10 Best Airbrush Kits 2024 in the US

 If you are an art enthusiast, an airbrush kit can expand your capabilities. Airbrush kits can spray acrylic or enamel paints, ink or dye. The device lets in a stream of air, which mixes with paint. That mixture is then shot out of a nozzle, in the form of an aerosol. An airbrush can be used for painting miniature scale models, applying temporary tattoos, making illustrations, and photo touch-ups and restoration. There are also airbrush kits for applying make-up and for cake decoration! There is a wide range of equipment out there, widely differing depending on the level of expertise required and the artist's requirements. Here is a guide to some of the best airbrush kits on the market.  

• Single vs. Dual Action Brushes—This specifies how the airbrush is controlled.

  • In single action airbrushes, the trigger on the airbrush controls the airflow. You adjust a screw on the airbrush to control the needle depth and thus the paint flow. If you want a thicker or thinner application, you have to stop spraying and adjust the screw. You can also change the needle size as well.

  • In a dual action airbrush, the trigger controls the airflow, but also the paint flow. You press the trigger down to start spraying paint, and then control the volume by moving the trigger backward or forward. You can create much thinner lines, for much more detailed jobs.

• There are also distinctions for how the ink goes into the airbrush. You fill a cup with ink, and then attach it to the airbrush (or the cup is permanently fixed to the airbrush). There are two main methods of feeding in the ink:

  • Siphon feed—here, there is a large bottle of ink attached either to the bottom of the airbrush, or to the side of the airbrush. The ink is then siphoned into the airbrush. The bottom feed allows you to contain a large quantity of ink, while the side feed can allow you to adjust for right-handed and left-handed work.

  • Gravity feed—Here, the cup is on top of the pen, and the ink flows in by gravity. This allows you the greatest mobility, and the least risk of spillage of ink. Also, you can use less gas to get the ink out of the pen, since gravity is pulling the ink down as well. But the cup obstructs your view of the project somewhat.

• Internal vs. external mixing—Internal mix airbrushes mix the paint and air inside the airbrush in a fine mist of paint. External mix airbrushes fire out a more coarse mist, which is better for covering large areas.

• Compressed air sources: There are air propellant cans that essentially propel the air out, as in any other aerosol can. There are also CO2 tanks that can be refilled (much like a tank for a soda machine), with a regulator that controls the strength of the air stream.

• Compressors: These take the air from the aerosol can or canister and compress it, sending it through the airbrush. The rush of air then atomizes the ink in the cup and propels it out through the nozzle. There are diaphragm vs. piston compressors: The diaphragm compressors are more noisy, and considered somewhat outdated. The piston compressors are therefore a better choice.

• Size of nozzle and needle—There are four ranges of sizes of airbrush needles: large, medium, fine, and extra-fine. They range from 0.15 mm, for detailed painting, to 0.5 mm, which is for thicker lines. The most popular is 0.3 mm, which is the medium range.

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Moisture trap: The compressor takes in air from the surroundings, to compress the carbon dioxide or canned air. The surrounding air contains water vapor, which condenses and mixes with your paint, thinning it out. So some compressors have a moisture trap to trap that condensation, so it doesn't mix with your paint.

• Sputtering and clogging: If the compressor doesn't work properly, or if you don't manage to clean your airbrush equipment properly, you'll notice that the paint sputters and clogs. Be sure you get a quality compressor to avoid such problems.

• Workspace: It's advised to work in a well-ventilated space. The fumes from the propellant and the paint should not be inhaled. You should consider working near a window, with a box fan expelling the fumes out. There are also spray booths, which help suck the fumes away, but these are more expensive.

• Cup capacity: The Master Airbrush Gravity Feed airbrush has a 1/3 ounce fluid cup. Other brands offer a ¼ ounce cup. There are also plugs for the cup, to avoid spills.

• Easy cleaning: If you run enamel paint through the airbrush, you will have to use thinners and solvents to clean it after each use. Otherwise, the needles and nozzles will get clogged.

• Paints: You can essentially use any paint, as long as you use the correct thinner ratio. You have to thin the paint in accordance with the needle width—the finer needle requires thinning the paint more. You can adjust the thinner and paint until you get the right ratio. There are also pre-thinned paints, that don't require any further preparation. There are enamel, lacquer and acrylic paints, and each has its own type of thinner. For acrylic paints, you can use Windex or even distilled water. 

Master Airbrush—is a brand name of TCP Global, which started as a home decorating store in Lakeside, California in 1974. TCP Global is a parent company to 8 different art companies, and an owner of many art brands. Master Airbrush are makers of airbrush kits and supplies. They make compressors and accessories, stencils, hoses and connectors, and more.

AirBrush-Depot.com—are also known by the name Rex Art. They were founded in 1950, but have been selling art supplies on-line since 1995. They have their headquarters in Miami, Florida. They are retailers of airbrushing products from the major art supplies manufacturers. They sell airbrush paints and mediums, compressors, templates, and airbrush kits.

Iwata-Medea—was founded in 1982 in Portland, Oregon. They make a comprehensive series of airbrushes and spray guns for artwork. They also make compressors, paints and painting accessories.