With so many options available on the market it is quite difficult to decide which brand is the best one. It is really important to distinguish fake brands from a genuine one. Some people experienced unpleasant situations by wrongly choosing the brand. These days a lot of brands are too focused on gaining profit instead of actually delivering high-quality products. Deciding which are the best brands can be quite a challenge as opinions are divided and reputable brands match certain styles. It is not uncommon to find someone’s top choice not as good as that person claims as your style may be different from his. However, it doesn’t mean that brand is not good. A good brand is defined by the number of customers it manages to satisfy. Of course, there will always be unsatisfied customers as you can’t possibly satisfy everyone.
Contents
- 1 Best Tattoo Machines Brands
- 2 Things to consider when choosing a tattoo machine brand
- 2.1 Brand transparency and recommendations
- 2.2 The brand’s niche
- 2.3 Types of tattoo machines
- 2.4 The material used
- 2.5 The support offered
- 2.6 Considering the price
- 2.7 How do I know if a tattoo machine brand has good products?
- 2.8 What supplies do I need to start tattooing?
- 2.9 What is the best brand for a tattoo beginner?
- 2.10 How long does it take to learn to tattoo?
- 2.11 Are Chinese tattooing machines any good?
- 2.12 Are cheaper tattoo machines worth buying?
- 3 Conclusion
Best Tattoo Machines Brands
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1.Solong
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Established in the most technologically advanced country, namely China, in 2008, this brand made itself well-known for offering good quality at a lower price. Another good thing is that they have a versatile line of products so you have what to choose from and the quality for all their products is assured.
Talking about the tattoo machines, they produce Coil Machines, Rotary Machines & Pen machines, in total they have 24 tattoo machines where you can choose from, each category having a dedicated tattoo machine for beginners to practice.
Things we like about it:
- One of the cheapest brand
- They use high-quality material
- A variety of products where you can choose from
- They have dedicated machines for beginners so they can practice
Things we didn’t like:
- Customers complained about the quality of their kits.
2. Bishop
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Manufacturing its products in the USA since 2008, and created by an experienced tattoo artist, this company takes the quality to another level. Using high-quality materials, including Aircraft Aluminum, German bearings, Swiss motors and Japanese medical-grade polymer plastics, the company gained an excellent performance.
One of the most reputable machines this brand produces is ‘Bishop Authentic Rotary Tattoo Machine’ not only for its superior quality but also for its lightweight, helping artists with wrist pain issues and carpal tunnel syndrome cramps to work many hours without getting their hands tired. Another great feature of this machine it’s the double-needle clip which creates precise fine details and its ergonomic design makes the machine easy to fit in the palm of your hands.
What we like about it:
- Lightweight machines
- High-quality products
- Offers a wide variety of tattoo machines and tattoo supplies
What we didn’t like:
- The machines are pretty expensive
3. Dragonhawk
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Established in Hong Kong by two great artists in 2001, this brand is well known for its high quality at low prices.
This brand produces both coil and rotary tattoo machines but usually are sold as an entire kit which makes them perfect for beginners or for people who enjoy tattooing as a hobby. What is nice about this brand is that their tattoo machines are compatible with most tattoo accessories offered by different suppliers.
What we like about it:
- Tattoo machines usually come as a kit
- Their machines are lightweight and quiet
- Provides beginner kits.
What we didn’t like:
- Many customers complained about power supply issues when purchasing from this brand
- Some customers received defective products
4. Cheyenne
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Beginner or expert this Cheyenne is for everyone. Starting in Berlin this brand is pretty new as its manufactured since 2006, but its sophisticated design and its German quality brought this brand on the top. They also produce safe tattoo needles in a wide variety of configurations, robust and ergonomic tattoo grips and practical tattoo accessories.
Having its roots in medical technology, this company has brought safety, hygiene and comfort to another level.
What we like about it:
- Very stylish
- This brand is focused on hygiene, safety and comfort
What we didn’t like:
- The machines tend to overheat
- The machines are a bit heavy
- Quite pricey
5. Hawink
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Hawink is one of the most reputable brands within the tattoo industry. Established in 2008, it has his roots in Chine where it manufactures its products. The brand is customer-focused and its main goal is to deliver quality products at affordable prices. The brand is in partnership with Faulhaber and Maxon which brings to their tattoo machines superior quality motos.
What we like about it:
- Great quality at low prices.
- Machine service provided.
- Offers beginner-friendly kits.
- Wide variety of products to choose from
What we didn’t like:
- Some customers complained about the machines breaking down or unproperly running at high voltage.
6. FK Irons
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Recommended from many tattoo artists and manufactured in the USA, from 2007 by the tattoo artist and design engineer, Gaston Siciliano, FK Irons produces comfortable and stylish yet practical tattoo machines. The company is also known for its high-quality tattoo accessories which are very popular among the artists. Although they use high-quality materials for their machines, the drawback of this company is that their tattoo machines don’t come with needles.
