10 Best Charcoal Pencils 2025 in the United States

The Winsor & Newton Studio Collection Charcoal Pencils are a versatile set of 6 pencils, ideal for artists who enjoy blending, smudging, and creating detailed dark lines. This set includes two each of three hardness levels: soft, medium, and hard, allowing for a wide range of artistic effects. The pencils feature a durable linden wood barrel and a break-resistant 4.0mm core, making them robust and easy to sharpen.

They are also non-toxic and can be sharpened with a knife or sandpaper for finer points. Weighing only 3.87 ounces and compact in size, they are portable and convenient for artists on the go. These charcoal pencils are particularly suited for adult artists, whether beginners or more experienced, who are looking for reliable and high-quality drawing tools.

The Faber-Castel 24 Piece Pitt Charcoal Set is a comprehensive collection designed for artists who enjoy working with charcoal. This set offers a variety of natural and compressed charcoal pencils and sticks in different degrees of hardness (soft, medium, and hard), which is excellent for creating a range of textures and shades in your artwork. The inclusion of a kneadable eraser and blending stump adds to the set's versatility, allowing for detailed drawing and smooth blending of charcoal marks.

Housed in a sturdy metal case, this set is both portable and durable, ensuring that your tools are well-protected and organized. The high-quality materials used in Faber-Castel products are evident in this set, providing a professional-grade experience for both beginners and experienced artists. The set might be overwhelming for complete novices due to the variety of tools included. Additionally, the medium and hard charcoal sticks might be a bit brittle, which could pose a challenge during use.

Despite these minor drawbacks, the Faber-Castel 24 Piece Pitt Charcoal Set is a valuable investment for those serious about their charcoal art.

The General's Charcoal Pencil Bundle offers a nice variety of hardness levels—2B Medium, 4B Soft, and 6B Extra Soft—covering a good range for shading and detail work. These pencils use high-quality, oil-free charcoal with an organic black formula that produces smooth, rich, and intense blacks, which is great for creating vivid drawings and blending with other media like chalk.

The cedar wood casing is easy to sharpen, allowing for precise lines and clean application, which helps keep your work neat. Because the charcoal is wrapped in wood like a regular pencil, it’s less messy than traditional charcoal sticks, making it a practical choice for classes or studio work. The set comes with 36 pencils in total, giving plenty of supply for practice or projects.

One downside is that the brand is listed as Generic, which might concern those looking for a well-known name. Also, while these pencils are praised for smoothness and blendability, charcoal as a medium can be tricky to erase perfectly, so some care is still needed during use. This bundle is a solid pick for beginners and hobbyists wanting reliable, versatile charcoal pencils without breaking the bank.