Benjamin Moore Black 39 colors. Ten worth a sample.

Black is rarely just black. Benjamin Moore's black family runs from true near-black to deep, almost-charcoal tones, and most of them carry a quiet undertone you only notice once the paint is on the wall. That nuance is exactly what Benjamin Moore is known for. Designers reach for these colors because the undertones are predictable instead of muddy.

This slice has 49 colors, and they are not all the same kind of dark. Black Ink (2127-20) and Black Jack (2133-20) read as clean, classic blacks. Others lean toward another hue entirely: Regent Green (2136-20) and Black Knight (2136-10) carry green, Night Shade (2116-10) leans blue, and Deep Mulberry (2069-10) hides a warm purple-red. Reading the name and the number helps, but the wall is the real test.

Black earns its keep on accent walls, front doors, kitchen islands, cabinetry, trim, and built-ins. It frames a room and makes everything near it look more intentional. A black like Black Ink (2127-20) on a fireplace wall or Black Jack (2133-20) on lower cabinets gives a space weight without shouting.

Light in the room changes everything. A north-facing or low-light room can make a black feel flat and heavy, while strong daylight will pull the undertone forward — the green in Regent Green (2136-20) or the blue in Night Shade (2116-10) shows up most when the sun hits it. Always test a large sample on the actual wall and look at it morning, midday, and night before you commit.

Benjamin Moore is sold only through independent dealers, not big-box stores. Every color is mixed to order at the counter, so you are not limited to pre-stocked cans — the dealer tints your chosen black into the line you pick. Those lines run good to best: ben (around $56 a gallon), Regal Select (around $75), and Aura (around $95), which is the flagship one-coat paint. The color stays the same across lines; the finish, durability, and coverage are what change.

Because every black has a measurable color value, you can carry one across brands. A Benjamin Moore black can be color-matched at most paint counters, and you can go the other direction too — bring a chip from another deck, including the featured Kompozit deck, and have it matched into Benjamin Moore paint. Match accuracy is best when you hand over the exact name and number, like Space Black (2119-10), rather than eyeballing it. A matched black may shift slightly between brands because the base and tints differ, so confirm with a sample before doing the whole room.