The best lino printing kits in the UK
For most beginners in the UK, the Essdee Lino Printing Essentials Kit (about £18) is the best first kit: it has a handle with two blades, a safety cutter, two soft blocks, black ink, a roller and a baren. On a small budget, the Essdee Linocut Taster Kit (about £12) has the basics. Prices were checked on 14 October 2026 and change often.
NotePULPO! does not earn money from any link on this page today. If that changes, we will say so next to the link. We are also making our own kit (blocks, inks in your design's colours and your plates printed to size): you can join the waiting list after you make a design.
The kits at a glance
| Kit | Price (Oct 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Essdee Linocut Taster Kit | about £12 | Trying lino for the first time |
| Essdee Lino Printing Essentials Kit | about £18 | Most beginners |
| Essdee Lino Cutting and Printing Kit | about £30 | A bigger Essdee set |
| Speedball Super Value Block Printing Starter Kit | about £36 | Three cutters and a larger block |
| Speedball Block Printing Starter Kit | about £57 | Real lino and an inking tray |
| Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit | about £126 | Colour printing, or a generous gift |
The kits in detail
Essdee Linocut Taster Kit
A 45 mm roller, a handle with two cutters (styles 1 and 2), 100 ml of black ink, two SoftCut blocks (150 × 105 mm) and instructions. It has no baren: use the back of a wooden spoon. The cheapest way to find out if you like carving.
Essdee Lino Printing Essentials Kit
A 65 mm roller, a baren, a safety lino cutter, a handle with two blades (No. 1 and No. 2), 100 ml of black block printing ink and two SoftCut blocks (150 × 105 mm). Everything for a first one-colour print, including the baren that the taster kit leaves out. Our pick for most beginners.
Essdee Lino Cutting and Printing Kit
A larger Essdee set from the same UK maker. Check the exact contents on the shop page before you buy, because sets change between batches.
Speedball Super Value Block Printing Starter Kit
A lino handle with No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 cutters, a 4 × 6 inch Speedy-Carve block, 1.25 oz of black water-soluble ink, a 4 inch soft rubber roller and a booklet (contents). The No. 5 is a wide gouge that clears big areas fast.
Speedball Block Printing Starter Kit
A 4 × 5 inch lino block, a handle with No. 1, 2 and 5 cutters, black water-soluble ink, a 4 inch soft roller, a foam inking tray and a booklet. Real lino holds finer detail than soft-cut blocks.
Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit
Five cutters and a knife, black, red, yellow and blue inks plus extender, an inking plate that is also a bench hook, lino blocks, Speedy Stamps, a roller and a booklet. Everything to start printing in colour.
Better cutters
The cutters in starter kits are fine for the first prints. When you want cleaner lines, upgrade the cutter first. A budget step up is the Abig handle with 5 nibs (about £14). Professional printmakers often use Pfeil gouges; a full 12-piece Pfeil set costs about £255, so most people buy one or two single Pfeil tools instead.
SafetyAlways cut away from the hand that holds the block, and use a bench hook so the block cannot slide. In the UK, online sellers must deliver cutters to someone aged 18 or over.
How to choose
- Just curious? The Essdee Taster Kit.
- Want to make a real first print? The Essdee Essentials Kit: it adds the baren.
- Want finer detail? A kit with real lino, such as the Speedball Starter Kit.
- Want colour? The Speedball Deluxe Kit, or any kit plus extra inks. Then read how to print in several colours.
- Not sure what to carve? Make a design from a photo with the free PULPO! tool, and see our ideas for beginners.
Sources
- Cowling & Wilcox: Essdee Linocut Taster Kit
- Cowling & Wilcox: Essdee Lino Printing Essentials Kit
- Cass Art: Essdee Lino Cutting and Printing Kit
- Cass Art: Speedball Super Value Block Printing Starter Kit
- Remai Modern shop: Super Value Starter Kit contents
- Fred Aldous: Speedball Block Printing Starter Kit
- Fred Aldous: Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit
- Fred Aldous: Abig lino cutting handle with 5 nibs
- Tools and Timber: Pfeil 12-piece lino and block cutter set
Questions
What should a lino printing starter kit include?
At least a cutter handle with a V and a U blade, one or two blocks, block printing ink and a roller. A baren or a wooden spoon to rub the paper, and some paper, are also needed.
Is soft-cut vinyl or real lino better for beginners?
Soft-cut blocks (such as Essdee SoftCut or Speedball Speedy-Carve) are easier to carve and kinder to hands. Traditional lino holds finer detail and is firmer. Many people start with soft-cut, then move to lino.
Can children use a lino kit?
Lino cutters are sharp blades, and in the UK they count as bladed articles: online sellers must check that the buyer is 18 or over. Children should only carve with close adult supervision, and many kits say they are not for young children.
Why do some kits have no cutters?
Because of the rules for selling blades online, some craft kits leave the cutters out and link to a shop that sells them with age checks.