When you're bored, stuck inside, looking to unwind, or searching for a screen-free activity, to find the best jigsaw puzzles for you, consider the number of pieces, the difficulty level, and the finished size. While artwork, piece size, and color range can contribute to a puzzle's difficulty level, the easiest determinant of difficulty is usually the number of pieces. Most jigsaw puzzles for adults or teens range from 300 to 1,000 pieces. The fewer pieces it has, the easier it tends to be. Puzzles for kids, on the other hand, often have fewer than 100 pieces.
Before you add anything to your cart, you should also check the dimensions of the finished jigsaw puzzle; this is especially important if you'll be working on a smaller surface — or if you plan on hanging your creation up on the wall once you're done.
Then it's time to consider the design. This factor is mostly based on personal preference (read: find something you won't mind staring at for a few days straight), but note that the more repetitive a puzzle's colors and textures, the harder it'll be.
Keep scrolling to see 14 of the best puzzles for all ages and difficulty preferences — the adult ones are organized by piece-count or scroll all the way to the end for the kid-friendly picks.
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The Best 300-Piece Jigsaw Puzzles
Buffalo Games is known for their precision-cut pieces, recycled materials, minimal puzzle dust, and quality images — and as a result, you'll see a lot of the brand's puzzles on this list. With more than 200 reviews, Break at the Butterfields is one of the most popular options. Buyers have commented on the "calming, relaxing" beach scene and have said it's their "favorite puzzle" they've ever done.
- Number of pieces: 300
- Finished size: 21.25 by 15 inches
Travel The USA is another pick from Buffalo Games. It features license plates and while the letters and numbers may make it a little easier, the repetitive flag background and the fact that the plates aren't in the correct geographic positions makes this more of a challenge. It also comes with a bonus poster.
- Number of pieces: 300
- Finished size: 21.25 by 15 inches
This colorful, whimsical design features pastels and fireworks over Paris's Eiffel Tower. It also comes with a bonus poster, and one reviewer raved, "You can literally hear the snap when you place the right pieces together! Plus, the color and picture are in such intricate detail and vivid quality, it's makes a great puzzle to do with kids and adults alike!"
- Number of pieces: 300
- Finished size: 21.25 by 15 inches
The Best 500-Piece Jigsaw Puzzles
Despite having only 500 pieces, this marbles puzzle from Galison is surprisingly challenging, all thanks to the repetitive textures and gradient of colors. That said, it's anything but boring — and if you don't love the design, they also offer options like butterflies, toy cars, and succulents. (This company also pledges to use non-glare, nontoxic ink and precision cuts.)
- Number of pieces: 500
- Finished size: 20 by 20 inches
For the Harry Potter fans, you've got this puzzle with artwork by Mary GrandPré — the same artist who designed the covers and chapter illustrations for the books. It shows Harry on his broomstick playing Quidditch. Reviewers wrote that it's a "nice challenge" and they "love the artwork."
- Number of pieces: 500
- Finished size: 26.63 by 19.25 inches
The Days to Remember Autumn Memories jigsaw puzzle also has the Buffalo Games' quality manufacturing and recycled materials — but this one is 500 pieces instead of 300. Because the colors are darker, it's a great option for anyone who's looking for a moderate challenge. "This puzzle took us about 3-4 days, which is good. It was a bit on the difficult side, but not so hard that it was frustrating," one reviewer wrote.
- Number of pieces: 500
- Finished size: 21.25 by 15 inches
Even though The Mandalorian came out semi-recently, this puzzle has already racked up more than 800 reviews. It displays The Child (also known as Baby Yoda) looking over The Mandalorian's shoulder, and despite the fact that it's "such a cute puzzle," don't be fooled — buyers say it's "somewhat difficult" thanks to all of the similar tones.
- Number of pieces: 500
- Finished size: 21.25 by 15
The Best 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzles
If you're looking for something difficult, colorful, and frame-worthy, look no further than Moruska's 1,000-piece rainbow puzzle. Unlike most other puzzles, it's perfectly round and features just about every color you could imagine. It' also made from recycled cardboard and has letters on the back if you get stuck.
- Number of pieces: 1,000
- Finished size: 26.6 by 26.6 inches
Dog lovers are united in the reviews section of this Vermont Christmas Company jigsaw puzzle — they've called it "beautiful," "fun," and "adorable." It displays nine different dog breeds on a park bench, and the recycled cardboard pieces are larger than most for an easier puzzling experience despite its high piece-count.
- Number of pieces: 1,000
- Finished size: 30 by 24 inches
Stars, planets, astronauts, satellites — for the space lover, this CHAFIN puzzle has everything. Due to the repetitive textures, dark hues, and 1,000 pieces, it's one of the most challenging puzzles on this list, but reviewers love it because it's "very fun" and "great quality."
- Number of pieces: 1,000
- Finished size: 27.56 by 19.69 inches
Amplify the quaint, cozy feel of puzzle-time with this bookstore puzzle from EuroGraphics. A bicycle (with flowers in the basket) sits outside of "The Greatest Bookshop In The World." The pieces are made from the high-quality blue board, so they fit together easily and won't break.
- Number of pieces: 1,000
- Finished size: 19.25 by 26.5 inches
The Best Jigsaw Puzzles For Kids
From Melissa & Doug comes this 48-piece space puzzle, which is designed for kids ages 3 to 6. It not only helps them to exercise their spacial awareness and problem-solving skills, but the planets are labeled so they can learn about the solar system, too. The cardboard pieces are extra-thick and large, plus they're easy to wipe down in case of spills.
- Number of pieces: 48
- Finished size: 36 by 24 inches
Designed for ages 4 through 7, this 64-piece Mudpuppy puzzle features adorable arctic sea animals — and when the puzzle is done, the fun isn't over; kids can then use their matching skills to find the animals on the border inside of the puzzle. (This one is also available in four more designs: dinosaurs, ocean life, rain forest, and woodland.)
- Number of pieces: 64
- Finished size: 23 by 15.5 inches
If you're looking to keep your kids busy for a while, this set from Dreampark comes with six different puzzles; each one has 60 wooden pieces that connect to form various animal illustrations, and they're brightly colored to stimulate their imagination. "My 5-year-old loves puzzles and these keep him busy for a couple of hours," one reviewer wrote. It's designed for ages 2 to 8.
- Number of pieces: 60 each
- Finished size: 11.8 by 8.85 inches
