Are you looking for a spray booth for airbrushing miniatures or scale models? The key features to look for in the best spray booth for airbrush mini painting include size, noise, ventilation-filter type and power, and optional lighting. Some spray booths are portable with the capacity for easy storage. Other booths have more permanent setups. In principle all spray booths work the same. A fan system creates negative pressure that pulls air away from you through a filter and vents the exhaust. Many spray booths work great for airbrushing. Fewer are safe for aerosol use.
In this article, I review 10 spray booths for airbrushing and tips for using spray booths in miniature painting.
What is the best airbrush spray booth?
In my opinion, the best airbrush spray booth kit is the Master Airbrush Hobby Spray Booth. It has everything you need to gets started: a powerful venting system, extractor tubing, internal LED lights, and filter pack. For more details about this and other great hobby airbrush fume and paint extractor units, continue reading below.
Check out these Other recommended Spray Booths! 🏆
- WeChef Portable Airbrush Craft Spray Booth Kit (Popular)
- Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth (Best Value)
- Paasche HSSB-22-16 Hobby Spray Booth (Industrial Fume Hood)
Summary (TL;DR): What to KNow about Airbrush Spray Booths for Painting Miniatures indoors
- Every miniature painter who uses an airbrush should use proper ventilation to protect themselves and others in the household.
- In principle, a hobby airbrush paint booth works to pull harmful overspray fumes away from your face, filtering and venting the contaminated air.
- A hobby spray booth is easy to use (check out this how to guide and tips for using an airbrush spray booth indoors)
I’ve airbrushed miniatures for years with acrylic paint, but until now have not considered using an airbrush spray booth. While shopping for ways to improve my hobby space, I’ve learned quite a lot about why a spray booth is a good investment.
Continue reading to see the review of my top 10 recommended best spray booths for painting miniatures and models.
10 Best Airbrush Spray Booths for Miniature Painting and Scale Model Hobbies
- Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth
- VIVOHOME Portable Paint Spray Booth Kit LED Lights
- WeChef Portable Airbrush Craft Spray Booth Kit
- Master Airbrush Portable Hobby Airbrush Spray Booth
- Paasche HSSB-16-13 Hobby Spray Booth
- Paasche AirBrush Compact Hobby Spray Booth
- OPHIR Portable Airbrush Lighted Hobby Spray Booth
- Master Airbrush Dual Units Portable Hobby Craft Spray Booth
- Paasche Hobby Spray Booth
- HomeRight Air Flow Spray Shelter
What About Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Airbrush Spray Booths?
If you’re looking for ways to make your own hobby spray booth, there are a lot of plans online. Here’s a simple, but robust homemade spray booth you can make yourself.
These DIY spray booth plans are from Starship Modeler, which is a site dedicated to providing information and other resources for science fiction, fantasy, gunpla, mecha, and anime scale model builders.
For the DIY spray booth, this is what you’ll need:
- Large, clear-plastic storage tub
- Bathroom fan
- 4′ (or longer) lamp cord
- Vent adapter (3″ to 4″, or whatever fits both your bathroom fan and dryer hose)
- Flexible dryer vent hose (3″)
- 100v male-to-female on-off switch
- Disposable furnace filter to fit inside bottom of tub
- Optional: wooden panel to fit window, or indoor spray filter
The estimated cost of these DIY airbrush spray booth materials is between $60-110 USD. In case you were curious, this cost is within the range you would pay for a commercial airbrush or aerosol spray booth you can buy pre-assembled (e.g., plug and play).
Though, of course, DIY spray booths have the added advantage of customization.
Need a bigger booth? Go for it! Want the best extractor fan for your DIY spray booth? Then use a high watt motorized computer cooling fan. If you’re looking for a bench spray booth with fancy lights, add an inexpensive LED light bar.
And, if something goes wrong with your DIY spray booth, you know exactly how to fix the problem. Each part is replaceable. For the most part, the question of whether or not making your own tabletop spray booth is worth it comes down to how comfortable you are with making things.
If you’re a hobbyist, making your own spray booth shouldn’t be too difficult. You’ll have most of the necessary tools and technical know-how already.
Here’s a video tutorial about how to make your own airbrush spray booth for painting gunpla and other models.
Do You Need a Spray Booth to Airbrush Miniatures?
No, you don’t need a spray booth to airbrush miniatures. You can airbrush your models without one, even indoors. If you’re using a low PSI (e.g., air pressure), then the overspray will be minimal and manageable. At the very least, I’d use a respirator mask to keep your lungs free of atomized paint.
A good reason to use a spray booth is to avoid the accumulation of paint on the surfaces in your work area. Although the amount of paint that doesn’t land on your model is minimal, the residual overspray that doesn’t land on your miniatures will accumulate on the surfaces around your work area. After some time, you’ll notice a fine film of paint on your hobby desk, the floor, the walls, and other exposed surfaces.
A drawback of having a spray booth is the space it will take up and the cost for maintenance. You’ll need air filters, power, and work to clean up the interior of the spray booth after frequent use.
Are you a miniature painter looking for the best spray booth for airbrushing? I’d recommend a spray booth to anyone concerned about overspray paint particles getting on their belongings, working in a small space with little ventilation, and if you’re spraying models with an airbrush on a regular basis.
