Flat brush buying guide
Updated: 21 October 2026
You are looking at a cheap nylon set on amazon.co.uk and the sizes do not match the job. One listing talks in numbers from 1 to 12, another in inches, a third in millimetres, and a six-piece pack at about £2.79 states no width. This flat brush buying guide decides which width language fits the work, which filament matches the tin, and whether reviews already say the ferrule comes off. The [flat brush comparison](/hub/painting-supplies/flat-brush) lists the eight kept sets and their captured prices. Peter F. checked those amazon.co.uk listings on 21 October 2026. There was no lab test. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are looking at a cheap nylon set on amazon.co.uk and the sizes do not match the job.
You are looking at a cheap nylon set on amazon.co.uk and the sizes do not match the job. One listing talks in numbers from 1 to 12, another in inches, a third in millimetres, and a six-piece pack at about £2.79 states no width. This flat brush buying guide decides which width language fits the work, which filament matches the tin, and whether reviews already say the ferrule comes off. The flat brush comparison lists the eight kept sets and their captured prices. Peter F. checked those amazon.co.uk listings on 21 October 2026. There was no lab test. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Widths | Bristle | Ferrule | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Nicpro Nicpro 10-piece flats | Sizes 1–10 | Taklon | Aluminium, crimped | 8.4 | about £9.16 | View offer |
| Best value |  Royal & Langnickel Royal & Langnickel 3 widths | 1 in, 2 in, 3 in | Golden taklon | n/a | 8.3 | about £4.79 | View offer |
| Alternative |  BRITECO BRITECO 6-piece flats | n/a | Nylon | n/a | 6.6 | about £2.79 | View offer |
On this page
Two width languages on one shelf
A flat brush has a flattened ferrule and a square tip. The face lays a band of paint, and the edge can draw a line, which only works if that tip is square when you look at it end-on. On this shelf the same word flat covers two objects. Numbered sizes, typically 1 to 12, are small shader flats. Half an inch up to 3 inches, or 20 mm to 60 mm, are wash and panel brushes. Jackson's Art notes that size numbers are not a universal millimetre standard.
Nicpro is sizes 1 to 10. Transon's seven-piece is 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. The wide packs use the other language: Transon at ½, ¾, and 1 inch; Royal & Langnickel at 1, 2, and 3 inch; COGVOHY at 20 to 60 mm. A 60 mm flat will not do a miniature, and a size-2 flat will not paint a door in any sensible time. Screwfix's inch guide is for decorating brushes, not a shader. Who each set is for sits on the best flat brush set page.
Filament against the paint
Synthetic taklon or nylon is the family that belongs with water-based acrylic, gouache, emulsion, and water-based trim paint. Dulux says synthetic brushes are the ones for water-based finishes, and that natural bristle swells in water. Acrylic is alkaline and is hard on natural hair. Hog is what thick oil wants. None of the eight kept listings is hog.
Nicpro names taklon. Both Transon sets, Elan, BRITECO, and COGVOHY name nylon. Royal & Langnickel names golden taklon. Reviewers sometimes call that shape a hake; the listing material is still synthetic, not goat hair. A bullet that lists oil as well as acrylic is not proof the brush behaves like hog.
Ferrule and a square tip
The ferrule is the metal sleeve that clamps the filaments to the handle. If it loosens, the head comes off and the square tip is gone. Aluminium crimps are named on Nicpro, on both Transon sets, and as an aluminium tube on COGVOHY. Elan claims a secure ferrule without naming the metal. Himmlfel, Royal & Langnickel, and BRITECO do not state the ferrule in the comparison fields.
BRITECO, at about £2.79 with 4.1 from 40 reviews, is the pack whose texts say ferrules pulled off, heads came off after two washes, and three brushes were not level. COGVOHY's 5.0 from eight ratings, and Himmlfel texts that are not in English, are not a UK consensus that those ferrules will stay on.
Handle length, then what this page will not choose
These artist sets are short-handled. Transon states about 5.2 to 5.5 inches on the inch-wide trio and about 6.7 to 8.1 inches on the numbered seven-piece. That suits a table. It does not suit an easel or a ceiling. None of the kept listings is given a long-handle specification here.
Once width, filament, and ferrule check out, stop. This page does not pick a winner. Captured prices run from £2.79 to £9.98. If you are cutting in emulsion, read flat brush or angled sash. If one brush is about to meet acrylic and then watercolour, that contamination question is on acrylic or watercolour brush. Prices in this guide are the comparison capture, in GBP, and they move on the live listing.
Common questions
What is a flat brush, and how do I know the tip is square?
A flat brush has a flattened ferrule and a square tip, so the face lays a band of paint and the edge can draw a line. You know the tip is square by looking at it: the bristle ends should meet in a straight line, not a wedge or a chewed edge. A flat that is not square cannot paint a square edge. Photos on a listing are a weak check compared with a review that says three brushes in the pack were not level.
Are size numbers the same as inches or millimetres?
No. Size numbers such as 1 to 12 are an artist ladder, and Jackson's Art notes they are not a universal millimetre standard across makers. Inches and millimetres on the wide packs in this comparison, half an inch to 3 inches, or 20 mm to 60 mm, are wash and panel widths. Do not treat a size-6 shader as a 2 inch sash from a Screwfix decorating chart.
Should I buy synthetic, taklon, or hog for acrylic and emulsion?
Buy synthetic taklon or nylon for acrylic, gouache, emulsion, and water-based trim. Dulux recommends synthetic brushes for water-based finishes because natural bristle swells in water. Hog is the fibre for thick oil, and none of the eight kept listings is hog. A bullet that mentions oil does not turn nylon into hog.
Will a 60 mm flat paint a miniature, or a size-2 flat paint a door?
A 60 mm flat is a broad panel or wash brush. It will not do a miniature edge. A size-2 flat is a small shader. It will not paint a door in any sensible time. Match the width language to the job before you compare star ratings.
What should I check on the ferrule before I trust a cheap set?
Look for a named crimp, then read whether heads stay on. Aluminium crimps are named on Nicpro, both Transon sets, and COGVOHY. BRITECO, the set at about £2.79, is the one whose reviews describe ferrules pulling off and heads coming off after two washes. Eight ratings at 5.0 are not a substitute for that check.
Are these short handles long enough for an easel or a ceiling?
No. Transon states short handles of about 5.2 to 8.1 inches depending on the set, which suits a table. None of the kept listings is specified here as a long handle. Cutting in a ceiling wants an angled sash, not a longer grip on a size-2 flat.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures saved for this set.
- Jackson's Art, A guide to brushes (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Screwfix, Paint brushes and rollers buying guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Dulux, Paint brush 101 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- HSE, Paint FAQ (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- HSE, Ventilation when brushing (oce2) (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- The Paint Shed, How to clean your paint brushes (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Community RePaint, Emulsion paint (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- amazon.co.uk listings for this set (retrieved 21 October 2026)