Every potter whether beginner or expert professional knows that having the Best Pottery Wheel can make or break your efforts to create amazing ceramic pottery. My article today will help beginning and intermediate potters find the perfect fit between needed features, budget and a wish list!
For simplicity sake, I will not review Kick-Wheel pottery wheels. In addition, I’ll limit this article to electric motor-driven wheels.
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If You’re Short of Time, Here Are My Top Recommendations For Best Pottery Wheel
For details on each brand/series please read the full article!
- Shimpo VL Whisper – Best Beginner to Professional Level Wheel
- Brent B
- Skutt Revolution
- Speedwell Clay Boss
- Pacifica
- Shimpo Aspire
- Speedball Artista Speedball Artista – Best Entry Level Wheel
- Skytou Pottery Wheel – Best Budget Wheel
- Faber Castel Pottery Studio – Best Toy Wheel for Small Kids
Let’s Dive In: What To Look For in a Best Pottery Wheel with 21 Critical Features
How do you decipher which wheel will be best for your needs? Let’s look at 21 features of pottery wheels and you can decide which features are absolute must-haves for you, and which are not so important. You may be surprised to discover some features you hadn’t thought about!
- Adjustable feet for leveling, sturdiness or adjusting height
- Cost
- Reputable manufacturer
- Value and longevity
- Wheel Head of sufficient size for your needs
- Wheel Head quality and configuration
- Motor strength – at least 250 RPM
- Consistent turning speed
- Quiet motor
- Adjustable turning speeds
- Moving counter clockwise and or clockwise
- Removable splash pan for easy cleaning
- Foot pedal and Hand lever to operate speed
- Table top or seated
- Shipping costs
- Able to take the pressure of ‘centering’
- Water holding pan in the splash pan
- Warranty length
- Overall weight
- Capable of mounting bats and which ones
- Beginner to try out or professional for frequent or heavy use
A Deeper Look For The Best Pottery Wheel
1. Adjustable Feet
A potter’s wheel that is not level to the ground can cause a wobble that will make throwing a pot difficult. Adjustable feet will make leveling easier. More importantly, good, thick, and sturdy legs give stability, which will make your time at the wheel more confident and productive.
Lighter weight legs may mean your wheel is easier to move. However, you’ll want to decide which is more important to you: ease of moving the wheel or a solid seated experience.
Also, if your potter’s wheel has adjustable legs, then changing your stance from standing to seated can make it much more comfortable to work.
If you anticipate spine or neck tightening issues from hunching over a potter’s wheel for more than a few minutes, then changing your posture and stance often will greatly help! (Ask me about my pinched nerve from sitting in one position too long! I’ve got the proof that moving around is better for your body!).
2. Cost
Adult potter wheels start at $200 and can go to close to $2,000. That’s quite the price spread!
Unless you have an unlimited budget, chances are you will need to find the best potter wheel that is the perfect tipping point between enough features that are must-haves for you and the highest price point you are comfortable with. That’s where my rating review can help you!
ProTip
I always advise my students and friends to buy art supplies that are at a ‘just slightly uncomfortable’ price point.
Our natural inclination may be to have price point the foremost consideration. But, I believe that you will never regret purchasing a good item. However, you may regret not springing the extra bucks to get the best pottery wheel that would have worked so much better.
3. Reputable Manufacturer
Today there are overseas manufacturers who partner with individuals and companies to place a private label brand on their product. The reason why they all look nearly exactly alike is because they are!
Some of these companies are fleeting in longevity and may use inferior materials to construct the potter’s wheels. If you want to purchase one of these wheels because of the low, low price, above all, rely heavily on the customer ratings that you can read online at Amazon and Dick Blick. In addition, plan on replacing the potter’s wheel sooner than you may be happy with.
Good luck getting any customer service if something goes wrong with your low-cost wheel!
Most of the big names in pottery wheels have been devoted manufacturers for several decades. They pride themselves on superior materials, customer service, and construction. These companies include Skutt, Brent, Shimpo, Speedball, and Pacifica.
4. Value and Longevity of the Best Pottery Wheel
Directly related to a reputable manufacturer, is value for dollar spent and longevity.
No one likes wasting money….buying something that is too cheap or too expensive can both be costly mistakes.
With potter’s wheels, you most definitely ‘get what you pay for’. However, spending the top dollar if you don’t intend to use your wheel nearly every day or to throw 80 lb pots may be a different variety of a costly mistake!
Some potter’s wheels can last a lifetime, especially if they are Kick-Wheel or if they have a superior motor. Potter’s wheels hold their value very well and finding one used is difficult. Potters typically hang onto their wheels for their entire ceramic making life.