In addition to the mess, paint dust can irritate your respiratory system, e.g., nose, throat, lungs. I would suggest wearing a respirator no matter what you’re doing while airbrushing acrylic paint. It will protect you more than just using a spray booth.
Is Airbrushing Miniatures Safe?
It depends. Inhaling any kind of aerosolized paint is potentially harmful. To reduce your risk of health issues, make sure that you’re airbrushing non-toxic, acrylic water-based hobby paints.
Here are a few recommended airbrush-ready paints you can use immediately. Although these paints aren’t friendly to anyone’s lungs, they are less problematic than other spray media.
Note that any air contaminant, even from atomized non-toxic hobby paint, can exacerbate breathing issue symptoms, like allergies or asthma. For some airbrush artists, a spray booth is a very important part of working comfortably and safely.
Always use proper precautions and have a way to bring fresh air to your work area.
As with any tool, airbrush spray booths are only as good as how you use them. Airbrush spray booths come in many forms, with different features, functions, and design specifications. Some airbrush spray booths aren’t meant for certain applications. Check out the list below for great airbrush spray booths that I recommend for painting miniatures and other scale models.
I airbrushed miniatures for years wearing a regular respirator mask. I didn’t use a spray booth. The mask wasn’t expensive and much more convenient to use due to my limited work space. Because I was operating my airbrush at really low air pressure (<25 psi), the overspray was minimal for my painting situation.
READ MORE: AIRBRUSHING MINIATURES? HERE’S A COMPLETE GUIDE
Of course, if you have other people living with you nearby (or pets), you will want to take extra precautions. And, if you personally have respiratory problems, the extra ventilation with an active spray booth system will go along way to protecting your well-being and comfort.
Can You Use Aerosol Spray Cans in a Spray Booth?
I do not recommend using aerosol sprays in a hobby-grade spray hood indoors. A tabletop hobby spray hood is not large enough and lacks sufficient ventilation capacity to contain to an aerosol’s overspray (which is more powerful than an airbrush). A typical hobby-level spray booth will not protect you from the harmful fumes and vapors from aerosol sprays (source).
Here’s why: Most spray paints and primers contain what are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs include a variety of chemicals that can have long-term adverse health effects, and are released by a number of products including spray paints, lacquers, and paint strippers.
Did you know that manufacturer’s add a “rotten egg smell” to natural gas? Natural gas is normally odorless. The added “odor” (called mercaptan) is to protect you when there’s a gas leak. When you smell natural gas, it’s time to get out of the building and call for help (source).
VOCs that are commonly found in spray paints and primers include:
- Acetone
- Xylene
- Toluene
These chemicals are not easily filtered and removed by standard filtration systems. The rule of thumb about volatile fumes/vapors is that if you can smell the spray fumes, you’re already receiving a potentially hazardous dose.
An airbrush spray booth may or may not filter out these volatile compounds from certain types of paints. Make sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular spray booth’s capabilities. To avoid problems with harmful fumes that your spray booth may not be able to extract, I suggest airbrushing only with non-toxic water-based paints, e.g., model acrylics, until you gain more experience.
RELATED: HOW TO AIRBRUSH INDOORS, SAFELY
Finally, there have been reports of fires started inside hobby spray booths (source). VOCs and other vapors from spray cans are flammable. Paint particles mixed with flammable substances are hazardous in any enclosed environment. When aerosolized, tiny sparks or heat from spray booth electrical fans may ignite these paint fumes.
6 Simple Tips for Using a Hobby Spray Booth
When you’re painting with a spray booth, there are 6 basic tips to keep your risk for exposure as low as possible (source):
Tip 1. Ensure your spray booth is operating correctly
- Check that air is flowing through your spray booth
- Change the filter regularly
Tip 2. Keep your face outside the spray booth
- Air will flow through the booth toward the exhaust vents and the fans
- Be sure your face is not inside the spray booth to avoid breathing any overspray
Tip 3. Spray into the booth
- Optimize your spray booth by aiming your spray into the exiting airflow
- “Don’t spray against the wind”
Tip 4. Reduce overspray
- Aim the airbrush perpendicular (or directly) to the surface being coated and keep a distance of 3-6 inches
- Use the lowest air pressure necessary to get the airbrush job done
Tip 5. Use a mask for additional protection
- For additional protection, wear a respirator mask
- For best practice, if you use a mask remember to never remove your protective equipment until you have left the spray booth area
Tip 6. Avoid painting and priming with aerosol spray cans
- You can use your spray booth with spray cans, but it is not recommended
- Aerosols type spray cans have solvents (e.g., VOCs) that can expose you and others around you to harmful chemicals
- For best practice, use spray cans outdoors or with a specifically ventilated fume system
What Features to Look For In a Hobby Spray Booth for Airbrushing?
There are 7 things to consider in an airbrush spray booth for miniature painting:
- Size
- Portability
- Lighting
- Noise
- Ventilation system
- Power source
- Price
Size
An airbrush spray booth should be large enough for you to fit the models or miniatures completely inside.
The ability to fit your entire model into an airbrush spray booth will ensure that your spray will not escape the negative pressure airflow.
