The Best Paint Edgers of 2023

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Anyone who has ever painted a room knows the difficulty of painting along baseboards and trim. Before the invention of the edge painting tool, the options were tape or time-consuming (often back-breaking) care.

But thanks to paint edgers, the job of achieving clean paint lines around home fixtures is a breeze. But of course, not all paint edging tools are created equal, so here are seven of the best.

The 7 best paint edging tools

1. Best overall: Bates Trim Brush
2. Best for your budget: Shur-Line 2006561 Paint Edger Pro
3. Best for big projects: HomeRight Quick Painter Pad Edger w/flow control
4. Best kit: Accubrush XT Paint Edger Deluxe
5. Most easy-to-use: HomeRight Quick Painter
6. Best for quick projects: Emery Edger Paint Brush Edging Tool
7. Best paint roller: Wagner SMART Edge Paint Roller

Methodology: We sourced our list of top paint edgers from the best product review ratings from various suppliers like Amazon, Home Depot, and Lowe’s. We then distilled our choices to the top seven based on price, key features, and customer reviews.

1. Bates Trim Brush: Best for overall use

Why it made the list

The .75-inch Bates brush is lightweight but durable, so it’ll last for several uses. Reviewers say it is a solid tool for blending in touch-ups. It’s also reported to be good with interior latex, chalk paint and water-based polyurethanes.

Price on Amazon for $6.65 per brush

Price at Bates for $8.99 for a two-pack

Pros:

• Comes with Bates’ 100% satisfaction guarantee.
• The synthetic filaments are designed to hold more paint than other edge brushes.

Cons:

• It is not a totally stiff brush if that is what you are looking for, but does maintain firmness.
• A reviewer did mention that it can get “puffy” after a few sessions.

2. Shur-Line 2006561 Paint Edger Pro: Best for your budget

Why it made the list

The Shur-Line 2006561 Paint Edger Pro is very low cost and simple to use. The pads can handle a variety of paint styles, including gloss, semi-gloss, satin, eggshell, and flat.

Price on Amazon for $12.33 with 2 painter pad refills.

Price at Ace Hardware for $6.99 without refills.

Pros:

• It’s simple and easy-to-use
• The refillable pads are replaceable and do last for more than a few sessions. 

Cons:

• One review on the Ace site said, “the tool produced a poor finish that started dripping along the edge.”
• Another review says it has a “learning curve” to get the action down correctly.

3. HomeRight Quick Painter Pad Edger: Best for big projects

Why it made the list

The HomeRight Quick Painter Pad Edger with Flow Control is good for big projects. The unit has a durable, hollow handle that can hold up to 4.6 ounces of paint. This will allow you to cover up to 50 square feet (or 150 linear feet) of space without stopping for constant paint dips or refills.

Price on Amazon: $9.68

Price at Home Depot: $11.38

Pros: 

• Easy to set up and use
• This edger provides ample paint for a large area without multiple refills

Cons: 

• Cleanup needs to be done as instructed (dry can leave your tools dry, crusty, and ineffective)
• Reviews say it takes a few uses to figure out the paint flow feature

4. Accubrush XT Paint Edger Deluxe Kit: Best kit

Why it made the list

The Accubrush XT Paint Edger Deluxe kit is the best for big, comprehensive paint jobs because it’s complete. The kit provides everything you’ll need to produce nicely-edged paint jobs in any situation. It includes:

• Accubrush MX Standard Handheld Paint Edger
• Accubrush XT Pole-Mountable Paint Edger
• Four additional rollers
• Four additional brushes
• Paint tray
• 40″ wooden paint pole

Price on Amazon: $124.95

Price on Accubrush: $124.95

Pros: 

• It includes everything you’ll need to paint edges and trim.
• The Accubrush paint edger tool swivels for difficult angles.

Cons: 

• The complete kit is more expensive than other paint edging products
• Some reviews say the tools lack accuracy and are hard to use on lining near ceilings and corners

5. HomeRight Quick Painter: Most easy-to-use

Why it made the list

The HomeRight Quick Painter is the easiest paint edging tool to use while also providing some of the great elements found in pricier models. Small and compact, this edging tool can hold up to 4.5 ounces of paint in the handle and has an easy swivel head. It can cover over 50 square feet of space with ease.

Price on Amazon: $5.98

Price at Home Depot: $5.98

Pros: 

• This paint edger holds paint in the handle, cutting down the number of paint dips and refills you’ll have to do
• The quick thumb trigger permits smooth delivery of paint

Cons: 

• You can’t add it to an extension pole, making it hard to reach tall paint spots
• Regular cleanup is required after each use to prevent clogging of the device (be sure to follow cleaning instructions carefully)

6. Emery Edger Paint Brush Edging Tool: Best for quick projects

Why it made the list

The Emery Edger Paint Brush Edging tool is the perfect paint edger for quick projects. First, it’s designed to easily snap onto a standard 3-inch paintbrush. This design also permits quick cleanup and is remarkably effective at achieving clean edges around trim, baseboards, and other tricky paint jobs.

Price on Amazon: $14.95

Price on Ulonet: $15.11

Pros: 

• You can attach the device any standard 3-inch paintbrush
• This product can tackle tricky paint jobs on textured surfaces, like popcorn ceilings or textured drywall

Cons: 

• Replacement pads sold separately
• Designed for manual hand-use only

7. Wagner SMART Edge Paint Roller: Best paint roller

Why it made the list

This handheld paint edger roller is easy to use and provides controllable paint flow and remarkably clean edges. The reservoir holds up to six ounces of paint to cover up to 32 square feet of space (96 linear feet).

Price on Amazon: $25.29

Price at Lowe’s: $34.98

Pros: 

• No roller tray is needed, the roller holds paint in the handle for quick and easy refills
• It has a long reach for ceilings and tall paint projects

Cons: 

• The entire unit must be cleaned very well after each use, or future operation will be difficult (follow cleaning directions precisely)

Things to consider when shopping for paint edgers

When shopping for paint edgers, the most important thing to consider is the size of the job.

If you’re getting a new paint edging tool for small touchups, something simple and easy-to-use may be ideal. If you’re working on a bigger project — perhaps a large living room or two rooms — you may want to find an edging tool that comes with both a paint reservoir and the ability to attach an extension pole.

Be sure to pay close attention to cleaning. If you want easy cleanups, a simple, perhaps disposable, design is better. If you don’t mind cleanups, paint-edging tools with reservoirs are great, especially for larger jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use a paint edging tool?

How you hold the paint edging tool will differ depending on the type of tool you choose, but all of them require you to press the tool as close to the edge as possible. Apply paint with a smooth, single stroke, guiding the edger along the surface. Take your time and pay attention to your work. Even with an edger, rushing can result in less-than-perfect results.

Do paint edgers really work?

Yes. Paint edgers eliminate the need for taping along surfaces and can even be used to paint clean edges around circular objects like smoke detectors.

What are the tools for painting?

Typically, you need paintbrushes, roller pans, paint rollers, a drop cloth, tape, and paint. An edging tool eliminates the need for tape and, in some cases, a pan. In fact, the Accubrush XT Complete Paint Edging kit contains all you need except for paint and a drop cloth.