Working on one of the best jigsaw puzzles is a simple pleasure, far removed from the usual pastime of scrolling through social media with the TV on in the background. If that's your usual style, we thoroughly recommend changing the pace with a beautifully-designed puzzle.
You can choose from a vast array of jigsaw puzzles, which come in a variety of sizes and complexities. But, the problem is that they aren't always terribly well made. A badly cut jigsaw puzzle can be annoying, as are puzzles that arrive with pieces missing. So, to help you avoid these moments, we've compiled this list of excellently designed puzzles. To choose, we assessed quality, vibrancy and the level of entertainment offered – as well as customer reviews, if we haven't had hands-on experience.
Each of the puzzles in this guide features stunning artwork, a decent level of challenge. The US and the UK have different puzzles available, so we have divided the list into two, beginning with the US (use this link to jump down to the best jigsaw puzzles in the UK). And at the bottom of the page, you'll find some top tips for choosing a brilliant jigsaw puzzle.
If you're looking for more entertainment to enjoy at home, make sure you also check out our guide to the best board games.
The best jigsaw puzzles: US
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The Artist's Garden in Giverny is one of Claude Monet's most famous paintings, depicting, logically, his own garden. This large and beautifully produced jigsaw rendering of the impressionist classic is both inspiring and educational. It's made in the US with high quality recycled board and printed with vegetable based ink, making it an eco-friendly option too. It's a tough challenge due to the soft, diffuse impressionist style of the painting, but highly satisfying when you complete it.
An iconic magazine cover from 1997, The New Yorker: Lobsterman's Special by artist Bruce McCall is a vibrant depiction of a restaurant with a twist. It's a whimsical picture that's a lot of fun, and its sumptuous colour palette means it could be hung as an art piece when completed.
The puzzle is of excellent quality, and it's equally challenging and rewarding to put together, with blocks of colour making for trickier areas (especially those wooden planks!). There's a linen finish, which reduces glare and makes for a premium feel.
This is another great jigsaw based on a famous piece of art. The Kiss is Austrian painter Gustav Klimt's best-known work, and it's an inspired choice for a jigsaw puzzle design. Klimt's work, painted in 1907-8 during his 'Golden Period', is sumptuously exotic, fusing Art Nouveau with influences from the earlier Arts and Crafts movement. The many hues of lush gold make it an entertaining challenge even for experienced puzzlers.
Andy Warhol's pop art hit the sweet spot between high art and populism, and his 1970 Flowers series was no exception. This Andy Warhol puzzle is full of colourful details that make it a fun and challenging jigsaw puzzle suitable for both adults and children (aged eight and above). The 500 puzzle pieces are of good quality – thick and sturdy with a white matte finish on the back. A print is also included in the box.
With whimsical illustration straight out of Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson's book series, The Moomins, this puzzle was a real delight to complete. When we tested it, we found it the right balance of challenging (there's a lot of green) and satisfying, as the character design adds real interest. The finished result was so pretty we were a bit sad about putting it back in the box (this is definitely one to frame). We thought it was a shame that the full design wasn't on the front of the box as this would have helped our process, but it's not a deal breaker. And it's a bargain price, too.
This is one of the most beautiful puzzles we've seen. The 2,000 pieces make up a stunning, intricate piece of art by artist Demelse Haughton (who also has other art in the Ravensburger range). With a wonderful colour palette, the art is full of delightfully amusing details that answer the pondering question, what would we see if fish could walk? It's quite a challenging puzzle, with gently fading shades of green and blue, and a lot of detail to get your head around. The puzzle itself is of brilliant quality, with Ravensburger's Softclick Technology ensuring pieces fit together seamlessly.
If you're looking for the best jigsaw puzzle for kids, this offbeat puzzle should fit the bill. The cute, cheekily named Frida Catlo is inspired by the work of 20th century Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The puzzle pieces come nicely presented in a 4. 25-inch diameter x 4. 75-inch tall storage tin that looks like a paint can, and the pieces are printed with no glare, non-toxic inks that are safe for children. This is a fun and original puzzle that kids (from age six and up) will love assembling and disassembling over and over.
There are many Disney-themed jigsaw puzzles on the market, with artists offering endless interpretations of Disney's much-loved characters. However, for our money, this All-Characters puzzle from Tenyo is the most unique and inspired with its stained-glass style. It features hundreds of characters from 31 movies, the most recent being 2011's Tangled. Best of all, the puzzle's actually made from glass, making it a different experience from your usual jigsaw puzzle. It even comes with packets of glue so you can permanently seal and display the completed image if you wish.
