Welly vs. Maisto: Which is Better?
Two popular diecast brands that offer cheap models are Welly and Maisto. As a collector, it can be hard to choose between them since both are in the same price range. Plus, they offer a wide variety of models, series, and scales. Thus, I decided to compare both based on their company, location, and products.
As a general rule, if you prefer buying smaller models, then Welly will be a better choice than Maisto. This is because Welly has been known for producing smaller models. On the other hand, Maisto is better and known for producing larger or 1:18 scale models. Thus, which is better depends on your preference.
In this blog post, I will compare both companies and provide a brief introduction to each. We will discover where they’re made, their headquarters, specialty, and more. Let’s start!
Is Welly better than Maisto?
| Welly | Maisto | |
| Started | 1980 | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong, China | California, USA |
| Model Size | Known for Smaller Models | Known for Larger Models |
| Associated Brands | Toyota, BMW, Suzuki, Audi | Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Aston Martin |
When it comes to comparing Welly and Maisto, both use the same manufacturing material, such as diecast metals and plastics.
However, the difference between these two brands is the quality of the material.
Welly diecasts are usually made up of slightly higher-quality plastic and alloy material. At the same time, the Maisto brand also uses the same material but was observed to have low quality upon testing.
Welly diecasts can be characterized due to their small sizes and fine structures, which makes them prioritized.
On the other hand, Maisto diecast cars are larger in size and length, perfect for the people who love big-sized diecast cars.
So, you can say both of these diecast car manufacturers have some features that separate them from each other.
Besides, both of them may beat each other at some points but not overall.
Welly has introduced dozens of diecast car models in the past few years and highly appreciated this in the diecast car manufacturing industry.
The Welly products manufactured different scales, including 1:60-1:64, 1:34-1:39, and the 1:10 scale.
Every year Welly manufacturers introduce new models for their customers, making them a favorite for diecast car enthusiasts.
Recently, they have introduced models of New London Bus, Opel Blitz, Toyota supra, BMW M1, Suzuki Jimny, Audi sport Quattro, and much more.
In contrast, Maisto diecast cars are usually designed upon 1/18 scales, along with the amazingly detailed engine, professionally manufactured interior parts, and much more.
Maisto also adds value to the diecast industry and introduces several new models every year.
Talking about recently introduced Maisto models include Porsche 550A, Mercedes SLR, and Aston Martin DB7 Vantage. These models are famous for their excellent display, and structure which diecast car enthusiasts most appreciate.
Let’s have some in-depth information about Welly Corporation!
Where are Welly models made?
Welly models are made in China. Their manufacturing factory is located in Guangdong city due to its cheap labor cost and ease of distribution due to its strategic location. However, Welly’s main headquarters is located in Hong Kong, about 77miles (125km) from Guangdong.
Welly models are manufactured in Guangdong province in Mainland China, while headquarters in Hong Kong, China.
Guangdong is situated on the southern coast of China.
The reason Welly corporation is behind making factories in Guangdong city is that the place offers cheaper labor costs than Hong Kong.
Furthermore, they can efficiently perform experiments and distribute their products since Guangdong has a lot of shipping companies.
Welly also has warehouses in Guangdong city, as they produce thousands of car toys of different scales every year, so it isn’t easy to store them.
That’s why they have made their warehouses, where they keep all of these items together in stock.
About Welly
Welly is one of the oldest diecast car manufacturing industries in Hong Kong, China, while having factories in Guangdong province in Mainland China.
Welly has also run a scale model business since 1980.
If we talk about their services, they provide you with the scales, namely 1:18, 1:24, 1:38, 1:60, 1:43, 1:32, and 1:87.
As they have been providing services for more than 30 years, Welly has been the trusted ones in this market and licensed to make cars, toys, truck toys, and much more.
Besides, they also make different kinds of vehicles, including motorbikes, bike cycles, and others.
Apart from just car and truck toys, Welly corporation also participates in radio control and has introduced different range scales of vehicles through the years.
These radio control vehicles include:
- Diecast RC Car of 1:32 scale
- Diecast Truck of 1:12 scale
- Diecast RC Plastic Car of 1:24 scale
All of these three models have advanced features, along with low prices, and that’s the reason behind their fame.
These models are used by the military, army, and other governmental institutions.
Welly, as a diecast corporation, invests every year in different kinds of models of different scales.
Where are Maisto models made?
Maisto models are made in China and Thailand, while their headquarters are based in California, USA. This is because they put their manufacturing in China to make the labor cost low. Also, they put their headquarters in California because it will be easier to land deals in the diecast market if they’re located in the USA.
The main reason behind making headquarters in California is to be an active dealer in the market and their products.
Maisto still has manufacturing processes in Thailand and China because these are the origins where they have started manufacturing for the first time.
They have engineers, experts, and people there to make their products and highly take care of their reputation.
Another reason may be that they found manufacturing in California costly.
So, that’s why their car toy models, radio control models, and other vehicles are still manufactured at their ancestral origins.
I like Maisto because they yearly spend large investments in making their manufacturing techniques better and the origins more efficient.
All of these things make them more prioritized and trusted day by day.
About Maisto
Maisto, an internationally recognized toy brand that was founded in 1967.
Maisto has origins in Hong Kong, while present headquarters are in California, USA.
