Tattoos are brilliant forms of artwork. For many people they hold fond memories and make a statement about their personalities. For tattoo artists, they offer a way to help people preserve memories and express themselves.
Do you want the ability to turn your artistic skills to tattooing?
Are you a tattoo fan, and want to take your hobby one step further?
Owning a tattoo gun, often called a tattoo machine, is your first step to creating artistic pieces that will last a lifetime.
Did you know that the first tattoo machine was patented by Samuel O’Reilly way back in 1891? It was based on the autographic printing machine, patented by Thomas Edison!
There’s more to tattooing than just buying any old gun and finding a willing participant.
The best tattoos require the assistance of the best tattoo gun.
But how do you know what type of tattoo gun will suit you?
This article is useful for budding beginners through to seasoned professionals and will ensure your permanent artwork is the very best it can be.
Top 5 Best Tattoo Guns For Beginners & Pros
|
Image |
Model |
Kit |
Colour |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Yes |
Brown and black |
$$$ |
||
 |
No |
Black |
$$$$ |
||
 |
No |
Brown and silver |
$ |
||
 |
No |
Black |
$$$ |
||
 |
Yes |
Silver and brown |
$$ |
Different Types Of Tattoo Gun
Some tattoo guns are more desirable for beginners and others cater towards the professional end of the market.
However, it often comes down to a case of personal preference. Read on to find out more about the types of tattoo guns available to help you make your decision.
Rotary Tattoo Guns
These are the original form of tattoo guns and use an electric motor to drive the needles.
The needle is attached to a cylindrical motor and inserts the needle into the skin in a smooth and fluid motion.
They are quiet and cause minimal damage to the skin, which is a great bonus when you’re learning the art of tattooing.
Coil Tattoo Guns
These type of guns are more complicated than rotary machines. However, they do offer more precise lines and are generally the preferred gun for experienced users.
This is great for the look of the tattoo, but if you aren’t careful or professional, coil tattoo guns can cause more damage to the skin than other types of tattoo gun.
Pneumatic Tattoo Guns
Relatively new, pneumatic tattoo guns are lightweight and use forced air from an air compressor to help the needle go up and down.
The best thing about these guns is that they can be cleaned without needing to be pulled apart, unlike coil tattoo guns.
Liner and Shader Tattoo Guns
Liners and shaders are often needed to create the one tattoo.
The liner gun creates straight, bold lines and the shader gun helps fill the tattoo with bright and vivid color.
Tattoo Kits
If you’re new to tattooing, starter kits are a great way to ensure that you have all the necessary tools and equipment.
They generally include tattoo guns, a power supply and a variety of inks. The best tattoo gun kits will often save you a great deal of money too!
Tattoo Gun Brands
Dragonhawk
Dragonhawk offer and extensive range of tattoo machines. They’re your one-stop-shop for all things tattoo related. They have everything from inks to power supplies, machines and accessories!
The prices at Dragonhawk are reasonable and most consumers will qualify for wholesale prices, making the products excellent value for money.
The customer service team at Dragonhawk even offer troubleshooting advice, which makes them ideal for beginners and home users.
Solong Tattoos
Solong Tattoos have been in the industry for over ten years and offer high-quality products.
Their range is extensive and caters for a wide variety of needs.
Whether you want to deck out your professional tattoo shop, or simply enjoy the tattoo experience from the comfort of your own home, Solong Tattoos have you covered.
Ink Machines
For a high-end professional brand, look no further than Ink Machines. They specialize in tattoo guns only, truly catering for the sophisticated artist.
Despite this, their prices are still competitive, making their products attainable by even the newest professionals.
The best thing about Ink Machines is that they’re constantly improving their design to ensure you create the best tattoos possible.
The Top Five Tattoo Guns
Dragonhawk Complete Tattoo Kit
A tattoo kit is a great way to buy everything you need in one convenient purchase.
The Dragonhawk Complete Tattoo kit is easily one of the best tattoo starter kits as it contains tattoo machines, needles, inks, a foot pedal and a power supply.
