The best wall paints, compared.
Top pick: Johnstone's matt emulsion, 2.5 L, Ballet Slipper Best value: Dulux matt emulsion, 7 L, brilliant white – Lowest price per litre among full tins, about £3.86 at about £27.05 for 7 litres. Transit and cover complaints keep it off the top pick. Updated October 2026.
Wall paint for a UK home is water-borne emulsion for interior walls and ceilings. You see it as matt, as washable matt, or as a light sheen such as soft sheen. You buy it to repaint a room, to cope with marks in a hallway, or to hide a few scuffs. It is the only full tin here whose name says washable. Room, finish and litres are set out in the [wall paint buying guide](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/wall-paint/sub/wall-paint-buying-guide). Quality shows up as honest coverage on the tin, a finish that matches the room, and a review base large enough to trust, not as a marketing word such as brilliant.
Wall paint for a UK home is water-borne emulsion for interior walls and ceilings. You see it as matt, as washable matt, or as a light sheen such as soft sheen.
28 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 8
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Is this a room or a few scuffs?
Johnstone's Ballet Slipper is a 2.5 litre matt at about £16.30, the lowest 2.5 litre matt price in this set, rated 4.6 from 1,041 reviews. Reviewers describe a dusty pink and often a second coat. The dry-time field says 1 hour and the full-cure field says 24 hours. One buyer found dried lumps, and another received a holed tin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dusty pink matt on walls that are already a light colour, with two coats planned.
Less suitable: A one-coat change over a strong yellow or dark wall, or a buyer who cannot inspect the tin.
Specifications
Common questions
How many coats do reviewers mention?
Both. Some report one coat on a light wall. Others say the first coat looked thin and the second coat brought the pink up. One review says the stated area was not reached at a solid opacity.
What drying times are printed?
The dry-time field says 1 hour. The full-cure field says 24 hours. The bullets say the finish dries in 1–2 hours.
Did reviews mention damaged paint?
Yes. One buyer found dried lumps in a third tin. Another received a tin with a hole and could not easily return it.
Johnstone's soft sheen brilliant white is the cheapest 2.5 litre tin here at about £13.99, rated 4.6 from 519 reviews. The bullet calls it subtler than silk, for a satin look, and the finish field says satin. Coverage is 12 square metres per litre. Reviews highlight low odour and easy spreading, and one calls it a little runny. The full-cure field says 1 hour while the dry-time field says 2 hours.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A brilliant-white wall or ceiling where you want a light sheen and a lower tin price.
Less suitable: Uneven plaster you want hidden, or a buyer looking for the washable matt.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this different from the matt white?
The name is soft sheen. The bullet calls it subtler than silk and suitable where a satin finish is wanted. The finish field says satin. It is not the flat matt.
What do reviews say about smell?
Several UK reviews say there was little or no odour. The special-feature line says odour blocking. That is not a VOC measurement.
Does the listing say it needs an undercoat?
A question on the page asks, and the extract does not answer it. Coverage is listed as 12 square metres per litre.
Johnstone's washable matt in Blue Horizon is the 2.5 litre tin with the largest review count in this set, 4.5 from 9,681 amazon.co.uk reviews, and rank 1 in Wall Paint on the extract. The listing calls it stain resistant and washable, with a matt finish at 12 square metres per litre, priced at about £21.99. The waterproof field is still false, no scrub class is printed, and reviews also discuss grey, black and green, so the colour name on the tin you receive matters more than the mixed review text.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Busy interior walls where you want a flat finish and the tin itself says washable.
Less suitable: A strict colour match to Blue Horizon if you are relying on the mixed reviews, or a mould-guarantee bathroom system.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this tin sold as washable?
Yes. The product name and the special features say washable and stain resistant. The waterproof field is still false, and the listing does not print a wet-scrub class.
Is the colour only Blue Horizon?
The title says Blue Horizon and the colour code printed is #0000FF. Reviews in the same extract also describe grey, black and green, which reads as reviews pooled across shades.
Does the listing name bathrooms?
Yes. The bullets include kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms. They do not state a mould guarantee or a biocide.
Johnstone's vinyl matt brilliant white is a 2.5 litre interior emulsion at about £17.01, rated 4.5 from 5,427 reviews. Coverage is listed at 12 square metres per litre, with a dry time around 1.5 to 2 hours and a non-reflective finish. It is not the washable matt. Reviewers praise easy application and low odour; others say the white looks creamy, and one tin leaked when the lid tape was missing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A straightforward brilliant-white matt repaint of interior walls and ceilings.
