If you want to get the best paint jobs then you need to step up to airbrush painting your models. The rattle can brought you this far, but there is a whole next level of finishes you can achieve with an airbrush. Used by expert modelers around the world, it is a skill that is easily learned with practice.
What are 6 of the the best airbrush kits available?
- Paasche H-100D Single Action Airbrush Package
- Iwata Eclipse (ECL 4500) HP-CS
- Master Airbrush Cool Runner II Air Compressor
- Grex GCK03 Airbrush Combo Kit with Tritium.TG3 Airbrush
- PointZero Airbrush Dual Action Airbrush Kit
- Iwata-Medea Deluxe Airbrush Set
These are all highly rated airbrush kits that have great reviews, with a couple for beginners. Lets take a closer look at them and see their prices.
1- Grex Airbrush Combo Kit ($400+ Range)
This is one of the highest rated kits with raves all over the internet. Yes it costs more money but the reviews say that it is well worth it.
This airbrush includes Grex’s premium double action pistol style trigger that is known throughout the industry for its ergonomics, high performance and versatility.
A few users wondered about the ergonomics of a pistol style airbrush, however they say it feels completely natural once you are using it. You will be able to paint your model kit with no problem at all and even do fine lines.
This top gravity airbrush commands the attention of serious airbrush users. Its comfort and prevention of hand fatigue is a result of a better handle, its smoothness of spray and control can be attributed to performance grade materials and its attention to design.
This spray kit has great versatility due to the interchangeability of nozzles/needles. It is a stylish, high-performance, quiet and feature-rich air compressor. It’s complete with moisture trap, pressure gauge and air regulator.
2- Paasche H-100D Single Action Airbrush Package ($150-ish range)
This is rated as one of the top airbrush kits for beginners wanting to get into airbrushing their models. The price is helpful as it is not a huge commitment. The pump is quiet and only runs when you trigger the brush.
The Paasche Single Action is an excellent airbrush kit for those new to the hobby. It includes detailed instructions and brushes to help keep it clean. The kit includes three different spray heads that will allow you to use it for a wide range of applications.
This airbrush features a unique threaded bottle fitting for the most secure paint bottle connection. The airbrush features a chrome-plated body for durability.
The best uses for this sprayer are those requiring more basic painting like solid coats, uniform lines or stencil work. Clean up is simple as spraying your paint cleaner though the airbrush. The H-100D airbrush is made in the USA.
This kit includes the following pieces:
- Single action airbrush
- Compressor with regulator and auto shutoff
- Includes 7 brush cleaning kit
- Great beginners kit
3- Iwata Eclipse Airbrush (around $300 or so)
Here’s a great airbrush for beginners, and will be good for more advanced modelers also.
This bundle from Iwata includes the airbrush and the Iwata Ninja Jet Airbrush Compressor. It is a multi-purpose, high paint flow airbrush that is excellent for details and commonly used with heavier paints. It features a .35mm needle and nozzle combination and a generous 1/3 ounce sized cup.
The IS-35 Ninja Jet Compressor is compact in size and the perfect choice for portable air. It features a low-maintenance oil-less piston motor and adjustable pressure regulator for reliable performance and comes complete with an air hose. Features Included:
- Iwata ECL 4500 Eclipse HP-CS airbrush with Ninja Jet Compressor
- Great for moderate detailing & background spraying
- Features gravity-feed design and ergonomic handle
- Iwata Ninja Compressor is compact, reliable and quiet
- A great bundle that is portable and low maintenance
4- Master Airbrush With Cool Runner II Air Compressor ($140-ish range)
This is the Professional Master Airbrush Multi-Purpose Airbrushing System that include three of Master Airbrushes best selling & user friendly airbrushes. Also included is the bonus Master Airbrush Quick Start Guide and Airbrush Resource Center access card.
The air is supplied by the Master Airbrush Model TC-320 Cool Runner II superior performance powerful 1/5 hp single-piston compressor with two cooling fans that allow it to run much cooler for a longer continuous running time without overheating. Also includes an airbrush holder for 2 airbrushes.
