5 Best Interior Paints of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
We rigorously tested paints from Benjamin Moore, Behr, Sherwin-Williams, and other brands for their hiding and staining performance
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When you’re faced with rows of stacked interior paint cans at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or a specialty retailer, how can you tell which ones will look good once they’re on your walls, not to mention after several years of wear?
Choosing the wrong paint can cost you in more ways than one. Paint prices have risen annually since 2020, increasing by roughly 25 to 30 percent overall, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data for paint and coatings. The top-performing paints in CR’s tests cost $43 to $66 per gallon. And if you wind up using a formula that doesn’t give you the finish you hoped for, you may not be able to get your money back either. Home Depot and Lowe’s will only let you exchange an opened can of paint within 30 days, while Benjamin Moore won’t let you return tinted paint at all.
Then there’s your time and effort. If you pick an indoor paint that’s more prone to scuffing, fading, and staining, you’ll be painting your walls again sooner than you might expect.
Best Interior Paints
Many of the best indoor paints in our ratings are exclusive to certain retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s. Although we include these retailers where applicable, you may also be able to find alternative formulas from the same brand at other specialized retailers.
How CR Tests Paints
The paint formulas you see in our ratings are nontinted base paints (paint before the color is added). Each base paint undergoes two tests to determine how well it covers dark colors and resists stains.
To evaluate how well a paint formula hides darker colors, we apply a single, consistent coat to black-painted cardstock. After that coat dries, we use a colorimeter to measure how well the paint has covered the darker shade.
For stain resistance, our testers apply paint to a plastic panel. After it dries, we apply a strip of coffee and a substance similar to soot, and allow the combination to dry. We wash the painted panels, then use a colorimeter to measure the paint’s color on the rinsed areas. The closer the cleaned portions are to the original coat, the more stain-resistant the paint.
These two tests are the most crucial for longevity and ease of application. If the paint hides well, there’s no need to use a primer. All of the paints in our ratings were tested recently to determine performance. Because manufacturers often change paint formulas, we test routinely to make sure we’re bringing you results that match what’s currently available on store shelves.
@consumerreports 👀 See the best exterior paints based on our expert tests through the link in our bio. #paintok #exteriorpainting #labtesting
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