Of course, there’s a balance to the size of your spray booth. A painting booth that is too big will take up a lot of space. If you’re planning to rearrange your workspace, a larger spray booth will make this more difficult.
Portability
This is related to spray booth size. A portable airbrush spray booth can fold down or collapse into a smaller form.
Some airbrush spray booths fold down into a suitcase with carry handles.
I personally prefer compact, portable spray booths, which allows me to store my spray booth if I need more tabletop space. If you’re traveling anywhere with your hobby, a portable spray booth will also make this easy.
Some portable spray booths have the ability for battery operation, which is beneficial if you can’t free up a power outlet. However, not that these systems don’t have the more robust ventilation power of wire-powered fan systems.
Lighting
No one likes painting the dark. An airbrush spray booth is an enclosed space, which also means it’s a darker space. Many spray booths come with built-in lighting systems, such as LEDs. These add a ton of value to the utility of a spray booth.
Of course, many of these lights aren’t very bright. But, they do help you see what you’re airbrushing. If you’re looking for more lighting for your spray booth, check out some of the awesome swing-arm lamps here.
Noise
What do you get when you attach a motorized fan to boxed-in container? A loud motorized fan!
Okay, so another thing to consider when you’re buying a spray booth is how loud it is. Some spray booths are simple machines. A cheap fan attached to a box that pulls air through a filter. Depending on the quality of the spray booth, the noise level of a powerful fan can be annoying to use for a long time.
When you’re airbrushing a miniature, consider how long it takes to finish the job. And, if you’re painting late a night, will the noise of your spray booth disturb those sleeping nearby?
As you’ll see in the spray booth review, I note a bit on the sound levels produced by a spray booth. Not all spray booths have the same noise level. Obviously, some will be quieter than others. Additionally, some models publish their spray booth’s noise levels in decibels, whereas others you may have to dig around to find out what others think. In the review below, you can see the relative noise register of each airbrush spray booth model.
Ventilation system
There are plethora of ways a spray booth vents or exhausts air away from you while airbrushing. In principle, a hobby spray booth uses a fan to pull air through a filter and either exhausts the “cleaner” air in one of two ways: 1) it exhausts the air back into the room (a ventless system), or 2) pushes the air through a tube out of the ambient space (a vented spray booth).
Look for an airbrush spray booth with a ventilation system that extracts contaminated air at a decent rate of between 4-6 cubic meters/minute. On some airbrush spraybooth models with an exhaust extension hose you can direct air away from your work area or out through a window. The best spray booth for miniature painters will clear the air from a regular airbrushing session of between 5 minutes of fairly constant spraying at 20-35 PSI.
For most portable hobby spray booth kits, the ventilation system will use the ventless method and exhaust the air back into your room. These spray booths are easy to setup. Turn them on-off as needed.
For more dedicated and powerful spray booths, the ventilation system will exhaust air outside through a air ducts or tubes. These spray booths are more technical in their setup. But, they allow for longer continuous spraying sessions, e.g., they can generally handle increased overspray volume.
Power source
This is related to the power you use to operate the motorized fan. The more powerful the fan, the more power is needed. This means that a spray booth with stronger ventilation will require more power.
Check the power output of the fan system of the spray booth to determine how much air flow you can expect. But…Remember that larger spray booths will require more suction power to efficiently ventilate the interior of the booth. In other words, a large spray booth needs a more powerful motorized fan than a small spray booth.
Budget
For spray booths, “pay for the quality you need”. As with any hobby tool or equipment, you get what you pay for. During my shopping for a spray booth, I also did price comparisons.
You have to choose between getting this or that feature. For spray booths, you may have to decide between a system that comes with a turntable or one that has lights. Maybe, not both.Most spray booths have turntables.
Some have lights (which work fine, but aren’t great). Remember that you can use your existing hobby desk lamp to help light up your spray booth. I’m always advocating good lighting for tabletop hobby work.
A good-quality spray booth that is ready-to-use will cost around 70-$100. A larger booth for dedicated airbrushing and longer-painting sessions will probably cost closer to $150-175.
What Else Do I Need to Maintain My Spray Booth?
You’ll want to change the filter in your spray booth regularly. A dirty filter will not only be less effective in cleaning the air, but it will also impede the ability of the spray booth to pull air away from you. When in a confined space spray painting, this could become problematic.
How often you need to change the filter on your spray booth depends on how often you airbrush, how often you paint spray, and the kind of paint you use.
My recommendation for determining when to change your spray booth filter is how much the fan motor strains to draw air. If you notice reduced air flow, then it is time to change filters.
MORE: BEST 10 AIRBRUSHES FOR PAINTING MINIATURES
You can also look at the filter to see if it changes color (from the build-up of paint). If the filter has noticeably changed color, start considering a replacement. Depending on your usage, you may need to replace your filter once a month, or only once per year.
All this being said, are spray booths worth their upfront cost? I think so. Spray booths are simple kits. The only moving part is the motorized fan. As long as the motor doesn’t fail (very rare), you should be good to go for a long time. This makes a spray booth a good hobby investment. The upkeep cost is minimal after the initial purchase.
10 Best Spray Booths for Airbrushing Miniatures and Models
The following are my recommended top 10 best airbrush booths for spray painting miniatures.
1. Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5″ x 19″ x 13.5″
- Air extraction rate: 4 cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: Internal LED strips (lumen n/a)
The Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth sells for about $150-160. This is in the ballpark about what to expect for a mid-end hobby spray booth. This is a good choice if you’re looking for a system that is ready-to-use right out of the box with minor tool-less assembly. This model may come with white or black plastic accents, depending on the version you’re getting; I haven’t found a discernible difference in function between product releases.
The Master portable airbrush spray booth is able to fold into a compact suitcase shape. The booth packs down into a neat gray metal box the size of a medium suite case. It even comes with a carry handle and and doesn’t weigh much. Included in this kit are LED lights built into the top of the interior of the booth.
Inside the spray booth is a turn table (7.5 inch diameter), which is great for accessing most if not all the surfaces of your models. The spray booth is powered through a standard 12 volt DC plug with a 110 V AC adapter. The extraction flow rate is about 4 cubic meters (of air) per minute, which is standard for hobby grade spray booths designed for airbrushing and water-based acrylic spray painting.
The overall size of the spray booth is 16.5″ x 19″ x 13.5″ (width x depth x height). For reference, a normal sized Warhammer 40k Imperial Knight is no more than 8 inches high and will easily fit inside this spray booth.
On the other hand, a Mars Pattern Warlord Titan (Forgeworld) is over 22 inches tall, and will not fit in this spray booth (not even sideways). If you’re looking to airbrush very large models, the best way to do it in a tabletop spray booth is to paint each sub-assembly first.
Note that if you’re looking for a more powerful version of this airbrush station (that is also a bit louder at 60db), you can check out the Master Airbrush Spray Booth with a more powerful fan and filter system with an extraction rate of ~8 cubic meters/min.
Pros
- The Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth is the best value spray booth for airbrushing miniatures and scale models.
- With an airflow of 4 cubic meters per minute, you’ll have a good ventilation extraction rate. Note that the fan operating in this spray booth is fairly quiet.
- It comes with useful features like interior lighting, a turntable, portability, and a ventilation duct system to exhaust overspray.
- The two stage blue/white filter is inexpensive and replaceable. You can get replacement Master Spray booth filters here.
Cons
- This spray booth doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses considering its price. As mentioned, it won’t fit very large models like 40k titans.
- But, with some creativity like painting sub-assemblies first, then assembling later, you’re not really limited by the booth size.
- If you’re looking for a more powerful extraction/ventilation system (for heavy-duty spraying with external mix airbrushes or large aerosol spray cans), you’ll have to look for more expensive spray booth kits.
2. VIVOHOME Portable Paint Spray Booth Kit LED Lights
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5″ x 14.1″ x 13.5″
- Air extraction rate: 4 cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: 1200 lumen (bright)
The VIVOHOME Portable Paint Spray Booth Kit LED Lights sells for about $150, which is similar to the Master Spray Booth (shown in #1). The Vivohome spray booth comes with LED lights, a turn table, and a flexible duct system. The exhaust end will fit through a 1-inch gap in a window or door.
The Vivohome spray booth is portable. It can fold down into a standard luggage-sized suite case with a carry handle that you can transport or store. It will fit in the trunk of any car or under your desk. These portable spray booths can also handle light-duty spray can use. But, be careful as aerosols usually spray at much higher rate/volume than airbrushing. The replacement filters for the Master Airbrush Spray Booth will also work in this spray booth.
Pros
- The VIVOHOME Portable Paint Spray Booth Kit LED Lights has all of the strengths of the Master Airbrush Lighted Spray Booth.
- The airflow through this spray booth is good at 4 cubic meters/minute. The noise level of the spray booth is also low.
- In this case, which spray booth you choose depends on the price at the time of purchase. Sometimes there are sales on Amazon. Keep a look out for these two spray booths.
Cons
- As with the Master Spray Booth, the Vivohome protable paint spray booth also has similar limitations. This primarily has to do with its size. But, if you can work in subassemblies, then the size no longer is a limitation.
3. WeChef Portable Airbrush Craft Spray Booth Kit
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5″ x 19″ x 13.5″
- Air extraction rate: 3 cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: None
The WeChef Portable Airbrush Craft Spray Booth Kit is selling around $95-100, which is a great price for a hobby spray booth kit! For the hobbyist on a budget, but looking for a spray booth that will do the job, the WeChef Portable Spray Booth is my recommendation.
As with other portable spray booths, this kit will fold up into a small suitcase with a carry handle. When you’re ready to paint, unfold the spray booth and you have a ready-to-use airbrush studio. The turn table fits neatly inside the booth and will help you airbrush all almost all the sides of your model.
The replaceable filter and sponge in the back of the spray booth will remove large to small paint particles. It is a two stage filter with a coarse (blue mesh) and fine white sponge material that traps paint dust. The fan may not draw a lot of air, as compared to its competitors, so use with caution when airbrushing at higher air pressures (30+ psi). I’m looking at you guys who use an airbrush to prime models with giant 0.5 to 0.7mm external mix airbrush systems.
Note that the system has no lights (see more details here). Given the small size of the interior of the spray booth, you may be able to get away with your room’s ambient lights. The side walls of the spray booth are visually translucent so it wont be entirely dark inside. For more light, however, you’ll have to supplement with a desk lamp.
