10 Best Mini Paints in 2026

Seventy-two paints in one box give you a full range of 48 acrylics, 7 metallics, 5 fluorescents, and 12 inks, so you can start painting miniatures right away without hunting for extra colors. The set also includes five HIPS plastic miniatures from Squidmar’s Sona universe and a synthetic brush, making it a complete kit for a beginner or anyone wanting a single purchase to cover many projects.

The 18ml bottles are smaller than the 22ml bottles in the Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl Base Set, so heavy users may run out of a favorite shade sooner. With only three metallics included, painters who focus on heavily armored armies might find themselves mixing or buying additional metallic shades. Still, the range of paint types and the included organizer make this a practical option for gamers and hobbyists who want variety without assembling their own set.

Each 22 ml bottle is packed with high-density pigment that delivers excellent coverage straight from the dropper, so you spend less time layering and more time on detail. The paint thins evenly to any transparency you want, and dries to a smooth matte finish that suits both brushwork and airbrush use. This makes it a strong fit for hobbyists who value consistent, opaque color in their miniatures without fighting chalkiness or separation.

The trade-off is that the matte finish is ideal for flat, non-reflective surfaces but won’t give you the glossy shine some modelers want for wet effects or metallic reflections. For painters who prioritize pigment density and coverage over variety, this set delivers consistent results.

Twelve paints, three miniatures, and a detailed guide by painter Rhonda Bender make this kit a focused introduction to miniature painting. The guide is designed to teach layering step by step, which helps a new painter develop a core technique. For someone picking up a brush for the first time, this kit provides the materials and instructions needed to start learning without extra guesswork.

Only twelve paints come in the box, so you’re getting a focused set rather than a huge palette. The Vallejo Squidmar Color Mega Set offers 72 colors, but this kit’s strength is its teaching approach. A detailed guide by renowned painter Rhonda Bender walks you through layering, making it ideal for someone who wants to learn the basics step by step.

Eighty colors in one box means you can reach for nearly any shade without mixing, from dusty bone to deep engine gray. That’s 66 matte paints that dry clean and flat, plus 8 metallics, 4 washes for recess shading, and two effect colors like Fresh Blood and Orange Rust for weathering. The included 8 thinners let you thin for smoother layers or airbrush use, and the five specialty bottles, gloss, matte, and satin varnish, plus metal medium and gloss black, cover finishing and custom metallic work. This set suits painters who want a broad palette and workflow extras in a single purchase, especially those building dioramas or painting large forces where color variety saves time.

Heavy users may find the 20 ml bottles run out faster than larger alternatives, and the set does not include a brush, which some competing kits provide. But if your priority is having a massive ready-to-use color library with matched thinners and finish options, Nicpro delivers a complete system that keeps you painting rather than running to the store for one more shade.

Base paints such as Abaddon Black, Corax White, and Mephiston Red form the core of this set, providing the foundational layers needed to block in armor, cloth, and skin tones. A single Contrast paint, Magos Purple, allows for quick shading and highlighting in one coat, which speeds up work on infantry units. The inclusion of Armageddon Dust, a Technical paint, adds textured ground effects to bases without requiring separate modeling compounds. This selection covers the essential steps from priming to finishing, so a newcomer can complete a miniature from start to finish with just this box.

The thirteen-paint palette is smaller than the 72 colors in the Vallejo Squidmar Mega Set, so you may need extra paints for complex color schemes or non-Warhammer projects. The included Citadel Starter Brush is designed for basecoating, not fine detail work. For a Warhammer hobbyist who wants a compact, brand-matched set, this kit provides the paints and tools listed in the box.

Sixty 18ml bottles of highly pigmented acrylic paint let you finish a miniature in one generous coat. The formula flows into recesses to create shadows and pulls away from raised areas for natural highlights, so you get depth and contrast without layering multiple colors. That makes this set a strong fit for anyone painting armies or board game figures who wants tabletop-ready results quickly, especially if you are new to miniatures and want to build confidence without complicated techniques.

This system works best over a light-colored primer, which adds a step if you prefer dark undercoats. If you value quick, consistent results over color variety, this is a focused tool for that job.

Thirty ready-to-use 20ml paints and two thinners mean you can start painting miniatures immediately without mixing or buying extra supplies. Over a white or light-colored primer, one smooth coat can create quick definition by leaving raised details brighter and building darker shadows in recesses, which helps produce tabletop-ready results faster while preserving sculpted detail. This set suits painters who want a complete color range for fantasy and sci-fi models without the hassle of blending from scratch.

The contrast effect relies on a white or light primer, dark primers will dull the look. Compared to the Vallejo Squidmar Color Mega Set with 72 colors, this Nicpro set offers fewer shades for advanced color work. But the included thinners and larger 20ml bottles give you more paint per color for batch-painting armies. It is a focused, efficient kit for quick, satisfying results rather than a full artist’s palette.

Ten core colors, a detail brush, and an exclusive miniature come together in one box, so you can start painting the moment you open it. That makes this set a perfect entry point for anyone new to mini painting. You get the essential palette for fantasy and wargaming projects: white, skin tone, yellow, red, blue, green, brown, black, sepia, and metallic silver, plus a QR tutorial that walks you through two color schemes step by step. The water-based formula is non-toxic and easy to thin, mix, and clean up with Vallejo mediums, and the paints deliver a professional matte finish.

Ten colors limit your palette for larger projects or extensive color mixing. For a broader range, the Vallejo Squidmar Color Mega Set offers 72 colors and five miniatures, though it is a larger and heavier set. If you are a beginner looking for a low-commitment way to start, this starter set gives you the essentials to get going.

Eighteen carefully selected colors, including two metallics, arrive pre-thinned so you can brush straight from the bottle without any extra prep work. That ready-to-use formula means smooth base coats, clean layering, and fine detail work right out of the gate. This makes the set a natural fit for someone who wants a focused palette rather than a sprawling collection. The matte finish keeps fine details visible, and the two included thinners let you adjust flow for airbrushing when you’re ready to try that technique.

Eighteen colors is a tight range, especially if you enjoy mixing custom shades or need a broader metallic selection for armor and weapons. Compared to the Vallejo Squidmar Color Mega Set’s 72 colors, this VVF set offers a smaller palette, which may appeal to painters who prefer a curated selection over a large collection. For a painter who wants a complete, no-fuss starter kit that covers the essentials and leaves room to grow, this set delivers exactly what it promises.