Our Crayon Brands Test Will Convince You to Never Buy Crayola Crayons Again
This “which crayon brands are best” test is just what we needed in time for back to school!
The best crayons are just a box away! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
We can all agree there’s nothing quite like opening a fresh, new box of crayons! However, after testing some of the most highly rated crayon brands on the market (from just 35¢ a box to nearly $13), I’m confident enough to say not all crayons are the same.
In fact, I’ve found the only box you should consider the next time you’re in need of some new pigmented wax. So whether you’re shopping for your kiddos, an upcoming craft, or love to color pictures in your free time, you’re not going to want to buy anything else after reading these results!
The market for school and craft supplies is saturated and overwhelming so knowing exactly what to buy can make your whole experience more productive.
Plus, the next time you’re in need of some new crayons, you’ll easily and quickly know what to reach for in the store that is sure to last the longest and save you the most money!
How I conducted my crayon brands test:
To determine the best crayons out of all the brands I tested, I considered their smoothness on paper, their pigment, overall design (i.e. do they roll away easily?), how smelly they are, if they’re messy, unique, affordable, and took note on convenience factors such as paper coatings. 😏
It’s also worth mentioning that my final verdict was my own opinion and not swayed by any type of payment or sponsorship. In fact, we purchased each and every box of the best crayons ourselves because we truly wanted to know which one would win!
The crayon brands I tested:
Here’s how they performed:
1. Crayola crayons were my traditional must-have pick but ended up being super disappointing and broke way too easily.
Crayola Crayons – 50¢ for 24-pack (2¢ per crayon)
It wouldn’t be a crayon test without testing the most well-known crayon brand around – Crayola! Considering these crayons have been around since 1885 😱 there was absolutely no question whether or not I’d be testing them!
They make everything from glitter and neon crayons to egg-shaped crayons and everything in between. This company sure doesn’t lack in uniqueness and has been a classroom go-to time and time again.
However, after testing and comparing their traditional variety pack (something many of us have purchased before), I have to say, they ended up being one of my least favorites of all. While they do have good pigment, they were one of the messiest crayons and broke the easiest out of all the boxes I tested. Not to mention, they were the smelliest too. Although, some people prefer smelly crayons. 😆
PROS:
- Smooth on paper.
- Excellent pigment.
- Very inexpensive.
CONS:
- Strongest smell out of all the crayons (with Cra-Z-Art).
- Messy while coloring and sharpening.
- Break easily.
- Paper-coated.
- Lacking in variety (in regards to the pack I tested).
- Roll away easily.
2. Cra-Z-Art crayons are literally Crayola crayons in a different box and I was just as disappointed with their performance.
Cra-Z-Art Crayons – 35¢ for 24 pack (1.5¢ per crayon)
By far the most affordable pack of crayons was Walmart’s Cra-Z-Art crayons ringing in at just 35 cents for a variety pack! While their paper-coated crayons look slightly different than Crayola on the outside, it didn’t take me long to realize the colors on paper are actually EXACTLY the same as the Crayola box! 🤯
In fact, even almost all of the names were the exact same too! This leads me to ask, why on Earth we’ve all been paying nearly twice as much (if not more) for the Crayola crayon brand for all these years?! 🤔
As you can see, every color tested is identical to the Crayola box – shocked is an understatement, friends! I even found their performance in pigment to be exactly the same and the messiest of all the best crayons tested.
The only thing setting Cra-Z-Art crayons apart from Crayola is that theirs proved to be more durable. While testing, four of my Crayola crayons broke way too easily, while all of my Cra-Z-Art crayons remained in one piece!
All of that said, if my testing stopped here, I’d never buy Crayola again! Besides, for just 35¢ the price may just trump all the cons I found anyways.
PROS:
- Smooth on paper.
- Very inexpensive.
- Durable.
CONS:
- Strongest smell out of all the crayons (with Crayola).
- Messy while coloring.
- Messy while sharpening.
- Paper-coated.
- Lacking in uniqueness.
- Roll away easily.
