The best crayons

No brand is more synonymous with crayons than Crayola. But while Crayola has always been a favorite for my family, I found a new go-to crayon when I tried the washable crayons for the first time. I expected the water-soluble color to be perhaps less smooth or less bright, but these crayons feel almost identical to the originals. The only difference was key: They washed off the wall with a quick pass of a soapy washcloth.

Available in a large 64-count box with a sharpener or in smaller boxes including a 24 count or an 8 count in jumbo size, Crayola Ultra-Clean is still non-toxic. I colored with identical colors from the classic box and couldn't tell the difference, both on the paper and in the overall feel of the crayon. The washable crayons were just as vibrant and didn't smudge on the paper. Colors are nice and smooth and the crayons didn't feel waxy like cheap crayons often do.

When dropped, these crayons sometimes broke their tips, but the largest part of the crayon remained intact. The 64-count box includes a sharpener, so a broken tip doesn't mean the crayon is destined for the trash can.

Recommended for ages three and up, the Ultra-Washables are excellent for preschoolers, kindergarteners, elementary kids, and even adult coloring. The round shape isn't as ideal for tots holding a writing utensil for the first time as triangular shaped options, however. While washable, the colors weren't as vibrant on unusual surfaces such as windows and cardboard as our top pick for multi-surface crayons.

The large, triangular shape makes the Melissa and Doug Jumbo triangular crayons one of the top options Heffron recommends for toddlers and older kids still mastering a proper pencil grip. While the shape piqued my interest, the durability pushed these crayons made them the winners over the other large, triangular crayons that I tried.

Triangular crayons can help encourage younger kids to naturally deviate towards a three-fingered tripod grasp or another comfortable grip rather than simply holding them with their fists. My 5-year-old said these were one of her favorite crayons of the bunch, and even in my adult hands, they were comfortable to use. The manufacturer suggests these crayons for ages three and up.

Unlike most crayons, these are made from plastic instead of wax. That makes the Melissa and Doug crayons more durable than others I tried, and they're still non-toxic. When dropped, they sustained only small chips along the bottom or edge. The crayons didn't shatter and the tips remained intact. My one-year-old put tooth marks in them, but wasn't able to bite off bits and pieces like with wax-based crayons.

Toddlers are the most likely to color on surfaces besides paper, but the Melissa and Doug crayons also washed off the wall. They took a little bit more scrubbing than the Crayola Ultra-Classic, but still cleaned up relatively easily. The included plastic case was also the best crayon box of the bunch, with a slot for each crayon and a durable box that isn't going to rip apart. While not quite as affordable as a pack of Crayola, the plastic case, triangular shape, and durability is well worth it for the youngest artists.

The wrap on crayons serves two purposes: to keep hands mess-free and to help prevent the crayons from shattering when dropped. The Bic Kids crayons are strong enough and mess-free enough to do away with the wrap entirely. That makes the crayons excellent for rubbings, as well as for more traditional use.

Peeling wraps off crayons to create a crayon rubbing is annoying, but the Bic Kids crayons are ready for rubbings straight out of the box. I taught my kids how to do leaf rubbings with these crayons and the process was much simpler than with a wrapped, round crayon.

When I dropped a Crayola on the wood floor, only the tips tended to break. But, after peeling away the wrapper, the Crayola shattered in two on the first drop. The Bic Kids crayons are more durable without the wrapper than a wrapper-free Crayola. It took four-to-five shoulder-height drops on a wood floor before the Bics broke.

The triangular-shaped version of the crayons won't roll right off the table, either, and they are easy to grip and use one side to create the rubbing. Skinnier and shorter than the Melissa and Doug triangular crayons, yet fatter than a typical Crayola, the Bic crayons seem large enough for toddlers but they are not uncomfortable for adult hands. The crayons are also available in a round design (not tested) instead of the triangular shape.