Pros
- This is the hobbyist’s spray booth. A no-nonsense spray booth that will let you airbrush your models without any hassle. Just setup the booth and you’re ready to go when you need it.
- Most tabletop miniature painters and gamers will appreciate the size and portability of this booth.
Cons
- This spray booth has no interior lighting system. It also has a slightly less powerful fan exhaust system (airflow: 3 cubic meters/minute). Don’t expect to paint large models or pieces of terrain with high pressure spraying.
- In general, I’d recommend this for anyone who needs a useful indoor, tabletop sized spray booth, but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money.
4. Master Airbrush Portable Hobby Airbrush Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5″ x 19″ x 13.5″
- Air extraction rate: 4 cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate-high (50-80 decibels)
- Lighting: None
The Master Airbrush Portable Hobby Airbrush Spray Booth sells for about $130. It is exactly the same spray booth as the booth shown in #1 (the Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth), except this lacks the ventilation tubing and the interior lights. The airflow extraction rate is also similar at 4 cubic meters per minute. Some painters consider the system loud with a noise register that is higher than what is documented for this spray booth. But this may be true for all hobby spray booths with this kind of open back fan design. Adding the vent tube may dampen the overall noise register.
This portable paint booth starts out as essentially a boxed enclosure that folds open to reveal an interior spray area. The turntable allows you to spray your scale models or miniatures at every angle. In general, this is one of the most utilitarian spray extractor kits you can find with a reliable airflow rate that is ideal for hobby airbrush miniature painting.
For those who want to save $20 and like the simplicity of a portable spray booth, this is your best bet. If you want to light the interior of this spray booth, you can place a desk lamp nearby or clamp a swing-arm lamp on the side of your table.
Pros
- The Master Airbrush Portable Hobby Airbrush Spray Booth is a really good value for those who don’t need the interior light or venting ductwork. All the advantages of a portable spray booth are here. The airflow is great for the size of the booth, too.
Cons
- The spray booth has no interior lighting and doesn’t comes with an exhaust duct/vent kit. This may be okay, however, as you can add lights yourself and you avoid the hassle of setting up the tubing accessory.
5. Paasche HSSB-16-13 Hobby Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5” x 13.5″ x 19”
- Air extraction rate: 3 cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: None
The Paasche HSSB-16-13 Hobby Spray Booth is about $115, and the smallest of the Paasche line of spray booth. At 16 inches wide and 13 inches high, it is similar in size to other tabletop portable spray booths for hobby work, e.g., airbrushing. The darker color scheme with black accenting distinguishes this spray booth from many of its competitors. I kind of prefer the brighter gray and blue colors though. But of course, this is all personal preference and the aesthetics has no bearing on how well the airbrush spray booth operates.
Interestingly, the Paasche Spray Booth is modular. That is, this spray booth can be combined with another spray booth unit into a bigger booth. The system comes with adapter to add vent ducting if you need it.
The fan on this system is more powerful than the other spray booths listed above which uses a 115 volt motorized fan. But, the noise level is still fairly reasonable at 47 decibels. For reference, a normal human conversation is about 60 dB.
Pros
- The Paasche HSSB-16-13 Hobby Spray Booth is great for those looking for an airbrush spray booth that can handle more spray volume. The fan can draw more air away from you as you work.
- A quick note: Paasche is a highly-respected airbrush company with a good reputation in the scale modeling community. Their products have been around for a long time.
- Do you plan to paint larger models or terrain features? Maybe you need to airbrush that cosplay part. The potential to expand the interior of the spray booth by combining this booth with another identical unit provides you with upgrade expansion possibilities.
Cons
- The spray booth does not fold down into a handy suitcase. But, you can disassemble it if you need to store or transport the booth. It doesn’t come with interior lighting or venting accessories, e.g., tubing. It’s value comes from the more powerful airflow system and the ability to combine this with another booth to expand its interior capacity.
6. Paasche AirBrush Compact Hobby Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5” x 13.5″ x 19”
- Air extraction rate: 3 Cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: n/a (but likely moderate based on fan motor power ~47 db)
- Lighting: None
The Paasche AirBrush 16″ x 13″ Compact Hobby Spray Booth is a generic spray booth priced around $100 (plus shipping). You’ve seen this before. If you’re price shopping this spray booth could he a good model for comparison. This is one of least expensive ready-to-use spray booth on this list.
Compared to other spray booths, this one has a unique design (a bit utilitarian if you ask me). It is designed to capture larger paint particles from the air. The extraction flow rate is 3 cubic meters per minute and could struggle to clear higher pressure or constant use airbrush overspray. As with most hobby spray booths for model painting, this is not recommended for use with dangerous chemicals, such as flammable or explosive paints or spray can aerosol applications.
For the miniature painter, this is a fully functional, compact spray booth. It works by drawing airflow back through the casing (with a decent 3 cubic meters per minute extraction rate) and pass a filter system. Although this has no tubing to vent the air through a window, this airbrush spray booth does come with the adaptor over the fan if you’d like to attach a 4 inch dryer duct to exhaust air outside.
The interior of the spray booth is standard sized (16.5″W x 13.5″H x 19″D). This may be an advantage for small projects, since it helps keep things brighter with ambient light (notice the semi-clear plastic hood). This has no interior lighting.
