Benjamin Moore Ben Review

Benjamin Moore is considered one of the best paint brands you can buy. With unmatched durability and coverage, it’s easy to see why too. Today, we will take a deep dive into one of their entry-level premium products, aptly called Ben. How does it stack up to its closest competitors: Sherwin Williams’ Superpaint and PPG’s Hi-Hide? Let’s break it down. 

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COVERAGE

Coverage refers to the way a paint covers a surface. The worse the coverage is, the more paint you will have to use to complete the paint job. Coverage is one of the strongest aspects of Benjamin Moore paints, and that’s true here with their Ben product. On the first coat, we were able to cover most of the surface we tested it on. There were still pinholes and a few patchy spots, so you will still want to use two coats (which you should do anyway). 

Ben handly beats Sherwin Williams’ Superpaint in terms of sheer coverage, but PPG’s Hi-Hide just edges it out. Part of what makes the coverage so great is how loose the paint is. That means the paint flows off the brush really well and is easy to spread. In fact, it may be too easy to spread, as we got some splatter from the Ben product where we didn’t with the others.

In essence, the coverage is excellent with Ben. You will just need to be careful when using it because the looseness of the paint can easily turn messy. 

A note on color: We tested all of these colors in Sherwin Williams’ Tricorn Black. However, Benjamin Moore’s color match was off, coming out in more of a charcoal color. This is a store-to-store issue and does not reflect the overall ability of Benjamin Moore to color match. 

DURABILITY

Durability is determined by how well the paint holds up to damage. This is another area Benjamin Products are known for, and Ben holds up notably better than Superpaint or Hi-Hide in this category. We took a magic eraser to the paint when it was only a few days old. You should never do that when cleaning your walls because magic erasers are chemically abrasive. 

It is a good test for seeing how well the paint holds up, though. 

While some of the paint came off on all the products with this method, Ben held up the best. We also scuffed the walls with our feet and hands, and again Ben came out on top. PPG’s Hi-Hide burnished quite a bit, but Superpaint lost more paint in the testing.

It’s worth noting that the paints had not fully cured when we did this test, so it’s likely that the paints are more durable than they appeared. Ben is still the clear winner in this category.

PRICE

As we note in our Superpaint review, the cost for a gallon of Ben paint is $47. That’s the same as Superpaint, and actually cheaper than the $52 for Hi-Hide. This makes Ben the best value proposition in this category because of its great coverage and durability. It doesn’t cover quite as well as Hi-Hide, but the added durability makes this the best paint product in this price range. 

It’s also a unique position for Benjamin Moore. Its products usually come at a premium, but the competitive price point makes Ben well-worth considering.

There’s one last thing to consider, though. Ben may be a decent price at full retail, but painting contractors (like us) often get volume discounts because of the amount of paint they order. Using Benjamin Moore products with us – while less expensive than retail – is actually significantly more expensive than going with Sherwin Williams or PPG. 

So while the price may be fine for DIYers, Benjamin Moore is actually notably more expensive for a proper (and higher quality) contract job. 

BEN IS A GREAT PAINT, IF YOU CAN GET IT

Ben is perhaps the best overall product in this category. It doesn’t cover quite as well as Hi-Hide, but handily outperforms Superpaint. It’s far more durable, and it has a competitive price point. However, there is one thing that may make you reconsider Ben. 

It’s a great product, but depending on where you live it may be harder to find than the competitors. In central Indiana (where we are located), for example, there are only three Benjamin Moore stores, and general hardware stores may not carry the specific product you want. 

That means you will either need to drive around to find the paint or have it shipped to you, which incurs shipping costs. That doesn’t take away from how great the paint is, but it does make it more of a hassle to acquire. 

However, if you’re dead set on using Benjamin Moore Ben and are willing to find it, you won’t be disappointed. 

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