Bates Choice Bates - Paint Tray Set, Paint Rollers, Paint Brushes for Wall, Tray, Roller Brush, 11 Piece Home Painting Supplies, Foam Brush, House Painting Supplies, Painting Tools, Interior, Exterior

A practical, budget-friendly paint kit that mostly gets the fundamentals right

I put the Bates kit through a full weekend of repainting—one small bedroom and a kitchen accent wall—to see whether an all-in-one bundle could hold up to real-world projects. The short answer: it can, with a few caveats. If you want a no-fuss way to roll paint on walls and cut clean edges without overspending, this set delivers good results. If you’re tackling larger jobs or demanding finishes, you may want to make a couple of strategic upgrades.

What you get and first impressions

The kit includes:
- 9-inch roller frame with two 1/2-inch nap covers
- 4-inch mini roller frame with two 1/2-inch covers
- 2-inch angled sash brush
- High-density foam brush
- Plastic tray

Out of the box, the frames feel light but not flimsy, and the covers are standard polyester blends with a consistent nap. The angled brush has synthetic filaments with decent tapering, and the foam brush is dense enough for small touch-ups.

The tray is lightweight plastic. That keeps the kit portable and inexpensive, but it’s the item that feels most “budget.” More on that later.

Setup and ergonomics

Both roller frames accept their covers with a snug friction fit. I didn’t have issues with slop in the 9-inch frame, and the mini frame seated the cover squarely once I pressed the ends firmly into the end caps. The large frame on my set threaded onto a standard extension pole, which made ceiling edges and high cuts easier. If you rely on an extension pole, check yours is the standard threaded type.

The handles are plastic with a mild texture. They’re not cushioned, but the shape is neutral enough that I didn’t notice hotspots during a two-hour session. If you have very small hands, the 9-inch frame’s handle may feel chunky; the 4-inch frame is naturally easier to control in tighter spaces.

Rolling performance on typical drywall

For interior latex on reasonably smooth drywall, the 1/2-inch covers hit a useful balance between paint capacity and finish. I rolled eggshell on the bedroom walls and satin on the kitchen accent, and in both cases the nap loaded predictably and released evenly. The resulting texture was a light, uniform stipple that dried down cleanly—no surprise lines, bare patches, or obvious lint specks.

A few practical notes:
- Prime the roller cover by dampening it with water, spinning out the excess, and back-rolling in the tray before hitting the wall. It reduces early lint and helps the cover load uniformly.
- Don’t over-press. If you bear down to squeeze more paint out of the tray, the cover can feel like it’s “sticking” on initial passes and may start to creep outward on the frame. A lighter touch with more frequent trips to the tray keeps things smooth.
- When seating a cover, twist while pushing it onto the frame. Twisting back the other way helps lock it in place.

The mini roller is the unsung hero here. Behind a toilet, along narrow returns, and above cabinet runs, it saved me from awkward brush-only work. The 1/2-inch nap is a bit plush for trim, but for small wall areas and tight zones it’s exactly what you want.

Cutting in and detail work

The 2-inch angled brush is better than I expected at this price point. It holds enough paint to cut a three- to four-foot line, tapers cleanly enough for consistent edges, and flicks off a straight line with light pressure. It isn’t a premium sash brush, so you won’t get the ultra-crisp feather you’d want for gloss doors, but for cutting ceilings and baseboards in wall paint, it did the job well.

The foam brush is best treated as a finishing accessory. I used it to touch small misses on the last pass and to dab out tiny sags at inside corners. For broad surfaces, stick to the rollers.

The tray: usable but benefits from a liner

The tray’s weakness is flex. Load it heavily and press a roller into the well, and you’ll feel the base give a little. That’s not a deal-breaker for small to medium rooms, but I recommend:
- Use a standard 9-inch liner. It stiffens the tray and speeds cleanup.
- Keep the paint level to the mid-rib line rather than the brim.
- Set the tray on a solid, flat surface—no balancing on drop cloth drapes.

With those adjustments, the tray behaved fine and didn’t hamper the work. If I were painting an entire house, I’d upgrade to a metal tray and keep the rest of this kit.

Cleanup and reusability

One of the selling points of synthetic filaments and polyester covers is easy cleanup and reasonable lifespan. After each session, I:

• Scraped excess paint from the brush and rollers back into the can.
• Washed with warm water and a bit of mild soap.
• Combed the brush and spun the roller covers to get them back to fluffy.
• Stored the brush and covers hanging to dry.

After two days and four color changes, the covers still loaded well and didn’t shed noticeably. The brush retained its edge and didn’t splay. Expect a few reuses if you’re diligent about cleaning; they won’t last like high-end tools, but they’re not single-use either. The frames rinsed quickly and never showed rust (they’re mostly plastic and wire). The tray scuffed and stained but remained serviceable.

Pro tip: Between coats, wrap the roller cover and brush tightly in plastic wrap or slide them into zip bags and squeeze out air. That keeps them wet for hours and avoids unnecessary washing between coats.

Where this kit shines—and where it doesn’t

This is a wall-and-ceiling workhorse for smooth to lightly textured surfaces. The 1/2-inch nap is ideal for:
- Drywall with flat, eggshell, or satin finishes
- Priming new walls
- Standard interior repaints
- Light exterior siding in good condition

It’s not the right setup for:
- Very rough surfaces (stucco, heavy knockdown)—you’ll want a thicker nap (3/4 inch or more)
- Ultra-smooth, high-gloss doors or furniture—use a short-nap or foam roller and a finer sash brush
- All-day, every-day pro use—upgrade the tray and consider higher-end covers for longevity

Durability notes and minor quirks

• Tray flex is the main limitation. A liner or metal tray solves it.
• On one occasion, a 9-inch cover started to creep outward after I overloaded it and pressed hard in the tray. Reseating it (wipe the frame wire dry, twist as you push) fixed it.
• The mini roller will stall if it isn’t fully seated on the end caps. Press it on evenly until both ends snap home.
• The handles are on the larger side. If you have small hands, the mini frame will feel more comfortable for fine control; an extension pole also reduces hand fatigue on the 9-inch frame.

None of these were showstoppers, and all are common quirks with budget-friendly paint kits.

Pros and cons

Pros:
- Complete set to get rolling immediately
- 1/2-inch covers balance capacity and finish well on walls
- Angled brush cuts clean lines and cleans up easily
- Mini roller is genuinely useful in tight spaces
- Frames are light and accept a standard pole (on my set)
- Strong value for the price

Cons:
- Plastic tray flexes under load; benefits from a liner or upgrade
- Handles may feel bulky for smaller hands
- Covers can creep if you overload and press hard in the tray
- Not optimized for specialty finishes or very rough surfaces

The bottom line

The Bates set is a practical, affordable way to paint rooms without piecing together a kit from scratch. It rolls a clean, consistent finish on typical drywall, the sash brush makes cutting straightforward, and the mini roller saves a surprising amount of time in tight spaces. The compromises—chiefly the lightweight tray—are easy to work around with a liner or a metal tray upgrade.

Recommendation: I recommend this kit for DIYers handling small to medium interior projects who want solid results on a budget. You’ll paint faster and cleaner than with mismatched odds and ends, and with basic care the tools will last through multiple jobs. If you’re planning whole-house repaints or need premium finishes on doors and cabinets, pair this set with a sturdier tray and specialty covers/brushes. For typical walls and ceilings, though, this kit earns its keep.