There comes a time in every puzzler’s life when they’re ready to take their game up a notch. Simply working on a puzzle on a kitchen table, while great, doesn’t cut it anymore. You need puzzle accessories.
Puzzle accessories make puzzling easier and more fun, and they’re a rite of passage. Whether you’re currently a casual puzzler or a full-on pro, investing in puzzle accessories takes your hobby to the next level.
But there’s one problem: there are a ton of puzzle accessories out there. Do you really need all of them, and if not, how do you know which one is right for you? We’re here to help. This guide breaks down all the most popular puzzle accessories so that you can carefully choose which ones will benefit your game the most.
In our humble, puzzle-obsessed opinion, puzzle trays and sorters are the first accessories you should invest in. Simply put: they sort your puzzle pieces into categories. If you’re the type of puzzler who likes to organize all their pieces by color, you can use puzzle trays and sorters to keep them all separated and neat.
If you aren’t using trays and sorters yet, you’re most likely making messy piles of puzzle pieces all over your table. Along with creating disorganized chaos, the piles are hard to move around and could easily bleed together, defeating the whole point.
With puzzle trays and sorters, you can move piles around as needed depending on what section of the puzzle you’re working on, and they’ll never overlap.
We tested tons of different types of puzzle sorters, and after thorough investigation, we decided to make our own! Completing the Puzzle sorters are stackable, durable, easy to use, and a super fun color. If you’re going to invest in any puzzle accessory, we think it should be this one.
Picture this: you’ve worked on a huge section of your puzzle, and now you need to pick it up and move it to its proper place in the overall frame. How do you move a whole section without the pieces coming apart? You use a puzzle scoop.
Puzzle scoops are completely flat, so it’s easy to slide them under a section of pieces, lift them, and move them somewhere else. If you like to work your puzzle in parts and put it all together at the end, this accessory is a must-have.
Want an easy way to refer back to the image on the top of the puzzle box while you work? You need a puzzle box top holder. Think of it like an easel for the box top; it props it up for you so that it’s always in your line of sight.
With a puzzle box top holder, you don’t have to worry about misplacing the box top or clumsily grabbing for it while you work. We recommend this accessory for puzzlers who rely on the box top image as their guide.
Repeat after us: “I will not puzzle in the dark.”
We beg you not to strain your eyes for the love of puzzling. Not only is puzzling in proper light better for your puzzle game, but it also protects your eyesight.
Need some extra light around your puzzling station? Invest in a few puzzle lights, which are essentially desktop lights that you can move around as you work. Some even clamp on the side of your desk or table, which is great for portability.
Puzzle lights are perfect for shining a spotlight on the area of the puzzle that you’re currently working on so you can really focus on it.
If you puzzle in a small space or like to work on puzzles in spurts and then need to put them away, a roll up puzzle mat can keep you organized without losing your progress. Instead of undoing all your work, you can simply roll up the puzzle in a mat and store it away until you’re ready to work on it again.
A puzzle mat is perfect for puzzlers who work on their puzzles on a multi-use surface, like the kitchen table or coffee table. It’s also great for traveling with half-completed puzzles without the mess.
The one thing to know about a roll up puzzle mat is that you need to be careful about how you roll it up so that all the puzzles stay in place. Felt mats can help the puzzle pieces adhere to the surface of the mat and not move around.
After you finish a puzzle, you have to ask yourself the age old question: what now? It feels like you’ve only got two options: you can take the puzzle apart and put it back in the box or you can glue it and turn it into art.
We want to float a surprise third option: put your puzzle into a puzzle portfolio.
A puzzle portfolio is essentially a folder that stores completed puzzles so you can flip through them and remember your work anytime you want. We love this portfolio from ALL4JIG.
Puzzle portfolios protect your puzzles from moisture and dirt, and they’re the ultimate space-saving way to preserve them.
Want a designated puzzle work space that you can move around your house? You need a puzzle board.
With a puzzle board, you aren’t stuck in only one workspace. You can work from the dining room one day and the living room the next.
There are tons of different puzzle board options, including:
Trust us, you can find a puzzle board to fit your needs and puzzling style. Plus, it makes your life easier and your puzzles more organized. Win-win!
If you really want to take your puzzling habit to another level, your next investment should be a puzzle table.
Instead of puzzling on a kitchen, dining, or coffee table, your puzzle will have its own dedicated table that’s strictly for puzzling.
There are tons of different types of puzzle tables that range from simple to super fancy. For example, you could invest in a small lap table that you work on from the floor, or go all out with a desk-like table on wheels.
A huge perk of puzzle tables is that most of them are tilted, which is more ergonomic than working on a puzzle on a flat surface. You can also find puzzle tables with built-in drawers for pieces, a cover to protect your work-in-progress puzzle, and adjustable heights.
While puzzle tables aren’t a must-have for everyone, they’re the perfect accessory for serious puzzlers who want the ideal work space. They also serve as multiple accessories in one, so you can skip buying some of the others and simply invest in a high-quality puzzle table if that’s your jam.
This one may seem random, but hear us out: puzzle pieces can shed dust and tiny pieces of cardboard that make your workspace messy. Having a mini handheld desk vacuum nearby is great for an easy cleanup.
We love this accessory idea for puzzlers who use a multi-functional surface, like their kitchen or dining room table, to work on their puzzles. You can quickly clean up after your puzzle and convert the table back into an eating space.
Another great way to transport puzzle pieces is with a pick up stick. We love this accessory for younger or older puzzlers who need dexterity assistance.
The Quick Stick is essentially a pen with a tacky tip, so you can easily lift a puzzle piece without pinching it. It comes in clutch for pieces that are hard to pick up, like wooden pieces. Plus, if the piece you need is in a tightly-packed area, it makes it possible to isolate just the piece you need.
If you want to preserve your puzzle and use it as wall art, you need puzzle glue. There are tons of different types of puzzle glues, but our favorite type is adhesive sheets. Instead of dealing with sticky glue, you simply peel and stick the adhesive sheets onto the back of your puzzle.
Unlike mod podge, adhesive sheets don’t change the look of your puzzle or leave any residue. Plus, you can cut them to fit the size and shape you need, and there’s no drying time.
Adhesive puzzle sheets are ideal for keeping your puzzle together before you put it in a frame to show off your hard work.
The beauty of puzzle accessories is that you get to choose the ones that will benefit your puzzle game. Whichever way you go, investing in accessories cements your status as a bonafide puzzling pro.
Accessories are awesome, but the thing that every puzzling pro really needs is more puzzles. With a Completing the Puzzle rental subscription, you’ll have an endless supply of puzzles so that you never run out. When you’re done with each puzzle, simply send it back and we’ll ship out your next one.
We might be biased, but we believe that a Completing the Puzzle subscription is the ultimate puzzle accessory. Join our community of puzzlers today.