Overall top kit MFG.

He even cleared out his profile, too.  It's funny, but it's sad, too.

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I suppose that it depends on your area of building. Everybody develops their own favourite manufacturer depending on their experience and area.

when it comes to my building, with aircraft I like Zoukei-Mura, Tamiya, HK Models, Trumpeter and the odd Revell.

ZM kits actually educate you and with the level of detail and fit you actually up your game without realising it. HK bring those big kits you dream of. Trumpeter bring many subjects of varying accuracy and detail, but generally a decent build. Tamiya with their recent 1/32 kits build up to also be stunning display pieces. Revell do some nice kits but sometimes lack in detail. They can be nice builds on a budget level and are good for developing  skills.

The armour is the same. Takom, Meng, RFM, Trumpeter, Amusing Hobby..... Something for all levels and budgets.

Dosen't matter if you want a highly detailed full interior or just something to throw together to pass the time, it's out there.

It's a fairly useless question and answer because one company may make the best kit of many subjects that you have no interest in yet another lesser company makes the very best kit of a subject you like.

To hear that Fine Molds makes the best Star Wars and WW2 Japanese tank kits does you little good if you build F1 race cars or WW1 biplanes.

AFV Club makes the best M60A1/A2/A3 tanks, but for the best Abrams or Tiger tanks, you have to look to another manufacturer.

Don Stauffer

I think we need some criteria to decide which is best.  Is price no object, or is best the nicest model per price?  Do we want easy-to-build or complexity?  Most detailed?  Best fits and lack of flash?  Accuracy and fidelity to scale? 

Not to mention the subject area. “Best” in one scale and subject area, is not “best” in others. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and all that sort of thing. I don’t care much for multi media, ultra high parts count kits myself. But other folks love that. I do like Eduard’s multi option approach of no frills, some bells & whistles, and full bling packaging. But their subject choice areas are not widespread. 

Don Stauffer

I used to do trade studies, and boy if you had in mind wanting certain results for best supplier or whatever, you could always make the answer come out the way you wanted by altering the criteria and weighting factors.

So true. One of the few things that I remember from my high school US Government class- the teacher made a statement that has proven to be oh so true decades later: figures don’t lie, but liars figure. Data and numbers can be manipulated to produce the desired results. 

I think we need some criteria to decide which is best.  Is price no object, or is best the nicest model per price?  Do we want easy-to-build or complexity?  Most detailed?  Best fits and lack of flash?  Accuracy and fidelity to scale?

I used to do trade studies, and boy if you had in mind wanting certain results for best supplier or whatever, you could always make the answer come out the way you wanted by altering the criteria and weighting factors.

The one that in the end is better than your skills.

Otherwise, it's whining.

There is never one right answer.

I will say that the current 1/24th Tamiya Ferrari kits are marvels of engineering. There is no one anywhere close to these kits in the same genre.

The Trumpeter BR-52, and the HobbyBoss M1070 are also breathtaking kits.

Mr. Tojo72 is correct, every one has their opinions.   As Tojo72 has mentioned, Tamiya is excellent, I've built their most expensive $300.00 dollar 1/32 Mosquito kit and truly enjoyed it.  But in my humble opinion, I must say I've never seen such a challenging aircraft kit from Zoukei Mura!

Zoukei Mura aircraft kit is outstanding!   But very expensive.  Their 1/32 and 1/48 kits are just highly detailed and engineered.  The rest of the competitors like Trumpeter are also good.  I guess and feel in that I truly enjoyed my model making hobby.  Especially with my grandson Ezra.  I hope he continues in this hobby and thrive.  

Your friend, Toshi

This has been discussed many times here and other places.There simply is no one single best manufacturer.Many companies excel at different things,but are not great at other stuff.

Dragon makes great German Armor,but directions can be tough,and some say their modern stuff is just bad.

Every company has good stuff and clunkers.

Overall,I would say Tamiya is good,they produce a myriad of subjects and scales,they are well engineered and fall together.However many would also say,that their kits are not real detailed and over priced.So it goes with every company,some good and some critics.

Watch,this will make for great discussion,but really,there is no single answer,just opinions.