Best Miniature Paint Sets for Tabletop Painters
Updated How we research
The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic: Starter Set, 11 x 18 mL Acrylic Paints, incl. Metallics, Wash, Brush-On Primer, 1 Miniature & 1 Brush
Army Painter's Warpaints Fanatic starter with 11 acrylics, metallics, a wash, brush-on primer, a miniature and a brush.
Vallejo - Game Color Introduction Set, 16 Bottles x 0.60 fl oz
Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set, 16 x 18 ml dropper bottles including metallics, an acrylic range developed for brush painting miniatures.
A miniature paint set bundles a curated range of acrylic colors formulated for small-scale models, giving you a working palette without buying dozens of individual bottles. For tabletop miniature painters starting a Warhammer army, a D&D party, or a board game overhaul, a good starter set removes the guesswork of matching primers, base colors, and highlights. When comparing sets, look at pigment density and coverage, whether the paints come in dropper bottles or open pots, how many usable midtones and highlights are included, and whether the range expands with matching singles later. A balanced set with strong primaries, earth tones, and a metallic or two will carry you through most projects.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.7 to 9.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic: Starter Set, 11 x 18 mL Acrylic Paints, incl. Metallics, Wash, Brush-On Primer, 1 Miniature & 1 Brush. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.2/10.
- Also great value:Vallejo - Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set | Model Color | 16 Bottles x 18 ml. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.2/10.
- Solid build:Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl 22ml Acrylic Paint Set - Expansion Set 1. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 7.7/10.
- Feature-rich:Vallejo - Game Color Introduction Set, 16 Bottles x 0.60 fl oz. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic: Starter Set, 11 x 18 mL Acrylic Paints, incl. Metallics, Wash, Brush-On Primer, 1 Miniature & 1 Brush9.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Vallejo - Game Color Introduction Set, 16 Bottles x 0.60 fl oz8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Reaper Miniatures 08906 Learn to Paint Kit Core Skills, Master Series Paint Box Set8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Vallejo - Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set | Model Color | 16 Bottles x 18 ml8.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.The Army Painter, GameMaster Adventure Starter Set, 15 x 18 ml8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.AK Interactive 3G Acrylics Basic Starter Set - AK11775 (14 x 17ml)8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl 22ml Acrylic Paint Set - Expansion Set 17.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Army Painter's Warpaints Fanatic starter with 11 acrylics, metallics, a wash, brush-on primer, a miniature and a brush.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Includes primer, wash and metallics, so the full base-shade-highlight workflow is covered
- + Bundled miniature gives a practice model before you touch your real army
- + Fanatic line is a newer, higher-pigment formula than older Warpaints bottles
- - Only one brush, which will wear quickly if used for priming and detail
- - 11 bottles still means buying more colors for a specific army scheme
#2Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set, 16 x 18 ml dropper bottles including metallics, an acrylic range developed for brush painting miniatures.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Sixteen bottles with precision eyedropper caps make it easy to dose paint onto a palette
- + Balanced palette that includes metallic colours for weapons and armour
- + Developed mainly for brush painting, with self-leveling paint that blends smoothly
- - No brush, wash or primer in the box, so those are extra purchases
- - Sixteen colours still leave gaps that need mixing or single bottles later
#3Reaper's Learn to Paint Kit: Core Skills, a guided box set that teaches layering and shading with Master Series paints.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Structured lessons walk beginners through core techniques step by step
- + Includes paints, brushes and practice figures chosen to match the lessons
- + Great for self-taught painters who want a clear learning path
- - Colors are chosen for the lessons, not for any particular army scheme
- - Experienced painters will find the guided content too basic
#4Vallejo Model Color basic set of 16 dropper bottles, a broad foundation palette for painters who mix their own shades.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 16 bottles give more color variety than most entry sets at this level
- + Model Color is a thin, matte, highly mixable formula favored by historical painters
- + Dropper bottles make it easy to repeat mixes drop by drop
- - Thinner consistency can need a couple of coats over dark primer
- - No brush, primer or wash included, so beginners need separate tools
#5The Army Painter GameMaster Adventure Starter Set with 15 x 18 ml paints: 10 colours, 2 effect paints, 2 metallics and a wash, aimed at RPG miniatures.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Fifteen bottles including metallics, effects and a wash cover a full first paint job
- + Designed for beginners painting role-playing game miniatures
- + 18 ml dropper bottles match the rest of The Army Painter range for later top-ups
- - Costs more than the smallest ten-paint starter sets
- - Colour choice leans toward fantasy adventurers, less toward sci-fi armies
#6AK Interactive 3G Acrylics basic starter set of 14 bottles at 17ml, a modern third-generation formula for miniatures.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 14 colors in one box give a well-rounded palette for a first project
- + 3G formula is designed to brush smoothly and airbrush when thinned
- + Dropper bottles help control how much paint lands on the palette
- - AK color names are less familiar than Citadel if following army guides
- - No brush or primer included, so extra kit is still required
#7Monument Hobbies PRO Acryl Expansion Set 1 in 22ml bottles, extra high-pigment colors for painters who already own the basics.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + PRO Acryl is dense and opaque, so coverage over dark primer is quick
- + Larger 22ml bottles last longer than the usual hobby paint size
- + Expansion colors fill gaps a basic starter palette leaves out
- - Designed as an add-on, so it is not a complete kit for a total beginner
- - Strong pigment can look chalky if not thinned properly for layering
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.
- Only one brush, which will wear quickly if used for priming and detail (The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic: Starter...)
- No brush, wash or primer in the box, so those are extra purchases (Vallejo - Game Color Introduction Set, 16...)
- Colors are chosen for the lessons, not for any particular army scheme (Reaper Miniatures 08906 Learn to Paint Kit...)
- Thinner consistency can need a couple of coats over dark primer (Vallejo - Basic Colors USA Acrylic Paint Set...)
- Costs more than the smallest ten-paint starter sets (The Army Painter, GameMaster Adventure...)
- AK color names are less familiar than Citadel if following army guides (AK Interactive 3G Acrylics Basic Starter Set...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among miniature paint sets for tabletop painters?
The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic: Starter Set, 11 x 18 mL Acrylic Paints, incl. Metallics, Wash, Brush-On Primer, 1 Miniature & 1 Brush is our top overall pick. Army Painter's Warpaints Fanatic starter with 11 acrylics, metallics, a wash, brush-on primer, a miniature and a brush. It earns our score of 9.2/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Vallejo - Game Color Introduction Set, 16 Bottles x 0.60 fl oz is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set, 16 x 18 ml dropper bottles including metallics, an acrylic range developed for brush painting miniatures.
›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.
Mini Paint Lab independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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