For a beginner or first time purchaser, there are some advantages in bundling your first airbrush and compressor as a kit.
Most often coming in with extras like DVD instruction lessons, cleaning brushes and tools for the airbrush or in a few cases, airbrush paint (which is fairly costly when purchased individually).
In addition, the components are designed to work together without special fittings to marry the two together. Perhaps the best advantage is the price point. If you are looking for an out of the box easy set up, a kit may be the best choice.
Kits are not a common occurrence for the top manufactured airbrushes, but we did find a few good ones!
Here are our recommendations from best to least favorite of some the best combination kits readily available online.
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If you are in a hurry, here is the list of the best airbrush kits in descending order:
Grex GCK01 Combo Kit with Genesis.XT and AC1810-A Air Compressor Airbrush (Recommended)
- Grex GCK02 Airbrush Combo Kit with Tritium.TS3 Airbrush, AC1810-A Compressor, Accessories and DVD (Preferred)
- Iwata HP-CS Eclipse Airbrush Kit with Master Airbrush Tank Compressor and 6 Foot Air Hose Set, Airbrush Paint Set, Airbrush Holder, Cleaning Tank, Mixing Sticks and Cups
- Paasche Airbrush TG-300R Double Action Gravity Feed Airbrush Set and Compressor with Tank (Best choice for beginners)
- Iwata Eclipse HP-CS Airbrushing System with Silver Jet Air Compressor (easiest to use)
Iwata Airbrushes NEO CN Gravity Feed Airbrush Set, IWAIW120 (pocket sized for travel)
Reviews of the Top 8!
The most reputable airbrush companies are Grex, Paasche, Iwata, Harder and Steenbeck and Badger. These companies have been around for decades and have solid reputations for quality products. You really can’t go wrong with any airbrush from these companies.
Some of the companies like Grex and Iwata make their own compressors, but most them outsource the manufacturing of their compressors to china and put a private label on it. If the compressors available on line all look alike, it’s probably because they are!
Some companies like Badger and Harder and Steenbeck don’t offer kits and you will need to purchase everything separately. That’s where our articles on airbrushes and compressors will really help, if you opt to purchase without a kit bundle.
1. Grex GCK01 Combo Kit with Genesis.XT and AC1810-A Air Compressor Airbrush
Coming in as our first choice is this great kit by Grex. The compressor is surprisingly quiet, which makes this tankless option a good choice for those who want great portability, quality of workmanship designed to work together and yet have something that won’t break the eardrums when it is operational. Customers rave about the reliability and quality of Grex products and stay loyal to their brand. It doesn’t have a tank with the compressor, but users rave how quiet it runs and the reputation of the company is stellar.
Total Rating: 95%
5 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
5 out of 5 stars Value for price
4 out of 5 stars Extras included
5 out of 5 stars Noise level
Grex is one of the world’s leading airbrush and compressor manufacturers and has a loyal following of professional airbrush users. This kit does not have a lot of extras in the bundle, but the quality of both the airbrush and the compressor are some of the best on the market.
- Six year warantee on the airbrush! and one year limited warantee on the compressor
- Genesis.XT double action pistol style airbrush
- 1/8 Hp motor on compressor
- Very quiet
- Braided airhose
- 3 mm needle (not changeable)
- DVD instruction on setup and cleaning
- 2 side gravity cups for airbrush
- Comfortable to use
2. Grex GCK02 Airbrush Combo Kit with Tritium.TS3 Airbrush, AC1810-A Compressor, Accessories and DVD
This combination kit is similar to the above, but this airbrush has interchangeable needles and nozzles for ultimate versatility. It is well worth the small additional price.
Total Rating: 100% <<the only reason we don’t bump it to our first recommendation spot is the price point. If that’s not a big consideration, then this is our first pick!
5 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
5 out of 5 stars Value for price
5 out of 5 stars Extras included
5 out of 5 stars Noise level
3. Iwata HP-CS Eclipse Airbrush Kit with Master Airbrush Tank Compressor and 6 Foot Air Hose Set, Airbrush Paint Set, Airbrush Holder, Cleaning Tank, Mixing Sticks and Cups
We rank this airbrush as the overall best mid-price range airbrush. The Master tank compressor is a good compressor yet, for the value of this package, this is a great deal and you get the impeccable Iwata brand airbrush!
