Best Pottery Wheel

Best Pottery Wheel 2019 — Reviews and Buyer’s Guide
Buying the best pottery wheel is not so easy task as it seems to be at first glance. Both professionals and
beginners want to find something high-quality that will be suitable for them. One should always keep in
mind that choosing the right type of pottery wheel is very important. Because it defines all your future
projects, working process and influences your career as a potter. Nowadays there are a lot of different
pottery wheels in Internet shops, so it is really easy to get lost and quite complicated to choose the
wheel you are going to buy. The variety of choice makes this task almost impossible because there are
many brands and different features you are not aware of. And naturally it is impossible to know all the
information.
In this article we provide you Top 5 pottery wheels that suits both experienced potters and beginners.
Here you may find and then even buy your first pottery wheel which you will start mastering pottery
with. There are also some models of wheels both for those who just want to try out something new and
those who are going to improve their throwing skills. Also we shall consider all pros and cons of each
wheel separately, compare some of them and give you a few recommendations that may help you to
make right evaluation of other pottery wheels in the future.
Well, let’s take a look at a list of best pottery wheels 2019 in our comparison table.
1. Shimpo VL Lite Pottery Wheel Review, Reversible Lightweight Wheel for Beginners
Shimpo VL Lite Pottery Wheel is the one that will perfectly fit beginners. It is equipped with all the
necessary tools such as a remote foot pedal, removable two-piece splash pan, aluminum wheel head
and 100-watt reversible motor. Its electronic controller provides stable speed adjustment. Shimpo VL
Lite also has half a horsepower, that makes this wheel really fast.
Productivity
As a rule, almost all wheels for beginners come with half a horsepower. Shimpo VL Lite is not an
exception here. Due to this feature the wheel really goes fast, but unfortunately, this very peculiarity
doesn’t influence the amount of stress on the wheel. And this is the point everyone should take into
account when choosing or even buying Pottery Wheel. We shall cover this point a little bit later.
So speaking about Shimpo LV Lite, it can make up to 250 rotations per minute with half a horsepower.
Design and Materials
There are 3 types of material the pottery wheel head can be made of namely steel, aluminum alloy, and
plastic. A plastic one is the most fragile wheel head type. So it is important to point out that its wheel
head is made of aluminum that is without any doubts better than a plastic one.
One of the important positive characteristics of Shimpo VL is its design due to which the wheel has its
lightweight and compactness. Compared to other wheels Shimpo VL can be called one of the lightest
and the most compact one. It is really easy to transport. A person of middle size can take it elsewhere
without any problem. This wheel can be easily placed in the car not putting the seats down even if your
car is small enough. Besides Shimpo VL Lite Pottery Wheel is also reversible that is very suitable for lefthanded
people.

Another big plus of this pottery wheel is removable two-piece splash pan. One should know, especially a
beginner, that it is very important to scour the wheel in order to simplify your job. A removable Shimpo
splash pan makes this task easy to perform.
Drawbacks
But unfortunately, it is quite difficult to take the splash pan off as the material it made of is a kind of
flexible plastic.
The process of taking Shimpo splash pan off becomes complicated, according to its interlocking design
which means that you need to thrust one part away from the other, take it off and then do the same
operation on the other side.
It seems to be not so difficult at first glance but you really need to get used to it.
Another disadvantage is that according to Shimpo VL Lite Pottery Wheel main characteristics it can
center only 25 pounds of clay, otherwise it can slow down your work process. It doesn’t seem to be a
problem for beginners and for those, for instance, who are going to make little cups because 3 or 5
pounds of clay will be enough to manage this task.
Overall
So taking into account all mentioned above features one can confidently say that Shimpo VL Lite Pottery
Wheel perfectly suits beginners. Due to its compactness and weight, you can easily find a workplace and
change it if necessary. Removable two-peace splash pan will help you to keep your wheel clean and
simplify your job.
Pros
• Lightweight
• Reversible
• Removable splash pan
• Has half a horsepower
• Up to 250 rotations per minute
Cons
• Low centering capacity – 25 lbs.
2. Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel Review, Powerful Wheel both for Experienced and Beginner
Potters
Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel has all necessary features for proper throwing. Due to its 100 lbs
centering capacity this wheel meets not only the requirements of beginners but also of people who have

