Invented prior to 77 AD, it’s safe to say that easels have played a major role in both professional and amatuer artwork for decades. They offer students, hobbyists, and collectors an easy way to not only create their next masterpiece, but also display them without much effort.
In this post we are going to look at 9 of the best easels for your home, classroom, or studio and breakdown which features you may need based on your usage.
Enjoy!
In a hurry? Here are our 2 favorite easels:
|
Best Overall
|
Best Tabletop
|
|
N/A
|
$20.99
|
Step2 Easel for Two with Bonus Magnetic Letter/Numbers
Step2 made the perfect easel for younger kids that can be used as a whiteboard on one side and a chalkboard on the other.
The Easel for Two is made of durable plastic with two sides to it and a large tray in the middle that can be used to hold chalk, markers and the 77 foam magnetic letters, numbers and signs that are included with this set.
The chalkboard side is a regular green chalkboard that can be used with any type of chalk and and eraser. The flip side is a magnetic style whiteboard that can also be used with any dry erase marker and eraser. Neither chalk, markers nor erasers are not included with this set.
Related: The 9 Best Whiteboards for Your Classroom
Each side also has a paper clip if you want to make pictures a little more permanent than the erasable chalk or dry erase markers.
What we like
- Tough, durable plastic
- Chalk on one side, whiteboard on the other
- Foldable for easy storage.
What we don’t like
- Pretty bulky even when folded
- Legs can’t be adjusted for uneven surfaces
The step2 Easel for Two is a great starter easel for younger children. Durable and will last if the surfaces are kept clean as directed.
Art Alternatives Marquis Artists Adjustable Desk Box Easel
The Marquis Artists Adjustable Desk Easel is a compact easel with storage that can be used on any table or desktop surface. This set even comes with an artists pallet for holding and mixing paints on!
This tabletop easel has 4 settings so you can choose your ideal working angle and uses a sturdy brace to lock it into position.
There is also a single large drawer that is part of the base that has 3 good size partitions on it so you can store all your paints and brushes in one place.
Related: The Best Rolling Carts for Teachers
This easel has an all-wood construction with a natural finish to accentuate any room when not in use.
What we liked
- Adjustable angles
- Good size drawer for storage
What we didn’t like
- Wood is quite lightweight
- Screws can fall out from the soft wood
This is a great easel if you are concerned about space but still want to keep your things in one spot. Can be stored under a desk or dresser without any issue as it is quite small when folded flat.
Ohuho Aluminum Field Easel Stand with Carry Bag
Sometimes you might want to work on your artwork in a place other than your usual location and using a collapsible easel is the best way to get around easily but still maintain functionality.
This light aluminum easel can collapse down to a mear 21 inches in length and comes with a convenient black canvas carry bag with shoulder strap for easy transportation.
When fully extended the easel can reach to 66 inches in height and each leg is adjustable to enable use on uneven ground as the legs are fully independent of each other.
What we like
- Collapses into a nice compact package
- Carry bag is included
What we did not like
- The frame is quite light
- Plastic locks seem flimsy
This is the best easel for those on the go and who want to have something compact to carry without sacrificing functionality. This is a super lightweight piece but is not recommended if you need an easel for long term daily use.
Melissa And Doug Deluxe Wooden Standing Art Easel
Melissa and Doug stand by their products and their wooden easel is no exception with their 100% happiness guarantee. You can rest easy that if in any way your child is not inspired or the easel is not satisfactory, they will do what they can to make it right.
Their standing easel comes with a chalkboard on one side and a dry erase board on the other. The chalkboard is your standard black/green color, however, the whiteboard is not magnetic.
The wooden frame is designed to fold for easy storage and there are 3 heights so you can adjust it as your child or student grows. There is also a paper roll holder in the middle as well as a child-friendly paper cutter so that you can easily remove masterpieces from the easel when they are done.
Finally, each side has a good size plastic try that you can use for storage when the easel is standing. There are also paper clips a the top so you can use single sheets of paper at any time that is needed.
What we like
- Lots of space for creativity
- Included paper roll holder
- Big plastic trays for holding stuff
What we did not like
- Assembly is complicated
- Wood is soft, and screws tend to strip if too tight
- Wood is not treated so it can stain very easy
This is the perfect easel for kids 3 and over who want to express themselves in as many ways possible. This can accommodate chalk, dry erase markers, paints, crayons and pretty much anything else their minds can come up with.
