In fairness, I don't have anything to compare these to . But, these pencils are exactly what I was looking for; a big selection at a lower price. I'm currently using them for cardmaking projects. With the set, they send a card that has a "swatch" of each color listed and a blank sheet of each color so you can fill in the color yourself. I suggest that you fill in the sample sheet as the colors aren't exactly as they appear on the swatch. I haven't had to sharpen them yet, but they are better than I expected. I would order them again if I need more.