3. Target’s Mondo Llama crayon brand has unique products, but lack in performance overall.
Mondo Llama Crayons – $1.25 for 24 pack (5¢ per crayon)
While out shopping, I stumbled upon Target’s fun line of Mondo Llama crayons. I mean, with a name like that, how could I not include them?! Plus, their price point is very Hip2Save too! 😏
Since my store was sold out of their traditional variety pack (currently on sale for just 25¢), I decided to give their Hues of You collection a try! Most notable, I found this line to be unique and fun! I also love the thoughtful and educational message they send – the beautiful and different skin tones that make up all the amazing people in our world are definitely something to celebrate!
However, the performance of these fun crayons didn’t blow me away and for the price point, I wouldn’t buy them again.
PROS:
- Good pigment.
- True to color.
- Fun and unique collections.
- Durable.
- Minimal flaking with excessive coloring.
- Thoughtful variety packs like Hues of You.
- Very subtle smell.
- Very inexpensive.
CONS:
- Paper-coated.
- Slightly rough on paper.
- Messy while coloring.
- Uneven shading.
- Messy to sharpen due to paper.
- Roll away easily.
4. Melissa & Doug’s pack was pricey and one of the worst-performing too.
Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons – $8.99 for 24 pack (37¢ per crayon)
Initially, I was drawn to the Melissa & Doug variety pack because they are an extremely reputable brand. Their innovative triangle design to keep them from rolling away was unlike most I’ve seen as well.
Their smaller size also makes them ideal for younger kiddos and as I’m sure you already noticed, they come with the best case for traveling – perfect for vacations, playdates, and restaurants. However, my kids up to age 11 have an extremely difficult time opening it on their own which may or may not be a pro for some.
Their unique shape, durability, and awesome travel case didn’t come close to trumping the fact they performed the worst out of all the crayons I tested.
I found their pigment to be dull and many of the colors to be inaccurate – which is super frustrating when you’re coloring a masterpiece! As you can see above, the reddest of the colors appeared to be pink and the vibrancy of many of the other colors wasn’t even a close representation on paper. This also means I thought the variety pack lacked staple colors like a true red, orange, or green.
Not to mention, they’re one of the priciest picks I tested.
PROS:
- Best reusable case.
- No paper covers.
- Innovative triangle design.
- Great size for younger kids.
- Minimal smell.
- Very durable.
- Don’t roll away easily.
CONS:
- Worst pigment of all the crayons tested.
- A little rough on paper.
- Messy with excess coloring.
- Do not sharpen due to the triangle shape.
- Lacking traditional colors.
- Size isn’t ideal for adults.
- Expensive.
- Travel case is difficult to open.
5. Wonder Stix crayons are incredibly versatile but are the most expensive ones I tested.
Wonder Stix Crayons – $10.11 for 12-pack (84¢ per crayon)
At just under a dollar per crayon, the Wonder Stix crayon brand is the priciest on the list and are likely some of the most expensive crayons on the market. Although, you can also opt to buy their 24-pack of crayons which is much more affordable.
Despite their steep price, they boast some seriously incredible features that make them the most versatile on our list. Even better, I’m confident to say they’ll keep kids occupied the longest.
Ever heard of a washable crayon that can write on glass? 🤩 These not only write on glass, but they can also write on whiteboards, chalkboards, wood, paper, poster boards, mirrors, windows, and any other non-porous surface kids can get their hands on.
The best part? They’re a cinch to clean off in seconds using just water! On top of that, they have zero odor and are by far the most pigmented on our list too.
However, they overperformed and underperformed on paper…
My daughter said it herself, these crayons look like actual paint they’re so pigmented on paper. 😍 They’re super smooth and unlike any crayons, I’ve ever used so there’s no denying they’re incredible for rich, vibrant coverage.
However, I did find that they were a little flaky, smudged on paper, and broke easily. For this reason and the steep price, I wouldn’t vote these as the best everyday crayon, but there’s no question they’re seriously awesome and totally worth keeping in your home for special occasions.
Pros:
- Extremely versatile.