They are famous for the servings in the toy car industry and still provide services with modern toy car designing, features, advancements, and models.
Maisto is related to the May Cheong Group, a collection of affiliated companies working together and making replicas products and innovative toys.
If May Cheong Group sounds familiar, they are also the ones that make Bburago, another famous diecast brand.
As they have been providing services for more than 53 years, they have more experience, making them more trusted among sellers.
Maisto’s famous products include diecast models of automobile vehicles, motorcycles, aircraft, and much more.
Some famous models of Maisto include:
- Lambo Vision Gran
- Bugatti Chiron
- Lamborghini Aventador
- Diecast 1:24 FL Ferrari
- SE Porsche 911 GT2
All of these Maisto Diecast models have advanced features and are famous for their attractive designs.
Talking about the scale design, these cars are designed upon scales of 1/18 or 1/24.
Apart from this, Maisto is also famous for its manufacturing of Tonka products licensed from Hasbro.
Hasbro is a global play company making the world a better place for all children, fans, and families.
Conclusion
Welly, and Maisto, these companies serving their best for years, launch different car toys models, and much more.
But these companies have different backgrounds, and that’s what creates differences.
What’s next? How about another brand comparison blog post? Here is another blog post comparing Minichamps from Spark models. You can find it here: Which is better, Minichamps or Spark?
“Only the things I love”
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So, here are the things I love when taking care of my Diecast Models.
Cleaning the Models
The first we are going to talk about is cleaning the models.
Removing Dust
- Air Brush – For me, this is the best since it not just removes dust but you can use it in painting/clear coating.
- Air Duster – This is a good alternative to Airbrush
- Normal Brush – If you are short on budget, you can use a normal brush. However, make sure that the brush has soft bristles because there are some hard brushes than can cause scratches. That’s why I recommended a good brush that can do the job properly.
Cleaning and Shining Hacks
Well, here are some of my cleaning hacks for removing scratches, oxidation, and so much more.
- Removing Decal Adhesive – Use Goo Gone on those hard-to-remove decal adhesives. It works fast and works like charm!
- Waxing and Polishing – Here is something a lot of people don’t know. Waxing protects the clear coat and paint while polishing shines the model. Instead of buying it separately, use a 2 in 1 to save money. Get this instead.
- Beginner Wax – The wax I recommended earlier is good and provides the best results based on my experience. But a beginner might have a problem especially if they’re not good at applying wax. Solid wax reaching hard to reach surface can be hard to remove. You have two choices here. One is to use a qtips to reach those surfaces, another is to use a liquid wax I recommended.
- Cleaning Wheels, Rubber, Plastic – Do not forget that rubber and plastic surface are quite different, especially in the cleaning process. Just wiping it down won’t do the job. That’s why I use Meguiar’s Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner and Conditioner. Works like charm!
- Make the Wheels Shine! – Making our models look good won’t be complete without tiny details such as shiny wheels! Do not forget this because however small this is, the difference can be as big as night and day.
- Remove Scratches Easily – Tiny scratches are not the end for your model. Here is a simple trick I’ve been using to make my models look scratch-free even without repainting. Use T-Cut.
Painting the Models
Painting Tools
Make sure when you paint models, have these ready.
- Tape – A tape is important if you are painting a straight line. Furthermore, it will prevent your paint to scatter on other parts. I recommend Tamiya Tape since it is really made for models. Furthermore, they stick really well preventing paint splatters.
- Brush (Beginner) – Find a good set of brushes to paint your models. Of course, you can opt for an airbrush but it’s quite expensive.
- Airbrush (Intermediate/Expert) – This will yield a significantly better result than an ordinary brush because you can easily spray the paint evenly. I recommend this if you know what you’re doing.
- Stand(Optional) – Stands are good because it can be hard to manually hold the models while painting. It is optional but in my opinion, the price is well worth it for the comfort it gives.
- Drop Cloths – Drop Cloths will protect your surroundings from the paint.
- Primer – The most common beginner mistake I see is painting models without any Primer. A primer will prevent imperfections such as bubbles or paint not sticking to your models. It is a small price to pay for quality results.
- Clear Coat – A clear coat will protect the paint of your models. This will make the paint last longer. Also, it is the one responsible for making your models shine.
Paints
Of course, you can’t do painting properly without paint. So here are the ones I recommend.
- Acrylic Paint – Good for beginners because it dries quickly. However, it doesn’t produce results as good as enamel paint.
- Enamel Paint – Provides a good quality finish and longer-lasting paint. However, it takes longer to dry and requires expertise to use.
Model Maintenance
Model Storage
- Simple Wood Cabinet – While it doesn’t let you display your models, wooden cabinets are good storage for these models. For one, they are not heat conductors which means that the temperature inside will remain constant and remain cool. Furthermore, they prevent light from reaching the models which can cause oxidation.
- Clear Cabinet with Lock – If you want to display your models, then I recommend this. It closes so dust won’t easily get to your models. I also recommend you don’t put more than 1 model in each compartment since metals are good conductors of heat.
Model Photography
So you want to show off your models to others? Well, I got you covered.
Here is my beginner-friendly model photography tutorial that teaches everything from taking pictures to the editing process.
You will also see me doing hands-on photography in that tutorial.
Here is the link: How to Take Pictures of a Diecast Model or Model Kit | Helpful Illustrated and Video Guide
