Best Wet Palette for Miniature Painting in 2023 (The NEW Champ!)
The Best Wet Palette for Miniatures, Figurines and Models: Best of the Best
Not too long ago the options for a wet palette were pretty limited. They aren’t terribly hard to make if you wanted to do it yourself, so that was a good option.
While we did have a few basic products from well established manufacturers, it was a space that needed some updating.
That has all changed. A few years ago companies like Redgrass Games, Game Envy, and other miniature painting brands jumped into the space and really upped the quality. In the last 3 or 4 years it’s been a constant addition of new entries.
There are enough good options available now to warrant a really close look. Everyone has their particular needs. Large or small, feature packed or budget friendly.
We’ll give you the top Wet Palettes here and let you decide which fits your hobby desk.
- Best Overall Wet Palette for Miniatures: Game Envy Exemplar Wet Palette
- Best Large Wet Palette for Miniatures: Redgrass Everlasting Studio Lite XL
- Best Small Wet Palette for Miniatures: Redgrass Everlasting Wet Palette
- Best Value Small Wet Palette for Miniatures: Mastersons Sta-Wet Palette
- Best Value Large Wet Palette for Miniatures: Masterson Sta-Wet Premier Palette
Selection Criteria for the Top Wet Palettes:
Value: What do you get for the dollar? We’re looking at anything from $15 -$50+ so you have to ask yourself what are the differences and are they worth it?
When I give a “Best Overall” title to a recommendation, I’m taking value into account. I’m also thinking about how important the product is. For a wet palette, it’s something I’m using it every time I am painting miniatures. It’s not some obscure piece of gear I use from time to time.
In cases like that I’m willing to pay more for what I want.
Extras: Some come with extras some don’t – do you need them?
This is another personal decision. My top choice has a compartment in it to hold brushes and a stand to prop up your phone or device. Do you need that? I use it so my answer is yes.
There are other features like a vent in the top to allow air into the wet palette. That’s a more objectively good feature because it helps keep your paint workable, and not overly hydrated.
Unique Features: Anything unique or uncommon. For example a few of them include a dry palette in the kit, that’s added value if you don’t have one already but redundant if you do.
Then there are things like the vent I mentioned, which is unique to just one option. I like to include this as a metric because it’s hard for people to know if the unique features are meaningful to them. I’ll point them out and include it in the overall ranking.
The Best Overall Wet Palette for Painting Miniatures in 2023
Game Envy Exemplar
The Game Envy Exemplar get’s the win for Best Overall Wet Palette this year! It’s been out for around a year now but I’ve only just gotten a hold of it personally a few months ago.
What makes this stand out is the combination of everything I need, and a few extra features that I really love.
It’s a great size, I like the palette paper, and it’s very good quality. Those are the essentials that I need to even consider it an option for my hobby table. On top of that we get: Storage, an air vent, a dry palette and a stand.
The Exemplars storage, vent and stand are all unique features in this round up.
I don’t find myself using the stand very much. I’m still using my iPad during my painting sessions, or if I have a podcast on my phone is just sitting on my desk and doesn’t need a stand.
The vent though is a fantastic addition. I typically was leaving my other wet palette open a bit so it wouldn’t get too humid inside. With this I can fully close it and allow a bit of air in. Perfect.
The storage and dry palette is more exciting than I had initially thought. Suddenly I have a portable miniature painting station. I can put a couple of brushes inside, pack up some acrylic paint, and I’m set.
Dimensions: 6.25″ x 9.6″ x 1.2″
Features: Dry Palette included, Air Vent, Storage, Phone Stand, Locking Top
Pros
Size: I know this is somewhat subjective, some people prefer a small palette, others like them as big as they can get it. Depending on the amount of space on your desk this really matters. That said, I love the size of the Exemplar.
Vents: Can’t understate how much I like this feature. Saves me from keeping the top cracked open to let air in.
Storage: I like this more than I thought. Gives you a portable mini painting station.
Price: Price point is excellent for what you get here. Wet and Dry Palette, 50 sheets of paper, 2 sponges, storage and the rest.
Cons
Clips and Design: This is possibly a weird take but for me it’s a bit over engineered.
The clips are a bit of a pain to open and close every time I’m sitting down to paint. I get why they did it and I’d appreciate it if I’m transporting the palette somewhere, but day to day it’s a little much.
I’d personally rather have some kind of external strap to keep it closed if I need that.
Best Large Wet Palette for Miniature Painting
Redgrass Everlasting Wet Palette XL
Review: The Redgrass Everlasting XL is my long term wet palette. I’ve had it for years and I love it. I personally own a lot of wet palettes so I have options, and I always go back to the Redgrass XL. That should tell you a lot.
There are two reasons I use it so much: Size and Simplicity. It gives me a ton of space to keep all my paints wet, it is a clean, smooth, aesthetically pleasing design. Nothing fancy, just functional.
Now the flip side to simplicity is you’re not getting any extras. No storage, no dry palette, no air vents. Just a simple, well made palette.
You do get 2 sponges and 50 sheets of palette paper, which is very generous and will last you quite a while.
