Best Model Paint Sets: Acrylic and Enamel Starter Kits Worth Buying
Updated How we research
Vallejo Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml
Vallejo Basic Colors USA acrylic set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml, a brush painting palette for models.
Vallejo Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush Paint Set for Model & Hobby 71178
Vallejo Basic Colors acrylic 16 airbrush paint set 71178, ready-to-spray colors for model and hobby airbrushing.
Buying model paints one bottle at a time gets expensive and slow, which is why a well-chosen paint set is one of the smartest early purchases in the hobby. The trick is that not all sets are assembled with equal thought. The best ones cover genuinely useful colors - primers, base tones, and shades matched to real military, aircraft, or automotive subjects - while weaker sets pad the box with colors you will never open. Chemistry matters too: water-based acrylics are forgiving and low-odor, lacquers spray beautifully but demand ventilation, and enamels brush smoothly with long working times. This guide compares the leading sets across brands and paint types, and points out which boxes match specific genres and skill levels.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.0 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:Vallejo Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Vallejo Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush Paint Set for Model & Hobby 71178. Value score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Solid build:Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors Set, 8 Bottles x 18 ml. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Feature-rich:The Army Painter, Speedpaint Most Wanted Set 2.0, 24 x 18 ml. Features score of 9/10, overall 8.1/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Vallejo Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Vallejo Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush Paint Set for Model & Hobby 711788.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors Set, 8 Bottles x 18 ml8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.The Army Painter, Speedpaint Most Wanted Set 2.0, 24 x 18 ml8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.The Army Painter, GameMaster Adventure Starter Set, 15 x 18 ml7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl 22ml Acrylic Paint Set - Miniature Paint for Wargames - Non Toxic Acrylic Paint Compatible with Both Brush and Airbrush Painting Techniques - Expansion Set 37.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Citadel Choose-Your-Own Paint Set (Air Paints & Technical)7.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Vallejo Basic Colors USA acrylic set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml, a brush painting palette for models.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 16 Model Color bottles cover a wide brush painting palette
- + Opaque formula gives good coverage over primer
- + Dropper bottles make consistent color mixing easy
- - Needs thinning before use in an airbrush
- - Basic palette lacks many military-specific tones
#2Vallejo Basic Colors acrylic 16 airbrush paint set 71178, ready-to-spray colors for model and hobby airbrushing.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 16 pre-thinned colors skip the guesswork of mixing ratios
- + Model Air line is designed specifically for airbrushes
- + Good starter palette for vehicles, aircraft and figures
- - Pre-thinned paint is too runny for brush work
- - Tips can clog if paint dries in the dropper nozzle
#3Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors Set, 8 Bottles x 18 ml, a brush-friendly metallic range for models.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 8 metallic shades cover steel, brass, copper and more
- + 18 ml dropper bottles keep paint fresh and waste low
- + Model Color formula is well suited to brush painting
- - Metallics only, so you still need a base color set
- - Metallic flakes need regular shaking to stay mixed
#424 x 18 ml Speedpaint 2.0 set from The Army Painter: 21 colors, 2 metallics and 1 Speedpaint Medium, plus a basecoating brush. One-coat paints that shade and highlight as they dry over a light primer.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + 21 colors, 2 metallics and a medium for thinning and mixing, with a basecoating brush included
- + One generous coat over a light primer flows into recesses for shadows and thins on raised edges
- + Every bottle includes two stainless steel mixing balls to help mix the paint when shaken
- - Needs a light-colored primer underneath, so it is not a drop-in for dark or unprimed models
- - Marketed for miniatures and figures: the listing does not address large flat panels or airbrushing
#5Starter set from The Army Painter with 15 x 18 ml Warpaints Fanatic acrylics: 10 colors, 2 effect paints, 2 metallics and 1 wash, plus a starter brush, painting guide and 5 snap-fit miniatures. A boxed way to begin brush painting.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + 15 bottles cover 10 colors, 2 effect paints, 2 metallics and 1 wash in one box
- + Includes a starter brush and a painting guide aimed at first-time painters
- + Paints are Warpaints Fanatic acrylics, described as high coverage with intense pigmentation
- - Themed for tabletop RPGs: the 5 fantasy miniatures and quest map add little for scale kit builders
- - Costs more than a basic 10-bottle starter, and no military or vehicle shades are mentioned
#6Monument Hobbies Pro Acryl 22ml acrylic paint set, Expansion Set 3, non-toxic miniature paint that the listing says works for both brush and airbrush.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Listing states it works for brush and airbrush painting, one paint for both techniques.
- + No-clog cap with a glass agitator in each bottle, per the listing.
- + Made in the USA and described as non-toxic, conforming to ASTM D-4236.
- - It is an expansion set, so the listing frames it as an add-on to a base set rather than a full starter range.
- - Aimed at wargame miniatures; the colors may suit models less than armor or aircraft shades.
#7Citadel Choose-Your-Own Paint Set of Air and Technical paints, a flexible bundle for Games Workshop painters.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 6/10
- + Choice of paints lets you tailor the set to your army
- + Air paints are pre-thinned for airbrush users
- + Technical paints add effects like rust and blood
- - Contents depend on your choices, so value varies
- - Citadel paints cost more per volume than rivals
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Needs thinning before use in an airbrush (Vallejo Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set,...)
- Pre-thinned paint is too runny for brush work (Vallejo Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush...)
- Metallics only, so you still need a base color set (Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors...)
- Needs a light-colored primer underneath, so it is not a drop-in for dark or unprimed models (The Army Painter, Speedpaint Most Wanted Set...)
- Themed for tabletop RPGs: the 5 fantasy miniatures and quest map add little for scale kit builders (The Army Painter, GameMaster Adventure...)
- It is an expansion set, so the listing frames it as an add-on to a base set rather than a full starter range. (Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl 22ml Acrylic Paint...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among model paint sets: acrylic and enamel starter kits worth buying?
Vallejo Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml is our top overall pick. Vallejo Basic Colors USA acrylic set, Model Color, 16 Bottles x 18 ml, a brush painting palette for models. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Vallejo Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush Paint Set for Model & Hobby 71178 is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Vallejo Basic Colors acrylic 16 airbrush paint set 71178, ready-to-spray colors for model and hobby airbrushing.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Model Build Lab independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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