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Touch up paint pens are not something new in the market. Professionals in auto-repair shops use them widely to cover the scratches, marks, and dents cost-effectively. Besides automobiles, these paint applicator pens are also proven to be beneficial for fixing marks or scrapes developed on walls, furniture pieces, or even floors. So, you can use this one tool for multiple purposes while saving your resources, time, and energy. The touch-up paint pens are available in wide varieties, where one product may be different from the other based on its quality, use, and price. Most paint pens are designed to provide quick and durable results affordably. So, let’s go through some of the top touch up paint pens in 2023 that can allow you to repair your favorite objects or walls effortlessly and fit into your collection of essential tools.

Best Touch Up Paint Pens Buying Guide

Touch up paint pens are magical tools that can revamp almost everything around you. You can use them to restore walls, floors, car’s exterior, tiles, or even your furniture. The easy-to-use design makes this tool extremely versatile, and anyone can use it to finish the restoration work without the help of an expert. Therefore, we have prepared this buying guide to provide you with a good deal of information about how to choose the best touch-up paint pen.

What Are the Different Kinds of Touch up Paint Pen?

Fillable brush pens

Fillable brush pens are primarily used to fix scratches, spots, or marks on walls, doors, and furniture pieces. The brush in these pens is comparatively wider and sometimes comes in more than one width size to cover narrow and wide marks. In addition, these brushes are fillable, allowing you to reuse them.

Grout pens

Grout pens are specifically designed to revamp tile grouts. The felt tips in these brushes are available in different widths to allow you to fill narrow and wide spaces between the tiles. Besides, they come in only white color, making it specific for tile grouting.

Color matching paint pens

Color-matching paint pens are designed to cover scratches, scrapes, and dents on your car. They come in different color codes to exactly match the color code of your car. Furthermore, the design includes more than one brush tip to cover both small and big marks in even hard-to-reach places.

Clearcoat touch up pens

Some people complain about the paint chipping off which makes the car exterior look even more disastrous. They can overcome this issue using a clear coat paint pen that is used to seal the paint on your automobile, giving it a longer life and glossy finish.

Art and craft paint pens

Some paint pens are designed using a very minute tip that can be as thin as 0.5 mm, which not only fixes the small scrapes on your car but can also be used for calligraphy, art and craft projects, etc. So, if you are looking out for a paintbrush pen with a detailed tip, consider this type.

How To Choose the Best Touch Up Paint Pen?

To pick the best touch-up paint pen, you’ll need to consider the purpose for which you are buying this product. Below, we have explained a few factors that can help you pick the best option for you.

Material

Most touch up paint pens is manufactured using plastic material that is lightweight, durable, and easy to use. Some brands use recyclable plastic to contribute their share to save the environment. Besides, a few options are also designed made of brass metal that makes them robust, durable, and rust-resistant.

Uses/surface recommendation

Before you buy a touch-up paint pen, you need to be specific about the use or surface recommendation of the product. For example, some pens are designed to restore walls, doors, floors, etc., while others are made to renew the tile grouts. You can also paint pens that are specifically designed to cover your car’s exterior flaws. So, pick a product according to your use.

Easy to refill

Most companies claim that their product is reusable and refillable, allowing you to use the same pen multiple times to save the repairing cost. However, some users complain about the difficulties they face in reusing the product. So, before you choose one, read the product details and customer reviews carefully to ensure it is easy to refill.

Number of Pens

Touch-up paint pens come in different packages. For instance, some packs include as many as five pens, while others come with only one pen. More pens indicate a better value for the product and more reusability. So, consider this factor to make the best decision.

Warranty

The touch-up paint pen market is extremely tight, and there are a lot of competitive brands selling unique products at affordable prices. As a result, some brands are making an extra effort to satisfy their customers through a money-back guarantee. So if you feel you aren’t sure about the claims made by the brand in their advertisement, buy a product that comes with a full money-back guarantee.

Why Should You Use a Touch-up Paint Pen?

There’s an array of touch-up paint pens available in the market, which indicates that people use them widely. Below, we have shed light on some benefits to justify why they are quite sought-after.

  • These paint applicator pens are very simple to use. As a result, you can finish fixing the scratches or spots in a few minutes.
  • The felt tip brush incorporated in the design helps you cover the hard-to-reach spots on the wall or other surfaces.
  • Touch-up paint pens save you a lot of time and money as you don’t have to call a professional for paint restoration work.
  • These pens are budget-friendly, so they won’t burn a hole in your pocket when you buy them.

How Much Should You Spend on a Touch up Paint Pen?

Different types of touch-up paint pens are sold at different costs. Generally, you’ll find some of the best products within the price range of $14.19 to $27.99. The cost of paint applicator pens varies according to their purpose, refillability, accessories, and the warranty offered by the brand. So, choose a product only if its surface recommendation matches your requirements.