An included black colored turntable will help you rotate your models as you spray them. Are you’re running an airbrush clinic or a painting class? A spray booth like this one could be really handy.
Pros
- This Paasche airbrush spray booth is inexpensive. Compared to the cost for you to DIY a spray booth, this is probably going to be less money. The system is simple and effective for small light-duty airbrushing projects.
- The compact size also means that it is portable. When fully deployed this spray booth will not take up much tabletop space.
Cons
- This is a small spray booth. It also lacks the features of other airbrush booth kits, e.g., lights, metal construction, tubing for venting air.
7. OPHIR Portable Airbrush Lighted Hobby Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 16.5” x 13.5″ x 19”
- Air extraction rate: 4 Cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: Internal LED strips (lumen n/a, but they are bright!)
The OPHIR Portable Airbrush Lighted Hobby Spray Booth is about $130-150 with free shipping. This is my favorite tabletop spray booth kit which boasts an impressive array of features for the airbrush miniature painter. If you’re scale modeling or customizing radio controlled (RC) cars, a spray booth like this one is perfect. The interior LED lights are surprisingly bright. The fan is on par with the more powerful table top spray booths, with an extracting airflow of 4 cubic meters per minute.
As with other portable spray booths, this folds up into a suitcase (as shown in the image below) and is lightweight. The carry handle makes it easy to move about and the size is great for storing under your desk or in the trunk of your car. You can see me use this spray booth in this airbrush guide.
The interior of the booth is 16.5″ x 19″x 13.5″ (width x depth x height) with durable translucent plastic walls. This is a really good space for most tabletop hobby work. For the Games Workshop/Citadel crowd, this will allow you to fit almost any model in the Warhammer 40k or Age of Sigmar range. Additionally, you can use this spray booth to airbrush and customize RC car body shells, scale models, e.g., trains, buildings, vehicles, and wargame models.
Subassembly painting will be helpful if you want to use this to spray booth to airbrush larger models. With the included flat pancake shaped turn table, this spray booth can handle almost all the needs of miniature hobbyists and scale modelers.
You can operate this spray booth as either a ventless system, or a vented system with the detachable hose. Impressively, the system is relatively quiet (~47 decibels). This kit comes with 2x extra fiberglass filters. Replacement filters are inexpensive and easy to find online.
Pros
- The OPHIR Portable Airbrush Lighted Hobby Spray Booth has all the key features of a great tabletop spray booth. Built-in interior LED lighting helps you see what you’re airbrushing inside the booth.
- The ventilation and fan system are efficient for pulling overspray away from you and the keeping your space free of paint-filled air.
- The size of this spray booth strikes a good balance between portability and utility. You can fit most modeling projects inside this booth.
Cons
- The OPHIR spray booth is just slightly more expensive than the Master Airbrush system with similar features. However, this does come with 2x extra replacement filters so the overall cost is equivalent (depending on how much you value having spare filters on-hand).
8. Master Airbrush Dual Units Portable Hobby Craft Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 33” x 19″ x 13.5”
- Air extraction rate: 4 cubic meters/minute (per unit)
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable
- Noise register: Loud (70-80 decibels)
- Lighting: None
The Master Airbrush Dual Units Portable Hobby Craft Spray Booth is about $250-270. Do you need more space to work? Are you making cosplay equipment and accessories? The Master Dual Unit Spray Booth may just be what you’re looking for. It has a voluminous interior (inches: 33 wide x 19 deep x 13.5 high).
As with the Master Portable Spray Booth (shown in #4), this is a ready-to-use spray booth with some minor assembly. The dual spray booth setup is portable, folding down into two suitcases with carry handles. Because of the modular design, you can setup one or both spray booths (your choice).
Note, however, that the two spray booths don’t connect seamlessly. There will be a gap between the two modules (as shown in the image below). Each module of this spray booth system has an independent fan system that extracts air at 4 cubic meters per minute.
Note that this spray booth system does not come with interior lighting. The semi-clear plastic spray hood will allow plenty of ambient lighting into the interior. But, if you want more lights, you’ll have to supplement with optional lamp or lighting accessories.
Other accessories included in this spray booth kit are 2x turntables and 2x detachable, flexible tubing for exhausting filtered air. Overall, if you’re looking for more space or a doubling of your spray booth work area, the Master Airbrush Dual Unit Spray Booth will provide you with that expanded capability.
Pros
- The Master Airbrush Dual Units Portable Hobby Craft Spray Booth combines two spray booths to create a larger interior work space. The design is simple.
- Two powerful fans draw a total of 8 cubic meters/minute of air through filters at the back of each booth. Filtered air is piped out through tubing (or vented into the ambient space without tubing).
- If only need one booth or need to save some space, then you can setup just one of the modules. Or, better yet, if you’re traveling, just take one of these suitcase sized booths with you. Leave the other one at home.
Cons
- The spray booth does not come with interior built-in lighting. Supplement with optional external lighting (or add a magnifying lamp to help with adding those details).
- Some assembly is required for setting up this spray booth. But, I know most of you will easily figure this out (good news: no tools necessary).