Has a great list of inclusions to get you started:
- This kit has three types of Master Airbrushes:
- Model G22 dual-action with a 1/3 oz. gravity feed fluid cup and 0.3mm tip dual-action airbrush needle & nozzle that allows you to spray from hairline up to 1-1/2″ wide patterns.
- Model G25 dual-action with a 1/16 oz. gravity feed fluid cup and 0.2mm tip needle & nozzle that allows you to spray from hairline up to 1″ wide patterns.
- Model E91 single-action siphon feed with a 0.8mm tip and 2 – 3/4 oz. siphon bottles is excellent for crafts, auto graphics, fine art, and more! Airbrush works excellent for most airbrushing applications and also with most types of paint spray media.
Also included is this U.S. Art Supply of Primary Colors Water-Based Acrylic Airbrush Paint Kit:
- 6 Colors in 1 oz. Bottles plus Reducer and Cleaner
- 6 Opaque colors included: bright sapphire blue, grass green, bright yellow, bright red, deep black and white.
- Bonus double sided color mixing wheel and cleaning brush set.
5- PointZero Airbrush Dual Action Airbrush Kit (around $95 or so)
This is a low priced entry level kit for those whose budget is under $100. It has all the features needed to do most all types of airbrush painting.
This multi-purpose airbrush kit is suitable for a variety of applications; models, crafts, auto & cycle graphics, photo retouching, t-shirts, murals, fine art & illustrations and more.
Package includes a PointZero ultra compact air compressor, and 3 airbrush guns. One premium dual-action, internal-mix, gravity-feed with a 7cc color cup and a pre-installed 0.3mm nozzle set. One fine-detail dual-action, internal-mix, gravity-feed with a low-profile 2cc and a pre-installed 0.2mm nozzle set.
Also included is one broad-coverage single-action, external-mix airbrush with a 22cc siphon feed jar and a 0.8mm nozzle set. Professional-grade airbrush compressor quietly delivers consistent air pressure for even results.
Includes instructions, Airbrush Essentials: Master The Basics DVD, which will walk you through getting started or mastering basic skills and as an added bonus included with this kit is a download link for these airbrushing guides. Here is a list of some of the features:
- Premium airbrushing set
- Multipurpose use
- Includes 7 exclusive downloadable e-Book airbrushing guides.
- Airbrush Essentials – Master the Basics DVD and access to exclusive airbrush knowledge base downloads
- Braided 6 ft. air hose
6- Iwata-Medea Deluxe Airbrush Set (In the $350+ range)
This airbrush kit is a professional kit that will work well for advanced modelers as well as intermediates.
Its an all-inclusive package of products including everything you need to get started airbrushing. Includes inches deluxe auto-shut-off Smart Jet air compressor, airbrush, paint, instructional DVD and more. Here is a quick list of whats included:
- Iwata Studio Series Smart Jet air compressor and Iwata Eclispe CS large cup airbrush
- inches Get Started inches Instructional Airbrushing DVD
- Pistol grip air filter
- Artool freehand template
- 10 bottles of Iwata-Medea Com-Art colors and 8 oz bottle of airbrush cleaner
Final Thoughts
This list includes some of the very best airbrush kits on the market, from beginners kits to some very professional kits for the experienced modelers. Its always fun to add more tools to our model kit tool box.
Happy Modeling!
More info about getting started with airbrushing models here
Related Topics
What paint can I use in an airbrush? Usually you will use paints labeled as Airbrush Paints that are typically a fluid acrylic specially designed for use in an airbrush and are the best choice for beginners. Paints other than acrylics can be used if they have a skim milk consistency or thinner.
See more about choosing paint in this post
How much air pressure does an air brush need? Different paints need different PSI. You don’t want it where it just splatters on and you don’t want it where it cakes it on either. Stay about 25 to 30 psi so you can control how much air comes out of the airbrush.