The other thing I’ll mention is closing it really seals it airtight. Normally you’d think that would be what you want. In practice I find the inside gets really humid and my acrylics get over hydrated. They’ll turn watery fairly quickly. So I tend to keep the top open a crack to let air in.
The last thing to mention is that technically, you can use both the top and bottom as a palette. You do get 2 sponges so if you have a partner who want’s to paint or you need a ton of space, you can split it and use both.
You’ll see a lot of miniature painters with this palette, it’s absolutely had plenty of exposure in this hobby. Again, it’s my daily driver, everyday use, go-to gear for painting.
Dimensions: 7.9″ x 11.8″ x 1.25″
Features: Comes 50 Hydration Sheets, 2 foam sponges and the elastic strap to keep it closed.
Pros
Size: It’s roughly 8×12 which I find to be ideal in terms of space without being overwhelmingly big.
Quality: This is made with a good firm ABS plastic, the seal is perfect. You can tell by handling it that it’s a high quality product.
Ease of Use: Simply keep the sponge wet, put the paper on top. Open it when you’re ready to paint, and close when done. Simple!
Cons
Price: No getting around it, this is expensive. Worth it for me but not everyone will feel justified in paying for this.
Lack of Features: No dry palette, no storage, no real extras.
Best Small Wet Palette for Miniatures
Redgrass Everlasting Wet Palette
Review: Yes another Redgrass wet palette. This is the standard size paint palette they offer and it’s a really good product.
Size wise it’s more compact, so for my painting friends out there who can’t fit a larger palette on their hobby desk, this is perfect. I think it’s plenty of space for most projects. It can hold a good amount of paint on it.
I would also be quick to point out you can use both the bottom and the lid as a wet palette. So essentially double the size if you need it. Of course the problem there is how do you cover it if you’re using the lid.
Still, it’s an option to be aware of.
Also for some reason a dry palette doesn’t come with this kit anymore. When I bought mine it did come with one, but I’m seeing now that’s not the case.
Dimensions: 6″ x 8″ x 1″ (15cm x 20cm)
Features: You still get the 2 sponges and 50 palette sheets which is all you really need.
Pros
Quality: Redgrass palettes are really well made. Excellent plastic, with a quality look and feel. Well designed, great fit and finish.
Ease of Use: Love the simplicity of this. Just pop the top off when you’re ready to paint.
Size: Perfect for a small hobby desk. Easily fits in a drawer or on your table.
Cons
Price: For the size it’s not cheap. But remember you’re getting 2 sponges and 50 sheets of paper with this.
Lack of Features: No extras. They used to come with a magnetized dry palette but that no longer seems to be the case.
Best Value Small Wet Palette for Miniatures
Mastersons Sta-Wet Palette
Review: This is for the people out there who just want to get something that does the job for a good price. You don’t want to make your own DIY wet palette, you just want something to keep the paint workable when you’re done painting.
Masterson Sta-Wet palette is for you. You get a container with a lid, a sponge and 5 sheets of paper.
This is an old school palette that’s been around forever. Tons of artists and hobbyist use it, so it’s very well tested and reviewed.
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 7″ x 1″
Features: Container, lid, sponge and 5 sheets of palette paper.
Pros
Price: If you’re not going to make your own, this is the best low cost option for sure.
Size: I like the size of this palette. Not enormous but not tiny.
Value: Again at this price point, even if you buy more sheets of paper, it’s a great value.
Cons
Quality: It’s not bad, it just feels a bit cheap compared to the premium options here. It should last a long time so no concerns there.
Lack of Features: As basic as it gets. Palette, lid, 1 sponge, 5 sheets of paper.
Lack of Paper: 5 sheets of paper – others give you 50-100. Masterson charges almost $7 for another 30 sheets. So it’s still cheaper but it eats into the value.
Best Value Large Wet Palette for Miniatures
Masterson Premier Palette
Review: If I’m on a budget, the Masterson Premier is my pick. It’s big, clean, and under 25 bucks as of this writing. I still have trouble understanding why Masterson insists on a yellow sponge. It’s one of those things that really bothers me. When you’re dealing with very specific colors, why alter it with a bright yellow under it.
Granted, the paper is white but still. Ok rant over 🙂
Other than the yellow sponge, this thing is great. 16″ x 12″! Fantastic size, maybe even too big? Simple clean design which I personally prefer. Nothing fancy and a great price.
This allows your paint to stay wet, the palette paper sheets will absorb water well, you get plenty of palette surface to work with.
Dimensions: 12″ x 16″ x 1″
Features: This comes with the palette, lid, 1 sponge and 5 sheets of palette paper
Pros
Size: You get a ton of real estate to hold your paint with this.
Cost: Phenomenal amount of sheer size for the money.
Value: Again for the price this is a big wet palette. (Note the lack of features and limited amount of paper though)
Cons
Lack of Features: Very bare bones palette. It’s simple with no extras.
Lack of Paper: 5 sheets of palette paper is kinda sad. A stack of 30 Sta-Wet Premier paper will cost an additional 14 bucks. That’s still much less cost than the Redgrass, but keep it in mind.