Less suitable: A hallway you plan to scrub, or a ceiling that must match a cooler white already on the wall.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the washable matt?
No. The name is matt wall and ceiling paint. A question on the listing asks if it is washable, and the waterproof field is false.
What coverage does the listing print?
12 square metres per litre. The tin size is 2.5 litres.
Do reviewers agree it is brilliant white?
Not all of them. Some call the finish bright. One review says it looks creamy or off-white rather than brilliant white.
Johnstone's Natural Sage is a 2.5 litre matt at about £17.18, rated 4.5 from 2,011 reviews, with coverage listed at 12 square metres per litre. Reviewers who wanted a calm sage liked the colour and the low smell. Several needed two coats. The surface field says walls only, while the bullets also name ceilings and bathrooms, and the colour code printed is #8DC63C.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A previously painted room where you want this sage and can allow two coats.
Less suitable: A one-coat cover over a strong contrast, or a buyer matching the on-screen hex to a fabric.
Specifications
Common questions
Will one coat cover?
The listing does not promise one coat. Reviews split: some report one coat on a similar wall, and several say two coats were needed for an even sage.
Does the listing limit it to walls?
The surface recommendation field says walls. The bullets say interior walls and ceilings, including kitchens and bathrooms.
Is the colour code a sage?
The colour name is Natural Sage. The colour code printed on the extract is #8DC63C, which is a bright green hex, not a description of the dried film.
Johnstone's Manhattan Grey is the 5 litre matt at about £28.65, about £5.73 per litre, rated 4.5 from 1,670 reviews. The tin prints 65 square metres of coverage. Bullets match the other retail matt paints on kitchens and bathrooms. The surface field says stone, the full-cure field says one day, and the dry-time field says two hours.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A larger interior painted in this grey, where a 5 litre pail avoids a second 2.5 litre tin.
Less suitable: A buyer treating the stone surface line or the 65 square metre claim as exact.
Specifications
Common questions
How much cover does this tin claim?
65 square metres per tin. Divided by 5 litres that is 13 square metres per litre. The 2.5 litre Johnstone's matt listings print 12 square metres per litre.
Does the listing say it is for stone?
The surface recommendation field says stone. The title and bullets say matt wall and ceiling paint for interior walls and ceilings.
Is it the washable matt?
No. The name is matt. A question on the page asks if it is washable, and the waterproof field is false.
Dulux matt brilliant white is the 7 litre tin at about £27.05, about £3.86 per litre, the lowest price per litre among the full tins here. The listing rates it 4.4 from 3,208 reviews, with coverage of 10–12 square metres per litre and a 4 hour dry time. The water-resistance line says not water resistant. Reviews praise a bright white and also report patchy cover, short fill and lids that leaked in the post.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large brilliant-white matt job where price per litre matters more than a washable claim.
Less suitable: A small colour accent, a bathroom that needs a moisture claim, or anyone who cannot check the lid on arrival.
Specifications
Common questions
How far does the listing say a litre goes?
10–12 square metres per litre. The tin holds 7 litres. The listing does not convert that into a room count.
Is it listed as water resistant?
No. The waterproof field is false and the water-resistance line says not water resistant. Stain resistant is a separate special feature.
What do reviews say about the tin on arrival?
Several UK reviews describe a cracked or loose lid, paint in the wrapping, or a tin that was not full. Others say the white covered well when the pack was intact.
Paintsmiths home touch-up paint is a 30 ml matt emulsion with a brush in the cap, at about £8.79, rated 4.3 from 242 reviews. It is sold for scuffs on interior walls and ceilings, not as a room tin. Coverage is listed only as partial. Reviewers say small marks disappear and also that the white is brighter than the wall and the bottle is tiny.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A few scuffs or scratches where a full tin would be waste.
Less suitable: Painting a wall, or an invisible match to aged brilliant white.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this enough to paint a room?
No. The size is 30 ml and the coverage field says partial. Reviews describe scuffs and small dings, and several say the bottle is very small.
Will the white match the wall?
The listing does not promise a match. Reviews often say it looks brighter than the existing paint unless the edges are blended. The colour code also says White / Magnolia.
Does a brush come with it?
Yes. Included components list a brush, and the bullets describe a brush in the cap.
Scores are an editorial figure out of 100: review confidence 35%, job fit for interior walls 25%, value per litre 20%, and practical ownership 20%. Listing conflicts, and a touch-up bottle that is not a room tin, pull a score down. The figure beside each tin is that score on a 10-point scale, the score divided by 10. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in the extracts. They are not a live price guarantee. No paint was laboratory tested, and no BS EN 13300 class is inferred. The top pick is the highest score: Johnstone's washable matt Blue Horizon, 2.5 litres, rank 1 in Wall Paint on the extract and the largest review count. The best value is Dulux matt, 7 litres, brilliant white, the lowest price per litre among full tins.