- Easily washable.
- Excellent pigment (best of all the crayons tested).
- Convenient twist case on each crayon.
- Highly kid-approved.
- Easy to hold.
- Easy to twist up in their case.
- No paper coating.
- No odor.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- Broke easily.
- Messy with excess coloring.
- Smudged on paper.
- Roll away easily.
6. Brilliant Bee crayons are made of beeswax and are triangle shaped too.
Brilliant Bee Crayons – $12.95 for 24-pack (54¢ per crayon)
You all know I love my eco-friendly products, so I was really excited when I saw these highly rated beeswax crayons! They even have some super cute names for each color like “little beetle blue” and “fire ants in pants red”. 🥰
There’s definitely no question, they’re toddler friendly with their unique triangular shape design and thoughtful ingredients and I was even impressed with the pigment of each one.
I found every color to be true to color and compared to other crayons I tested, they were rich in pigment and had minimal flaking when coloring. In fact, they even claim to write well on black paper too!
However, I was sad to have one of the first crayons I tested break on me which was shocking considering they’re much thicker than your average crayon. For this reason and the steeper price, they didn’t top the best crayons list for me.
Pros:
- Made of beeswax.
- Excellent pigment.
- True to color.
- Great size for younger kids.
- Minimal smell.
- Innovative triangle design.
- Come in a travel box with straps.
- Unique color names.
- Don’t roll away easily.
Cons:
- Break easily.
- Expensive.
- Travel box is bulky and takes up the most room.
- Paper coated.
- Thick and not precise.
7. Prang is made by the Ticonderoga pencil company which ranked as the best #2 pencil.
Prang Crayons – $5.99 for 16-pack (37¢ per crayon)
If you caught my #2 pencil test, you may have already seen that Ticonderoga ranked as my number one pick. So when I saw Prang was made by the same company, I definitely had to give them a try!
I was immediately impressed with Prang on paper. They’re very smooth and have very minimal flaking when compared to the Crayola and Cra-Z-Art crayon brands. However, they’re definitely pricier, and even at $5.99 per pack, I only received 16 colors which I felt were lacking.
Overall, I was disappointed with the colors and felt that for a standard variety pack you should get truer colors to choose from. For example, both reds were either a little too pink or too orange and the orange looked dull on paper.
All of that said, I do appreciate how they’re made from soybeans which is a renewable source and I haven’t had one break on me yet. If you don’t have a color preference, then I still think these would be a great everyday option.
Pros:
- Even shading.
- Made from renewable sources.
- Durable.
- Minimal flaking.
- Very subtle smell.
CONS:
- Paper-coated.
- Lack of variety in colors.
- Some colors are dull.
- Smelly.
- Expensive.
- Roll away easily.
8. BIC crayons made a shocking statement all around and had the best variety of colors.
BIC Crayons, 24-ct, pack of 6 $10.79 ($1.80 per box!)
- These BIC Crayons are also available at Staples for $1.99 per box, but are currently OOS
The BIC crayons claim to be unbreakable and are my top pick for the best crayons! 🏆
I couldn’t be any more shocked by this outcome, and until I started researching crayons, I never knew BIC even made crayons! These were the longest and skinniest of all the packs, so I fully anticipated lots of breaking and lousy performance.
However, just as they claim, they really are unbreakable! 👏🏻
Even when coloring full-force or trying to break them while applying the most pressure, they still didn’t break! If that’s not impressive enough, I also immediately noticed how beautiful all of the colors are – each one on paper has great pigment and is an accurate representation of what you see on the outside. The mess when coloring was super minimal too!
Compared to the Crayola and Cra-Z-Art crayon brand variety packs, I also found BIC crayons to have the nicest variety of colors – many with earthy, organic tones to them too. So while they have all the true colors of the rainbow, they also added unexpected and unique colors like nude pink, mustard yellow, periwinkle, and the perfect ’90s shade of teal blue.
PROS:
- Excellent pigment.
- Very minimal mess with excess coloring.
- No paper covers.
