Puzzle Brand Guide

Choosing a new jigsaw puzzle can be overwhelming for novices and seasoned enthusiasts alike, given the vast number of brands available. Beyond the artwork, understanding a brand's reputation for quality, piece fit, and unique offerings can significantly enhance your puzzling experience. Here’s a look at some of the most recognized and beloved puzzle brands in the industry:

Bits and Pieces

• • Origin: Founded in the US in 1983.

  • Known For: A huge selection of folksy Americana images that evoke a simpler time, with frequent new releases for holidays and seasons.

  • Considerations:

    • Considered to have the industry's best-shaped puzzles (animals, cottages, Christmas trees, etc.).

    • Pieces boast a perfect fit.

    • Weak puzzle boxes.

    • Do not include additional materials (e.g., posters) in the box.

Buffalo Games

• Origin: Buffalo, New York, USA.

• Known For: Excellent customer service, including a no-questions-asked replacement policy for missing pieces (for puzzles produced within the last 4 years).

• Considerations:

  • Eco-friendly manufacturing process with premium-quality materials.

  • Minimal puzzle dust.

  • "Perfect Snap" technology ensures precisely cut pieces.

  • Vibrant colors and sharp, high-definition images.

  • Top choice for widescreen, panoramic landscapes, wildlife scenes, historical landmarks, and popular culture (superheroes, Star Wars, Pokémon).

  • Pieces are smaller than average but fit well and offer good variety.

  • Sturdy, compact boxes for easy storage,

  • Includes a poster insert.

Ceaco

• Origin: US-based since the late 1980s.

• Known For: A wide range of popular puzzle themes, from Disney characters to Thomas Kinkade paintings.

• Considerations:

  • Quality has reportedly slipped.

  • Pieces are often thin, leading to a flimsy overall puzzle.

  • The image often lifts off the pieces.

  • High amount of puzzle dust in the box.

Clementoni

• Origin: Italy.

• Known For: Strong commitment to sustainability and eco-friendliness.

• Considerations:

  • Puzzles are made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste and non-pollutant materials.

  • Utilizes acid-free paper and inks with no petroleum additives.

  • Passionate about producing 100% safe, non-toxic puzzles, especially for children, with a focus on learning through play.

Cobble Hill

• Origin: Popular Canadian puzzle brand, founded in 2005.

• Known For: A variety of themes including home & garden, transportation, animals, holidays, seasons, and destinations. Popular for vintage poster puzzles.

• Strengths:

  • Thick, durable pieces.

  • Good variety in piece shapes, particularly for ribbon-cut puzzles.

  • Committed to sustainability, using recycled and biodegradable materials.

Dowdle Puzzles

• Origin: US-based brand, part of Broadway Puzzles.

• Known For: Exclusively featuring the folk art of Eric Dowdle, portraying cityscapes, landscapes, and family traditions designed to tell a story.

• Considerations:

  • Offers high-quality wooden puzzles, alongside traditional cardboard and "mini-puzzles."

  • Artwork reflects "the best things in life."

  • Puzzle boxes include fun facts about the subject matter.

Educa

• Origin: Madrid, Spain.

• Known For: Beautiful selections of European landscapes and landmarks (e.g., St. Basil’s Cathedral), as well as fine art, fantasy, and animal themes.

• Considerations:

  • Puzzles come in a variety of sizes, including panoramas and unique animal shapes.

  • Thick and sturdy puzzle pieces.

  • Puzzle boxes are sturdy and include a packet of puzzle glue.

  • A glossy finish that can create glare.

  • Limited piece shape variety, making it easy to confuse placements, especially in large monochromatic sections.

Eurographics

• Origin: Canadian puzzle manufacturing company.

• Known For: Educational and informative themes, including world-famous art and scientific diagrams designed to challenge and inspire.

• Strengths:

  • High-quality, precision-cut pieces.

  • Comprehensive designs that demand concentration, aiding in skill improvement.

  • Thick puzzle pieces with plenty of shape variety.

  • Can expect some glare on the finish.

  • It may have some puzzle dust.

  • Boxes do not include extras beyond the puzzle pieces.

Galison

• Origin: New York City, USA. Founded in 1979.

• Known For: An art-focused brand committed to bringing art into everyday life, often collaborating directly with art museums for lesser-known pieces.

• Considerations:

  • Offers unique puzzle types like double-sided, foil, and wooden puzzles.

  • Packaged in sturdy, matte-finish boxes that include a poster insert of the puzzle image.

Gibson

• Origin: 100-year-old English puzzle brand, founded in 1919.