Recommended by the manufacturer for all ages, the crayons are non-toxic. The biggest downside to the Bic Kids crayons is that they are difficult to wash off. With some elbow grease, the crayons did come off the wall. But I preferred Crayola Ultra-Washable's ability to come clean in just a swipe or two. For crayon rubbings, however, the wrap-free, shatter-resistant design and triangular shape is superior.

Crayons are versatile art tools — until you try to write with them off-paper. The Wonder Stix are chalk-based crayons that apply thick, smooth colors to any non-porous surface, from cardboard to whiteboards. My kids and I had a blast coloring a mural on our windows with the Wonder Stix.

The Wonder Stix have an excellent feel to them. The color goes on thick and smooth, staying more vibrant than options like the Crayola or Bic even on difficult surfaces such as cardboard. I typically give my kids markers to color a cardboard box, but the Wonder Stix are more vibrant and won't dry out. As a chalk-based crayon, the Wonder Stik easily wash from surfaces.

With a design that's a bit outside the norm, the Wonder Stix are wrapped in a plastic case and twist to retract as color runs out. This design keeps hands largely clean, while the crayons are still relatively comfortable to hold. Thanks to that plastic case, the crayons didn't shatter when dropped, though one tip broke when my daughter pressed too hard on the paper. The way the color is applied so thickly, the Wonder Stix feel like they may run out of color before a wax-based crayon.

The thick colors from the Wonder Stik have a slight tendency to smudge, particularly when my left-handed son used them. While they smudge easier than Crayola, they didn't create big smears or leave a significant mess on the hands like Kitpas, an all-natural crayon that can also draw on multiple surfaces. While not completely mess-free, the cleaner coloring experience pushed the Wonder Stix slightly ahead of the Kitpas. I preferred using the Crayola Ultra-Washable on paper, but the Crayola literally paled in comparison to the Wonder Stix bright colors that still apply to non-traditional surfaces such as cardboard and windows.

Traditionally, crayons left few, if any, accurate color options for kids to draw a picture of themselves. The Crayola Colors of the World are an inclusive set of crayons that cover a range of skin-friendly colors from "extra light almond" to "extra deep golden." The crayons offer the same quality, durability, and affordability as Crayola Classics, but in a set designed for coloring people.

I like that the Colors of the World would allow my kids to accurately color a picture of themselves, their friends, and the characters from their favorite books and movies.

The 24-count pack includes three main hues with a variety of lighter and darker options, including Almond, Golden, and Rose. Within each of those color families, Crayola includes several shades, from pale to rich, dark colors. The 24 count (tested) is more of an add-on to a box of Crayola Classic or Crayola Ultra-Washables, while the 32 count includes blue and green for eye colors, as well as a few hair colors.

The Colors of the World write and feel like a Classic Crayola. The tips break when dropped, but the wrapping helps keep most of the crayon intact. Like the Classics, they do require a bit of scrubbing to remove them from walls and surfaces, however.

After testing nearly 10 sets of crayons over the course of a week, we had a few clear favorites. Here are the crayons that didn't make the cut though many are still worthwhile for the right artist.

• Crayola Classic: I've always enjoyed using Crayolas, but after trying the Ultra-Washable, those are the crayons that I prefer for home — just in case a kid decides the wall makes a great canvas. These are almost identical to our top pick, except they don't wash off easily.
• Crayola Triangular Crayons: The triangular shape of these Crayolas are easier for toddlers to hold. However, my toddler was able to break one rather quickly, and if bitten, could get chunks of crayon off.
• Crayola Washable Palm Grasp Crayons: These are one of the few crayons that have a low age recommendation of just 12 months and up and are designed for babies that may be interested in coloring but don't have the fine motor skills to hold a crayon. I preferred the Melissa and Doug crayons, however, because the shape and the softer construction made it easy for my one-year-old to bite off tiny bits of crayon.
• Kitpas: A crayon made from natural material, the Kitpas are a blast to color with and apply thick, bright colors. I preferred the Wonder Stix, however, because they smudged less and the Kitpas tend to make a mess on the table and hands.