It’s cheaper than many other kits, and certainly significantly cheaper than buying all the equipment individually.
The quality of the needles, machines and ink may not be up to scratch for professional users, but beginners and home users will find it’s a great kit to help boost your tattooing skills, without blowing the budget.
The low price combined with product variety and ease of use, makes it easily the best tattoo kit for beginners.
Dragon Hawk Rotary Aluminum Tattoo Machine
Made from super lightweight aluminum, the Dragonhawk Rotary Tattoo Machine is ideal for the budding professional.
It’s easy to use and is less damaging to the skin than some other tattoo machines.
The gun comes fully assembled and a power cord, step peddle and clip cord are included.
This is possibly why the machine costs a fair bit more than other tattoo guns, but it means you’re ready to get tattooing as soon as the Dragonhawk Rotary Tattoo Machine arrives on your doorstep.
It’s smooth and quiet, and perfect for home users who are used to using coil machines but want to test out the quality of results that come with using a rotary machine.
If you’re still not convinced about its quality, Dragonhawk offers a full money back guarantee to help give you peace of mind.
New Cast Coil Tattoo Machine
For a machine that helps you produce amazing results as well as looking good itself, look no further than the New Cast Coil Tattoo Machine.
The ergonomic design makes it easy to use and it offers both shader and liner types to ensure you can create any style of tattoo.
It’s significantly cheaper than many other tattoo guns, but doesn’t come with any of the necessary accessories that many other machines provide.
For this reason it’s more suited to professionals who have the ability to attach a power supply and pedals with minimal fuss.
A professional artist also has the skills and ability to modify the machine to suit personal needs and enhance results.
The overall look of the gun is super cool and will style up an eclectic tattoo parlor brilliantly at a fraction of the cost of more expensive, yet similar quality, tattoo machines.
Solong Tattoo Hybrid Tattoo Pen
For fine precision and minimal noise, the Solong Tattoo Hybrid pen is ideal.
It feels as close to an actual pen as you will find from a tattoo gun, making it very user-friendly for beginners.
It’s lightweight and comes with a plug adapter, but you do need to have your own power supply in order to make the pen work.
The outer casing of the pen comes in many different colors, but the color of the ink doesn’t vary.
However, for a novice tattoo artist looking to build on both skills and confidence, this neat little pen is ideal.
Solong Tattoo Complete Tattoo Kit
This extensive tattoo kit by Solong is one of the best tattoo kits for beginners.
It’s cheaper than most other starter tattoo kits and comes with a huge range of supplies, including; 28 ink colors, 20 needles, 10 tips, 2 grips, 100 ink cups and more!
Solong is a known and trusted brand so you know you’re buying quality.
However, it’s important to remember that it’s an introductory kit at a very low price. The quality of the ink may not be as good as you can buy individually.
If you’re more on the professional end of tattooing, this can be rectified by investing in better quality ink through a separate purchase to enhance the overall look of the tattoo.
For a large quantity of items at a fantastic price, the Solong Tattoo Complete Tattoo Kit is almost unbeatable!
Tattoo Gun Buying Guide
In order to buy the most appropriate tattoo gun for you, you need to understand your needs and personal style.
Each tattoo gun classification and type offers different functionality and control, so it’s important to know your skills and choose the best tattoo gun that suits your style the best.
You also need to be aware of which gun is more suitable for dominant lines, and which offers the most vibrant color shading in order to maximize the effect of the tattoo.
Finally, you have to be aware of what you else you’ll be needing in order to create your tattoos.
A tattoo kit will often provide you with everything you need, including ink to help you get started.
These are also great for budding tattoo artists on a budget as they often contain everything you need, including a variety of guns to help you discover which one suits you best.
In Conclusion
Finding the best tattoo gun has just been made simple and easy.
Whether you’re a beginner who’s in the market for a full tattoo kit, or a professional looking to enhance your craftsmanship, you’re now equipped with all the knowledge you need to succeed!
The hard work has been done for you, all that’s left to do is buy your tattoo gun and start tattooing!