- Break-resistant design.
- The best variety of colors.
- Very smooth on paper.
- True to color.
- Longest and skinniest crayons (great for all ages).
- Easy to sharpen.
- Inexpensive.
CONS:
- Flimsy storage box.
- Smell waxy.
- Roll away easily.
Even though these best crayons aren’t the cheapest box I tested, they’re still under $2 a box making them a frugal and great performing option!
Plus, they’re the longest of the bunch and claim to be the longest-lasting so my guess is you’ll be stretching your dollar the farthest with this pick anyways.
BIC crayons for the win! 🎉
Love reading these reviews!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this, tiffanydavis! It was really fun to test them and write this!
Me too!!! 🥰🥰
I will not stand for this crayola slander 😂😂
😂😂😂
Haha! I felt the same way, Kat, but the facts don’t lie! LOL! BIC for the win!
haha exactly… i’ve always loved my crayola 🥰
wow i live in EST and when i post this its 9:39 AM
I used to love Crayola. But they went woke. A product marketed towards kids should stay out of sexual identity politics
Very interesting comparison. I never knew BIC had crayons either. But now I know what I’ll be staying away from the next time I buy crayons for my grands! Thank you H2S!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you found this post so helpful. 🙂
Just ordered six 24-count boxes of the Bic crayons for $5.14 on Amazon. Can’t wait to try them with my kids!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DTYCJFP?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
Awesome, Em! You and your kiddos are going to love them!
Love it, never seen them, will keep my eye out and give them a whirl.
Love it, Chelsea! I know you’ll love them!
If you have an aldi nearby they have them. At least for the past few weeks I’ve seen them. 🖍
Awesome review! I tried to buy the box on Walmart.com and they were marked down to $0.25 BUT they were sold out 😟
Oh darn! We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled for that deal to come back, CJ! Thanks for sharing. If you find them somewhere else, I have no doubt you’ll love them!
Has anyone tried the Bic triangular crayons? Wondering if they would be easier to hold for toddlers.
I haven’t tried them, but the Melissa & Doug crayons I tested are triangular and I definitely think the shape is easier to hold for kiddos with little hands. I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for this reviews….
You’re very welcome, Hardik! I’m so glad you enjoyed this review. Have a great day! 🙂
Crayola and most other crayons are made out of cow fat. However, Melissa and Doug use plastic id consider that a huge pro for Melissa and doug!
Kinda seems like natural ingredients might be better than chemicals 🤔
Literally everything is made out of chemicals.
Actually, I’d prefer that to plastic!
Exactly! I was just saying i prefer natural over artificial.
How many of these are made in China?
The Bics are made in Tunisia which is in Africa
What is so terrible if they were made in China? How do you expect $25 per pack of crayons (or a low price for anything) if they are made in the USA? Would you be acceptable for those kind of low wages if you worked here? Let’s be practical! How can you want “made in USA” and cheap prices?!!
On the other hand, if your outrage for anything made abroad/China is due to exploitation of people/children for “cheap” labor and/or unethical practices, it’s understandable.
I never knew Bic made crayons! I will have to look for them the next time I go to the store, we break ALOT of crayons.
You’re so welcome, Nicole!
I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks for the reviews and comparisons!
You’re very welcome, Ericka! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post so much. 🙂
I love this review. Most teachers specify Crayola. I bet a lot of them never even heard of Bic crayons. I hope I can find some of these.
I’m so glad you love this review, Lora! They’re wonderful crayons and I would imagine teachers would appreciate them so much especially since they don’t have paper and won’t get all over their classrooms. 🙂
Unfortunately until my kids get out of elementary school, I will have to buy crayola. The school supply list specifically says crayola. I understand they are preventing som lousy crayons (I’ve had some from $1 store that were awful) but there are other decent brands. I may have to get a pack of these for home though!
I never knew so many school specified brands, that’s so interesting! Thanks for sharing, Joni!