US Art Supply “Easy-Folding Easel” in Black Steel
Normally when we think of easels, we think of painting or drawing, but easels are also used for displaying artwork and signage as well. US Art Supply has the perfect display easel that is convenient to use and easy to store.
The 63 inches tall easel weighs less than 5 pounds and has 2 adjustable display holders that can hold canvases, poster boards or pretty much anything with a rigid structure.
The beauty of this easel is that it is fully collapsible into a tiny 15-inch long package that is perfect for transportation. The easel is made of high quality and lightweight tubular steel that has been powder coated with a nice black gloss and has non-slip rubber feet to be sure it stays in place.
What we like
- Seconds to set up and take down
- Nice finish, simple and good looking
What we don’t like
- Display just rests on the display holder, no top clip to hold it in place
This model is designed for trade shows and art shows alike and is one of the best easels for painting. Super easy takedown and set up makes this a great portable tool for displaying pretty much anything.
Loew-Cornell 65-Inch Natural Wood Floor Easel
Loew-Cornell does a no-frills wood frame easel that serves your basic needs for a display stand or paintings, but don’t expect a lot out of it.
The easel comes unassembled and you have to follow the instructions to put all the wood pieces together to complete the piece. The wood is untreated making it easy to treat, but also easy to stain with careless splatter.
When assembled, the easel is 65 inches tall and can hold a decent weight if assembled correctly. There is a chain for the rear leg to help keep it in place and rubber feet are also included to keep your easel in position while it is being used.
What we liked
- Inexpensive
- Can be painted easily
- Sturdy when assembled
What we did not like
- Instructions were not always clear
- Wood is soft and can be damaged if tightened too tight.
We would consider this model to be a temporary easel or one that you can use if you don’t paint or draw often. It can also be used as a display piece quite easily.
Art Alternatives Young Artist Easel
Art Alternatives’ easel offers a chalkboard on one side and dry erase on the other plus a paper roll in the center.
This model is all wood including the tray that is provided to hold all of your supplies. The wood is solid, but a little soft so be aware during assembly that screws can rip if tightened too much.
The chalkboard side does need to be primed (rubbed with the side of a piece of chalk and then into the board with a paper towel) before use, and the whiteboard needs wipes to be cleaned completely.
The easel also includes an 18-inch wide paper roll that can be pulled out of the top and draped on the whiteboard side.
What we liked
- Both chalk and dry erase boards
- Sturdy wood construction
What we did not like
- Softer wood
- Can be broken quite easily
The Young Artist Easel is one of the best easels for toddlers, students, and young kids thanks to its features like the paper roll and tray. This is a middle of the road set and is not meant to be a high-quality piece but good enough to get the job done.
Artlicious 14-Inch A-Frame Wooden Easel
The 14-inch A-frame wooden easel by Artilicious is an inexpensive tabletop easel that can be flattened and put away when not needed.
This easel is fully cut from pine and uses a single catch string on the third leg to prop it up. This model is held together using nails and does not require any assembly.
Though this model can hold up to a 14-inch canvases, go with a different model if you think you’ll be working on something bigger.
What we liked
- No assembly required
- Light and easy to transport
What we did not like
- Can only be used on a table or other raised surface
There is enough style to this unfinished easel that you can even use it for display pieces as well as work, but the fact that it must be placed on raised surface can be a drawback for some. However, if you’re looking for a tabletop easel – this is a great option!
Mont Marte French Box Easel in Black
The Mont Marte Box Easel is a replica of a traditional French easel that collapses into a nice easy to carry travel case.
This easel is fully handcrafted from wood and stained a deep black color, making it very good looking while also remaining quite functional. The entire piece is assembled using brass plated steel fittings to accentuate the look of the wood.
A single built-in drawer can be used to store paints, brushes and anything else you may need and the drawer can be slid out while using the easel or accessed from the back.
The legs are telescopic so you can easily adjust for uneven ground and the canvas portion also had adjustments so it is very easy to customize your working angels.
Everything folds together nicely and secures with the wooden handle on one end – you can easily carry it around or store it in a small space thanks to how collapsible it is.
What we like
- Beautiful stained wood
- Fully collapsible
- Includes a pallet that can be stored inside
- Can be used standing or seated
What we did not like
- Can be broken easily
- Wood tends to be soft, and screws can strip if they are too tight
- Takes some time and effort to set up
This is a beautiful easel and looks great in any room and can be collapsed and stored out of the way if needed. Not really intended for rigorous daily use but can add a lot of character to your work area if needed.
