EmailBest Reviewed
Interior Paint
- Best-coverage interior paint Benjamin Moore Aura *Est. $55
- General-purpose interior paint Pratt & Lambert Accolade *Est. $40
- Budget interior paint Behr Premium Plus *Est. $23
- Zero-VOC, low-odor interior paint Sherwin-Williams Harmony *Est. $40
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Best-coverage interior paint
- Great coverage
- Easy to apply
- Fast drying
- Low VOC
- Expensive
If it were not for its high price, Benjamin Moore Aura would be a runaway choice as the best interior paint. Reviewers and professional painters give it good grades all around. Reviewers say it is durable, washable, easy to apply and covers beautifully. It's an especially great choice for difficult jobs -- such as placing a light-colored paint over a dark color. The claim of one-coat coverage might be marketing hype, but professional painters say it comes closer to meeting such a claim than any other paint. Cost is the biggest negative, and some critics question whether the jump in improvement over other top-quality paints, such as Pratt & Lambert Accolade (*est. $40 per gallon), is worth Aura's bigger price tag.
Benjamin Moore Aura is easily the most reviewed interior paint. Among professional reviewers, Consumer Reports has testing that's well explained. However, professional painters often criticize the publication for not testing paint under real-world conditions. Popular Science also weighs in, but its report does not include any testing. Lots of feedback from professional painters, home improvement contractors and homeowners can be found at forums such as DoItYourself.com, ContractorTalk.com and PaintTalk.com.
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports tests 57 interior paints in three finishes -- low-luster, flat and semi-gloss -- in its most recent update. Top choices and best buys are identified, but discussion is notably lacking.
Review: Interior Paint, Editors of Consumer Reports, Mar. 2008
2. Popular ScienceDetails/Subscribe
Popular Science picks Benjamin Moore Aura as one of the best new innovations for 2007. Nicole Dyer likes that the paint releases "fewer volatile organic compounds, a.k.a. noxious fumes, so you can paint in the afternoon and entertain that evening," and explains that Aura's chemistry is unique among latex paints, but no formal testing is reported.
Review: The Fast No-Stink Super Paint, Nicole Dyer, May 2007
This discussion site has lots of advice and information regarding paints and painting. There's enough discussion about most major paint brands to see which ones seem to leave users most satisfied. Benjamin Moore Aura seems well received here, with one professional painter saying "This stuff sticks like glue and covers like a blanket."
Review: Painting Forum, Contributors to DoItYourself.com
You can find many recent and lively discussions here about Benjamin Moore Aura. Most contractors posting here seemed pleased, but say that there is a small learning curve because the product is different than others.
Review: Painting & Finish Work Sub-Forum, Contributors to ContractorTalk.com
This is another site with lots of useful painting-centric discussions. Feedback on Benjamin Moore Aura is mostly positive, but some contractors have problems with it the first time out. Others provide helpful hints to get colleagues over the hump and add that once you learn how, it's very easy to use.
Review: General Painting Discussion Forum, Contributors to PaintTalk.com
Interior Paint Runners Up:
4 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
