We tested 13 colored-pencil sets with 60 kids and parents, and found the affordable, vibrant Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils best for most beginners. The Best Colored Pencils Further reading ...

Thankfully, Prismacolor sells its Premier line of soft-core colored pencils individually by color. Otherwise, I would go broke if I had to buy a new set every time I wore my black one down to a nub.