Brands

My opinions on various puzzle brands as we get to know them

Schmidt is our preferred brand. Pieces are sturdy and high quality, few false fits, the print has a nice matte texture and we tend to just like their choice of motives.

In terms of quality, Ravensburger is equal to Schmidt and we have no hesitation in buying their puzzles. That we in practice don't do a whole lot of them, mainly comes down to not finding their motives equally interesting. I am not a big fan of some of their computer graphics in their pictures.

Castorland is the best of the cheaper brands. About 20% cheaper than Ravensburger and Schmidt, making them a popular in the used market, so we do end up with a lot of them. Pieces are slightly thinner and the cardboard box not quite as sturdy, but in practice they are still enjoyable to put together.

While we haven't done a whole lot of Educa puzzles, they are of good quality and the brand has a slight twist on the traditional piece shape. It is not the so-called "random cut" of other brands, but just a single side of a piece can have an odd shape.

Trefl is a cheaper brand that we tend to avoid. They are not bad, but Castorland is simply better at the same price point. Not ruling them out if I see a motive I really like, but now it is mostly what we buy for the kids.