Top 5 compared
The best art easels
Paint standing up, at home or outdoors, without a stiff neck from bending over a table.
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The top 5 at a glance
An easel holds a canvas or pad upright, at eye level and at the angle wanted, so what’s painted is what’s seen. Studio easels are wooden and built to stay put; a French field easel is a box for paints and palette that unfolds on three legs; and metal tripods stand on the floor or a table and fold small.
Wood is steadier and heavier, with a ledge, tray or drawer for tubes and brushes, while metal tripods are light but sway more at full height, and each is rated for only so much weight. A tall studio easel needs a room with a high ceiling. Small easels made only for the tabletop are a different thing, with a list of their own to come.
What matters
- The tallest canvas it takes, and how far the mast tilts.
- A ratchet or knobs that set the height quickly.
- Legs that adjust one by one, for uneven ground outdoors.
- A folded size that fits the car, or a carry bag.
#1MEEDEN Large Beech A-Frame Studio Easel (holds canvases up to 48 in)
$75–$100
A lyre-style A-frame in solid beech that rises from 63 to 89 in and takes canvases up to 48 in, with a ratchet that sets the height quickly and a mast that tilts forward up to 10° for pastels, so the dust falls clear of the surface. The back leg folds in to stand it out of the way.
What owners say: Owners say it goes together easily with every tool in the box and stands sturdy in solid wood, and the wide run of heights takes everything up to a 36 x 48 in canvas; the printed instructions could say more.
A closer look: On its three legs it takes up about 26 by 35 in of floor, so measure the corner before it arrives, and check the ceiling before ratcheting it up to the full 89 in. Keep the brushes and paints in use on the ledge and the water jar on a side table, where an elbow can’t knock it over the picture.
- Mast tilts forward for pastels
- Adjusts 63–89 in tall
- Ratchet height adjustment
- Back leg folds in
- Three-year warranty
Best for: Painting standing up
- Type
- Studio, A-frame
- Tallest canvas
- 48 in
- Material
- Solid beech
- Storage or carry bag
- Brush ledge
#2MEEDEN Large H-Frame Easel (holds canvases up to 78 in)
$100–$150
For big work: a seasoned-beech H-frame on a four-footed base with a double-thick center mast, taking canvases up to 78 in and tilting to whatever angle the medium wants, with a tray in front for brushes and paints. Two knobs at the bottom let it fold down to lean against a wall.
What owners say: Owners describe a sturdy frame that takes small boards and big canvases alike, with plenty of ways to adjust it; most find it stays put while they work, and the printed instructions get poor marks.
A closer look: Rather than moving the whole easel, leave its height set and slide the lower tray up or down to suit each canvas. At 91 in tall it wants a room with ceiling to spare, and at 24 lb it’s best set up where it will stay rather than carried from room to room.
- Tilts to any angle
- Double-thick center mast
- Tray slides up and down
- Folds down with two knobs
- Natural oil finish
Best for: Big canvases
- Type
- Studio, H-frame
- Tallest canvas
- 78 in
- Material
- Solid beech
- Storage or carry bag
- Tray
#3NS JYMB Metal Tripod Easel (17–66 in)
$10–$20
A light metal tripod that stands from 17 to 66 in, so it works on a table or the floor, sitting or standing, and folds down to 21 in to carry out for painting on location. A spring clip at the top holds canvases up to 36 in tall.
What owners say: Solidly made, owners say, and light and quick to raise or lower for different projects; some find it wobblier than expected at full height, and assembly goes smoothly for some but not others.
Heads up: A tripod sways more at full height, so spread the legs wide and keep heavier canvases lower on the stand.
A closer look: Outdoors, push the feet into soft ground and hang a bag from the frame for ballast when it’s breezy. It suits light canvases, boards and sketch pads; heavy canvases and long studio sessions are happier on a wooden easel.
- Adjusts 17–66 in tall
- Folds to 21 in
- Spring clip at the top
- Holds up to 10 lb
Best for: Sketch pads and lightweight boards
- Type
- Tripod, floor or table
- Tallest canvas
- 36 in
- Material
- Metal
- Storage or carry bag
- No
#4abitcha Aluminum Tripod Easel with Carry Bag (17–66 in)
$10–$20
Thick aluminum makes it the sturdier tripod: it holds canvases up to 38 in tall and 25 lb, its legs adjust separately for uneven ground, and it folds to 17 in to go in its shoulder bag. Knobs set the height and angle quickly.
What owners say: Setting it up and taking it down is quick, and it’s light to move, owners say, handy in a classroom and on trips; some find it wobbly, and the legs don’t lock for everyone.
A closer look: With legs that adjust one by one, it’s the tripod for a sloping lawn or a beach, and the non-slip feet help on smooth floors. Tighten each knob firmly once the height is set, and check the spring-loaded clamp is snug on the canvas before stepping back to paint.
- Legs adjust for uneven ground
- Holds up to 25 lb
- Folds to 17 in
- Adjusts 17–66 in tall
- Non-slip feet
Best for: Sloping lawns and beaches
- Type
- Tripod, floor or table
- Tallest canvas
- 38 in
- Material
- Aluminum
- Storage or carry bag
- Carry bag
#5Falling in Art French Field and Sketchbox Easel
$75–$100
A French easel in the classic mold: a wooden box with a sliding drawer for paints and a removable palette, on three telescopic aluminum legs, so it sets up at the edge of a field or on a table and folds back into a case with a leather handle and a shoulder strap. It takes canvases from 6 to 31.6 in high and weighs 9.4 lb empty.
What owners say: Owners find it well made and quick to set up, and like how it folds into a carrying box with the palette stored inside, even with paint still on it; they’re divided on how steady it stands, how heavy it feels and how long it lasts.
A closer look: Open the legs to their widest stance before setting a canvas on it, and keep the paints in the drawer rather than on the ground, which adds a little weight where it helps on a breezy day. Indoors the legs shorten for painting at a table, so it doubles as a tabletop easel in a small apartment.
- Legs shorten for tabletop painting
- Leather handle and shoulder strap
- Weighs 9.4 lb empty
- Folds into its own case
Best for: Field painting from one wooden box
- Type
- French field easel, floor or table
- Tallest canvas
- 31.6 in
- Material
- Wood, aluminum legs
- Storage or carry bag
- Drawer and palette
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1MEEDEN A-frame | #2MEEDEN large H-frame | #3NS JYMB tripod | #4abitcha tripod | #5Falling in Art French easel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for big canvases | Best budget | Best for travel | Best French easel | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $100–$150 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $75–$100 |
| Type | Studio, A-frame | Studio, H-frame | Tripod, floor or table | Tripod, floor or table | French field easel, floor or table |
| Tallest canvas | 48 in | 78 in | 36 in | 38 in | 31.6 in |
| Material | Solid beech | Solid beech | Metal | Aluminum | Wood, aluminum legs |
| Storage or carry bag | Brush ledge | Tray | No | Carry bag | Drawer and palette |
| Best for | Painting standing up | Big canvases | Sketch pads and lightweight boards | Sloping lawns and beaches | Field painting from one wooden box |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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