However, budget brands are not engineered to last a lifetime. As a result, repeated replacement may drive up the overall cost beyond any initial savings you may enjoy from buying a non-professional brand.
How often and how much heavy-duty use you plan on doing with your wheel can help you narrow down your choices. Try to look into your future about 8 years and see if you plan on doing enough time and effort at the wheel to justify a top dollar wheel.
5. Wheel Head Size Diameter
Wheel sizes range from 8 to 14 inches. 8 inch wheels are great for throwing mugs, small plates and bowls.
Larger wheels are for large bowls, platters, larger plates, and vases. It helps to figure out what sort of pottery you want to create over the lifetime of your potting years.
If you yearn to create patio planters, then a larger wheel will be necessary eventually. Buying a larger wheel now may makes sense.
6. Wheel Head Configuration
Wheels platforms are typically made from aluminum, although wood or plastic are also available.
Some wheel platforms are stationary and will not accommodate handling any ‘bats’. Bats are additional plates fastened onto the wheel plate that are removable and eliminate the center pin of the wheel embedding into the object you are throwing.
The most versatile potters wheels allow a potter to attach a bat for artistic use and for the practical use of removing the pot without lifting it off the wheel.
If you need a removable wheel bat, make sure it will attach and remove easily from your potter’s wheel. Some wheels accept bats, but only CERTAIN bats. Check all this out before you buy!
7. Motor Size and Strength
Motor strength is measured in horsepower units. I won’t bore you with the mechanics and the details of the electronic minutiae. But to simplify things, the higher the horsepower, the more and heavier clay you can move and throw on your wheel.
In general, a 1/4 horsepower wheel is going to be quite limiting. You may enjoy throwing cereal bowls and mugs for a while, but eventually, a 1/4 horsepower motor will hold you back in progress. If you try to force it into handling heavier loads, the wheel will experience ‘lag’ as you apply force. Moreover, the small motor will burn out and need replacing.
Big Motor
The bigger the motor, the longer it will last. Unless you are throwing 80 lbs of clay all day long, the load on the motor will vary and help extend the life of the motor. Motors are also rated by Revolutions Per Minute. You will need a minimum of 250 RPM to power a useful pottery wheel.
Small Motor
Small motors will burn out easily and balk at heavier loads of clay, or reduce the revolution spin rate. And here’s a caution. Faster ain’t necessarily better. Faster is fast, and that’s about it. More importantly, what you want is enough muscle to handle the load at a rate that won’t bog down the wheel rotation at startup or slow down. 250- 300 RPM is typical and adequate.
A 1/3 Horsepower motor is common, and a 1/2 horsepower motor to 1 horsepower is ideal. Anything smaller will generate enough power for cups and cereal bowl-sized objects. In all likelihood, it will slow down with pressure from your hand. However, a 1/4 hp motor is cost-effective and may be a good fit for casual use!
As you can imagine, a lurching or inconsistent turning speed will really mess up your throwing actions and the outcome.
Most potter’s wheels use a fan belt driving arrangement underneath the wheel. As the wheel ages, the belt can stretch or become worn.
Some professional potter’s wheels use a magnetic drive to move the wheel which reduces noise and has fewer moving parts to wear down or break.
The lowest price point wheels have plastic gears and parts, which as you know, are flimsy and break or wear down very quickly.
8. Quiet motor
If you can’t visit a pottery store to hear it yourself, rely on owner’s reviews. Some wheels are prohibitively noisy with squeals, grinds, and loud motors. Pottery can be a quiet, meditative experience and noise from your wheel may bother you considerably.
Check the decibel rating on the wheel. If it isn’t available, rely on customer’s reviews or assume it is noisy!
9. Adjustable wheel turning speeds
Most potters don’t need or want to go mach speed on their wheel, but it is nice to have a variable speed ability! Especially for beginners, a higher rotation speed may make things more difficult.
10. Counter clock-wise or clock-wise turning direction
Right-handed potters enjoy a counter-clockwise turning direction, and left-handers the opposite. However, being able to switch rotation directions with a flip of a switch is a great feature to have on a wheel.
Not only will one wheel accommodate both, but having the ability to switch directions can open up possibilities to try unusual techniques. Budget brands may be available for right-hand users, left-hand users, or have a switch to change them back and forth.
11. Removable splash pan
Some pottery studios don’t want or need a splash pan as drips and mess from thrown clay are not an issue. Many potters like to have their work area easy to clean AND reduce the likelihood of mess. That’s where a splash pan can really save the day.