Crayola was a brand I asked for when I taught kindergarten because I am color-deficient and have memorized the pigments of Crayola. I could not have other brands mixed in because I couldn’t tell the color difference. (I did try!) I had to have someone else look over any work done at home with different brands. If kids brought in another brand, I would replace with my own money for classroom use. Super glad to see a review about the performance of other brands. Thanks for a little insight into other brand’s pigment also.
As an elementary art teacher with 16 year experience I ❤ Crayola. They hold up to my 900 students using them very well. I especially love the construction paper crayons! Crayola is very affordable with back-to-school sales. Crayola’s website is very transparent about product ingredients,which I love because I can be sure I am not giving students hidden allergens.
With that being said, I haven’t tried BIC crayons and will buy a small amount to give them a test run. Thanks for the tip.
You’re very welcome, Erin! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us! Hope your school year is great!
Oh wow! I had no idea allergens in crayons were a thing. I just thought they Crayola had more pigment. Now I will appreciate the brand preferences of teachers even more!
I recently bought a box of the Bix crayons for my grandson. We haven’t used them yet but glad to read it was a good purchase. I bought them because of the price.
Bic crayons. Ugh. I can’t stand typos. lol
That’s awesome! I hope you love them!
How can anyone take this seriously when it says CraZArt is the same as crayola 🤯 Target’s old Up& Up brand were super comparable to Crayola, but CraZArt are the crayons teachers are trying to avoid by putting crayola on their supply lists.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! This review was my personal experience and the Crayola were actually worse than Cra-Z-Art due to Crayola breaking on me. If you’ve never tried BIC I definitely recommend them!
I agree! I didn’t think it was a serious review! 😂
There’s no way the clumpy and sticky Crazy Art crayons are comparable to Crayola. I still remember the sound they made when they stuck to the page as a kid. Gross.
Ok Ok honestly when I read the headline I was a little…. angry? … because I love CRAYOLA… but after reading the review, I am definitely going to give BIC a try. I color with my kiddos and yes, yes, yes to all the cons listed. LOL. Thanks for the review… I would have never known BIC made crayons!
You’re very welcome, Laura! I hope you love the BIC crayons as much as I did! (I was just as shocked at the outcome!)
Comparison posts are my favorite on this site! I recently found the bic crayons on Amazon pretty cheap and grabbed some. Hadn’t opened them yet but now I’m excited 😂
Oh, that is so awesome, Amy! Enjoy your BIC crayons!
As a kindergarten teacher, I’ve noticed the quality of crayola crayons has gone down in the past few years. There are lots of breakage (even for me) when in the past there used to just be the occasional break. I’ll be on the look out to try BIC brand!
Awesome, Amy! I hope you love BIC when you do grab them!
Thank you for all your hard work. I wouldn’t use Bic or Melissa & Doug because they don’t have paper covers. My kids love reading the colors and ask for them by name so they wouldn’t like them. They ask for pink and then read it to make sure it is pink. LOL
You’re very welcome, Francis!
BIC needs different package design……..I would never think that was a box of CRAYONS just by looking at it. I’d see “BIC” and assume they are pencils or pens.
That’s a great point, Jodi! Maybe they’ll see this and fix it. HAH!
Love Bic Kids Crayons and Markers ❤️Staples carries them with Free Shipping for their Rewards Members
Oh cool! Thanks for the tip, Lily!
I’ve never heard of the Bic crayons but I’ll try them next time we need them. Thanks!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for reading my review, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I clicked on this because I thought you were crazy! Haha! I’ve always thought Crayola was the only brand worth having. I had no idea Bic made them. They need to advertise this!
Yes, I agree! I had never heard of them either, Amy!
Our poor children have been dealing with deficient low standard tools? Shame on you Crayola!
Awesome post! Thank you! To their credit, M&D crayons really are awesome for preschoolers when you (or they!) don’t really care for anything but marks on the paper and learning to hold a writing utensil. I’ll look forward to trying the Bic ones for older kids! Thanks!
I totally agree! Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts with us and I hope you love the BIC crayons for your older kiddos! 🙂
AWESOME POST!
Thank you so much, Maurice! So glad you love it!