Comparing the Best Touch Up Paint Pen

Slobproof Touch Up Paint Pen

– Best Overall

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A mark, dent, or unwanted spot on the wall can degrade the look of your beautiful interior. This is where this fillable, versatile brush pen comes to the rescue. Its twist-action paint control allows you to repair the scratch or paint any wall, furniture, or wood without creating a mess. It also enables the paint to blend in seamlessly without dripping. Thanks to its patented design, it can keep the stored paint fresh for over 7 years. The best part about this pack is that you can claim a full refund if you don’t feel satisfied with it for any reason.

Pros

  • Narrow brush tip covers even the hardest to reach places
  • Twist-action paint control allows you to paint without creating a mess
  • An air-tight reservoir keeps the paint fresh for years
  • The pack includes five refillable pens made from recyclable materials

Cons

  • Some users complain that this product is non-refillable

NADAMOO Touch Up Paint Pen

– Runner-Up

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Do you know why even after spending hours cleaning the tiles, we still can’t make them look as good as new? Well, that’s because the tile grout turns greyish and looks dirty, which deteriorates the appearance of your interior. This white grout pen is made to mend and clean the tile grout of both floors and wall tiles. The package includes two grout markers and one foldable cleaning brush to remove the dirt and dust from the grout line effortlessly. It also includes two different pen nibs of 4mm and 8mm width to cover narrow and wide grout lines.

Pros

  • The paint remains intact and doesn’t wash off with water
  • Works best for kitchen, bathroom, garage, floor, and wall tiles
  • You just need to twist the end of the pen to refill more ink or diluted paint

Cons

  • The new grout line may fall off quickly if not covered with a sealer or glue

ACDelco Touch Up Paint Pen

– Also Consider

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Worried about the scrape that’s devaluing the look of your car’s exterior? Get this four-in-one touch-up paint pen, which fixes all kinds of scratches and imperfections in one go. It comes with a GM factory original color matching code designed to match the paint code of your vehicle. Furthermore, the four-in-one applicator design incorporates a piston-style pen tip to remove little marks along with a brush applicator to get rid of larger scratches.

Pros

  • Get exact color matching code to give a brand new look to your car
  • The pain is chip-resistant and stays intact for an extended period
  • Budget-friendly as compared to other competitive options

Cons

  • Some users find the packing a bit uninformative

Toyota Touch Up Paint Pen

– Best Finish

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After you finish covering the marks or scratches developed on the exterior of your car, you’ll need to seal the paint, and that is what this touch-up paint pen is known for. It will work with any Toyota paint, making your car look flawless. It gives a glossy finish to the paint, leading to a professionally upgraded look. Moreover, the company provides 1 year or 12k warranty to provide optimum satisfaction to the buyers.

Pros

  • This product is reusable, so you can use it multiple times
  • Comes with a paint pen tip and a brush to cover both narrow and wide areas

Cons

  • Dries instantly and becomes hard to spread

Gold Label Detailing Touch Up Paint Pen

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If you are obsessed with keeping your car up to date, you’ll need this paint applicator pen. It is manufactured using brass, making it robust, durable, and rust-resistant. Its design includes a knurled handle having a detailed diamond-cut pattern that gives you a comfortable grip while making it look attractive. This paint applicator pen is incredibly easy to use. All you need to do is fill the reservoir with paint and start using it to get a metallic finish on the surface of your car exterior. Apart from fixing the scrapes and marks on your vehicles, it can also help you complete your art, craft, and calligraphy projects.

Pros

  • Includes a stem cleaning tool to make cleaning effortless
  • Comes with a .5mm tip that covers the minor scratches effortlessly

Cons

  • The tip is so small that it doesn’t let the paint flow through easily

Touch Up Paint Pen FAQ

Q: How long will the touch up paint last?

A: Generally, the touch up paint would last for four to five years, provided you choose a good quality product. Its durability also depends on the surface covered with the paint. For instance, paint done to cover small scratches will last longer than paint done on wider surfaces. Furthermore, if you cover the paint with sealer glue, the paint will automatically stay intact for a longer period.

Q: How long does the touch up paint take to dry completely?

A: Usually, the touch paint would take 24 hours to dry completely. However, some paints can even dry within less than 30 minutes. Therefore, it is advisable to read the instructions printed on the bottle, as it indicates the drying time. According to experts, you should still give the paint one day to avoid further damage.

Q: Do I need a primer before using a touch up paint pen?

A: Well, it completely depends on how deep the scratch or mark is. For example, if it is a deep scratch, you should start with filling in the primer. As the primer dries, use the paint pen to cover the flaw. On the other hand, if the scratch isn’t that deep, you can directly cover it with paint. For your information, primer not just smoothens the surface but also makes the paint durable.

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Founded in 1973, Old House Journal is the original authority when it comes to old-house restoration, traditional house styles, period kitchens, bath & kitchen restoration, DIY projects, gardens & landscaping, and more-- from Colonial and Victorian through Arts & Crafts and Mid-century Modern homes.

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