Best Beginner Tattoo Kit 2024 | Tattooing 101 (2024)

A big problem with tattoo kits is that they leave new tattoo artists with super low-quality tattoo machines. This makes it really hard to learn how to tattoo properly because you can’t rely on your equipment to work well.

While this Wormhole pen isn’t “top of the line,” it’s reliable, easy to use, and is great quality for the price. It has a set 3.5mm machine stroke, making it a good “all-rounder” that lets you line, pack, and shade without having to deal with tuning. The only adjustment you’ll need to make is to twist the grip to change the depth.

The machine goes up to 10 volts, so you’ll want to stick with smaller needle groupings. As you move on to larger tattoos, you’ll need a machine with more power to push larger needles.

Most tattoo kits for beginners come with a lot of items that are low quality. In this kit, you don’t get all the “extras,” but you do get what you need to start tattooing without making a big investment.

Additionally, you don’t need to know anything about tattooing to use this machine. All you really have to do is plug it in, and you’re ready to go.

The CNC Q2 is ultra-light, comes with an adjustable stroke (3mm, 3.5mm, and 4mm), and has a Faulhaber direct drive motor. You can easily adjust the depth by twisting the grip, which “clicks” into place instead of sliding, so you can be sure you’re not accidentally changing the depth of your needle while tattooing.

While you can tattoo lines with the CNC Q2, you are limited in which needle groupings you can use. Because the tattoo machine is not made to run above 9 volts, you’ll need to stick to smaller configurations (like 3, 5, or 7 Round Liners). If you use a large needle (like a 14 Round Liner), the machine won’t have enough power to get the needle into the skin.

This is why it’s considered a “shader machine.” To get the ultra-light shades you see in realism and smooth black and grey, you need a machine that runs on low voltage and can use a 3mm stroke (like this one).

This kit gives you three needle cartridge boxes, and you get to choose your favorite configurations. If you don’t know what to pick, we’d recommend going with 1207M1 (mag needle), 1207RS (round shader), 1007RL (round liner).

A complete tattoo kit like this one will give you a sampling of what types of materials you need to do a tattoo without breaking the bank, which can be valuable.

However, you get what you pay for. Cheaper tattoo kits don’t give you the quality materials you need to do good tattoos.

Coil machines can be hard to tune. Tattoo artists that use coils will always have one tuned for lining and one for shading to avoid the hassle of re-tuning during a tattoo. The shader coil machine will have a longer front spring, and the liner will have a shorter one.

Our honest opinion? The machines in this kit made it hard to get a good line in, the power of the tattoo machine wasn’t consistent, and they heated up a ton while tattooing, and started to smell like they were burning.

We don’t recommend using any of the products in this kit on people. The packaging might say it includes sterile tattoo needles and tattoo inks that are safe for human skin, but these tattoo starter kits are produced in regions where safety protocols are not as strict.

Also, the machines come with steel grips. Unless you have an autoclave and can properly sterilize the grip between clients, it’s not safe to use them.

Picking your own supplies lets you avoid buying the cheap materials and accessories that often come in a tattoo kit. For example, the ink in kits often feels watered down, which makes color packing difficult, and you don’t get radiant colors in the skin.

Most tattoo kits come with a “sample size” of everything you need. For example, you can get mixed size needle boxes that let you try out multiple types of needles. However, because you’ll be buying more materials, you’ll be paying more, too.

Probably not. Buying an uber-cheap kit won’t give you a good impression of what it’s like to tattoo with a quality machine or with professional-grade tattoo ink. At best, this can be frustrating. At worst, struggling with your materials might lead you to build bad habits.

This varies a lot. You can find some kits for as little as $20, but they’ll be really difficult to use because they’re low quality. It’s important to remember that, with tattooing equipment, you really do get what you pay for.

The one with the tattoo machine you want. Odds are, you’ll be using the machine far longer than any of the other products you’ll be getting. If a kit has a machine you really want, but it’s missing one or two things; we’d recommend getting that kit and filling in with other products as needed.

Our top picks are in this list, but if you want to keep shopping, we recommend CNC Tattoo Supply.

Probably not. Tattoo kits are a great way to start building your tattoo setup, but some of the materials are not safe to use on real people (even if the kit says you can).

A good rule of thumb: Don’t use the tattoo ink or needles on real people. Also, if you don’t have an autoclave, make sure everything you’re using is disposable.

Glad you asked! Buying quality tattoo equipment is just the first step…now you need to build your skills.

Just like using the wrong materials puts you at risk for building bad habits, learning from outdated resources or YouTube videos with the wrong information can set your tattooing career back. Once you have those bad habits, it can take years to unlearn them.

Tattoo shops won’t hire artists until they learn to tattoo the right way, which is why a lot of aspiring tattooers get stuck working a job they hate.

Getting help from professional tattoo artists who know the right techniques keeps you from wasting all that time.

That’s why the Artist Accelerator Program breaks down the process of learning to tattoo into 9 easy steps. You can take each module at your own pace, and ask questions and get personalized feedback from pro tattoo artists in our online Mastermind community.