I would always choose the Neocolor II (I own the 40 set - and they are worth every penny!) Because A) in most cases, you have to work in layers and/or mix colors. If your material produces always muddy colors when mixed or layered, it would be annoying. And you will need way more colors for the same color range what makes it expensive to buy the cheap wax pastels.
And B) well dissolving color is exactly what I want in watersoluble media. To have hard to control residues on the paper...nah. But this is how I work with such media. For other artists, it might be fine with these crayons.

Try using rubbing alcohol instead of water! It works amazing to blend out the binder plus it dries faster.

Both are useful depending on if you want some of the texture to be left or completely dissolved, the options for both is very useful.

This was a really fun comparison to see.  I also really like how you point out the similarities and differences in a way that is thoughtful, balanced and kind.  Thanks for sharing!!

A couple of years ago, these were sold on Temu under the name Sunny at 50 cents per crayon. I am  huge Neocolor II fan, but I can see these being great to share with your younger family members. Good review.

Hot press paper will work better with the cheaper brand. No grooves for them to get stuck in

I purchased these sticks for my nephew and nieces too! They can not tell the difference between the more expensive Neocolors! So they work well for them and me when I’m not looking for a archival image!

The comparison video is posted, yes 🙌. Thank you so much Sister in the Arts 🎨 Ashley! Watching the colors dissolve and the quality of the dissolving. 🤗❤️👍🏽💯

loved this comparison! looking forward to your travel palette on the yupo paper :))

Thanks for this. I am new to using neocolor

Thanks for your vid. icrayon aren't lightfast either, they are dye based, hence the muddy mixes.
Very good watercolor crayons for studies or sketchbook practice :)

This was really helpful!

I love this! I had been wanting neocolor forever, but the price…ugh! These are a great alternative. I only need them for mark making with my watercolor paints ( Denise Love style) so fully dissolving is not my goal.  Very nice review!

Great review!

I would find it very frustrating to use the icrayons, as they don’t dissolve fully. If I were buying them for kids, i might buy the icrayons- or maybe tempera sticks. 🤔

Fantastic video. Thank you! It’s so fascinating how much difference paper variety makes isn’t it?

I'm in Australia and for me, the icrayons are not that cheap, only  30% cheaper than the neocolour ii s. I also work with a limited palette so I don't tend to buy sets, I prefer open stock as it's the most cost effective way to buy supplies.
Only the neocolour iis are available in open stock, so that's what I would buy.
Having said that, I'm into mixed media so sometimes these cheaper crayons are a good supply to play with as I would using them with other products.

I am so pleased l have seen this, l was on the edge of buying this cheaper set having seen so many posts saying that there’s hardly any difference. These fail spectacularly for me, the effect of leaving undissolved particles on the paper would ruin my artwork. Thank you SO MUCH! I will save up some more until l can afford the Neo set x

If I had a bigger budget I’d get Neos if I could but for someone whose new to this kind of product, this might be the answer.

Thank you for the comparison! I think they are fine for adult coloring books. Those who have colored for a longer time and are really artistic with it might enjoy the Neo2s more, but for a beginner like me, there is absolutely no need to buy artist grade supplies to begin with. That being said, if you are sure you stick with the hobby and will use and enjoy watersoluble crayons, it might be worth to save up for them or wait for a bargain opportunity. Also, there is always the possibility of buying used, which is more environmentally friendly anyway.