My Airbrush of choice (Beginners guide to buying an airbrush)

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I see a lot of new model makers, and quite a few who’ve been away from the hobby for years, asking the same question: what’s the best airbrush to buy?

When I got back into the hobby, there were two big names everyone talked about: Harder & Steenbeck and Iwata. That landscape has shifted a bit since then, with newer companies like Gaahleri entering the market over the last few years.

After a lot of consideration, I decided to go down the Harder & Steenbeck (H&S) route. Why? At the time, H&S airbrushes had a stronger reputation for robustness compared to the Iwata range. And for a slightly ham-fisted model maker like myself, durability was a big deciding factor. And it’s something beginners should definitely think about too.

My first H&S airbrush was the Ultra, which I bought back in 2018. It came with two cup sizes and two needle options, allowing me to have a go at fine work as well as basic large-area coverage, yet another reason I felt H&S was the right choice for me.

Fast forward eight years, and H&S has now revamped the Ultra into the Ultra 2024. This version is clearly aimed at beginners and is designed to help new users get successful results while learning to airbrush. That said, you’ll still need to put the time in; there’s no escaping the learning curve!

Best price today (Amazon) for the Harder & Steenbeck Ultra 2024.

Moving on to 2024, I was fortunate enough to be in a position to purchase another Harder & Steenbeck airbrush, this time the Evolution CR Plus. Simply put, it’s a joy to use. It handles very fine detail work with ease, yet can just as comfortably lay down paint over larger areas.

The Evolution CR Plus I bought came well equipped, including two needle sizes and two paint cups, along with two FineLine aircaps complete with seals and needle caps. These are particularly useful during longer spray sessions, as they allow you to safely wipe the tip of the needle if needed without risking damage.

Another big plus with the Harder & Steenbeck range is how interchangeable the parts are across different models. My current setup reflects this nicely: I run the 0.45mm needle, aircap, and needle cap on my Ultra for broader coverage, while keeping the finer needle setup on the Evolution for detail work. It’s a flexible system that works really well and makes owning more than one H&S airbrush even more practical.

Best price today (Amazon) for the Harder & Steenbeck Evolution CR Plus.

Summary

I chose Harder & Steenbeck primarily for reliability and versatility. At the time, their airbrushes had a reputation for being robust and forgiving, perfect for a beginner or someone prone to being a bit “ham-fisted.” Their models, like the Ultra and Evolution CR Plus, offer flexibility with interchangeable needles, cups, and aircaps, allowing me to handle both fine detail work and larger-area coverage without needing multiple tools. On top of that, the parts are compatible across different H&S models, making the system adaptable and long-lasting as my skills and needs have grown.

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