certain experience. Steel wheel head and frame makes Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel construction
sturdy and reliable. Foot pedal provides you adjustable speed control of the wheel.
Productivity
Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel has half a horsepower. Compared to Shimpo VL Lite it can make only
240 rotations per minute. It is also equipped with a pedal that has a good sensibility; it is neither low or
high. That allows you to adjust the speed of the wheel as you wish.
Design and Material
Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel frame and wheel head are made of steel. It makes the whole
construction much heavier but if you have an experience of working both with Shimpo VL Lite and
Speedball Clay Boss you can notice that the last one feels better because of its strength. Steel frame and
100 lbs centering capacity of Speedball Clay Boss allow you to feel free while experimenting with making
larger forms using more clay.
Speedball Clay Boss has quite big wheel head. It is about 14 inches compared to Shimpo VL Lite with 12
inches. Speaking about pottery wheels, 2 inches difference between wheel heads is not too critical. But
you feel more confident while working with 14 inches rather than 12, especially with a sturdy one like
Speedball Clay Boss. A wheel head of this size perfectly suits those potters who use their wheels to
make plates.
It is necessary to point out such feature as pinholes. All the modern pottery wheels come with pinholes
and Speedball Clay Boss is not an exception. These pinholes are the must-have feature to all pottery
wheels because an absence of them can be the reason for many problems in your work.
Very important to keep in mind the following fact: if you advance in your skills and transform from
beginner into the intermediate stage, you can keep and use Speedball Clay Boss as an intermediate
pottery wheel. It is really a very big plus. Not every wheel pottery can be used on both stages.
Drawbacks
Speaking about negatives it is necessary to point out that the splash pan of Speedball Clay Boss Pottery
Wheel has a weird shape. It has a strange cut-off at the top and it means that Clay Boss splash pan is not
round like a normal one. But it is made of good quality plastic.
Speedball Clay Boss is quite heavy in contrast to Shimpo VL. If you are going to transport your wheel
often it can become a problem. Depending on your constitution it could be a really hard task to put it in
the car on your own, without asking somebody to help you.
Overall
As we can see from this review Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel is a reliable, durable and quite
versatile wheel. Owing to its 100 lbs centering capacity you can make stuff of different size. This wheel
can help you to improve your skills as it suits both specialists and beginners. 14 inches pottery wheel
head allows you to feel free while experimenting. Pinholes provide you steady and stable throwing
process. So buying a Speedball Clay Boss Pottery Wheel you can be sure that it helps you to start or
continue your potter’s career.
Pros

• Good centering capacity
• Steel wheel head
• 14 inches wheel head
• Has half a horsepower
Cons
• Large weight
• Non-standard splash pan shape
3. Skutt Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel Review, Stable and durable Wheel for a long-time usage
Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel is perfectly suitable for beginners and specialists. It is the wheel
you can keep throughout your entire throwing career. Its design makes the pottery wheel as steady as
possible. And the centering ability allows you to experiment with things of different size.
Productivity
Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel has only one third a horsepower. Undoubtedly this wheel doesn’t
go as fast as Shimpo VL Lite or Speedball Clay Boss. But it is necessary to notice that if you are making
things over 12 inches you need to slow down the wheel in order to keep the center of balance. Also
despite the fact that this pottery wheel goes a little bit slower than previously described ones, it has
quite a stable rhythm. So having one third a horsepower is not a problem at all.
In comparison with Speedball Clay Boss, Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel can handle only 75
pounds of clay at a time. But it doesn’t seem to be a disadvantage. If you are a beginner, you are not
going to center more than 25 pounds.
Design and Materials
The wheel head of Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel is made of aluminum, which is not so sturdy as
steel. It doesn’t really matter so much here.
Nevertheless, this pottery wheel is heavier than Speedball Clay Boss and Shimpo VL Lite. It is necessary
to point out that this wheel is more studier in the base than on the top. These two features mentioned
above make this wheel very steady. It is a really important peculiarity because you won’t worry that
some dog, cat or a kid can thrust your wheel while you are working.
You should keep in mind that Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel can take the pressure of your body
that you can put on it. And the important point one should remember is that a lifetime of your pottery
wheel fully depends on the pressure it can take from a human body. Because the more pressure a wheel
takes, the less strain is on the wheel, motor and the pottery wheel head itself.

