KraftGeek kindly sent me their Inspire Easel in Walnut to review (also available in Oak, Black, and White), and after putting it through its paces both outdoors and in my studio, I’ve got a lot to say.

Whether you’re working in the studio, on the go, or en plein air (outdoors, working directly from life), a sturdy and properly angled surface can make a big difference. It affects the quality of your work, your posture, and how enjoyable your creative time is. And if you like to record your process, like I do, a reliable easel is even more important.

In this post, I’ll share my first impressions, how the easel performed in the field, and whether it deserves a spot in your creative toolkit—or should I say, art-senal? (Yes, I went there.)

First Impressions

The easel arrived well-packaged, with everything protected and in pristine condition—a small but important part of the user experience. So let’s talk about the unboxing.

It honestly felt like opening an Apple product. Sleek and minimal, with a semi-transparent, vellum-like instruction sheet resting on top of the easel. It included a clean, visual guide for setup—though, to be honest, there’s no actual assembly required. Underneath that was a more detailed info packet available in multiple languages. (Yes, I read it—I’m that kind of person.)

The easel was folded down compactly in a form-fitting plastic shell. Easily some of the best packaging I’ve seen for an art product. And it’s not just aesthetic—the way the easel folds up with no awkward gaps or sticking-out parts means it’s less likely to get damaged in transit or storage.

Once out of the box, the easel felt solid. It has some weight to it—which I actually love, especially for outdoor work. The last thing you want is a gust of wind knocking over your whole setup. It’s also thoughtfully designed: intuitive to unfold, with locking mechanisms on each of the three legs clearly marked with lock/unlock symbols. It’s the kind of build quality that just feels good to use.

Still shot from my video review on my YouTube Channel. Read on for link to video

The easel includes two canvas holders on the bottom and one on top. The top holder has a spring-loaded grip that slides up to accommodate different sizes and then locks your board or canvas securely in place. Smooth, sturdy, satisfying.

One of my favorite features? A ¾-inch threaded mount at the top of the easel. This opens up a ton of options—lights, phone or camera mounts, reference holders. For me, it immediately clicked: I could use it to mount a camera to film my process, which is a huge plus for my workflow.

Field Test – Fountain Square, Cincinnati, OH

After that promising unboxing, I was eager to test it out. I headed to Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati for a live sketching session.

I mounted a drawing board in the easel’s canvas holders, then taped down a sheet of 14×17" drawing paper. The entire setup—including easel, supplies, and a tripod for filming—took under three minutes. Fast, painless, and efficient.

Conditions were windy—it’s a big open space between buildings—but the easel didn’t wobble once. It stayed rock-solid throughout, which made the whole sketching experience calm and focused. I had a great time drawing the fountain and documenting the process.

You can watch the video of this field test on my YouTube channel, John McCoy Art. Is This the Best Portable Easel for Artists? | KraftGeek Inspire Easel Review

Fun side note: Our baby was ready to go before I finished the drawing, so I packed up and wrapped it up later in the studio—which also gave me the chance to test the easel in an indoor setting. It performed just as well there.

Final Thoughts

The KraftGeek Inspire Easel checks all the boxes: it’s beautifully made, easy to use, rock-solid, and smartly designed for both portability and function. Whether you're a hobbyist, a professional, or someone who shares their work online, this is a tool that adds real value to your creative process.

If you’re interested in trying it yourself, here are some links and a discount:

🛒 Buy the Inspire Easel:

• KraftGeek Online Store

• Amazon US

💸 Use code JMART15 for 15% off

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Feel free to drop a comment if you’ve tried the easel yourself or have questions about it—and don’t forget to check out the YouTube video for the live demo.