5 Painting Tools Smart Homeowners Should Have On Hand

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One of the most exciting parts of fixing up your home and adding some personality is painting. However, it’s also one of the most time-consuming tasks, since it involves extensive preparation and cleanup. When working with houses, there are bound to be all kinds of surfaces that need to be treated individually before a can of paint can even be opened. There are also many environmental factors outside your control that affect the overall look, such as humidity, drying rates, and temperature. And of course, you may even realize too late that the paint didn’t stick very well or you got the wrong color. Because of this, many homeowners are always looking for ways to make sure they get everything right on the first application.

For spray painting, there are game-changing accessories, like inlet strainers, gravity-feed spray gun stands, and air paint shakers. However, these aren’t your only options when it comes to painting tools, especially smart ones. While most people already know that you can use your drills with paint-mixing attachments, there are other painting tools that might be worth your time. For your consideration, we’ve rounded up several options, including paint holders, roller cleaners, spray booths, and even tools to help you choose colors. To understand why we chose them, see the end of the article for our full methodology. But if you’re ready to shop for your next home makeover, keep reading.

When it comes to painting walls, it can be challenging to get the exact color because factors like lighting and texture can affect how it looks. In the past, people used color fan decks, which were basically swatches of a paint brand’s available products. But if you don’t have the best eyes for detecting colors, there are now color-matching tools that can reduce your chances of error. By combining a compact color reader with a smartphone app, color-matching tools let you scan surfaces and identify the closest possible paint match. Typically, they’ll be able to display different values and have access to different paint brand libraries for your reference, so you can choose what is available at your local hardware store.

On Amazon, the best-selling lab colorimeter is the COLOR MUSE series, which has been rated 4.1 stars by more than 1,300 people. Depending on your needs, it offers different models and packages that include cases and app subscriptions, priced between $69.99 and $174.99. Alternatively, if you want something known to be a little more durable, there’s the $129 Nix Mini 3, which is also highly rated, with a 4.2-star average from 600+ people. Unlike other similar options, it has an IPX4 rating, which means it can handle water splashes, and a durable design to protect against dust and debris. However, if you have a larger budget, the brand also sells higher-end options, such as the Nix Spectro L and Nix Spectro 2.

If you’ve invested in a home with plenty of high walls or ceilings, a ladder paint tray might just save you time and your back. Unlike normal paint trays, ladder paint trays like the ROLLINGDOG Multifunction Paint Tray can be conveniently hooked onto ladders. This option has a 3-liter capacity and measures 16.7 inches by 14 inches by 6.7 inches. Designed for rollers up to 10.6 inches, it also comes with reinforced legs, a textured loading grid, and a slot that can hold rollers. However, it doesn’t work for all ladders, so before you check out, make sure your ladder rung is 1.1 feet wide and 2.5 inches thick. It weighs just 1.6 pounds without paint, so it can even be held by hand. Retailing for $32.99, the ROLLINGDOG multifunction paint tray for ladders has been rated 4.6 stars by over 220 people.

Alternatively, you can also get the Little Giant Project Tray, which adds a tray to your ladder. Since it can hold up to 25 pounds, you can load heavy paint cans. Apart from paint container slots, it also has slots for power tools and hand tools, plus a magnetic dish for small parts. Priced at $35.94, it’s not just an Amazon’s Choice product, but it’s also highly rated with more than 2,200 people giving it 4.7 stars. The same brand also manufactures a larger-capacity paint roller tray under $40 that holds up to a gallon.

Whether you’re painting an entire wall or a small peeling area, you’ll often need to use different tools to get the job done, such as opening cans, cleaning surfaces, or even removing old nails. Thankfully, there are plenty of multi-functional painter’s tools, like the DeWalt 9-in-1 Painter’s Tool. Priced at $14.39, this carbon steel painter’s tool comes with a soft-grip handle and large hang hole. Apart from acting as both a straight and curved scraper, it also works as a paint roller gouger, can opener, and bottle opener. And if you need to pull a nail, hammer a few cans shut, or tighten a screw or two, it works for that too. As of July 2026, more than 2,300 people have rated it 4.8 stars.