It is necessary to mention its foot pedal which is sturdy enough. This pedal slowly adapts to the speed
and your foot. It makes speed adjusting process very steady.
Some pottery wheels have a splash pans with a little hole inside. So if you decide to work with such kind
of splash pan you will find your entire table dirty. Whereas Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel
ensures you full cleanness until you take clay outside of a splash pan. It helps you to save time because
it makes cleanup much easier.
Drawbacks
The splash pan of this wheel has a standard round form. But there is one disadvantage. If you need to
clean it, you have to take a wheel head off first. And it can become a problem for some people because
of its weight.
Someone thinks that it’s a negative feature that this pottery wheel can handle less clay than Speedball
Clay Boss. But one shouldn’t forget the following points: firstly, if you are a beginner, you won’t use all
possible amount of clay (75 lbs.); secondly, Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel can handle more
pressure. It means that it is more durable than others.
Overall
So it can be said with confidence that Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel is steady, durable and
reliable. Due to its construction, the wheel can take quite enough pressure from a human body that
means it will have a long lifetime. Its centering capacity allows you to improve your skills from making
little cups to something more impressive. So Thomas Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel is the one you can
start with and continue mastering pottery.
Pros
• Good centering capacity
• Standard round form of a splash pan
• Steady
• Sturdy foot pedal
Cons
• Large weight
• One third a horsepower
4/5. Brent Model ie and Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheels, Reliable and Sturdy Wheels to Start and
Continue Potter’s Career

BrentModel ie and Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheels are very strong, sturdy and reliable. We are going
to cover these wheels in one review as they are very similar. All the differences we specified in the
comparison table above.
Productivity
Brent Pottery wheels due to their power can make 240 rotations per minute. Somebody can say that it is
too slow and that even Shimpo Lite VL makes 250 rotations.
But frankly speaking, this very feature doesn’t matter, as these wheels can take much more pressure on
the wheel head. It means that Brent Pottery wheels will last longer.
Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheel can handle 100 lbs of clay at the same time. It is more than enough for
you as a beginner. But nevertheless, try to avoid overloading your wheel. It is necessary to understand
that if you see a wheel can handle only 25 lbs it means that this is its limit. If you follow this simple rule,
your wheel will last long.
Design and Materials
Brent has perfect customer service. You can ask any question about your issues and you always receive
an acceptable answer. Fortunately, many parts of Brent Pottery Wheels are easily interchangeable in
contrast to specialty wheel. It goes without saying that specialty wheels are faster and have some other
better characteristics. But you shouldn’t forget that they require permanent maintenance as well. Also,
the parts of such wheels are more expensive and need to be a specialty. If you are a beginner and you
want to improve your skills to get into the intermediate stage, be sure that Brent ie and ie-x Pottery
Wheels will meet your needs.
Speaking about Brent Model ie and Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheels it is important to point out that it
has a perfect and exceptionally durable iron frame but their wheel head is made of aluminum. Don’t be
quick in making conclusions if you follow all the advice concerning maintaining and taking care of it, this
pottery wheel head will last very long.
One interesting feature of these wheels is that you can keep them or even throw your pots outside. Due
to the fact that all electronics are well-protected with a help of metal shell, the weather conditions and
other outside threats can’t damage it.
Speaking about the Brent splash pan it is necessary to highlight a few points. In contrast to Thomas
Stuart Prodigy Pottery Wheel, you don’t need to take off a wheel head to get to the splash pan. Besides,
it has a standard round form and is made of a better quality plastic than the other ones we came across
earlier.
Brent Pottery wheels have sturdy construction. Using these wheels, as in the case with Thomas Stuart
Prodigy Pottery Wheel, you don’t need to worry that any cat, dog or a kid can knock it over. It is really a
big plus, especially if you work in a place where there are a lot of people.
The thing that is really special about these two models Is that the construction of Brent Model ie and
Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheels provide perfectly smooth rotation.
Drawbacks

Despite good quality plastic, the Brent splash pan is made of, it has one disadvantage. A process of
cleaning a splash pan is quite tiring. Undoubtedly you don’t need to take off the wheel head. Because of
the interlocking mechanism, you have to unlock and re-lock it any time you need to clean a splash pan.
Even if you decide to take a wheel head off to get to the splash pan, all the same you will need to deal
with the interlocking mechanism.
It is hardly can be the drawback but it should be stressed. It’s a bad idea to buy Brent Model ie or Brent
Model ie-X Pottery Wheel if you are not going to start potter’s career and you just want to try out
ceramic artwork. These pottery wheels are durable and have a really long lifetime. They can help you to
improve your skills and to experiment doing things of various difficulties. So if you just want to try
something out, it is better to consider one of three previously described pottery wheels.
Overall
BrentModel ie and Brent Model ie-X Pottery Wheels are suitable for both beginners and professional.
Any of these wheels is a good choice if you are going to become a specialist in throwing. Due to their
interchangeable parts, it is easy to fix some issues if any. Don’t forget that Brent has a fantastic
customer service that can always help you. And covering capacity of those wheels meets requirements
of both beginners and specialist.
Pros
• Good centering capacity
• Standard round form of a splash pan
• No need to take a wheel head off to clean the splash pan
• Steady enough
• Interchangeable parts
Cons
• Large weight
• One third a horsepower
Best Pottery Wheel 2019 — Buyer’s Guide
As you can see from the above we described top 5 pottery wheels both for the beginners and for those
who have already had pottering experience and are eager to master those skills. But as you probably can
understand the variety of pottery wheels is not limited by these 5 models.
You may want to improve your skills in pottering or you may just need a new wheel instead of those
described above. Thus, you need to know the crucial items which you should pay attention to while
choosing pottery wheels.
It goes without saying that there is a great variety of details that must be taken into account when you
want to choose a wheel. It may include both its dimensions and some more important things as for
example, the amount of clay it can handle at a time. In this part, we will focus on the details of