- Note that the two modules don’t exactly line-up properly, leaving a gap between the two booths. This may be annoying if you’re looking for a seamless connection. Though, at twice the cost of a smaller spray booth kit, this dual unit system may be more than you need.
9. Paasche HSSB-22-16 Hobby Spray Booth
Notable Features
- Interior size: 22” x 20″ x 16”
- Air extraction rate: 8 Cubic meters/minute
- Filter system: Two stage replaceable carbon filter with exhaust hook up
- Noise register: Moderate (47 decibels)
- Lighting: None
The Paasche HSSB-22-16 Hobby Spray Booth is the enthusiast’s spray booth (approximately $350-400). This is the medium size spray booth (22″ width) in the Paasche line of all-metal constructed spray booths. There is also a similar spray booth with a larger 30″ width.
The all-metal construction is a major strength for this spray booth for two reasons. First, the stainless steel metal is much easier to clean than plastic. Paint will build up easily on plastic spray booths. With metal, you can use stronger cleaning methods, e.g., soaps, detergents, scrubs, without damaging the interior surfaces. Second, the galvanized metal spray booth will resist rust and will be more durable that plastic constructed booths. You can expect this booth to last a very long time.
If you’re a professional commission painter and have a lot of ongoing projects, then you’ll find this spray booth is made for you. The spray booth is designed for a dedicated working space and will not fold-up for storage or portability like other spray booths. Set up the Paasche spray booth and get to work!
The interior of the spray booth is huge compared to other hobby spray booths. 22″W x 20″D x 16″H. It is much taller than other portable tabletop spray booths. You could almost fit an entire warlord Forgeworld titan inside (maybe sideways).
This is the perfect in-home hobby spray paint booth. The airflow extractopm rate is powerful. At 270 cubic feet per minute (or close to 8 cubic meters/min), this will easily remove paint particles from most heavy-duty airbrush spraying work.
Despite the powerful fan system, the spray booth operates without much noise (approximately 47 decibels; a human conversation is around 60). A duct adapter will allow you to hook up a 4″standard sized laundry dryer vent tube to exhaust filtered air. This spray booth is not intended for use with hazardous materials, flammable or explosive chemicals (try to avoid using aerosol spray cans here).
Although this spray booth does not include interior lighting or other spraying accessories, i.e., turntable, clip holders, etc., you’ll easily fit any of these optional tools here (more about this below). The spray booth includes dual paint and carbon filters that will extract both fumes and odors from your spray work. This is the perfect setup for the professional or enthusiast who wants a dedicated spray booth.
Pros
- The Paasche HSSB-22-16 Hobby Spray Booth is an all metal construction spray booth. It is designed for dedicated spraying applications. Online ratings/reviews are very high for this purpose.
- The galvanized metal housing is easy to clean, durable, and will resist most harsh chemicals and solvents.
- The large interior of the spray booth will allow you to fit most projects for spray application. The powerful fan system will extract a lot of air without much noise (47 decibels).
- If you’re airbrushing and spraying on a regular basis and would like more space, this spray booth is awesome. Don’t forget there are larger versions of the all-metal spray booth.
Cons
- The Paasche all-metal spray booth is certainly more expensive than other hobby spray booths. For proper setup, you’ll probably want to add the dryer duct (sold separately) to vent the exhausted filtered air from the spray booth.
- The booth does not come with interior lighting. You’ll have to add these yourself if you need to light up your work space inside the spray booth.
- Finally, there aren’t other accessories for spraying, like turntables or clip holders. Maybe you don’t need them? Certainly, the spray booth is utilitarian, and you are open to customizing the setup as you see fit.
10. HomeRight C900146 Air Flow Spray Shelter
Notable Features
- Interior size: 35” x 30″ x 39”
- Air extraction rate: None (fan not included)
- Filter system: None (filter not included)
- Noise register: Silent
- Lighting: None
The HomeRight C900146 Air Flow Spray Shelter is priced at $37. However, don’t let this low price distract you. The Air Flow Spray Shelter isn’t actually a “spray booth”. It is only a flexible fabric shell that you’ll need to add an optional fan and furnace filter, if you want active filter/venting.
As it is, the spray shelter is a step-up from using a bare cardboard box to shield your work area from overspray. The Air Flow spray shelter comes in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large. For the tabletop miniature hobbyist, the small size is plenty (35″W x 30″D x 39″H).
Are you looking to spray paint objects of various sizes, larger than those miniatures and scale models?
You can fit all the models in the Games Workshop range except for some of the huge terrain pieces. Without the fan, you could use the spray shelter for aerosol spraying (e.g., spray can primers and paints). The large size of the booth should keep most of the overspray contained.
By adding the optional fan and filter, the spray shelter will work with most water-based applications, e.g., acrylic spraying, and even wood sanding to keep saw dust from going everywhere. Note the spray booth is not recommended with the fan when spraying flammable paints or materials.
The Air Flow Spray Shelter is very portable and lightweight. It will fold-down into a small flat package, and pop-up quickly when needed. You can place the shelter on a countertop or on the floor. Take it outside, too.If you’re looking for a quick, compact system for protecting your surrounding area from airbrush or other spray applications, the spray shelter is a versatile, inexpensive option.