Honestly, one of my favorite things about Crayola is the smell! I’d be disappointed with crayons that DIDN’T have that smell. 😀 I’m surprised to hear that the smell is a con. Just like Play-doh. I loooove the smell.
I buy Crayola crayons simply for the smell – it makes me happy!
i’ve never had a crayola crayon break on me an adult using it, the kids break them, i think intentionally for fun. but i LOVE crayola
I found a single box of BIC crayons at walmart and bought it because of the length and that they were naked! Lol I’m looking forward to trying them!
Awesome to hear, Kristi! I hope you love them!
Yeah, as an art teacher I’m going to stick to Crayola.
They have served me well, especially when BIC isn’t even in my budget.
And you CANNOT tell me Roseart is the same quality. Not.At.All.
Years of empirical research has taught me otherwise.
I agree with the art teacher! 🙂 Thank you for what you do. <3
Loved this post! Just added a box of Bic crayons to my Walmart grocery order.
Awesome, KB! Enjoy them!
We have a pack of the Bic crayons and they’re great, but the bottoms are concave and chip easily. The points have been strong though, and my kid presses hard. Crayola will still be number one due to their huge color assortment, but Bic is definitely a brand I’ll buy again.
Yes, I agree with the chipping. I also love that they don’t have paper to peel off and put everywhere! BIC also makes colored pencils and the colors are gorgeous
I’ll have to try their colored pencils sometime. Thanks for sharing, Samantha!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! I haven’t experienced the chipping but will be sure to watch for that!
I’d love to see a post like this for colored pencils! Thanks for the review!
My Grandkids , 5&8, must be super strong cuz the Bic crsyons that I purchased broke easily
Oh darn! Thanks for sharing about your experience, Mary! Hoping you found a set of crayons that works best for your grandkids! 🖍❤️
I am an elementary art teacher and came across BIC last year because Walmart had them for 25 cents. I was able to get both the round and triangular type. I used the triangular type with my preschool kiddos. They both were very high quality and I love that they don’t have paper on them because then you can use them on their sides for rubbing textures. I agree 100% with this post.
Thanks so much for taking a moment to share about your experience with the BIC brand, Marcia! I’m sure other readers will find it helpful! 💕
I tried the m&d ones years ago and thought they would be awesome, because, well, m&d. They were absolutely terrible! I’ll have to give BIC a try. We usually use crayola but lately they have been breaking super easily.
Hoping you see better results from the BIC brand like we did in our test! 🤞💗
Are Jot (1$ store) crayons any good?
I’m curious how they would do in a shared crayon bucket without paper. Does the pigment get on other crayons? Can a child easily tell which color is which? Some crayons a child has difficulty distinguishing the difference between colors until they put it on the paper.
I was a public school art teacher for 41 years, so I know a lot about crayons. I am also an artist, a mother, a grandmother and a Sunday School teacher, so I still buy and use crayons! One size (or type of crayon) does NOT fit all! What works best for toddlers at home is different from what is best for classroom use. An adult artist usually does NOT use the same crayons (or paint or colored pencils) as children . I did not use the same materials with kindergartners as I used with high school and college students. Crayola is an excellent brand for elementary art teachers because they come in many formats (including triangular, without paper, etc.), and are sold in bulk. They are also decent quality for kids, if not adult artist quality. I do not have any affiliation with any brand, just many years of wisdom gained through experience.
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us, Kathy! We sure appreciate you stopping by to let us know your experience with crayons.
Thank you SO much for this post! I have wasted so much money on Crayola over the years assuming they were the best, and getting annoyed at my kids for breaking them :/ Just ordered a box of Bic, and I’m sure we’ll have a house full of excited kiddos 🙂 and a happy mom!
We can’t wait to hear how you like the BIC crayons, Jackie! We’re so glad you found this post to be helpful and hope you and your kiddos love them!
Can any crayons be written over with pen? Like a gel pen?
Hi Elizabeth!❤️ In my experience, since crayons tend to be waxy, I haven’t been able to write overtop of them.