characteristics which you should bear in mind while choosing the pottery wheel, and it doesn’t matter if
it is your first wheel or you want to buy another one for mastering your skills in pottery.
It is necessary to remember that we give only general requirements to pottery wheels. Further, you
obviously can have your own criteria of assessment which will rely on your personal experience, needs
and desires.
So, here are several criteria that one should keep in mind while choosing a pottery wheel. They are:
• Diameter of a Wheel Head
• Splash Pan and Cleaning
• Weight
• Pedal Sensibility
• Material
• Centering Capacity
• Interchangeability of Pottery Wheel’s Part
• Customer Support Service
The Diameter of a Pottery Wheel Head
Thomas Stuart Wheel Head Shaft Extension
We have already stressed that it is very important to take into account the material the pottery wheel
head is made of. But it is not the only feature that can affect the operating process and the variety of
things you can make. We will speak about the diameter of the wheel head. This characteristic must be
combined with centering capacity of the wheel. It happens due to the fact that some things having more
width will have bigger weight correspondingly. But of course, if you plan to improve your skills in
pottery, we greatly recommend selecting pottery wheels with a wheel head not less than 14 inches. At
the same time for the beginners and for those people who have pottery as a hobby, the wheel head can
be of 12 inches.
Pottery Wheel Splash Pan and Cleaning
Brent Splash Pan
Every pottery wheel owner should take care of it. Once you have bought it you should think about its
maintenance. It is necessary to clean it after every using, otherwise, you will have problems. In order to
take care of your pottery wheel properly, you should take the wheel head off and clean everything at
least once a week. Otherwise, there are big chances that clay can get stuck underneath the attachment
in between the wheel head. If you don’t properly clean the wheel head one day you won’t be able to
take it off at all. So try to find time to clean your wheel head. But if you know beforehand that you don’t
have enough physical strength to clean the wheel you are going to buy, then try to choose another type
of pottery wheel. Because otherwise you will just spend your money and one day you won’t be able to
take the wheel head off.

All the wheels have splash pans of different kinds. Some of them are made of cheap plastic and have
non-standard weird form. You can even cut your hands while trying to take it off. There are also splash
pans that are made of good quality material. But if you have to clean it, you need to take off a wheel
head first which is often quite heavy. All these mentioned make a lot of inconveniences. So while buying
a pottery wheel it is necessary to take into account the material a splash pan is made of and the way it is
taken off. It is very important to know as it helps you to save time and makes cleanup much easier.
Weight
One of the main features in choosing the pottery wheel is its weight. In spite of the fact that some
people can consider this feature not very important, nevertheless, we think that we should pay special
attention to this item. All people live their own way of life. Some prefer often moving from one place to
another, the others like staying at one and the same place. If you can refer yourself to the first category,
the weight of the pottery wheel has significant importance to you. The lighter the wheel is the easier it
can be transported. We mean here not only transporting the wheel from one room to another or from
the first floor to the second but also putting it into the vehicle.
The weight of the wheel can be very important for you if you are a person of the delicate constitution
because it may be a problem to transport it if you do it alone. But in case if you are going to buy some
number of pottery wheels for starting up pottery studio, the weight of pottery wheel will not play an
important role for you because you plan to put it on one place for a long time. That’s why, before buying
a wheel you must be sure to answer the question how often you intend to transport it or change its
place.
Pedal Sensibility
Pedal Sensibility is very important characteristic one should take into account when buying a pottery
wheel. The quality of stuff you are making fully depends on it. If a pedal is too sensible and speeds up
very quickly, it will be difficult to adjust the speed level you need. Undoubtedly, that will strongly result
in what you are doing. There are also some pedals that don’t react to your pushings properly. You start
and continue to push again and again but nothing happens at first. After a few moments, it suddenly
speeds up at its maximum. You will have problems with such pedals.
The more sophisticated your thing is planned to be the smoother your pedal will react to your pushing.
Some peculiarities of your work will depend on the speed and adjustment of the pedal. It is also very
important to bear in mind that if you are a beginner, i.e. you are operating at the pottery wheel for the
first time, you may not estimate the value of pedal’s sensibility, while the experienced person will catch
the difference in the process of working with the pedal. So, if you are a beginner, you should pay more
attention to some other characteristics of a pottery wheel which are also described in this section.
Good foot pedals are sturdy enough. They should adapt to the speed and your foot. You push slightly
and it reacts. It makes speed adjusting process really easy.
Material
It is important to remind you that the durability of your pottery wheel fully depends on the material a
wheel head is made of. There are three types of material namely steel, aluminum alloy and plastic. The
stronger the material the longer the pottery wheel will last. Everyone knows that steel is one of the
strongest materials, and plastic is the most fragile. But in this situation, you shouldn’t forget about the
weight. All peculiarities used for evaluating the reliability of the pottery wheel must be considered as an

