The 123 is best. BIN is shellac and, while smelly, is also difficult to work with unless you have a lot of painting experience. It dries very quickly and therefore does not brush out well.
The 123 has been around for a very long time and is an excellent primer. Cover Stain is a more specific primer and lacks some of the "all around" components of the 123.

If you're near a C2 dealer, I'd recommend the C2-One primer.
It's a great stain-blocking Int/Ext Latex. To ME, it's VERY low odor. Lotsa nice comments from customers about it too. They designed it to be better than "123".

OPTIONAL: If you're real fussy about smoothness, you can apply 2 coats of any of these primers. It'll give you slightly more "sanding-cushion". Wait a good half-day or more for primer to harden-off enough to sand well.

C2 does have a higher-build primer called SAP...Sandable-Acrylic-Primer. It's ~ $30/gal., and sands real nice. This works good under "leveling" paints like Cabinet-Coat, & ACE's Cabinet & Trim paint.

Faron

There are a lot good primers out there but for a superior job you want to look for a more professional grade primer usually found at professional paint stores. ICI's Gripper is pretty good and SWs prep rite primers are good. Try checking out a specialty primer from XIM. They have specialized primers for a variety of uses like plastic, vinyl, and some pretty interesting stuff. Their super high build latex primer (Peel Bond) is great for repaints of bare wood and cracked and crazed surfaces. They have a web site at ximbonder

I am going to be painting over some very light stained woodwork (like a pickled oak stain almost).

Planned to prep, sand, prime and use 2 coats of cabinet coat. Will Kilz primer be sufficent? I have some on hand so it would make life easier

Should a primer always be used if you are going to a different color? Another question I have is about my bathroom - the paint is bubbling and has a brown stain coming through it with the moisture from the shower even though the door is left open with the fan on. It is K&B paint. Someone said this could be tannin from the wood or nicotine if the previous owners smoked. What do you think this might be and what would be the best primer for this situation? Thank you for your help!

arapaho,

The best primer won't solve the issue if it's not clean first. Wash the surface with a strong Dirtex or Jasco solution. Make sure it's sanded dull before primer.

To ensure the tannin or smoke related stain does not return, prime it with BIN by Zinsser. Apply a generous coat of BIN and allow it to dry overnight before sanding and finishing.

Michael

I'm changing the paint color in my dining room from a wine color to a light beige/cream. What primer would be best for this? Also, should it be tinted or will white primer work? I want to buy the best primer and paint I can.

Cheerful1,

* Use a top-quality White latex primer.
* Don't use "contractor-grades"!
* Wash/clean the walls first, and dust-off any trims you'll be taping on.
* Since your new colors are light, they'll be in a white base, so there's no benefit in tinting a primer.
* Is your Wine color glossy?? If so, lightly sand all of it.

Then...TWO FULL coats of your new paint!

My earlier post mentions the C2-One primer. I hate to sound like a commercial, but if you're near a C2 dealer, try this stuff! Top-notch primer...VERY little odor.

Faron