From glass to wood, this colourful wooden puzzle is produced in Samara, Russian Federation. Unidragon's gorgeous wooden puzzle is quite small at around 8 x 8 inches, and has just over 108 pieces, but it's so pretty and well-constructed. The shape of each individual piece is inspired by marine life, adding extra interest to the process of building the puzzle, and the colours are super-vibrant. The puzzle comes in an attractive wooden box, which makes it a great gift idea.
The best jigsaw puzzles: UK
For adults who love art, this Lips puzzle ticks all the boxes. Based on a sumptuous and evocative piece of art from the famed interiors and ceramics designer Jonathan Adler, it's a beautifully made jigsaw with pieces that fit together easily. The surreal design and repeating colours make it a challenge to put together, even for the experienced puzzler. High-quality packaging make this an excellent gift for a jigsaw or art fan.
With whimsical illustration straight out of Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson's book series, The Moomins, this puzzle was a real delight to complete. When we tested it, we found it the right balance of challenging (there's a lot of green) and satisfying, as the character design adds real interest. The finished result was so pretty we were a bit sad about putting it back in the box (this is definitely one to frame). We thought it was a shame that the full design wasn't on the front of the box as this would have helped our process, but it's not a deal breaker. And it's a bargain price, too.
We can't get enough of this Mario-themed challenge puzzle, which is beautifully retro and makes us feel nostalgic. It's a challenge puzzle, which means it's not for the faint-hearted – each Mario is actually different, but all that red certainly makes it tricky to see how. The challenge puzzle range also includes Batman, Marvel and Pokemon, so we recommend you explore your other other options for more fun. Ravensburger's puzzles are known for their exclusive, extra-thick cardboard combined with fine, linen-structured paper, which creates a glare-free image, so this 1,000 piece jigsaw is premium quality too.
Another one for art fans, this strikingly colourful puzzle features an iconic work of art by the late American pop artist Keith Haring. The pieces are well cut and have a glossy finish that brings the artwork to life. Although it's a well-known piece of art, the chaotic nature of Haring's work makes it quite a challenge to complete this 1,000 piece puzzle no matter how many times you attempt it.
Why settle for one Monet painting when you can enjoy two with this double-sided Monet jigsaw puzzle? Featuring a pair of Claude Monet’s classic Waterlilies paintings, one side is glossy and the other matte, which makes differentiating the pieces fairly straightforward. At 24 x 18 inches, the finished puzzle is a good size for a kitchen or dining room table. It offers a great challenge, or rather two great challenges, for the whole family to tackle together.
Kids are always fascinated by the solar system so they should love this puzzle. It's beautifully illustrated and scattered with scientific facts, such as the diameter of each planet, the orbital period and the distance from the sun. As well as the main planets, it also includes five dwarf planets: Eris, Makemake, Haumea, Ceres, and Pluto, making this jigsaw thoroughly educational as well as fun to complete. Note that this jigsaw puzzle comes in a tray, and the pieces sit in a frame, so there's no actual box.
This Disney puzzle showcases a wealth of Disney history, with a host of vintage posters and the dates of the films featured within the design. We love that this isn't a cutesy Disney design, but a journey through Disney's golden age, with a truly vintage colour palette, too. It's not the most challenging puzzle, but the results are worth it. There are many Disney puzzles out there, but this is one of the best. It's the perfect gift for the Disney fan in your life.
Prima Cumce's small but perfectly formed wooden puzzles are beautifully crafted. There's a range of gorgeously stylised animal puzzles available. As well as the wolf pictured above), they make an owl, a dragon, an eagle, an elephant, a fox, and more. A lovely added touch is that the puzzle pieces themselves are shaped like animals and plants – how cool is that?
FAQs
How do I choose a good jigsaw puzzle?
Firstly, you'll want to choose a jigsaw puzzle that has an image you like. Otherwise, you won't be as motivated to finish it, and it won't give you as much pleasure.
You need a puzzle that's made out of a high quality material so it won't bend and break as you put it together. Quality cardboard is most common but wood is the most robust material.
The image should be in sharp focus, not grainy, and should be well-attached to the piece so it doesn't peel off.
Who makes the highest quality jigsaw puzzle?
There is a broad range of jigsaw puzzles around, of varying quality. But the major players in the jigsaw world are Ravensburger, Springbok, New York Puzzle company and Buffalo Games. Choose a puzzle from one of these companies and you won't be disappointed.
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