What we like about it:
- Lightweight machines
- High-quality products
- Very stylish
What we didn’t like:
- The machines are a bit costly
- They don’t provide needles
7. Ego
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As suggested in the name, Ego Rotary produces only rotary machines. Created and design in the UK by the world-famous tattoo artist, Bez, this brand produces ergonomic and lightweight tattoo machines. What is different at this company is that they configure their rotary tattoo machines in such a manner that you can use them for lining and shading.
What we like about it:
- Provides high-quality machines
- Some of their machines are quite low priced (not all of them)
What we didn’t like:
- Some of their machines are pretty expensive (not all of them)
8. Stigma
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If you are a beginner and you need a simple usable machine which can serve you for a long time you can check this brand. Stigma machines are made from blocks of aircraft aluminum and then anodized. The machine is lightweight, durable, comfortable and has low vibrations. Stigma also offers beginner-friendly kits to ease customers finding process.
What we like about it:
- Affordable tattoo machines
- Good quality machines
- Offers beginner-friendly kits
What we didn’t like:
- Some customers complained about their power supplies.
- Some customers complained about the machine’s penetration power.
9. EZTAT2
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EZTAT2 provides high-quality machines at pretty low prices. The brand was established in 2005 and since then it never fails to exceed its customer’s expectations. The brand focuses on tattoo cartridge system devices. As EZTAT2 knows that their customers are their number one priority, they offer competent customer support.
What we like about it:
- Affordable tattoo machines
- Good quality machines
What we didn’t like:
- Provide only rotary tattoo machines
10. 1TattooWorld
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1TattooWorld provides affordable tattoo equipment and supplies. The brand is suitable for beginners as it also provides tattoo kits. Due to their low prices, their products are perfect choices for practice tattoo machine guns. Offering a wide variety of tattoo machines, it is quite impossible not to find something that suits your style.
What we like about it:
- Perfect for practice
- Wide variety of tattoo machines
- Fairly low prices
- Suitable for beginners as the brand offers support, guides and learning materials.
What we didn’t like:
- Some customers complained about the quality of the machines.
Things to consider when choosing a tattoo machine brand
Before choosing your brand, you need to do a bit of research. As nothing good comes without work, you will need to spend some time researching. If you don’t know what you need to look into in order to find a good brand, I prepared a list of things that worth checking.
Brand transparency and recommendations
Firstly, the brand should be recommended by artists. On the market, there are even several highly recommended brands created by the tattoo artists. As the opinions are divided about the best brand, it is recommended to do some research about what you expect from the brand before purchasing something. It is important to know that manufacturers use different techniques, materials and design when they create tattoo machine, but as the market is saturated with tattoo machine brands it is impossible to not find the one that suits you. When choosing the brand, transparency plays an important role, a reliable supplier will always provide information about the products. It is important to read the client testimonials or/and product reviews before purchasing it.
The brand’s niche
If the brand is not providing only tattoo supplies, you may want to avoid it. A reliable brand focuses on only one niche. The quality of their products will be better compared with a brand that has multiple niches. As their main income comes from tattoo supplies, it is less likely for the brand to provide poor quality products. They have to maintain customers pleased and offer products that meet their needs otherwise the brand will even risk bankruptcy. A brand that sells multiple types of products has multiples sources of income, so they will pay less attention to a certain type of product. Sometimes that product may be only profit-focused and the brand may try to sell as many products as possible with production costs as low as possible before taking the product down. It may sound harsh but this is a common practice, therefore try to avoid brands with multiple niches as the risk of getting low-quality products is quite high.
Types of tattoo machines
The most common tattoo machine types are Coil and Rotary. Before purchasing one of them it is important to know for what are you going to use it, as coils work great for lines and shading, it has a stronger motor and offers artists more control, while rotary machines are fast, considering needle movement which makes them perfect for filling, but coil machines are noisier than rotary machines. Rotary machines are much lighter and easier to handle, as it does not need to hold the iron rods and the coils, but aren’t effective with large needles and cannot be adjusted as much as coil machines. Moreover, rotary machines are easier to set up and easier to use, making them more suitable for beginners. Coil machines require a higher skill level and experience as can be more damaging to the skin than rotaries. However, it is more a matter of preferences when deciding which one is better, many artists owning both rotary and coil machines.
The material used
Unfortunately, if a machine has low-quality materials, there is a huge chance of it breaking down and this can be dangerous for both the client and the user. Materials also influence the weight of the machine and the ease of handling. Some brands may choose materials such as brass and iron due to their increased durability. Also, some brands may choose aluminum alloy as this material decreases the weight and makes the machine easier to handle. However, you should never trust brands that use poor quality materials.
