For any DIY spree you need a good set of brushes, a roller, some common sense and a backup plan if it all goes hideously wrong. I only have the first two.

These brushes are of excellent quality and cost around £5 (£5.49 at screwfix, but are cheaper on eBay, even the brand new ones) so they're excellent value for money as well.

The build quality is impeccable compared to the B&Q or Home base ones. The bristles feel like bristles and not like thin straw, they don't fall out or snap easily or get any deformities. Out of the packet they are dead straight and through general use, it's not easy to bend them. I have only had a couple fall out since I started using them. That was 3 years ago by the way, and none have snapped or broken.

When painting these give a lovely spread, the bristles work well with the paint in some smaller crevices, you can flex them and move them freely without any stiffness or protest from the brushes. Paint applies very well and I get a good coverage when painting the coving.

The handles feel fantastic, rock solid and there's no give whatsoever. They're easy to hold and use and I don't get ache in my hand from using them.

There's also a bit of metal at the base of the bristles which is extremely robust and hasn't dented or become scratched since I've been using them. Smacking this metal base won't dent them, and dropping them does no harm to any of the brush. Some top quality brushes so far.

Washing up is just a pain with any brush and these are no different. They have a lot of bristles and because they're so thick on the larger brushes, it does take a good deal of effort to get them completely clean.

Paint often runs out on the second wash even after being cleaned properly the first time and this must be something to do with the paint getting caught at the base, right in the middle of the brush. I have to really dig into the base to scrub, and this is quite a difficult thing to do, especially with large fingers.

Using these for walls, coving or the shed has been a pleasure, they're a lot better built that the cheap ones with rubbish bristles. I'd highly recommend these over any DIY superstore own brand ones. 3 years and they're all still absolutely fine, if anything they show some battle scars caused by me and my manhandling but just a couple bristles have escaped. Highly recommended.