Pros and Cons of Off-Brand Crayons

What are the pros and cons of off-brand crayons? Almost all of us have colored with Crayola crayons. The colors are bright and vibrant and do well in many settings. As a mom, I have been given lots of different crayons from grandparents and friends. I quickly found many pros and cons of varying crayon brands for my children and selfishly for myself.

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Pros of Off-Brand Crayons

1. Off-brand crayons are cheap. Kids often break the crayons they are given. Why would you spend an extra $.50 to a dollar on something that will be trash the next day? With our tight budget, every dollar counts, so saving $1 on crayons is 100% worth it to me!
2. They can be found almost anywhere, from the dollar store to your favorite restaurant. Off brand, crayons can easily be collected within a couple of months. Often you don't even need to buy them; they are just gifted to you. The perks of being a parent. Haha
3. I found crayons usually come in the colors that you lose the most. I can never find the primary colors like red, yellow, green, and blue when I need them for my artwork. If you get a kid's meal from anywhere, such as Denny's or Buffalo wild wings, the kids will always be given primary-colored crayons. No more shortages on red, yay!
4. They will color!  The  crayons of any brand will color. Off-brand crayons do the job. So those cute little scribbles will show up just as well from one crayon to the next.
5. You can buy a box of 64 crayons for a dollar at most dollar stores. Bright, beautiful colors feel like a box with the potential to create whatever is in your child's imagination. Trust me; I never could tell the difference or one brand of crayons to the next until recently.

Cons of Off-Brand Crayons 

1. They break a lot—the slightest pressure, and it will snap the crayon in two. Try again, and you have millions of tiny pieces that are hard to make a simple line.
2. Do they color well? The answer is no! I have not enjoyed coloring until recently; when my kids sit down to color, I enjoy doing a little coloring with them. It is frustrating when you can't even fill in the blank boxes with a color. The shading is terrible, and it just leaves your paper bumpy and messy looking.
3. You get what you pay for. Off-brand crayons are so cheap that wrapping around the crayon might last for a one-time use. This is sad when there are so many pretty colors, but none of them stay together.

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey."

 - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Sarah