Reviews
Part of Choosing a beginner pottery wheel: 6 features to check
Comparing pottery wheels for a first class often comes down to the bat system
Pottery wheels for a first class differ most in bat system, motor type and voltage, and that choice decides what a beginner can actually throw well.
A beginner wheel is a motor, a shaft, a wheel head and a way of holding a bat. The bat system is the part you live with, because it decides whether a wide pot survives being lifted off the head.
What to take away
- Bat pin spacing is brand-specific, so bats and wheels have to be bought as a pair.
- A 1/3 hp wheel handles mugs and bowls; 1/2 hp and up is for repeat throwing and larger forms.
- Most home studios run a 120V wheel on a standard circuit, which caps how hard the motor can work.
- Speedball, Shimpo, Brent and Skutt all sell beginner-appropriate wheels with different bat systems.
- Try several wheels at a community studio before buying; the hours matter more than the machine.
The four wheels a beginner actually compares
Motor and drive
- Speedball Artista
- 1/3 hp, belt drive, 120V
- Shimpo Aspire
- 1/3 hp, belt drive, 120V
- Brent B
- 1/2 hp, direct drive, 120V
- Skutt Prodigy
- 1/2 hp, direct drive, 120V
Bat system
- Speedball Artista
- Plain 10-inch head, no pin holes
- Shimpo Aspire
- Removable head with pin holes
- Brent B
- Standard Brent pin spacing, many aftermarket bats
- Skutt Prodigy
- Skutt pin spacing, splash pan included
Typical US price
- Speedball Artista
- About $500 to $650
- Shimpo Aspire
- About $750 to $950
- Brent B
- About $1,400 to $1,700
- Skutt Prodigy
- About $1,000 to $1,250
Who it suits
- Speedball Artista
- Small rooms, mugs and bowls, low budget
- Shimpo Aspire
- Beginners who want to throw on bats from week one
- Brent B
- Throwing most days, larger forms
- Skutt Prodigy
- Studios that already own Skutt kilns and bats
Those are typical US street ranges, before shipping and tax.
The short version by buyer:
- [Small roomSpeedball Artista](/a-small-space-setup-for-working-with-home-pottery). It is the lightest of the four and easy to store.
- Bat-first beginnerShimpo Aspire. Pin holes are on the head, so bats fit on day one.
- Daily throwerBrent B. It costs the most, and its pin spacing fits the widest range of bats.
- Skutt ownerSkutt Prodigy. If your kiln and bats are already Skutt, stay in the line.
Prices move with shipping and promotions, so check current listings with a US supplier. Direct drive motors are quieter and hold torque at low speed. Belt drive motors are cheaper to repair and easier to move.
Beginner wheels compared
Speedball Artista
- Motor and drive
- 1/3 hp belt
- Voltage
- 120V
- Bat system
- Plain head, no pins
- Best for
- Small rooms, low budget
Shimpo Aspire
- Motor and drive
- 1/3 hp belt
- Voltage
- 120V
- Bat system
- Removable head, pin holes
- Best for
- Bats from week one
Brent B
- Motor and drive
- 1/2 hp direct
- Voltage
- 120V
- Bat system
- Brent pin spacing
- Best for
- Daily throwing, large forms
Skutt Prodigy
- Motor and drive
- 1/2 hp direct
- Voltage
- 120V
- Bat system
- Skutt pin spacing
- Best for
- Existing Skutt studios
Why the bat system decides the purchase
A pot thrown straight on the head has to be cut free and moved while soft, which is where rims deform. On a bat it comes off intact and dries flat.
Pin spacing is not standard across brands. Buy a Brent wheel and your bats fit Brent heads. A mixed shelf of bats is a permanent annoyance, so decide the pin spacing first and buy the wheel to match.
Plaster, sealed plywood and plastic bats all work. Plaster releases best and is heaviest. Plastic lasts longest and holds water on the surface.
Bats are the cheap half of the purchase. Plastic and sealed plywood bats typically run $15 to $40 each, and plaster bats you pour at home cost less.
Voltage and the circuit behind it
Most beginner wheels are 120V and plug into a standard household circuit. A 1/2 hp motor pulling hard on a circuit shared with a freezer will trip the breaker mid-throw. A dedicated 20A outlet is the usual fix, and an electrician can say whether your panel has room.
Which circuit for your wheel
Is the wheel 120V on a shared household circuit?
1/2 hp may trip the breaker mid-throw
240V needs a licensed electrician and code check
A 240V wheel or a new circuit is a job for a licensed electrician working to the National Electrical Code and your local code.
The order a class teaches, and what it costs
A published course outline for beginning wheel throwing teaches several stages. The stages are:
- wedging
- centering
- cylinders
- vases and bowls
- trimming a foot
- knobs and handles Its tool list runs to loop and ribbon tools, ribs, needle and wire tools and sponges. You need almost nothing for wedging and centering. Ribs and a needle tool arrive with the cylinder.
A beginner who buys spends about $500 to $1,700 on a wheel and $30 to $60 on a tool kit. Clay runs $1 to $1.50 a pound, or $25 to $40 for a 25 lb bag at a US supplier.
Studio hours are the real cost. One college's ceramics studio membership runs at $225 a month, reduced to $125 in December for limited winter access, with clay included in class fees.
US studio memberships typically run $100 to $250 a month, and many charge for clay and firing separately. Compare that with a wheel and you can see where the value sits early on.
Get the hours first, then buy the wheel itself once you know what you are doing with it. Aim for 30 to 50 hours at the wheel before you spend, which is about one 8-week class with open studio time on top.
Community studios and community college ceramics departments let you book open studio time or a demo session before you buy.
Common questions
Do I need a wheel with pin holes for bats?
Not for your first month. You need them the moment you throw anything wider than your hands can lift, which is usually the first bowl.
How many bats should I own?
Enough for one session of throwing without stopping. For most people that is six to ten. More than that and you run out of shelf before you run out of bats.
Is a 1/3 hp wheel enough?
For mugs, bowls and small vases, yes. It struggles with large forms and long throwing sessions, where the motor heats and the belt slips.
Should I buy a beginner tool kit?
Kits are inexpensive and mostly padding. Expect to use about a third of one, and to replace the two tools you reach for daily.
