KALOUR 72 Colored Pencils Review — Solid Starter Set for Adult Colorers

Quick Verdict

After a week of coloring through four pages of a intricate mandala design, I can say the KALOUR colored pencils deliver solid value for the price. The 72-color range covers every shade most colorers will ever need, the soft cores lay down pigment smoothly, and break-resistant leads mean fewer snap frustrations mid-session. They're not replacing my professional set, but for anyone starting out or looking for a generous backup stash, this is a smart buy. I'd score this a 4.2 out of 5.

What Is the KALOUR 72 Colored Pencils Set?

The KALOUR 72 is a bulk colored pencil set designed for adult coloring book enthusiasts, beginners, and anyone who wants a wide palette without dropping serious cash on individual tubes. Each pencil features a basswood barrel with a soft, highly pigmented core—72 distinct colors in total, each stamped with its own number and color name for quick identification. The set arrives in a simple cardboard box with no internal tray or padding, so the pencils rattle around a bit during shipping.

Out of the box, I noticed the barrels feel lighter than what I'm used to with mid-tier brands like Prismacolor. The lacquer finish is clean, the ferrule area is seamless, and—crucially—the sharpening cones came out clean on every single pencil during my first full sharpen. That's a small detail that matters when you're working through a big project and don't want to resharpen every five minutes.

Key Features

• 72 uniquely numbered colors with individual names printed on each barrel
• Soft core construction with silky-smooth, velvety leads
• Highly pigmented cores designed for blending and layering
• Premium basswood barrels that sharpen cleanly without splintering
• Break-resistant lead formulation for durability during heavy use
• Non-toxic formula conforming to ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 safety standards
• Suitable for ages 5 and up; ideal for adult coloring books, sketching, and classroom projects

Hands-On Review

I started my testing on a Tuesday evening, pulling out a half-finished nature scene from a Johanna Basford-inspired adult coloring book. The binding was tight enough to require some flattening, which is standard. My first pencil was a mid-tone teal—number 34—and the moment it hit the paper I felt the soft core respond with virtually zero drag. One light pass gave me about 60% opacity; a second pass layered it to near-full saturation. Blending into a neighboring fern-green (45) was intuitive, and the transition held up well without looking muddy.

By Thursday I hit a wall: I wanted to work on the finer details of the petals using lighter shades. Here's where things got a little frustrating. The KALOUR light yellows and pale pinks—the ones you'd reach for in the #10–#18 range—tended to go on slightly chalky when I used them on the toothier sections of the paper. A friend who uses these same pencils swore by applying them in circular motions rather than strokes, and honestly, she was right. Once I adjusted my technique, the lighter shades performed better, though they still don't have the buttery glide of my Prismacolors.

Color payoff is where KALOUR genuinely surprised me. The deeper shades—midnight blues, forest greens, warm burgundies—popped immediately and layered beautifully. I spent two hours on a single page creating a gradient sky using nine different blues and purples, and the result was rich without being waxy or shiny. The pigment sat on top of the paper rather than being absorbed, which meant I could go back in with an eraser to lift highlights without destroying the layer beneath. That's a small win that matters more than you'd think during complex compositions.

Who Should Buy It?

This set earns a spot in your cart if you're a beginner or returning adult who wants a generous color range without committing to expensive individual pencils. It works well as a gift for older kids interested in art, since the non-toxic formula and durable cores can survive less-than-delicate handling. Teachers stocking a classroom or art club will appreciate the quantity and price point for group projects. Sketch artists who need a wide palette for practice work and rough drafts will find plenty of use here.

Skip this set if you already own a professional-grade pencil collection and are looking for premium pigment density. Also skip it if portability is essential to your workflow—there's no case or foam insert, so tossing the whole box in a bag means the pencils will knock against each other constantly. And if you're a serious botanical illustrator or detailed graphic artist, the lighter-shade limitation I ran into will likely annoy you enough to warrant investing in higher-tier tools.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If you want a step up in pigment quality and barrel weight, the Prismacolor Premier 72-Pack offers thicker cores and richer color payoff, though at roughly double the price. The Prismacolors blend with less effort and the lighter shades behave significantly better on dark paper. For hobbyists on a tighter budget who don't mind trading some pigment richness, the Crayola Colored Pencils 72-Pack is a reliable standby found in most office supply stores, though the cores tend to be harder and less suited to the heavy layering that adult coloring books demand.

FAQ

Final Verdict

The KALOUR 72 colored pencils hit a sweet spot between cost and capability that most budget sets miss. The soft cores are genuinely pleasant to work with, the color range is expansive enough to tackle any adult coloring book project, and the sharpening performance is consistent across the full set. My main gripes—the lighter shades and loose packaging—are forgivable at this price tier. Whether you're gifting them to a curious kid, equipping a classroom, or building your own starter stash, KALOUR colored pencils are worth considering before you spend twice as much elsewhere. Will I retire my Prismacolors? No. But I reached for this set again the next night, which says plenty.