The 4 Best Exterior House Paints by Consumer Reports

Before you commit to a paint, it’s worth knowing how it performs under pressure. Consumer Reports doesn’t just look at color swatches; they conduct an exhaustive, multi-year trial, exposing painted panels to the harshest weather conditions to simulate a decade of wear and tear. This real-world testing process is designed to find the paints that offer lasting durability, not just a pretty finish on day one. Understanding their rigorous method gives you confidence in their findings. We’ll explore the best exterior house paint consumer reports recommend based on this intense process, showing you which products earned top marks for resisting cracking, fading, and dirt.

Key Takeaways

• Look Beyond the Label to Real-World Testing: Consumer Reports’ multi-year process simulates how paints actually hold up to weather, giving you a much more reliable guide to durability than marketing claims alone.
• A Higher Price Doesn’t Guarantee Better Protection: Top-scoring paints from brands like Behr and Clark+Kensington often outperform more expensive competitors, proving you can get a durable, long-lasting finish without overspending.
• Match Your Paint to Your Climate: For homes in the Pacific Northwest, prioritize paints with excellent mildew resistance to combat our damp weather, and always specify your chosen paint to your contractor to ensure you get the quality you paid for.

How Does Consumer Reports Test Exterior Paint?

When you’re choosing an exterior paint, you’re making a major investment in your home’s protection and curb appeal. You need a product that can stand up to the elements, especially in the varied climate of the Puget Sound. That’s why the unbiased, in-depth reviews from Consumer Reports are so valuable. They don’t just look at a paint swatch in a lab; they put these paints through an exhaustive, multi-year process to see how they perform in the real world.

Understanding their method helps you see why their top-rated paints consistently earn their place. It’s not about marketing hype—it’s about proven performance under pressure. Before you pick a color, it’s worth knowing exactly what goes into their rigorous testing method and what they’re looking for in a high-quality exterior paint. This insight can help you make a choice that will keep your home looking great for years to come.

Their Three-Year, Real-World Testing Process

Consumer Reports takes a truly hands-on approach. Their experts paint dozens of pine panels with each paint being tested. These panels are then placed on the roof of their headquarters, angled to face south for maximum exposure to sun and harsh weather. For three full years, these panels are battered by rain, snow, and UV rays.

This intense exposure is designed to simulate nine years of wear and tear on a typical house. By accelerating the aging process, their team can accurately predict how a paint will hold up over the long haul. It’s a real-world trial that separates the paints that merely look good on day one from those that offer lasting durability.

Key Performance Factors They Measure

After three years on the roof, the paints are brought inside for a thorough evaluation. The team evaluates paints based on several key factors that matter most to homeowners. They check for any signs of cracking, which can let moisture seep into your siding. They also look for color changes and fading, ensuring the shade you chose is the one you’ll have years from now.

Furthermore, they assess how well the paint resists dirt and mildew—a critical factor in our damp Pacific Northwest climate. Finally, they measure VOC (volatile organic compound) levels to identify greener, healthier options. A paint only gets a top score if it excels across all these categories, proving it can both protect and beautify your home.

The Top-Rated Exterior Paints, According to Consumer Reports

When it’s time to choose an exterior paint, the sheer number of options on the shelf can be overwhelming. You want something that looks great and, more importantly, protects your home from the elements. That’s where unbiased, in-depth testing comes in handy. Consumer Reports is a trusted source for this, putting paints through rigorous trials that mimic years of sun, rain, and temperature swings to see how they hold up. Their findings give us a clear picture of which products truly deliver on their promises.

The results from their latest tests show a few clear winners that excel in durability, appearance, and overall performance. These top-rated paints resist fading, cracking, and mildew—all crucial factors, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. A quality paint job is the finishing touch on any exterior project, whether you’re refreshing your current look or protecting brand-new residential siding. Let’s look at the specific paints that earned the highest marks.

Behr Marquee Exterior Paint (Score: 75/100)

Earning a top score, Behr Marquee is a standout performer. According to Consumer Reports’ lab tests, this paint-and-primer combo excels at resisting the things that age a home’s exterior most: fading, cracking, dirt, and mildew. Its strong mildew resistance makes it a particularly smart choice for the damp Puget Sound climate. If you’re looking for a durable finish that will keep your home looking fresh and clean for years, Marquee is one of the best options available. It’s a premium product that delivers on its promise of long-lasting protection and color retention.

