Brown Ink Comparisons

I've been told that brown is the "new black." Of course, I'm probably a year behind the trends, but I love brown with a host of other colors -- pale pink, turquoise, and red, just to name a few. I took a piece of smooth Beckett's Expression cardstock (virtually identical to SU's Ultrasmooth White) and stamped a solid heart and a phrase, using the same amount of pressure on the paper. I adjusted the amount of ink I put on the stamps based on the type of ink pad (less pressure on a juicy pad, for example). I took a boatload of pics of this sample of 7 brown inks in an attempt to get an accurate picture of the results, but I'm afraid a picture on a monitor is not totally reliable. So -- with that in mind -- drumroll, please (disclaimer: the following opinions are mine only and cannot be attributed to the influence of any connection with any company. I work for no one except my loyal blog readers...)! SU Chocolate Chip Classic (dye): Very good coverage on both the solid and phrase stamp. Grade: B+ SU Chocolate Chip Marker: Poor, uneven coverage on the heart, Good coverage on the phrase. Grade: C Color Box Dark Brown Fluid Chalk Cat's Eye (not the full ink pad, which has a different texture and a totally different result): Excellent coverage on the heart. This ink was the only one to provide a completely dark, solid coverage with no variation in shade. Very good coverage for the phrase. Not as crisp as the Memories, but good nevertheless. Grade: A Memories Dye Chestnut: Excellent coverage on the heart and on the phrase. The ONLY ink here that is waterproof. Chestnut is a lighter color than dark brown, but this ink provided a dark, even coverage for the heart and the crispest image for the phrase. Grade: A- SU Close to Cocoa Classic (dye): Similar results to SU's Chocolate Chip, except a lighter color, which is as expected. Grade: B+ SU Chocolate Chip Craft (pigment): While the color was dark, the image of the heart smeared, leaving the dreaded "halo" effect. The phrase stamp is acceptable, but uneven and not as crisp as dye ink. This isn't surprising as pigment ink is much "juicier" than dye ink and requires a lighter touch. This is the only ink that will stay wet enough to use embossing powder. Not the best choice for a solid stamp, you practice and use just the right amount of pressure. Grade: C+ SU Close to Cocoa Craft (pigment): I stamped the solid heart twice -- the first time I tried to use a lighter touch and got very uneven coverage; the second time I re-inked and pressed harder. Unfortunately, I got the halo again! Uneven coverage on the phrase stamp, but this is a relatively light color. Grade: C+ The best? The Color Box Fluid Chalk Cat's Eye blew me away!! The SU Chocolate Chip Classic was a close second for the heart and did a better job on the phrase stamp. The cat's eyes are tiny and you can't use a brayer to ink a background stamp with them. They are excellent for direct to paper uses, however. Conclusion? Get both! And, if you watercolor, get Memories! There are many other inks on the market. What are YOUR favorites???