Best wood burning kits: Pyrography for beginners and up

Whether you’re a beginner wood burner, seasoned hobbyist, or professional, it can be hard to find the ideal wood burning kit. Pyrography is a skill with a steep learning curve, and it can be even more difficult to get into without the right tools.

As a beginner, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of options and not know where to start. Even if you’ve taken some woodworking classes in the past, you’ll quickly find that pyrography is a completely different beast.

To help you get started, I’ve picked out the best wood burning kits and tools for beginners and up. Check out the top three below, or keep reading for more options!

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Best wood burning kits

Here’s a breakdown — by categorical use — of the best wood burning kits for beginners and up!

Best overall: TRUArt Stage 1 Wood and Leather Pyrography Kit

To kick off the list, I’ve chosen a mid-range option from one of the most trusted brands in pyrography: TRUArt.

This solid-tip wood burning kit comes in a few different options, but I’d recommend the basic 21-tip kit for most users (although the aluminum case model is great if you can spend a bit more!).

Read also: 12 essential woodworking tools for beginners

The set includes 21 multi-use tips, a plastic case, a manual, and a simple soldering iron-style wood burning pen. The pen only features two settings: 30W for wood burning and 15W for leather burning.

While this doesn’t give you as much control over exact temperatures, it does take away some of the guesswork if you’re looking to start with a minimal setup. This is one of the best wood burning kits to consider if you’re new to the craft, as well as for hobbyists who want to cut their chops on an above-average tool.

Once you’re ready to take things to the next level, you can upgrade to TRUArt’s Stage 2 professional kit — you can find it further down the list!

Runner up: Calegency 112 Piece Wood Burning Kit

This Calegency wood burning kit is a great option for so many reasons. For starters, this is a super comprehensive set featuring 112 accessories for pyrography, carving, engraving, and soldering.

It includes many tips for the pen, 12 sheets of stencils, 12 colored pencils, a pair of heat gloves, a pencil sharpener, a pen stand, seven wood panels, a box to store pen tips, ten sheets of carbon paper, a carrying case, and of course, the wood burning pen itself.

The pen is adjustable from 392°-932°F and features an LCD digital display of the temperature. It also has an independent power button and a heat-resistant silicone grip to prevent slipping. This kit also comes with a helpful manual filled with tips, tricks, and safety instructions — ideal for starters!

The burning tool itself heats up very quickly and retains heat effectively. The entire kit is also very affordable, at about $25. Beginners and intermediate users alike will be able to get excellent results out of this humongous wood burning kit!

Best budget: Powza 72 Piece Wood Burning Kit

Powza provides the best budget-friendly wood burning kit for those looking to save on time and space. This extensive 72-piece set works perfectly for wood burning, carving, and embossing.

This kit features 22 tips, six colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, a pen stand, eight stencils, 15 sheets of carbon paper, a tip storage box, 15 wood panels, a carrying case, a user manual, and a pen.

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Like the option above, the pen has a temperature gauge and an on/off switch on the cord. The pen changes temperature pretty quickly and uses a 60-watt ceramic core capable of reaching temperatures ranging from 392° to 842°F.

The Powza pen has a replaceable heating core and an easy, non-slip grip.
The only thing I recommend looking out for with this pen is not to press too hard to avoid bending the solid tips.

Best for beginners: Art Skills 53 Piece Wood Burning Art Kit

Art Skills offers the perfect kit for beginners! It’s not as complete as the other wood burning kits listed, but it still contains a plethora of stencils to help starters explore different designs to develop more skills.

This kit includes ten tips, 20 watercolor paints, two paint brushes, five sheets of carbon paper, five stencils, two pencils, five wood panels, a pen, and instructions.

Read also: Looking for a creative gift? Try these hobby and craft kits

It’s the perfect kit for novices: it includes everything you’ll need as a beginner without overwhelming you with too many accessories and items. On the other hand, it does provide options, which is great news if you want to get into wood burning without restricting yourself to a one-tip tool.

Keep in mind that this set is exclusively for pyrography: do not try to carve or emboss with these tools. That said, this is a superb gift for anyone focusing solely on wood burning from scratch.

This complete set is available on Etsy, so those who want to avoid the Amazon marketplace can purchase with a clean conscience!

Best for professionals: TRUArt Stage 2 Dual Pen Professional Woodburning kit

For those ready to take their wood burning know-how to the next level, the TRUArt Stage 2 set is one of the best wood burning kits you can buy.

Why? Well for starters it’s a wire tip set, which means it offers superior burning with faster heating times and more detail. Plus, it includes two separate pens so you can keep two tips at the ready, and each one is smaller and lighter than alternatives to make it easier to achieve the detailed results.

Read also: Best hole saw kits for wood and more

This professional pyrography kit includes everything you could possibly need: two pen holders, a pair of pliers, a pair of tweezers, five assorted files, 40 tips (including one ball tip and one sharp spear tip), a user manual, a case, two professional-quality pyrography pens, and a 60W digital power supply.

Obviously, as you may have suspected, all of this comes at a significantly higher cost. And while this may be harder to justify for most beginners, if you want one of the best possible wood burning kits money can buy, this is it.

Oh, and did I mention there’s a three-year satisfaction guarantee?

Best control: Petuol 73 Piece Burning Kit

Petuol’s wood burning kit offers the best control (outside of expensive wire tip sets) thanks to its lightweight design and finely shaped tips. The grip on the pen is smooth, and the pen itself is long without being unwieldy.

