but they’re perfect for all kinds of project. The cost is very reasonable too ($0.8/pencil) when compared to the Albrecht Durer.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a wide range of color, pick any one from Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils. If you have trouble with the soft core and cannot handle this sophistication, go for Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils. If you are not worried about budget and want some great color, you can pick Albrecht Durer. But, in overall rating, Prismacolor Softcore Colored Pencils are the pioneer.

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