The best paint brushes and rollers for all your DIY projects

Between colour-blocking and feature walls, statement skirting and eye-popping brights, painting the inside (and out) of your home has come on leaps and bounds since the magnolia days – although if neutrals are your thing, that’s fine too! What we really mean to say is that not all paint jobs are created equal, so why should the tools for the job be? We’ve rounded up the best paint brushes for lots of coverage, detailed work and more, so that you can find one to fit the task at hand. 

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If you’re relatively new to DIY, it might surprise you to know that different types of brushes are intended for use with different finishes of paint. For example, water-based paints require a paintbrush with synthetic bristles, while solvent-based paint is better applied with a natural bristle brush. We’ve noted down the compatibility for each of our picks to help eliminate the guesswork. 

Another tip is to use an angled brush for small details such as window frames and sills, as these will allow you to get into every nook and cranny. Finally, it’s worth noting that natural bristle paint brushes take some time to break in for best results, so if you’re only buying for a single job, or infrequent small ones, synthetic may be a better option. With that in mind, keep reading for our roundup of the best paintbrushes and rollers.

Reviewers said these paintbrushes made cutting in superbly easy with their ability to give a crisp, clean edge, so if you’re planning on starting a big painting project, it’s worth picking up a pack of these to start the job off on the right foot. Screwfix customers cite them as the best they’ve used for oil-based, water-based paints and even varnish, saying the synthetic fibres glide beautifully and give an even finish with no marking or dragging. By all accounts, simply excellent all round. 

These natural fibre paint brushes are reviewers’ go-to for use with heavy paints, and they were especially impressed by the value price for a pack of five brushes. With no false economy in sight, some users found they held up better than higher priced brushes, showed no signs of shedding, and, thanks to their strong, non-absorbent natural bristles, didn’t take up much moisture, making them easier to clean and less inclined to waste product. If you’re planning a project with very heavy or low VOC paints, consider this set. 

One enthusiastic reviewer says they’ve been happily using these Hamilton paint brushes for 45 years and recommends them for traders and home DIYers alike – if that’s not high praise, we don’t know what is! With widths from an inch to two, plus a spare, B&Q say this slender set is ideal for painting skirting boards, door panels and window sills, and that the satin-tipped natural bristle is engineered for smooth operation with admirable paint pick-up and streakless spreading, which is no doubt music to the ears of anyone working on wood. 

A narrow square-ended brush like the above can be a great thing when it comes to detailed painting work, but some people just feel more comfortable with pointed paint brushes, and we have to say, they can’t be beaten for a responsive feel. With that in mind, we present the Axus Décor Pointed Precision Brush Set, highly recommended by pleasantly surprised reviewers for windows, doors, fireplaces, frames, skirting boards and anywhere you want a sharp line when cutting in; they said they flowed well and kept their shape while in use. 

This hard-wearing brush is engineered to stand up to the rigours of tough masonry paints, with durable bristles, a comfortable flat beavertail handle, and a wide, flat profile that aids in quick application on large surfaces. Users say it holds a lot of product, which certainly doesn’t hurt when it comes to getting the job done quickly, and found it excellent value for money, commending the lack of shedding, ease of cleaning, and ability to cope with tough materials on exterior walls. 

While not strictly a paint brush, we couldn’t very well write a list of recommended products for painting without including a mention for the noble roller. This one by Dulux is a far less back-breaking alternative to a brush for big jobs such as topping up the paintwork on an entire interior, or tricky-to-reach ones such as ceilings. The soft micropile fabric is intended to lay down paint smoothly without clinging, making for even coverage and a slick finish on both smooth and textured surfaces, while the grippy handle gives you control.

The tapered filament bristles on this angled paint brush, not to mention the angle itself, make for an ultra-precise finish on tricky corners and recesses, making this one of our best brushes for painting window sills, skirting boards, architraves and the like. Reviewers said using a brush specifically made for cutting in made all the difference, and that this one in particular was impressively easy to handle, quick to cover, quick to clean, and comfy to handle, especially for the bargain price!

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