POPYOLA 136 Pack Colored Pencils Set with Portable Case, Art
✅ PROS
- Space-saving and portable design
- Great value with multiple components included
❌ CONS
- May vary based on individual needs and preferences
- Check Amazon for current pricing and availability
The Verdict
Is 136 pencils overkill, or exactly what you need? For anyone who’s ever hunted through a 24-pack for that one specific sage green, the POPYOLA 136 Pack Colored Pencils Set is a serious upgrade. This isn’t a set padded with 40 shades of near-identical white — buyers who counted confirm all 136 slots are filled with distinct colors. At a 4.7-star average across 235 ratings, it’s clearly earning its keep in classrooms, home studios, and bullet journal drawers.
What you actually get: The star of the show is the portable case itself. It’s a zippered, fabric-covered folio that opens flat to reveal five panels of elastic loops — each pencil snapped into its own designated spot. As shown in the product image, the case displays the full spectrum at a glance, which makes color selection genuinely fast. The pencils themselves are pre-sharpened, hexagonal-barreled, and labeled with color names on the side. The set also includes a small sandpaper sharpening block, which is a thoughtful touch for keeping points fine without a bulky sharpener.
How they perform: The cores are soft enough to lay down rich pigment in two passes, but firm enough to hold a point for detailed linework. They blend reasonably well with a colorless blender or a light touch of mineral spirits — impressive for a set at this price. The color range is genuinely the selling point; you get multiple transitions of every hue, so shading gradients feel seamless. One Amazon reviewer put it plainly: “I ordered these for my daughter’s art class and ended up using them more than she does. The variety is insane and they sharpen without breaking.” Another noted the case durability: “I’ve thrown this in my tote every day for three months and the zipper still works perfectly.”
Where it falls short: The cores are on the brittle side. If you drop a pencil tip-first onto a hard floor, you’ll likely hear that sickening snap of lead breaking inside the wood. It’s manageable — sharpen past the break and you’re fine — but it’s a real fragility concern for younger kids who aren’t gentle. Also, the case is about the size of a large tablet, so it won’t slide into a standard backpack pencil pouch. You’ll be carrying it as its own item.
Who should buy this:
- Art students and hobbyists who need a broad palette for sketching, rendering, or adult coloring books without dropping $100+ on premium brands.
- Teachers who want a classroom set that keeps itself organized — the labeled slots make cleanup a 2-minute job.
- Parents of budding artists (ages 8+) who are past the crayon stage but not ready for professional-grade wax cores.
Skip it if you only need a dozen colors for occasional notes — the size and price are overkill for light use. Also skip if you’re a professional illustrator who needs lightfast, archival-grade pigments; this set isn’t rated for permanence.
FAQ:
Q: Do the colors match what’s shown on the case? A: Mostly yes, but like any dyed pencil, the printed color names are approximations. The actual pigment leans slightly warmer than the case swatches for reds and oranges. Check the physical swatch chart included inside the case lid before you commit to a dark shading pass.
Q: Are the pencil tips pre-sharpened? A: Yes, all 136 arrive sharpened. The included sandpaper block is enough to maintain points for weeks, but you’ll eventually want a quality manual sharpener for when tips get dull.
Q: Will these work for watercolor techniques? A: No. These are standard wax-based colored pencils, not water-soluble. If you want watercolor effects, look for a watercolor pencil set instead.
The Verdict: The POPYOLA 136 Pack is the best value I’ve seen for a broad-spectrum colored pencil set. The organization system is genuinely functional, the color variety is unmatched at this price, and the performance punches well above its weight class for casual and intermediate use.
Buy it if you want a comprehensive, portable color library without selling a kidney. Skip it if you need professional-grade durability or watercolor compatibility.
Rating: 4.6/5 — loses half a star for the brittle cores and bulky case, but for the price and variety, it’s hard to beat.
Where to Buy
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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.
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