Behr Ultra Exterior Paint (Score: 75/100)

Sharing the top spot with its sibling, Behr Ultra also scores an impressive 75 out of 100. This paint is celebrated for offering fantastic performance at a slightly more accessible price point than the Marquee line. It provides excellent durability and holds up well against harsh weather, ensuring your home is protected season after season. Like Marquee, it’s a paint-and-primer in one, which helps streamline the painting process. For homeowners who want top-tier results and great value, Behr Ultra is a reliable choice that doesn’t compromise on quality or resilience.

Clark+Kensington Exterior Paint (Score: 75/100)

Also tying for the highest score, Clark+Kensington’s exterior paint proves you don’t always need the most well-known brand name to get superior results. This paint is praised for its strong performance across the board, effectively resisting the elements and maintaining its appearance over time. It stands out as an affordable option that competes directly with more expensive premium paints, making it an excellent value. If you’re looking for a high-quality finish that protects your home without stretching your budget, Clark+Kensington is a fantastic and often overlooked choice.

Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Paint (Score: 73/100)

Just behind the top contenders, Sherwin-Williams Emerald earns a very respectable score of 73. This paint is well-known for its exceptional durability and self-priming application, making it a favorite among many professional painters. While Consumer Reports noted it wasn’t quite as resistant to dirt as the top three, its overall performance is still excellent. It provides a tough, long-lasting finish that protects against blistering, peeling, and fading. For those who trust the Sherwin-Williams brand and are looking for a premium, reliable paint, Emerald remains a solid investment for any exterior project.

Price vs. Performance: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Choosing the right paint often feels like a balancing act between your budget and your desire for a long-lasting finish. While it’s tempting to grab the cheapest can on the shelf, the true value of an exterior paint lies in how well it performs over time. A higher upfront cost can mean fewer repaints down the road, saving you money and hassle in the long run. Let’s break down how the top-rated paints stack up when you compare what you pay with what you get. We’ll look at the cost per gallon, how they stand up to the elements, and how easy they are to work with.

Cost Per Gallon

You might assume that a top score from Consumer Reports comes with a premium price tag, but that’s not always the case. You can find excellent, highly-rated paints without draining your wallet. For example, both Clark + Kensington and Behr Ultra Exterior earn high marks and typically cost around $50 per gallon. This makes top-tier performance accessible for most budgets. Of course, there are more expensive options like Sherwin-Williams Emerald, which can run significantly higher. The key is to think beyond the initial sticker price and consider it an investment in your home’s protection and curb appeal.

Durability and Weather Resistance

Here in the Pacific Northwest, durability is everything. Consumer Reports singles out a paint’s ability to resist cracking as its most important quality, and for good reason. Cracks are an open invitation for water to seep in and damage your home’s structure. A durable paint film acts as the first line of defense for your residential siding, protecting it from moisture, rot, and mildew. The long-term testing process, with checks after three, six, and even nine years of real-world weather exposure, gives you a clear picture of which paints will keep your home looking great season after season.

Coverage and Ease of Application

A great paint job requires proper application, and the paint itself plays a big role in that. For the best results, experts recommend applying two coats over a primer. However, many modern formulas, like Behr Premium Plus Ultra, combine paint and primer in one, which can save you a significant amount of time and effort. Good coverage means you’ll get a smooth, uniform finish without needing to apply endless coats. This not only makes the project go faster but can also reduce the total amount of paint you need to buy, adding another layer of value.

The Pros and Cons of Each Top Brand

Once you have the scores, the next step is to look at what’s behind the numbers. Each of these top-rated brands has a distinct profile, offering a different balance of cost, durability, and overall value. Understanding these nuances will help you decide which paint is the perfect match for your home’s exterior and your budget. Let’s break down what makes each one stand out.

