Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush Review

Updated Sep 30, 2024 | Posted Jan 24, 2023 | Tools | 1 comment

Hamilton make a wide range of decorating tools, and the brand is a staple amongst decorators in the UK. I’ve been using their brushes and rollers since I started in the trade around 20 years ago. I just wanted to take a little bit of time to review their Prestige Pure Synthetic Paintbrush.

You can buy this paintbrush online by clicking here, or from just about any decorating merchant in the UK. A box of 5 will cost you just north of £20, so they’re not exactly what you might call expensive. They consist of a wooden handle, stainless steal ferule, and tapered synthetic bristles.

 

My Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush Review

are hamilton paintbrushes good value for money

Right, let’s get down to my review. I spend a lot of money on brushes, and I use them almost every day. Most of the brushes I use are a lot more expensive than the Hamilton Prestige. That isn’t to say the Prestige is lower quality than the others.

The handle is very well made, and the brush feels balanced in your hand. The ferule is quite crude and clunky to look at, but it does its job. The bristles are soft but springy. The Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush holds a good amount of paint and distributes it evenly. It’s also fine enough to cut sharp lines without issue while you’re working. As a decorator, I only tend to get a couple of months of life out of them, but that’s with semi-constant use.

All said and done, these are great paintbrushes for the money you spend. They’re fantastic in different types of emulsion, as well as oil-based satinwood and eggshell.

Click here for more information, or to see latest prices.

Review Summary

Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush Review - Decorator's forum UK

A synthetic paintbrush with a wooden handle. You can use this brush to apply almost any type of paint or varnish.

Product Brand: Hamilton Tools

Editor's Rating:
4.3

Pros

  • Reasonably priced.
  • Well-made handle.
  • Feels balanced in your hand.
  • Holds a good amount of paint, which it distributes evenly.

Cons

  • Chunky ferule.
  • There are a lot of better brushes on the market, but they will cost you more money.
  • You only get a few uses out of them.

 Other Hamilton Products

 

I thought I’d touch on some of the other products that Hamilton makes as a few of them set the bar. For example, their Perfection Pure Bristle Brush is easily the best paintbrush for oil-based gloss and sold at a reasonable price. The bristles are made from hog hair, which are too soft to properly control emulsion and other water-based products, but copes well with sticky paint. The Hamilton Perfection Pure Bristle Brush lasts for years too and seems to get better with age. Click here to see latest prices.

The Hamilton 9-ring wallpaper hanging brush is another tool that’s widely regarded as the best of its type. The bristles are springy, which allows you to apply just the right amount of pressure on your wallpaper. Click here for more info.

Paint rollers are another strength of Hamilton’s, especially the Hammy green, which I love. It’s a medium pile sleeve which holds loads of paint and achieves a flat finish every time. What’s not to love?? Click here for more info.

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What do Other Decorators Think of the Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrush?

The Hamilton Prestige Pure Synthetic is a great DIY brush.

The amount of time washing required to get them cleaned and back to soft v the cost price of @ £1 an inch purchase price.

Unfortunately, these start life on 1 project & put in the bin bag when that 1 project is complete.

Kenny Smith

Professional Decorator

Awful paintbrushes, purchased this exact pack a while ago. They last one job. Unless you like picking bristles off the surface, buy a Purdy or even better, buy a Graco 👌

Kevin Cleghorn

Professional Decorator

Great brushes. I use them often.

Tony Kinchlea

Professional Decorator

No I don’t like these Hamilton brushes Mike, plus they shed a lot.

Malcolm Salter

Professional Decorator

Are people getting these mixed up with the cheaper version or the Harris? I have never had a problem with losing the brush hairs. It’s a good paintbrush.

Neil Belsom

Professional Decorator

Everyone who’s saying that they lose the bushels; I haven’t seen that at all. I use them all the time. They’re great value for the money as well. I only use them for water-based paint though, as that’s what they made for.

Joe P Bonnici

Professional Decorator

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The Hamilton Prestige is not a bad brush but didn’t last long for me. They wore down too quickly. So, I haven’t bought anymore.

Mathew Twig Williams

Professional Decorator

Great for the money to be honest. I like Hamilton Prestige for oil-based paint and they’re ok in Johnstone’s Aqua Satin.

Paul Klak

Professional Decorator

I love all the Hamilton brushes, definitely my ‘go to’ brushes for oil and water-based paint.

Paul Bishop

Professional Decorator

I’ve seen people complain about the Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrushes a few times, but I’ve never had any issue using them. At first use they do lose the odd bristle, but I’ve had that using Ice fusion brushes too!

Are they the best brushes out there? No, they’re not but they are far from the worst! The brush holds a decent amount of paint and when cutting in your able to achieve nice sharp lines. I’ve had some lovely results using these for oil-based paints and no issues at all using with emulsions.

At £17 for 5 brushes ( 1/2”, 1”, 1.5”, 2×2”), in my opinion these are good value for money.

Phil Adams

Professional Decorator

I’ve used Hamilton Prestige brushes for a few years ears never had a problem with them. They do wear down but value for money, they are worth it.

Liam Yogi Hughes

Professional Decorator

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Hamilton Prestige Synthetic Paintbrushes are rubbish compared to what you can get, but if you want a cheap brush will do the job.

Steve Moss

Professional Decorator

Updated Sep 30, 2024 | Posted Jan 24, 2023 | 1 comment

About the Author

About the Author

Mike Gregory is a Professional Painter and Decorator who works in the Northwest of England. He mainly sub-contracts for large decorating firms and works on a wide variety of projects.

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1 Comment

  1. Richard

    Pound for pound great value for money Hamilton range, these brushes are a cut above other cheaper brushes.

    The Hamilton orange made for the trade range also great quality very similar they cheap on Amazon a
    5 pack for £12 inc vat.

    The Hamilton 9inch blue roller sleeve set on amzon /ebay for under £20 great it comes with a superb long premium 2inch angle Hamilton brush ideal for cutting in.

    A Hamilton rep told me at a trade show they very strong in the North and Scotland its what painters used when taught and its passed down over the years, their sales start to flatten out Midlands down he says.

    Reply

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