Holztiger vs Ostheimer Wooden Toys Comparison

Today I wanted to do a comparison between two popular European brands – Holztiger and Ostheimer. Both companies offers a variety of wooden figures for open-ended play that inspire children’s imagination.

Holztiger’s wooden animals are chunky, hand crafted, simplistic figures. Each figure is crafted from maple or beech wood and painted with non-toxic, water-based dyes and is completed with a water-based finish to make them resistant to perspiration and saliva. 

Ostheimer’s figures are made entirely by hand in Germany.  The wood comes from sustainable domestic forestry, and is completed with childsafe colors and natural plant-based oils to preserve the natural characteristics of the wood. 

I think the two brands have their own distinctive look. The animals from Holztiger appear more fun and cheerful, which I can see being more geared towards a child’s preference. While Ostheimer on the other hand has a more sophisticated look to them. The figures have a more realistic appearance by the way they are carved and painted.

I can appreciate both, but I do prefer the overall look of Ostheimer’s animals and figures. I find that Ostheimer is more consistent in delivering the scale of the animals while some of Holztiger’s animals can appear quite large compared to other animals.

In terms of pricing, there is quite a difference. Especially if you’re planning to collect multiple animals. In today’s example, the Holztiger cow retails for approximately $18 CAD while the Ostheimer cow retails for $27. So about a $9 dollar difference.

End of the day I think both brands offer a great variety of animals figures, from farm animals, woodland, safari and sea animals. I think it comes down to which style you prefer. My intent is collect a variety of animals and group them into: safari, woodland and farm animals.

What are your thoughts on the two brand? Which one do you prefer?

P.S. My husband prefers the Holztiger aesthetic.