Behr: Balancing Performance and Price

Behr has built a solid reputation for delivering high-quality results without the premium price tag, and the test results back it up. Consumer Reports consistently gives top marks to Behr Ultra Exterior and Behr Marquee Exterior, highlighting their fantastic resistance to fading, cracking, and mildew. This is a huge plus for us in the Pacific Northwest, where our homes face everything from damp, gray winters to surprisingly sunny summers. Behr offers that sweet spot of proven performance and affordability, making it a go-to choice for homeowners who want a beautiful, long-lasting finish that protects their residential siding investment.

Clark+Kensington: The Best Value

If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, Clark+Kensington is a clear winner. At around $50 per gallon, it’s a highly affordable option that doesn’t ask you to compromise on quality. In fact, it scores higher than some of its more expensive competitors, making it an excellent value proposition. This brand is ideal for larger projects where paint costs can quickly add up or for homeowners who want a reliable, durable finish while keeping a close eye on the budget. Choosing a high-value paint like this means you can allocate more of your resources to other parts of your exterior project, like installing new windows or making repairs.

Sherwin-Williams: Is the Premium Price Worth It?

Sherwin-Williams is often seen as the professional’s choice, and its Emerald line is a strong performer. However, at about $72 per gallon, it comes with a significantly higher price. While it holds up well in many respects, Consumer Reports notes that it doesn’t resist dirt quite as effectively as the other top contenders. So, is it worth the extra cost? The answer really depends on your priorities. If you’re loyal to the brand or working with a contractor who specializes in their products, it can be a great option. For many homeowners, though, the performance gains may not justify the price jump, especially when other brands offer better dirt resistance for less.

Choosing the Right Paint for Your Climate

A fresh coat of paint does more than just update your home’s color; it’s a protective shield for your siding. But not all paints are created equal, especially when you factor in the local weather. The paint that works wonders in sunny Arizona would struggle against the damp chill of a Puget Sound winter. Choosing a formula designed for our specific climate is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for the longevity and appearance of your home’s exterior. It ensures your investment holds up against moisture, sun, and temperature swings, keeping your residential siding looking great for years.

Best for Hot, Sunny Climates

If your home gets a lot of direct sunlight, you’re fighting a constant battle against UV rays. Intense sun can cause paint to fade, crack, and peel prematurely, leaving your siding exposed. To combat this, you’ll want to look for an acrylic-based paint specifically formulated for UV protection. According to lab tests, these are the best exterior paints for maintaining their color and integrity under harsh sunlight. Think of it as sunscreen for your house—it blocks the damaging rays and keeps the finish looking vibrant and intact, preventing the sun from baking the life right out of your paint job.

Best for Humid and Rainy Areas

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we know a thing or two about rain and humidity. All that moisture creates the perfect environment for mildew, which can appear as unsightly dark spots on your siding. That’s why choosing a mildew-resistant paint is non-negotiable in our climate. These paints contain additives that inhibit the growth of mold and mildew, protecting your home’s exterior from moisture-related deterioration. A quality, mildew-resistant finish ensures your paint job not only looks clean and fresh but also provides a durable barrier that helps your siding last longer, even through our dampest seasons.

Best for Cold, Snowy Winters

While our winters aren’t the harshest in the country, we still get our share of freezing temperatures and moisture. This freeze-thaw cycle can be tough on exterior paint. When moisture seeps into tiny cracks, it freezes, expands, and can cause the paint to chip and peel away from the siding. To prevent this, you need a paint that remains flexible in cold weather and can withstand the stress of changing temperatures. The best exterior paints are engineered to handle these conditions, adhering strongly to the surface and resisting the damage that cold, wet weather can inflict, ensuring your home stays protected all year round.

Common Climate-Related Paint Mistakes to Avoid

When you’re ready to paint, it’s easy to fall back on old habits, but it’s a mistake to choose a brand just because you’ve used it before. Paint formulas are updated all the time, so last year’s top performer might not be the best choice today. Another common pitfall is letting a painter choose the paint for you. While it might seem convenient, they may be getting a discount on a particular brand that isn’t the best fit for your home. To get an exterior paint job that lasts, do your own research and select the specific paint you want. This puts you in control of the quality and ensures you get the performance your home deserves.

