Ohuhu Colored Pencils
24-72 count pack
graphite and clay core
hexagonal barrel
budget-priced
Pros:
Great Price
Good Color Intensity
Nice Variety
Cons:
Questionable Packaging
Reported Issues with Sharpening
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Ohuhu Colored Pencils Review
Updated by Brandon F. on February 23, 2024
The Ohuhu Colored Pencils are interesting in that they are essentially rebranded Marco Raffine colored pencils. Despite being a lesser-known company, they have surprisingly good color and application for the price. There are some small issues with packaging and also reported sharpening issues but nothing too major. These graphite and clay-based colored pencils are available in 24, 48, and 72 color sets and have a hexagonal barrel.
Visual Appeal – 4/5
Overall these pencils put out a very good color. There is a nice variety of colors to choose from, especially in the 72-pack set. We especially enjoy the greens and silver as they stick out when applied. These are a bit waxy, so expect some sheen when using them. However, it isn’t anything major and despite this, they still felt pretty creamy and the color intensity can be altered quite easily depending on applying pressure.
Recently, Ohuhu has updated its product lineup and it appears to now be focusing on a smaller 24-pack set. This limits the color choices you have to work with. Specifically, it seems that they are focusing on reds and purples in the set and are lacking quite a bit regarding blues and greens. But for what colors are available, the performance is still pretty good. But we do wish that Ohuhu would expand the color offerings so that you wouldn’t have to be as reliant on accessory sets to fill in the color gaps that exist in this small pencil set.
Usability and Durability – 3.5/5
The Ohuhu Colored Pencils are very easy to use, and despite having what feels like more wax than some of the competitors, the application is very streamless. Blending is about what we would expect and, while serviceable, will fall a bit behind the premium lines (but for this price we can’t be too picky).
There have been some complaints about lead breaking and some difficulty when sharpening but we didn’t have any issues with this. We also liked how well-suited these were for areas of a piece that required large, consistent colors.
As for layering, it is also serviceable but by no means took our breath away. We were able to layer two to three layers before things got too messy and waxy. As for using solvents, it makes these pencils a bit too runny so we recommend sticking to dry applications.
Packaging and Presentation – 2.5/5
This product comes in either a round cardboard box or a tin in the larger set. Unfortunately, we feel that the round box is a bit gimmicky, and it doesn’t do a great job of protecting the pencils. Also, you essentially just stick them all in the box, making any sort of ordering or categorization by color impossible. This means you will oftentimes find yourself having to dump the entire set out just to find the color you are looking for. We do like the tin option, however.
The pencils themselves are wrapped in silver paint with the matching color dipped on the base. They have the color’s corresponding number stamped on them but not the actual color’s name, which definitely would have been helpful. It is a nice look considering the price point.
Cost – 5/5
These pencils come in at a great price, falling into the budget price range. For this, you get a pencil that performs very similarly to many of the higher-end brands on the market. This by itself should make these very tantalizing to those after a good performance-to-cost ratio. There will be a higher level of blending and color intensity with actual premium sets but for most beginners and even some intermediate colored pencil enthusiasts, the difference will be hardly noticeable.
Overall Ranking – 4/5
If you are looking for an affordable entry-level or intermediate pencil that has impressive performance then we recommend Ohuhu Colored Pencils. There is a nice variety of color selection and the hue intensity is on point. Also, there is enough blending ability to appease those with a bit more drawing experience and those wanting to work on those skills.
We aren’t a huge fan of the packaging or labeling, but still recommend these to anybody other than professionals, who will likely be better off opening their wallet for one of the more conventional premium lines. Try to scope out one of the original 72-count packages instead of the newer 24-count as you get a much better color selection with the former.