Pros
- The HomeRight Air Flow Spray Shelter is inexpensive and versatile. You can use it as a passive “shield” to contain overspray from aerosol paint and primer. Or, attach a fan and filter to actively extract fumes and paint particulates in the air.
- You can work on many types of projects inside the large interior of the shelter. Because it is compact and lightweight, you can easily place the spray shelter on a tabletop or on the ground outside.
- The fabric pop-up design is easily folded-up or deployed for quick spray projects.
Cons
- It’s a step-up from a large cardboard box for passively containing overspray. If you need something with more active air filtering/extraction, you will need to purchase a fan (if you don’t have one already) and insert the filter. Not only do these items add cost to the system, but reduce its portability/storage advantage.
Lighting Accessories for Spray Booths?
There are a lot of ways you can add lights to your spray booth. You can buy LED light strips that will into your spray booth. Here are 3 LED lighting option that you can install without tools and will fit inside your spray booth. Check them out!
- Cabinet LED lighting (12″ length)
- BLACK+DECKER LED Under Cabinet Kit (9″ length)
- STBTECH Under Cabinet Light (15.7″ length)
You can also use external swing-arm lamps that you can maneuver into place.
Other Useful Accessories for Your Airbrush Spray Booth
Turntables
Helping hands and holders
RELATED: RECOMMENDED HOLDERS AND HELPING HANDS FOR MODEL BUILDERS AND PAINTERS
Summary Table: 10 Spray Booths for Painting Miniatures and Models
| Image | Model | Features |
|---|---|---|
 |
Master Airbrush Lighted Portable Hobby Spray Booth | The best value spray booth for airbrushing miniatures. Simple, compact, with built-in LED lighting. |
 |
VIVOHOME Portable Paint Spray Booth Kit LED Lights | Similar to the Master Airbrush Spray Booth. This is a portable spray booth with LED lights, and an efficient air extraction system. |
 |
WeChef Portable Airbrush Craft Spray Booth Kit | The hobbyist’s spray booth that has everything you need to get started airbrushing. Compact and functional. |
 |
Master Airbrush Portable Hobby Airbrush Spray Booth | This is the spray booth for those who want simplicity in a portable spray booth. Compact, easy-to-store, and works great. |
 |
Paasche HSSB-16-13 Hobby Spray Booth | Great airflow extraction will contain most airbrush overspray in this portable spray booth. This is made by a Paasche, a well-respected airbrush company. |
|
Paasche AirBrush Compact Hobby Spray Booth | Inexpensive. This compact spray booth competes well with DIY versions with similar components. |
 |
OPHIR Portable Airbrush Lighted Hobby Spray Booth | This is a hobby spray booth has built-in lighting and other useful features. Folds down into a suitcase for travel or storage |
 |
Master Airbrush Dual Units Portable Hobby Craft Spray Booth | The dual spray booth setup is portable, folding into two suitcases. Each module has an independent fan system. Combine the units for extended spraying workspace. |
 |
Paasche HSSB-22-16 Hobby Spray Booth | This is an all-metal constructed spray booth designed for dedicated, professional airbrushing and other spray application. A powerful and quiet fan draws up to 8 cubic meters/min of air for efficient spray containment. |
 |
HomeRight C900146 Air Flow Spray Shelter | This is a inexpensive pop-up spray booth made with a fabric shell that will passively or actively contain overspray (if you add the optional fan and filter). You can place the large spray shelter on a tabletop or on the ground. Useful indoors or outdoors. |
Conclusion
A spray booth creates a lot of opportunities for you to paint using your airbrush in your hobby space without worrying about fumes and paint overspray. If you’re looking for the best airbrush spray booth, there are certainly a lot of features to consider for your needs, including size, noise, extraction flow rate, and built-in lighting.
Most hobby spray booths actively collect paint particles and filter them out of the air. This prevents paint dust from building up around your hobby area. With proper ventilation, you’ll find yourself working more comfortably and safely. You can check out this article to find out more about how to properly use your spray booth for painting miniatures.
I know from experience as a miniature painter that getting a model paint booth improves the way I paint models. I’m able to move from brush to airbrush without worrying about masking-up, or the concerns with making a mess around my room.
When you’re trying to be productive, it’s the small quality of life improvements that add up to make you more efficient. If you’re wondering whether a spray booth is worth it, I’m happy to report they most definitely are a great tool to have!
Are you currently airbrushing your models, or planning to? Did you find this article helpful or have feedback from your experience? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below.
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I loved when you mentioned that, in principle, all spray booths work the same. A fan system creates negative pressure that pulls air away from you through a filter and vents the exhaust. Our auto shop business is growing fast, and we want to upgrade our car painting services. We are thinking of buying one paint spray booth. Thanks to this post for giving us good information about the paint spray booth.
Master Airbrush is an excellent device! It’s a good size and extremely simple to access and utilize. I purchased the version with the light kit, which is quite useful; the LEDs are rather blue, so they don’t do a great job of reproducing color, but there are no shadows and I color test elsewhere anyway. The exhaust hose and kit operate well. When not in use, it folds up into a beautiful small box that is easy to store. Very well-designed. A must-have for removing fumes.
Yes it is! I prefer the spray booth setups with lights already built in too. But I do agree they are a bit cool for color preproduction. I have a swing arm hobby lamp for when I need good lights in the spray hood.
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