Total Rating: 90%
4 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
4 out of 5 stars Value for price
5 out of 5 stars Extras included
5 out of 5 stars Noise level
- US Art Supply 12 Popular Color Airbrush Paint Set
- Cleaning pot
- Airbrush cleaning solution
- Quick release fitting
- Airbrush holder for up to four airbrushes
- Extras like mixing cups and sticks (all airbrush paints have to be thinned before using)
- Tank compressor
- Bottle of paint extender
- Continuously working
4. Paasche Airbrush TG-300R Double Action Gravity Feed Airbrush Set and Compressor with Tank
Overall, we are pleased with this kit. The only downside is that the connections are not super tight and we have to use about 9 turns of teflon tape on each connection to keep the air pressure tight. If that’s not a deal breaker, this kit is good value for your dollars and the airbrush has all the versatility that ranked high on our personal priority list.
Total Rating: 90%
4 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
4 out of 5 stars Value for price
5 out of 5 stars Extras included
5 out of 5 stars Noise level
- Great price point
- 3/4 gallon tank compressor
- Airbrush has three head sizes- versatile
- Cleaning brushes
- PTFE packing for water & solvent based paints
- 1/5 Hp motor
- Quiet running at 47 Db
- Standard hose included with adaptors for competitor’s fittings
- Continuously working
5. Iwata Eclipse HP-CS Airbrushing System with Silver Jet Air Compressor
For those who need ultimate portability, and don’t require a compressor with a tank, this kit may tick all the boxes for you. The airbrush is well made and highly rated by users and the compressor is a great quality. It’s not the most quiet compressor out there, but if you don’t mind a little motor noise, and if you don’t need the compressor to run for long jags of time, this is a great set.
Total Rating: 60%
3 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
3 out of 5 stars Value for price
3 out of 5 stars Extras included
3 out of 5 stars Noise level
- Very portable
- Reliable quality
- Very easy to use and set up
- The most popular Iwata airbrush on the market
- Great customer service
6. Iwata Airbrushes NEO CN Gravity Feed Airbrush Set, IWAIW120
Not designed to be used every day, nor for very long at a setting, this little portable kit is a great way to go if you are away from your home studio or just plan to airbrush for 20 minutes or less. It will turn off after that and it’s not quiet running, but if all you need is portability, this might fit the bill for you. It tucks into a pocket or on a plane carryon easily and you get the quality you would expect from Iwata.
Total Rating: 50%
3 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
2 out of 5 stars Value for price
3 out of 5 stars Extras included
2 out of 5 stars Noise level
- Good beginner kit
- Very portable
- Three bottles of paint
- Brush cleaner
- Very simple to use – designed for short painting sessions of around 10 mins.
- Highly rated by users
- 3 psi modes: 5, 15 and 35 psi
7. Paasche Airbrush VL-100D Airbrush System
Another good value from Paasche, this kit is siphon fed intended for significant amounts of paint application. Probably not the best choice for intricate sprays but a solid entry level choice for painting base coats on objects and for those who don’t want to take the time to refill their paint pots frequently.
Total Rating: 70%
3 out of 5 Quality of workmanship/longevity
3 out of 5 Value for price
5 out of 5 Extras included
3 out of 5 Noise level
- Siphon fed for quick change out of colors or larger quantities of paint
- Cleaning brushes kit
- Three spray heads
- 20-30 psi tankless compressor
- Mixed reviews on the compressor by users
- Entry level price point
8. Master Airbrush Professional Cool Runner II Dual Fan Air Compressor Airbrushing System Kit
O.K., here is the straight up on this kit. It has mixed reviews from very pleased to very not pleased. It is a beginner kit. For the price you get something that will give you everything you need, but the question is how long will it last and how well it will serve your skill level. It is a good kit to try out airbrushing to see if you will like it before investing in quality that will last a decade or more. Like buying anything mechanical, you may get years of service out of it, or you may get a few months or less. There is simply no way of knowing. While this product does offer a warranty, the reviews are mixed on the ease of getting a replacement. If a low price point is your top priority, and you plan to airbrush infrequently, this kit may be a good choice.
Total Rating: 65%
2 out of 5 stars Quality of workmanship/longevity
2 out of 5 stars Value for price
5 out of 5 stars Extras included
4 out of 5 stars Noise level
- Three airbrushes included: two syphon and one gravity fed
- Dual fan cooled compressor
- 1/5 Hp motor
- Airbrush holder for two brushes
- Six airbrush paint colors
- Bottle of reducer and cleaner included
- Access to online tutorials and cleaning instructions
- Great entry level price point
We hope you found our reviews and point of view helpful!