This kit contains 73 items, including a pen, multiple replaceable tips, wood slices, an embossing pen, templates/stencils, a pen holder, carbon paper, and more.

The temperature can be adjusted from 392°-842°F and heats up very quickly, allowing you to work almost immediately. The insulated grip is made of soft rubber and offers comfort and control for long hours of crafting. This pen also features a replaceable heating core design.

This pen is compatible with all skill levels and offers full control over detailed projects. However, as with most solid-tip models, be careful not to press too hard to preserve tips.

Best affordable wire tip: YSBMZP Wood Burning Kit

While most affordable kits use heated metal tips for carving, wire tips are tempting for pyrography fans at any level. They offer greater temperature control and precision thanks to their delicate design.

And to that end, my pick for the best affordable wire tip wood burning kit comes in at less than a third of the price of similar options.

Read also: Best leather craft kits

This kit comprises 23 wire tips, five stencils, four wood panels, a penknife, a screwdriver, a wood burning machine, two stands, and two pens. The wood burning machine has a digital temperature display, a temperature dial, an on/off switch, and two ports for the pens.

The temperature range is from 35°-700°F, allowing you to work on materials like wood, leather, paper, and even gourds. Better yet, the wire is fully heated in just a few seconds. These pens also feature ergonomic handle designs and are heatproof and lightweight. YSBMZP also offers free pen replacements within the first year!

If you can afford to spend a bit more, the Walnut Hollow Wire Tip Wood Burning Kit is also a great buy. It offers a superior wood burning tool but includes just 4 tips and little else.

Best for kids: Scorch Marker Pro Pen

This scorch pen is a fantastic solution if your child wants to try wood burning, but you’re afraid of letting them use such a hot and dangerous tool (understandably!). 

The scorch marker is super easy to use, doesn’t require interchangeable parts, and gives the same beautiful wood burning effects with less risk and hassle. To use, you shake the pen and draw directly onto a piece of wood. Then, use a heat gun to burn the inked design permanently into the surface.

This way, kids can do all the drawing, and adults can safely use the heat gun to complete the final steps. For the best outcomes, I advise sanding the wood lightly beforehand; doing so will ensure designs remain sharp and detailed. You can also erase your work before using the heat gun by sanding it off to try again.

It’s also non-toxic and works on various surfaces, including paper, fabrics like denim, and even cardboard and cardstock — it’s a great tool for holiday card making! The brand also provides a selection of downloadable themed stencils for all projects to help you get started. 

There are many similar products on Amazon, but I recommend the original Scorch Marker Pro, linked below. They’re a great value, especially for kids. Another alternative is wood burn paste, which works very well with wood burning stencils.

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How to choose the best wood burning tool kit for you

If you’re still not sure how to pick the best wood burning kit for you, here are some helpful tips on what to keep an eye out for when buying a pyrography kit.

Tip Type

There are two types of tips a wood burning pen may feature: solid or wire. Solid tips are metal pieces that come in various shapes and designs. They heat up and burn the wood.

Read also: 100+ creative hobbies to try and how to get started

Wire tips are stretches of wire that have an entry and exit point in the pen. Current passes through the wire, generating heat to burn the wood.

Both are great options, but solid tips are much more common and tend to be cheaper. Most crafters and hobbyists stick to solid tips. Wire tips are less common and can get pricey, but they offer more professional finishes and, therefore, are most sought-after by advanced crafters.

Temperature

Variable temperature is an important consideration when searching for the best pyrography tools. Some types of wood can’t handle high temperatures, while others actually need higher temperatures to burn cleanly.

If you plan to use your pyrography tool on materials other than wood, it’s even more necessary to find one with variable temperature.

For example, objects like leather, paper, and gourds require much lower temperatures than wood to burn. Conversely, some wood burning pens are capable of reaching extreme temperatures to enable techniques like soldering, embossing, and carving.

Comfort

Wood burning is often a time-intensive creative hobby. That said, choosing a pen that fits comfortably in your hand is vital to avoid cramping during long crafting sessions. 

Just as you want a comfortable chair to prevent you from hunching over the computer for hours, so do you want a comfortable wood burning pen.

Wood burning pens tend to be similar in how they look, but some have more ergonomic, higher-quality grips than others. So, if it’s within your budget, I say it’s definitely worth splurging on a more comfortable option, especially if you’re going to use it often.

Control

Because wood burning is such an intricate task, having complete control of the tool is crucial. A lightweight and properly designed pen helps significantly with this. You don’t want to slip and ruin your project — or worse, slip and burn yourself!

Accessories

One of the highlights of wood burning tools is that the tips are always interchangeable. This is true for both solid and wire pens.

Different tips allow for different designs. Just as you wouldn’t use a fine-tipped marker for coloring in a large space, you won’t want to use a small tip to burn a large area.

The more accessories and tips a wood burning kit offers, the more types of designs you’ll be able to accomplish!

However, if you’re a complete beginner, I recommend starting out with a more straightforward kit, including the essentials and nothing more.

Keep in mind that it can be overwhelming to go from nothing to 30+ tips, especially when you can get by with just five or six alternatives. Plus, while not always the case, pyrography kits with lots of tips tend to contain lower-quality materials.

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That’s it for the best wood burning kits currently on the market. I hope you’re now ready to take your first steps into the wonderful craft of pyrography!