If you’re looking for something even cheaper, there’s also the $6.95 Bates 10-in-1 Painter’s Tool, plus it’s also sold in a pair ($11.99) and a 3-pack ($14.99). An Amazon’s Overall Pick product, it boasts a 4.7-star average rating from more than 6,800 reviewers. But for those with a larger budget, the $17.99 RED Devil 6-in-1 Painter’s Tool might be worth the money. Designed for professionals, it uses a high-carbon precision-ground steel blade combined with a brass-plated, solid steel nail setting head. Not to mention, its black nylon handle is made to withstand solvents. You’ll still need to be mindful of paint-related health risks, especially if you’re working with spray paint.

While you can use drop cloths and tarpaulins, one convenient way to spray paint items like furniture with less fuss is a spray paint booth tent. With the same purpose of reducing cleanup time, it also involves a much shorter setup period. On Amazon, you can get the PLANTIONAL Spray Shelter, which comes in multiple sizes: small (3.1 ft by 3.2 ft by 3.3 ft), medium (7 ft by 4 ft by 4 ft / 4.9 ft by 4.5 ft by 4.3 ft), or large (8.4 ft by 6 ft by 5.5 ft). Each tent shares many of the same core features, such as tear resistance, waterproofing, and a built-in floor. They also have added features, like protective mesh screens, Velcro, and rear ventilation. Plus, they come with portable storage bags. With prices that range between $29.99 and $49.99, many people feel quite satisfied with their collective performance, with more than 1,200 people who rated them around 4.4 stars.

To be able to hit all the right angles, you might want to augment your spray paint booth setup with other accessories as well. For example, there’s the 11-inch diameter Wagner Spraytech Turntable, which has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 5,600+ people and retails for just under $15. Capable of holding up to 15 pounds, it can rotate the items you want to paint for a smoother spray-paint experience. It functions similarly to what bakers use to decorate cakes.

One of the most annoying aspects of painting is the cleanup and storage process, especially when you’re working with paint rollers. When cleaning paint rollers, you’ll want to make sure you don’t waste paint, which you can do with a paint roller scraper, like the Touch Up Cup Roller Saver. Capable of removing extra paint with just a single swipe (and without messy hands), the tool is available in two colors (blue and pink) and retails for just under $12. You can also get a pair for $21.25. Weighing just 3.84 ounces, it’s a little over 9 inches on its longest side, so it’s easy to store when not in use. On Amazon, you can get the Touch Up Cup’s paint roller cleaner tool, which works with three roller sleeve sizes: ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, and ½ inch. An Amazon’s Choice product, it has been rated 4.4 stars by more than 360 people on average. And if you want to support local products, it’s also made in the United States.

If you tend to have a lot of leftover paint, the same brand also sells leftover paint containers that have a special mixing ball that keeps it from clumping. Afterward, you can get something like the $9.99 Scottchen PRO drill driver attachment, which lets you spin the paint roller at high speeds and reduce washing time. It’s compatible with rollers between 9 inches and 18 inches. Another Amazon’s Choice product, it has an average rating of 4.3 stars from 420 customers.

When making this list of painting tools for smart homeowners, we considered the various pain points of the painting experience, including preparation, application, cleaning, and storage. Next, we looked into the different tools designed to address each issue. We made sure to take into account different homeowners’ budgets, so we included tool recommendations ranging from $7 to $175. In addition, each product must have had an average rating of at least 4 stars from more than 200 reviewers. Although it didn’t affect their placement on the list, we also mentioned whether they were highlighted in other ways, such as being Amazon’s Choice or top-selling items in their product category. When possible, we also mentioned alternative products that may have specific functions that you might prefer.