Inspire Easel by KraftGeek.
Today, I’ll be reviewing the Inspire Easel from KraftGeek. I was able to use the easel for a month and now I’m sharing my honest review.
Besides art journaling, sometimes I love painting on a canvas. So, KraftGeek were kind enough to send me this easel to try out and tell you something about it.
Inspire Easel from KraftGeek definitely a beginner’s easel at the price of about 150 US Dollars.
Key Features & Specifications
The Inspire easel stand looks elegant and modern. It is made out of metal/aluminium alloy for the most part, and wood, for which I think is just decorative.
Here are some specifications of the Inspire easel:
| Product model | OTH-AB219 |
| Product specification | 100x55x505mm/4”x2.2”x19.9” |
| Weight | 1770g/62.4 ounces |
| Height range | 1470mm/17.75” to 58” |
| Compatible canvas height | 17” to 24” |
| Product material | Aluminium alloy, ABS+PC |
The Inspire easel can be used on the floor but also on a table, as a desktop easel. Since it’s convertible, it can be used outside as well.
Its portability is a great plus. It’s not heavy at all, it can fit in most rucksacks, so it’s a good choice for plein painting.
Moreover, you can store it easily at home and it requires small space: drawers, under the bed, under a desk, in a box, on a shelf, etc.
It’s stain and water-resistant and comes in these colors: oak, walnut, white, black.
Ease of Setup
Since it’s convertible, you’ll be folding it and unfolding it a lot. At first, it looks really easy to do that. However, I’ve had problems and had to ask my husband to help. Maybe it’s just my weak hands, to be completely honest. But my overall impression is that it’s not that easy because you need to twist and turn each leg and its parts, and they won’t sometimes obey. And you need to navigate the whole easel while doing so. But, for what it’s worth, my husband said it’s a piece of cake. No go figure.
Once I managed to put it on all three legs (with my hubby’s help), I thought it was so damn cute looking. It didn’t take up a lot of space. Putting the canvas on it was a piece of cake and the cute little clip on top was so cool. It clipped the canvas easily and nicely. However, then came the first frustration with the easel.
Comfort & Stability
While I was lightly making marks with a paintbrush, it was okay. After that, when I got into the flow and started using more pressure (I was not beating the canvas), the easel started to wiggle. This was my first real disappointment.
Being very careful about my brush strokes and always thinking about not disturbing the easel legs was killing my creativity. Mind you, I pulled all three legs to the maximum because I wanted to stand while painting. This is where it loses its stability I believe.
So, I tried the easel on the desk, and it was way better. It was sturdier and I could paint more freely. I’ll be continuing using it this way. Or, another alternative is to set two front legs on the floor, and the third on the desk or something else. It becomes a bit more stable.
Or, a good idea is not to pull the legs completely, but set it lower so I can sit and paint. Shorter legs make it more stable. That’s the bottom line.
Can Inspire Easel be tilted for different mediums (acrylic, watercolor, pastels)?
No, it cannot. You can only use non-liquid media. Otherwise, everything drips. But hey, this easel isn’t meant for professional painting. That’s obvious from the start.
Portability & Storage
So, the great thing about the easel is that it’s foldable, and you can assemble it anywhere. The legs have different adjustable heights, so you can really set it according to your environment.
It’s portable so you can carry it in nature, on short trips to your friend, or painting sessions in person. I believe this was the primary purpose of the easel – to be portable and easy to access.
It doesn’t come with a carrying case, but it fits in any larger bag or rucksack. And it’s not heavy at all. In this matter, it’s perfect.
Plus, it’s great for small spaces. I already mentioned that, but it’s really a big deal here. If that’s what you need, go check it out.
Price vs. Value
In my opinion, the stability issue should decrease the price. It’s about 150 US Dollars now, or around 120 Euros. Stability is really important to me, especially because I use a range of media, and sometimes that includes painting with a sponge. And that was impossible for me on this easel.
Maybe it would be better on a smaller canvas. I used a 70cmx50cm canvas, so it might have been too large for this easel.
Pros & Cons List
| PROS | CONS |
| Convertible | Not stable at max height |
| Flexible for assembling on different surfaces | Legs sometimes difficult to pull out/in |
| Portable and light | Not stabile for larger canvases |
| Can fit different canvas sizes – adjustable clip | Better for outdoor surfaces/not stable on flat ones like wooden floors or tiles |
| Great to use on desktop |
Who Should/Shouldn’t Buy Inspire Easel
You can consider buying the Inspire Easel if:
- You’re a beginner and want to try out painting on an easel, and you’re on a budget
- You paint outside and need something portable and light to take with ease and no hassle
- You have a light style and don’t apply too much pressure on the canvas
- Painting on a desk is your priority, you just need something to hold the canvas upright
Don’t consider buying it if:
- You’re a professional artist and you need a sturdy easel
- You paint only inside and don’t need anything portable
- Stability is the most important to you
- You paint on large canvases