Finding the Best Deals on Top-Rated Paints

A fresh coat of paint is one of the most impactful updates you can make to your home’s exterior, but the cost of high-quality paint can add up quickly. The good news is that with a little planning, you can get a great price on the best products. Knowing where and when to shop can make a huge difference in your project’s budget, allowing you to invest in a top-rated paint without overspending. Here’s how you can find the best deals.

Pricing at Major Home Improvement Stores

When you start shopping, you’ll notice that prices for top-rated paints can vary quite a bit between brands and stores. Based on Consumer Reports’ testing, you can expect to see a range. For example, Behr Marquee Exterior, a top performer, runs about $51 per gallon at Home Depot, while their Behr Ultra option is about $10 cheaper. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly choice, Clark+Kensington from Ace Hardware is highly rated and costs around $35 per gallon. On the higher end, Sherwin-Williams Emerald is priced at about $72 per gallon. Comparing these options helps you balance your budget with the performance you need.

The Deal with Contractor Discounts

Here’s an insider tip: if you’re painting your entire house, you’re buying a lot of paint. Don’t hesitate to ask about bulk pricing or contractor discounts. Some stores, like Ace Hardware, have been known to offer a discount on large orders of their Clark+Kensington paint. This is a common practice in the industry, and many suppliers are willing to work with you on a large-scale project. This is one of the benefits of working with a professional team; contractors often have established relationships with suppliers that give them access to better pricing, which can translate into savings for your project.

When to Buy: Seasonal Sales to Watch For

Timing is everything, even when buying paint. You can often find the best prices by planning your purchase around seasonal sales. Major holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day are prime times for home improvement stores to run promotions. Generally, May and September are fantastic months to keep an eye out for deals. By planning your project calendar around these sales events, you can stock up on all the supplies you need at a fraction of the regular cost. A little foresight here can lead to significant savings, making your exterior update that much more satisfying.

Related Articles

• How Much to Paint a House Exterior? A Cost Breakdown – Landmark Roofing & Siding
• 7 Best Color Combinations for Your House Exterior – Landmark Roofing & Siding

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a more expensive paint like Sherwin-Williams really worth the extra cost? Not always. While premium brands like Sherwin-Williams make excellent products, the test results show that you don’t have to pay the highest price for top-tier performance. Brands like Behr and Clark+Kensington scored just as high, or even higher, in key areas like dirt and mildew resistance for a fraction of the cost. The best value comes from finding a paint that excels in the specific challenges your home faces, and often, that isn’t the most expensive can on the shelf.

What’s the single most important quality to look for in an exterior paint for a home in the Puget Sound? For our damp climate, mildew resistance is absolutely critical. Constant moisture creates the perfect breeding ground for mildew, which can stain your siding and degrade the paint film. A paint with strong, built-in mildew inhibitors will keep your home looking clean and fresh while actively fighting off moisture-related issues. Durability against cracking is a close second, as it prevents water from getting behind the paint in the first place.

The article mentions paint-and-primer combos. Can I really skip the priming step? It depends on the condition of your siding. If you’re painting over a clean, stable surface with a similar color, a high-quality paint-and-primer product is often sufficient and can save you a lot of time. However, if you’re painting over bare wood, stained surfaces, or a glossy finish, using a separate, dedicated primer is the best way to ensure the new paint adheres properly and gives you a durable, long-lasting finish.

How can I tell if my current siding is in good enough shape to be painted? Before you even think about paint colors, take a close look at your siding. Look for signs of damage like soft spots, warping, or significant cracks, which could indicate underlying moisture issues. A solid paint job needs a solid foundation. If the surface is peeling or chalking heavily, it will need to be thoroughly scraped and cleaned. If you find any areas of concern, it’s wise to have them inspected to ensure you aren’t just painting over a bigger problem.

Besides price, how do I choose between the top-rated Behr and Clark+Kensington paints? Since both offer fantastic performance, the choice often comes down to accessibility and color selection. Behr is exclusively available at Home Depot, while Clark+Kensington is an Ace Hardware brand. Take a look at the color palettes each brand offers to see which one has the perfect shade for your home. You might also find that one store is more convenient for you, which can be a deciding factor when you need to pick up extra supplies during your project.