• Known For: Wide range of themes including landscapes, city landmarks, nostalgic cottage scenes, and Thomas Kinkade artwork.

• Considerations:

  • Uses the thickest puzzle board available.

  • Puzzles are made from 100% recycled materials.

  • Sturdy puzzle boxes with artist information and an image poster.

  • Pieces can be quite similar in shape, making misfits easier.

Heye

• Origin: Germany.

• Known For: High-quality, unique, and collectible cartoon puzzles, many of which are specially commissioned.

• Considerations:

  • Features famous artists like Andy Kehoe, Alex Bennett (hidden-object), and Ryba (full-cartoon).

  • Crisp, beautiful colors and high-resolution images with a non-glossy surface.

  • Unique puzzle packaging: boxes come in square, panorama, triangle, and vertical forms, offering creative storage solutions.

MasterPieces

• Origin: Arizona, USA.

• Known For: A huge variety of themes, including fine art, vintage cars, travel, National Parks, and Audubon series.

• Considerations:

  • Puzzle pieces are thinner than other brands, feeling flimsy.

  • Loose fit, causing sections to easily fall apart when moved.

  • While boxes are sturdy and uniquely designed, they do not come with any extras.

New York Puzzle Company

• Origin: New York City, USA. Founded in 2007.

• Known For: Aiming to make puzzles both an activity and a work of art, offering unique images suitable for display. Popular for vintage New Yorker magazine cover puzzles.

• Considerations:

  • Non-grid cut puzzles with thick pieces and plenty of unique shapes and sizes.

  • Loose fit, where pieces can separate easily.

  • The shapes of the pieces are visible in a completed puzzle.

Peter Pauper Press

• Origin: US-based, making puzzles since 1928.

• Known For: A smaller but distinct selection of puzzles with vivid, one-of-a-kind images. Themes include animals, landscapes, and collages.

• Considerations:

  • Precision-cut pieces that fit snugly, allowing sections to be moved easily.

  • High-resolution images with a linen finish to reduce glare.

  • Made of thick puzzle board.

  • Includes a poster.

Pomegranate

• Origin: US-based.

• Known For: Fine art-focused brand committed to high-quality puzzles and zero-waste packaging. Collaborates with artists, museums, galleries, and libraries to bring art to life since 1970.

• Considerations:

  • Uses matte art paper for crisp, glare-free colors.

  • Ribbon-cut style creates minimal puzzle dust.

  • Prioritizes sustainability in all materials, including a resealable puzzle bag.

  • Sturdy and well-designed puzzle boxes.

  • Does not typically include extras in the box.

Ravensburger

• Origin: Germany. Making puzzles since 1883.

• Known For: Widely regarded as one of the best puzzle manufacturers globally, with numerous awards (Oppenheim’s Best Toy, Family Fun Toy of the Year, Parents' Choice Award).

• Considerations:

  • Does not use a typical grid-cut; each puzzle is based on a hand-drawn template, giving pieces unique character (wavy lines, varied shapes).

  • Pieces are exceptionally well-cut, ensuring a perfect fit every time.

  • Sturdy and beautiful boxes, often including a puzzle poster and a catalog.

Schmidt

• Origin: Germany.

• Known For: Popular for its fantasy-themed puzzles, though it offers a variety of themes.

• Considerations:

  • Despite being typically grid-cut, their pieces offer a good variety, making assembly more interesting.

  • Sturdy puzzle boxes.

  • Boxes do not contain extras.

Springbok

• Origin: American company, producing puzzles since 1963 (one of the oldest and most respected brands).

• Known For: High-quality products and earning the trust of puzzle enthusiasts.

• Considerations:

  • Wooden puzzles are cut using jigsaws; cardboard-backed puzzles are die-cut.

  • Pieces are 18% thicker than average, making them highly durable and resistant to damage or bending.

  • Pieces interlock perfectly, allowing assembled sections to be moved without falling apart.

  • Uniquely shaped pieces require accurate placement, aiding hand-eye coordination development.

  • A broad mix of piece shapes often makes them more challenging, fostering perseverance and patience.

White Mountain

• Origin: New Hampshire, USA.

• Known For: Puzzles packed with nostalgia and educational themes, often featuring intricate collages with vibrant designs.

• Considerations:

  • Larger pieces make them perfect for beginners or casual family play.

  • The collection includes retro advertisements, historical landmarks, and pop culture themes.

  • Pieces have a great fit.

  • Sturdy box, includes a stand and brochures.

  • Engages with its puzzle community, even polling customers for future puzzle ideas.