Some pans are not easily removable though. Others are made of flimsy plastic and crack and chip over years of use. As a result, it is possible to catch arm hair painfully in the cracks. Or even worse, it may leak.
Pans may be available to come apart easily in two pieces, or you may have to wrestle with it quite a bit to get the pan free from the wheel. Or it may even be non-removable and have a drain hole instead.
12. Foot pedal or lever to adjust turning speed
A great foot pedal is one that is moveable so that you can adjust where you want to place it on the floor. That way your foot and leg can change positions from place to place as you get fatigued. A pedal or level that adjusts gradually, not lurching, will be most welcome. Some go from zero to hero too fast!
A cast aluminum foot pedal is favored by many potters for durability and sensitivity.
13. Tabletop or seated
Tabletop wheels will be very lightweight and super portable. They are versatile for posture needs and can sit close to the floor if you have a support that size.
Add to that the convenience of having a tabletop to place tools, sponges, and bins of water nearby, and you may decide that tabletop is the way to go.
Seated wheels are very sturdy and allow you to bend over in a consistent position which may help you focus on your turning, and not on your body position.
14. Shipping costs
Some wheels weigh up to 200 lbs. and the shipping costs may drive up the final price quite high.
In addition, there is the issue of how to get it from the shippers drop off (your front porch) into your studio! The shipper drives away cheerfully, as you ponder how the heck you’re going to manhandle that box by yourself 75 feet or more to its final resting place. Sigh. Weight can be a big factor.
15. Able to take the pressure of centering from your hands
As I mentioned in the motor section, lower hp motors can slow down the wheel turning as you push and move your clay. That would drive me bonkers. If you decide on a budget-priced wheel, be prepared for slow down on the wheel. It is possible to get used to it, and the budget price alone may justify the patience needed to allow for slow start.
16. Place for water in the splash pan
Not all splash pans have enough room for a water container, but it may be a feature that you enjoy. Some splash pans have that feature, but it’s located in a ridiculous place. Personal preference here! It helps to take a class or try your hand at a friend’s pottery studio to see in person what your preferences are.
17. Warranty length
Warrantees can be as short as non-existent to as long as ten years! Of course, the toy wheels will have zero warranty for obvious reasons! With professional models and companies who stand behind their products, you will want to look for a company with excellent customer service, extra parts, and great long-term warrantees.
18. Overall weight and size
Wheels can be prohibitively heavy to move. If you need to tote your wheel to fairs or classes, the weight will be a big deciding factor. Ease of moving is important because all studios need to be cleaned out from time to time. A 200 lb. behemoth will need an additional person to help move it around.
Size is also something to consider. Tabletop models will easily fit into the backseat of even small commuter cars.
Take a long look at your studio or location where you plan to throw your pots. Do you have about four square feet to walk around a wheel/seat easily? Do you have five square feet? What about things in close proximity like tables, bookcases, supply cabinets and furniture? If you need to contain the splatter of wet clay tightly, then a small tabletop wheel may serve your needs better.
19. Ability to mount bats and which ones?
Bats are removable plates that potters use on top of their wheel. These bats clamp or screw onto the potter’s wheel and provide a pin-less surface to throw on.
Some wheels do not accommodate bats, and some only accommodate a certain bat. If bats are in your future, look for a versatile wheel that will not lock you into a single bat brand.
20. For beginner or professional?
A professional potter’s wheel needs to take the daily use of a skilled potter month after month after month and not slow down production with unreliability or cheap parts that break often.
It needs to have a strong motor that won’t wear down prematurely from handling very heavy loads.
A professional wheel can handle 100 lbs of clay, but all that carries a hefty price tag.
Beginners do not need a professional wheel. In fact, intermediate potters probably don’t need a professional wheel costing $2,000.
My reviews here focus on beginner and intermediate needs.
My Top Recommendations For Best Pottery Wheel Rated and Reviewed
I’ve ranked each Potter Wheel according to eight features that may help you best narrow down your choices. I’ll rate 0 stars as the lowest and 5 stars as the best or highest rate. Then I’ll combine all those ratings to come up with the best percentage of stars.
1. Shimpo VL-Whisper – Best overall
Shimpo company was founded in Japan in 1952. They really know their stuff when it comes to manufacturing quality pottery wheels. Their wheels are spendy, for sure. But hear me out on this. The features combined in the Shimpo VL Whisper may tick most of your boxes. One of the major ones is the super quiet 1/2 hp motor. It is a beltless system which means less upkeep and repairs. The wheel head freely turns at 0 RPM which means if you enjoy sculpting as well as wheel throwing, you can use the wheel as a sculptor’s banding wheel!