The support offered
Especially if you are a beginner, at some point you will need some support. If the brand is able to meet this criterion then it is a big plus for you. As some machines may be a bit tricky when maintaining or you may experience troubles over time, it is good to have a helping hand from the brand. The brands know their products the best and the instructions, advice and support provided can lower the chances for unpleasant situations to occur. However, as machines are not meant to run 24/7 the maintenance of the machine is an important factor that can affect is life-time. You need properly follow the guidelines provided, not to overdo it. Also, warranties are pretty important as the machines are not perfect tools and they can break, especially during long time usage.
Considering the price
As there can be found a wide variety of tattoo machines on the market, it is important to know that different brands have different price offers, therefore you can find a high-quality tattoo machine at a lower price, but it is necessary the brand to be well known in order to receive the expected product, not a fake one. However, if you are a beginner and you are learning about tattooing on fake skin, a cheap tattoo machine would be good and will help you to develop your handling.
How do I know if a tattoo machine brand has good products?
It is pretty easy to decrease your chances to end up with a poor quality product. Once you found a product that catches your eye, you can do a couple of things to know if the brand has good quality products. Firstly check if the brand specializes in selling certain types of products (our case tattoo supply). If the brand does not specialize in a niche and it has multiple niches then you may want to avoid that brand as in most of the cases you can find something better for the same money. Another way is by reading their products reviews. Once you checked multiple products of the brand and did a bit of research you may already know if the brand offers good or bad products. Therefore, try to avoid brands with multiple niches, really new brands, brands that lack info, brands with only 5-stars reviews (as most these may be fake) and properly check a couple of products.
What supplies do I need to start tattooing?
If you are a beginner in tattooing and you don’t know what things are required it is better to purchase a tattooing kit as most of them have almost everything you need to start tattooing. It is way easier to get tattoo kits if you don’t know what are you looking for. However, if you are against tattoo kits, you can look for all the supplies separately. First of all, you will need a tattoo machine, this is basically the most important thing of the tattooing process, you need to do proper research to get a machine that fits you. In some cases, you will receive the machine with a power supply and a connection cable. If not you will have to look for them separately. Therefore second on the list, power supply and connection cable. The third item is a foot pedal. It is not a mandatory item but it can be really helpful as you can control the power using it. Also, most of the tattoo artists prefer working using foot pedals. As you may expect next comes the needles. You can find different types and sizes (Round Liners, Round Shaders, Magnum Shaders, Curved Magnum Shaders, Flat Shaders, Double Stacks), therefore you should buy more types (not only 1) as all of them have different outcomes. Then you will need a lot of ink and practice skin, also transfer paper, grip cover and gloves.
What is the best brand for a tattoo beginner?
All brands have good parts and bad parts. Therefore, it would be a bit wrong to decide which is the best brand as it may excel in some areas and lack in others. Because tattooing is an art that is defined by individuality uniqueness, there is no concrete criterion you can rely on to create a proper top. As a beginner, you can find a lot of good quality products at affordable prices on the market. Once you formed your preferences you can decide which is the best brand that suits your style.
How long does it take to learn to tattoo?
As long as you are perseverant and work hard every day, you will become an actual artist before realizing it. If you are talented, so much better, you will become an artist even fasters. However, this is not based just on talent alone. Without hard work, you won’t be able to call yourself a tattoo artist. Therefore, it is you the one who will decide how long it will take.
Are Chinese tattooing machines any good?
Yes, there are some Chinese tattoo brands that reliable and affordable. However, if you are still doubtful about a brand but still curious, you can try its products for practice until you make your impression about the brand. Do not use products that you are uncertain of straight on people as it can lead to unpleasant situations, sometimes even harmful ones.
Are cheaper tattoo machines worth buying?
Yes, cheaper tattoo machines are still worth buying. The main difference between expensive and cheaper tattoo machines is the attention to details. You can still do a great job with budget-friendly tattoo machines. However, it is expected for the more expensive machines to be better than the cheaper ones as the expensive ones are not meant for mass production. However, you can still be a great tattoo artist even if you are using cheaper machines. What makes you a great artist is not the machine you are using. The time you spent training, the experience you gained… your talent and your hard work make you a great tattoo artist. Cheap tattoo machines are also great practice machines. Even if the differences between expensive and cheap tattoo machines are quite noticeable it doesn’t mean that cheap machines are bad. Therefore, cheap machines are definitely worth buying, however, you need to be careful and do a bit of research before buying a cheaper machine as there is a risk of getting a really bad one.
Conclusion
You have a lot of options for good quality machines from different brands. However, the best are the ones that suit you. You will need to experience with different machines and different brands in order to find your best. You can spend hundreds of dollars on reputable and well-known brands and yet still have better results from a cheaper and less known brand. Therefore, “the best” is not defined by something precise as a lot of individual factors influences this term and these factors are related to you. Thus, you need to experience different brands and find your “best”.