Review confidence
35%A larger amazon.co.uk review count is treated as stronger evidence than a scrub-class claim that is not printed. None of these eight listings states a BS EN 13300 class.
Job fit for interior walls
25%A bedroom can take standard matt. A hall wants a tin that says washable. A bullet that only mentions kitchens and bathrooms is weaker than a moisture claim.
Value per litre
20%Price per litre uses the loaded UK shelf price and the tin size. The 30 ml bottle is cheap to buy and expensive per litre, so it is not scored as a room tin.
Practical ownership
20%Listing conflicts, pooled colour reviews, short fill and leaking lids stay in the assessment. They are amazon.co.uk review and listing lines, not a laboratory result.
Wall paint on these eight amazon.co.uk listings is water-borne emulsion for interior walls and ceilings, not masonry paint and not a mould-proof system. Finish, the word washable, and litres for two coats decide the tin. A star rating is the UK aggregate. It is not a BS EN 13300 class. Prices are the loaded shelf prices, not a live check.
Wall paint for a UK home is water-borne emulsion for interior walls and ceilings, sold as matt, washable matt or a light sheen such as soft sheen. You buy it to repaint a room, to cope with marks in a hallway, or to hide a few scuffs before you hand a tenancy back. Quality shows up as honest coverage on the tin, a finish that matches the room, and a review base large enough to trust, not as a marketing word such as brilliant. Start with the room and the cleaning.
Several colour reviews needed a second coat for an even film. Divide the area by the tin's own rate, then multiply by two coats. A one-coat hope is not a figure on these listings.
Johnstone's 2.5 litre tins print 12 m² per litre. Two coats roughly halve the finished area. A ceiling plus walls often needs the 5 litre or 7 litre tin.
A line that mentions kitchens and bathrooms is weaker than a moisture claim. These listings do not state a mould guarantee. If mould returns, call a professional.
A bedroom can take standard matt. A hall or a child's room wants a washable or durable matt. A steamy bathroom or a greasy kitchen wants a product that states moisture resistance, and often a mould claim. A bullet that merely says kitchens and bathrooms is weaker than that. Johnstone's Blue Horizon, 2.5 litres, about £21.99, is the washable matt in this set. The name says washable and stain resistant. The waterproof field is still false, and no wet-scrub class is printed.
Divide the paintable area by the square metres per litre on that tin, then multiply by two coats. Johnstone's 2.5 litre listings here print 12 m² per litre. The Dulux 7 litre listing prints 10–12. The 5 litre Manhattan Grey tin prints 65 m², about 13 m² per litre if you divide by five, close to the 12 m² line on the smaller tins but not the same claim. A trade figure of up to 17 m² belongs to other products, not these ASINs. The 30 ml bottle lists coverage as partial.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Hands and bags hit the wall, and you want the tin itself to say washable. Johnstone's washable matt in Blue Horizon, 2.5 litres, is about £21.99, at 4.5 from 9,681 reviews. The waterproof field is still false, and no scrub class is printed.
You want the most litres for the money on a brilliant-white matt job. Dulux matt, 7 litres, is about £27.05, about £3.86 a litre, at 4.4 from 3,208 reviews. The listing says it is not water resistant.
You need to hide a mark, not paint a room. Paintsmiths touch-up emulsion is 30 ml of white with a brush in the cap, about £8.79, at 4.3 from 242 reviews. Expect a brighter white than aged paint.
The top pick is Johnstone's washable matt in Blue Horizon, 2.5 litres, about £21.99. It is 4.5 from 9,681 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest review count here, and the only full tin named washable. The waterproof field is false, no scrub class is printed, and reviews also discuss other colours, so read the tin. The best value is Dulux matt brilliant white, 7 litres, about £27.05, about £3.86 a litre, at 4.4 from 3,208 reviews. That is the lowest price per litre among the full tins. Reviews report patchy cover, short fill and leaking lids, and the listing says it is not water resistant.
Dulux matt emulsion, 7 L, brilliant white
Lowest price per litre among full tins, about £3.86 at about £27.05 for 7 litres. Transit and cover complaints keep it off the top pick.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for VOC limits, lead in old paint, new plaster and finish advice. Prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk listings in this set. No BS EN 13300 class is claimed for these tins.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the tag pcuk26-21. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines loaded for this comparison. We did not run a laboratory test.