The wheel is 14 inches and accepts bats at 10 inches apart. Capable of handing up to 135 lbs of clay, this is a wheel that will last for decades. Reversing directions, adjustable beefy legs for 5 different heights, and great sturdiness. Amazon’s price includes free shipping.
It has a 5-year warranty. The only downside is that the pedal and speed lever is fixed. Removable splash pan.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 5 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 5 out of 5 stars
Quiet 5 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 4 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 5 out of 5 stars
Durability 5 out of 5 stars
Our Rating= 98% I gave it a bonus point for being so very quiet
Here’s an unboxing and demo:
2. Brent B
Brent is a highly respected pottery wheel company and manufactures three different series of wheels. The IE models can be modified to use as a tabletop wheel and uses a 1/4 hp motor. The ‘C’ model is the ‘Classic ‘ and has a 3/4 hp motor with a 14 inch wheel head.
My recommendation is the ‘B’ model with a 1/2 hp motor and a 12-inch wheel head.
It is more money than the Shimpo Whisper, but it has some interesting features.
It will handle up to 150lbs of clay, and has a modular style of engineered parts that make repairs and replacements a breeze. Made in the USA, the Brent has been beloved and well used for decades. Brent machines have a whopping 10-year warranty! The wheels are fully reversible and will accept 2 bat pins. It has an automatic belt tensioning system to keep the belt at the ideal tightness. It has a cast aluminum foot pedal with a four-foot cord for good adjusting and a removable splash pan.
Coming in at a significantly higher price than the Shimpo, it is also not as quiet.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 5 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 5 out of 5 stars
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 5 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 5 out of 5 stars
Durability 5 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 97%
Here’s the manufacturer demo:
3. Skutt Revolution
The Skutt company makes ceramic kilns and purchased the Thomas Stuart Wheel Co in 2008. That company had been in the business of making pottery wheels for decades. Offering a 5 year warranty, the wheels accommodate 10 inch bat pins. They are famous for great customer service.
The pedals are moveable cast aluminum. I picked the Revolution for my recommendation over the other series because it has the right size wheel combined with a 1/2 hp motor. For anyone but a professional, a 1 hp motor may be overkill. This one will be perfect for beginner to intermediately skilled potters.
Skutt pottery wheels are available in two categories: Wheels for Beginners and Wheels for Professionals. Here’s how they all differ:
For Beginners
Prodigy Series 1/3 hp; 12 inch wheel head; removable splash pan handles up to 94 lbs
Legend Series 1/3 hp; 14 inch wheel head; removable splash pan; handles up to 117 lbs
Revolution Series 1/2 hp, 14 inch wheel head; removable splash pan; handles up to 119 lbs
Premier Series 1 hp, 14 inch wheel; removable splash pan; handles up to 128 lbs.
For Professionals
Classic Series 1/3 hp, 14 inch wheel; built in splash pan with drain plug; handles up to 127 lb
Elite Series 1/2 hp; 14 inch wheel; built in splash pan with drain plug; handles up to 130 lb
Professional Series 1 hp; 14 inch wheel; built in splash pan with drain plug; handles up to 140 lb
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 5 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 5 out of 5 stars
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 4 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 5 out of 5 stars
Durability 5 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 95%
4. Speedwell Clay Boss
Another company that acquired an old reliable wheel manufacturer, Speedwell was started in 2009, but purchased the Creative Industries Company of California, which had been making quality pottery wheels since 1971 in the USA.
The price is much more affordable than the Skutt, Brent, or Shimpo brands, making a great affordable option for beginners or intermediate potters. The Clay Boss is 1/2 hp motor and capable of handling 100 lb load of clay. It has a whopping ten year warranty! It has a removable two-piece splash pan.
There is also a Big Boss series with a 1 hp motor than will handle 174 lbs.
I’m recommending the Clay Boss for the sweet spot of price and horsepower.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 5 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 4 out of 5 stars
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 5 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 4 out of 5 stars
Durability 4 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 90%
5. Pacifica Pottery Wheels
Pacifica is a well-respected manufacturer of pottery wheels. With three choices of horse powered motors, ( 1/4, 1/2 and 1 hp), they all are 13 inch wheel heads. With only a 2 year warranty, they are quad-belt driven with a two-piece removable splash pan. There is a toggle switch for reversing direction spin. Also, it has a modular system for easy part repair and replacement. Bat pins spaced 10 inches are standard.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 5 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 5 out of 5 stars
Quiet 5 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 2 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 4 out of 5 stars
Durability 5 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 90%
Budget Pottery Wheels
Ideal for just learning something new in your own home studio, budget pottery wheels won’t have you taking out another mortgage, but they aren’t cheap either. Professional potters will not think much of beginner wheels, but let’s face it, there are many people who want to dabble in creating ceramic creations, or teach their children without jumping to a high-quality and lifetime durable wheel.
