UU&T Alcohol Marker Pens, 80 Colors, Dual Tip, with Case for Sketching, Card Making, Paper Craft

Great delivery system. Holder's good as well.

For awhile, I've been excited to try the OHUHU brand of alcohol markers, but hesitated, due to the extra cost. I'm an artist, and like to use permanent pens--to draw/color with, and to decorate projects (prior to this, I bought Sharpie, and some generic brands, but they weren't specifically-designed for coloring/blending). After searching Walmart.com for a LONG time, I discovered these. They are the ONLY generic brand ones that appear to be similar, or the SAME quality, as the name-brand markers. The packaging (impact-resistant, clear plastic carrying case) is IDENTICAL to that used for the 'starter' alcohol markers (Minoa Series, set of 80), that OHUHU sells. These pens are also the ONLY ones I could find, that have triangle-shaped barrels (which I prefer, to round or square). For the price (only 24 dollars, compared to the name-brand, at around 50!!), they are worth it. (There are some other brands being sold at under 20 dollars, but the quality doesn't seem as good.) When they arrived, I noticed how much NICER they were, than most generic brands I've seen online. The pens are shipped with more than enough wrapping/protection, to ensure their plastic case is kept intact. (The case can both display, and make them easier to use/store.) Another extra feature--the barrels are white, with a smooth, matte finish (which feels great in the hand). Caps on both ends of each marker, are similar to the OHUHU style, with a decorative cutout (showing the color inside), and a corresponding number, printed on the tips. It's a bit difficult to pull off the caps sometimes, but that keeps the pens from drying out. Pulling TOO hard, can cause the whole plastic tip of the marker to pop out, so you need to snap it back in (you can also replace the ink cartridges this way, if needed). ALL the markers were working properly, when tested. The ONLY bad stuff I can say about these, is: (1) They have MUCH more ink than the cheaper generic ones, but still won't last a SUPER-LONG time, if you use them to color large areas (2) The 2 clasps on front of the case, are VERY difficult to snap open--so, I squeeze their sides slightly as I pull up, which helps (3) The colors of the pen-caps DON'T match the actual marker colors, AT ALL...you should probably fill-in and store the (included) color-sheet inside the case, to make it simple to decide what color to use (4) I've only been using these for a few weeks, and some already show signs of being less 'juicy' than others, meaning they could dry-out sooner (5) The case has hinges sticking out in back, and the 2 snaps in front, so you can't lay it completely FLAT/horizontal (for proper storage of alcohol markers). Tips are bullet/chisel. Colors are vibrant/smooth, with a nice selection of pastels, brights, and neons. (I'll re-use the case, for replacement markers, as they dry-out.) This 80-marker set makes a GREAT gift for a young artist, or one on a budget--with BETTER quality (and less SMELL)!!!