Interior paints; A stirring at the top.(Buyers guide)

It had been a Behr market since 2003, with the Home Depot brand occupying every top spot but one in our Ratings categories of interior paints. But in our latest tests, paints from Benjamin Moore, Kilz, and Valspar edged into first place.

Behr hasn't fallen to the bottom of the charts--its flat and semigloss paints merit an excellent overall score, and the low-luster a very good. But the passing of the paint stirrer, er, baton is a reminder that paints are in constant flux. Manufacturers tinker with formulas to improve performance, meet environmental regulations, and cut costs.

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The recipe revamping can make it difficult to decipher the lingo and claims you'll see on cans at a home center or paint store:Valspar touts its "Advanced [Ti.sup.3] Technology," Benjamin Moore reveals its "Authentic ColorLock" system, Dutch Boy promises "Single Coat Application," and Ace pledges "25 Years of Durability."

Green is also a marketing tactic, but not in the color sense.Many paints we tested feature a green certification on the label, such as Green Seal. Having a low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has likewise emerged as a selling point.

You shouldn't need a chemist's knowledge or a pro painter's experience to buy interior paint. In fact, there's only one basic rule for buying paint: Pick the right product for the job.To help you find the best choice, our experts run dozens of paints through a battery of tests to measure hiding power, stain resistance, surface smoothness, and other characteristics. Here's what they found:

Mixed marks for low-VOC finishes. VOCs are solvents in paint that get released into the air as you use the finish. They can cause headaches, dizziness, and other acute symptoms. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs used in paints are known or suspected carcinogens.