integral part. The good example of it is the process of selecting material the wheel head is made of.
Because the stronger your pottery wheel is the heavier it will be.
Centering Capacity
Another important feature of pottery wheels is their centering capacity. The wheels described in this
article can center from 25 lbs of clay up to 100 lbs. Your choice should depend on the things you are
going to make using your wheel. If you are a beginner and you are not going to throw, for example,
something bigger than cups and plates then the wheel with 25 lbs centering capacity will perfectly suit
you. But if you are planning to start potter’s career and you are going to improve your pottery skills, you
should think of a buying a wheel with at least 75 lbs centering capacity.
You should also keep in mind an important thing. If in wheel’s specs it is specified that it can handle only
25 lbs at a time, it means that 25 lbs are its limit. Don’t try to put more clay on it, because it will either
slow down the wheel or even can damage it.
Some professionals advise purchasing the wheel which can center much more clay at a time than you
plan to use. It means that if you are going to use not more than 50 lbs of clay while you are a beginner, it
is better to buy a pottery wheel that can handle 75 lbs of clay at a time. So, if you are sure that you can
start experimenting and making more difficult stuff which requires more clay at a time, you will be ready
for the challenge. You shouldn’t waste your time looking for and choosing a new wheel. Thus, you save
both time and money. You also provide yourself with psychological comfort, i.e. you will not have to
deal with a new wheel, as you will continue using the one you get used to.
Some people often mistakenly think that such feature as horsepower influences centering capacity. It is
a mistake. The wheels with one third a horsepower can handle more clay at the same time that, for
instance, wheels with one half a horsepower. This very peculiarity only shows you how many rotations
your wheel can make per minute.
Interchangeability of Pottery Wheel Parts
One more important item while choosing or buying the pottery wheel is interchangeability of its parts.
You can find perfect pottery wheel which will suit all the criteria and meet all your needs. But there may
appear the problem – it will be very hard to find the parts for it. Or even it can become an unsolvable
task.
Pottery wheels as any other devices are, unfortunately, damaged and worn out. So, first of all, while
choosing the pottery wheel it is very important to wonder how hard it will be for you to find necessary
parts in case of damage. Otherwise, you may be in a trouble. Due to the absence of necessary part
which was broken because of slight damage, you have to buy a new pottery wheel.
Customer Support Service
In addition to the previous criteria, we should separately focus on customer support service. Do you
have an opportunity to contact the manufacturer directly and discuss some technical matters? It is very
important when the manufacturer treats his product carefully and worries about each of his wheel,
knows all its peculiarities and features, and is always ready to answer any question. It doesn’t depend on
what a brand may be, what cheerful feedbacks there are on the internet, you may always have a lot of
items you want to clarify.

From the review given above, we can see that Brent has excellent customer support service which can
be the example of reliability, efficiency and timeliness.
Conclusion
So, we have covered all Top 5 pottery wheels and answered the most important questions. Now taking
into account all the information you learned you can clearly understand what wheel and what for you
are going to buy it. If you are going to start a pottery career, you can consider the first three pottery
wheels from our review. The fourth and the fifth ones are perfectly suitable for those who want to
continue improving pottery skills, as these wheels you can keep through all your life.
Also, don’t forget a simple rule. If you are a beginner and you have just started mastering pottery you
need a reliable, sturdy and durable wheel. Don’t buy the fastest and the largest pottery wheel you meet.
It won’t make you a better potter. Remember that you only need to understand the basic points of the
process and then make up your mind, whether you want to continue improving your skills in the field.
And remember if you want your wheel to last long, then you need to take care of it. Clean it every time
you finished throwing and don’t center more clay it can handle (the information is specified in specs).
Follow these simple rules and your pottery wheel will last longer and you will get much more pleasure
from what you are doing. Have a nice throwing!