A budget-priced wheel may turn out to be the best pottery wheel for your needs.
6.Shimpo Aspire – Best entry level wheel
For those wanting a tabletop wheel, the Aspire is a great option. It still has a 1/3 hp motor, which can handle a moderately heavy load. Intended for beginners, the wheel head is only 7 inches, which is manageable for a beginner. There is a one-piece removable splash pan and a speed control lever. Two 9.75 inch bats are included. The Aspire has a great 5-year warranty.
Relatively small and lightweight at 25 lbs, this wheel is very portable. Being a tabletop wheel, it is good for tall people or those who prefer to stand while throwing pots. An optional foot pedal is available for additional purchase.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 4 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 3 out of 5 stars
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 3 out of 5 stars
Warranty 4 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 4 out of 5 stars
Durability 4 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 77%
7.Speedball Artista Tabletop – Best entry level wheel for Best Pottery Wheel
Coming in with a respectable 1/3 hp motor and an 11 inch wheel head, the Artista has a fixed rotation. So, you’ll need to decide if you prefer counter-clockwise or clock-wise spin.
It can accommodate bat pins at 10 inches spacing and has a maximum load of 25 lbs of clay. It has a 2 year warranty and is very small at 26 x 21 inches in size. Additional extras can make it free standing, not tabletop.
Dependable Manufacturer 5 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 4 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 0 out of 5 stars :however a foot pedal is available for extra cost
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 5 out of 5 stars
Warranty 2 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 4 out of 5 stars
Durability 4 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 67%
8. Skytou Pottery Wheel – Best budget option for Best Pottery Wheel
Hard to believe there is a good functioning budget option, but his wheel by Skytou just might be it. (Please note the dozens of identical competitors on the marketplace). For around $200, it functions pretty good! Especially for first time beginners and casual sporadic use, this wheel is not perfect, but it certainly has its merits!
If you are unsure you will enjoy throwing clay, then for a sampler pottery wheel to get you started, this is not a terrible option.
Handles up to 20 lbs of clay. Even speed, quiet motor. Easy to use hand crank and foot pedal combo. Removable splash pan. Water container in splash pan. Will hold a Griffin Grip attachment. 9.8inch plate. The compact size of the machine sits quite low to the ground, so if you have long legs, this may not be the most comfortable option for you.
There is a noticeable delay at startup and slow down/stop with this wheel.
Dependable Manufacturer 2 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 2 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 3 out of 5 stars
Quiet 4 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 0 out of 5 stars
Warranty 0 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 3 out of 5 stars
Durability 3 out of 5 stars
Our rating: 42%
Here’s a demo review:
8. Faber Castel Pottery Studio – best toy option for young kids
These classify more like toys than serious pottery wheels. With bargain-basement pricing, you can expect minimal use and longevity out of these ‘toy’ pottery wheels.
STILL, there is an odd birthday present that needs to be purchased and a new art medium to be tried out and these very, very low budget toys might fill that need!
For tiny hands that don’t work with as much dexterity as teens and grown-ups, a toy to sample the world of clay throwing is not a horrible idea.
I won’t bother to rank and rate this wheel, for obvious reasons. Suffice it to say that it will be a good try-out-and-see for kids age 5 to 8.
Dependable Manufacturer 3 out of 5 stars
Motor Strength 1 out of 5 stars
Adjustable Speed 0 out of 5 stars
Quiet 0 out of 5 stars
Versatile Bats 0 out of 5 stars
Warranty 0 out of 5 stars
Great Customer Reviews 1 out of 5 stars
Durability 0 out of 5 stars
Our rating: nah, let’s leave it at that!
An ideal scenario would be to take a pottery class from a studio or artist, but not everyone has access to such places in their community.
For my seven-year-old grandkids who live more remote, this will at least whet their appetite until they are ready for the best pottery wheel in a few years.
More Ideas
Once you get your ideal pottery wheel, your next purchase will no doubt be a home kiln. Our article Best Ceramic Kiln for Home Use will give you a thorough overview of some of the best kilns available.
Inspiration!