Harder & Steenbeck's reputation is built on the Evolution and Infinity — German brushes that live on competition benches. The Ultra is the company's answer to a different question: can that same build quality land at the price of a mid-tier Iwata? The refreshed Ultra 2024 sharpens the case, arriving at around $100 — right in Iwata Eclipse territory. So the real matchup is not Ultra versus its own siblings. It is the German entry brush against the American benchmark.
We spec-mapped the Ultra 2024 against the field on our bench rubric. Here is who should pick the German entry, and who is better served by the brush everyone already recommends.
The one-line verdict
If you want genuine Harder & Steenbeck build quality and a clear upgrade path into the German parts ecosystem — without paying Evolution money — the Ultra 2024 is a smart, honest buy.
If you would rather have one nozzle that does everything with zero decisions to make, the Iwata Eclipse is still the more forgiving all-rounder. The two brushes are aimed at slightly different builders.
What you are buying
The Ultra 2024 is a gravity-feed, dual-action airbrush made in Germany. It is Harder & Steenbeck's simplest brush — fewer refinements than the Evolution, no two-nozzle kit — but it keeps the two things that make the brand worth buying: solvent-resistant, PTFE-free sealing that tolerates lacquers, and full membership in the H&S parts ecosystem. The 2024 refresh tightened the ergonomics and cleaning access over the older Ultra.
It is sold in 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm nozzle versions, and this is the key decision the Eclipse spares you. You pick your aperture up front: 0.2 mm if detail and fine lines are your priority, 0.4 mm if you mostly prime and base-coat. There is no single middle-ground tip here — you commit.
The 2024 update earns its year-stamp, too. It sharpened the trigger action and — the headline fix — made the nozzle far easier to reach for cleaning, addressing the original Ultra's most-cited weak point. It also stores under a crown cap that shields the fragile needle tip. Small refinements individually, but together they are the difference between a brush that feels like a budget compromise and one that simply feels like a genuine Harder & Steenbeck you happened to pay less for.
If you are unsure which nozzle to choose, our 0.3 mm vs 0.5 mm nozzle guide walks through how aperture size changes what you can spray, and the 3D field guide shows the parts in the round.
The German upgrade path
Here is the Ultra's quiet advantage. Buy an Eclipse and you own a great standalone brush. Buy an Ultra and you own an entry point — the needles, nozzles, and know-how carry forward if you later move up to an Evolution or Infinity, and you can add a second nozzle from the H&S range rather than starting over. For a builder who suspects they will eventually chase the German high end, the Ultra is a cheaper on-ramp than it looks.
The build feels it, too. This is a solid, machined tool that does not feel like a $100 brush in the hand. Against the brush it is really competing with, see our Iwata Eclipse HP-CS review, and for the German step up, the H&S Evolution 2-in-1 review. The whole field is ranked in our best airbrushes guide.
The trade-offs, honestly
The single-nozzle commitment is the real catch. The Eclipse's 0.35 mm tip is a genuine do-everything aperture; the Ultra makes you choose a lane. Pick the 0.2 mm and priming is slow and clog-prone; pick the 0.4 mm and your finest detail is off the table. Buy a second nozzle later and you have closed the gap — but that is more money on top of the $100.
US support is the other consideration. Iwata parts and service are on every hobby shelf in the country; Harder & Steenbeck, while well supported, is a slightly longer reach for a replacement nozzle in a hurry. Neither is a dealbreaker, but the Eclipse wins on sheer ubiquity.
And the Ultra is the plainer tool. If you want the tool-free needle release and two-cup flexibility, that is the Evolution's territory, not the Ultra's.
Who should buy which
Buy the Ultra 2024 if you value German build and an upgrade path, know which nozzle you want, and do not mind a plainer brush. Buy the Iwata Eclipse if you want maximum forgiveness, one nozzle that never needs swapping, and parts on every shelf. Beginners on a tighter budget should also read our best budget airbrushes roundup before committing either way.
Running it well — and safely
Whichever nozzle you choose, thin to a skim-milk consistency, run 15 to 25 PSI for miniatures and Gunpla, and back-flush between colors. The solvent-resistant seals mean you can clean aggressively without wrecking the brush.
Because those seals invite lacquer use, treat ventilation as mandatory. Airbrushing atomizes paint into a mist you breathe; shoot in a booth or open window with a fan pulling air away from your face, and wear an organic-vapor respirator for any lacquer or lacquer-thinner work.
The verdict
The Harder & Steenbeck Ultra 2024 is the thinking builder's entry airbrush: German build, lacquer-proof seals, and a real path into the H&S ecosystem for around $100. It asks you to commit to a nozzle size the Eclipse would spare you — so choose it when you know what you want to spray and value the upgrade route. For pure one-brush forgiveness, the Iwata benchmark still edges it.
A quick, honest note: some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission when you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. It never changes the price you pay.
Questions builders ask
How does the H&S Ultra 2024 compare to the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS?
They cost about the same, around $100 to $140, and both are excellent. The Eclipse uses one forgiving 0.35 mm nozzle that does everything adequately, while the Ultra makes you choose a 0.2 mm or 0.4 mm nozzle up front but offers German build and an upgrade path into the H&S ecosystem. Pick the Eclipse for forgiveness, the Ultra for build and future-proofing.
Which nozzle size should I get on the Ultra 2024?
Choose 0.4 mm if you mostly prime, base-coat, and spray whole models — it is faster and far more clog-resistant. Choose 0.2 mm only if fine detail and freehand are your main goal and your paint-thinning is already dialed in. Many builders start with the 0.4 mm and add a 0.2 mm nozzle later.
Can the Ultra 2024 spray lacquer paints?
Yes. Like the rest of the Harder & Steenbeck range it uses PTFE-free, solvent-resistant seals that tolerate lacquers and their thinners. Always pair lacquer spraying with proper ventilation and an organic-vapor respirator, no matter how solvent-proof the brush is.
Is the Ultra 2024 a good first airbrush?
It can be, if you know which nozzle you want and value the German build. But the single-nozzle commitment makes it slightly less beginner-friendly than a do-everything 0.35 mm brush. If you want zero decisions and maximum forgiveness on your first brush, the Iwata Eclipse is the easier starting point.
