I'll preface this by saying I'm a beginner at pottery, and I've decided to take the plunge and buy my own wheel. Here's my review of the VEVOR pottery wheel that I bought directly on Amazon. I purposely bought this wheel over a more high-end wheel as a beginner because I want to be really sure this a hobby I will stick to before purchasing a $600+ wheel, and this wheel has been pretty great so far.
First off, the packaging was sturdy, and the wheel arrived in perfect condition. Setting it up was a breeze, and within no time, I had it up and running in my small home studio.
The first thing that struck me was how smoothly the wheel spun. The touch screen control panel is intuitive and easy to use, allowing me to adjust the settings effortlessly (it is also waterproof so there's no problem touching it with clay all over your hands).
Dimensions: 19.7 x 13.8 x 11.2 inches Weight: 26.5 pounds Motor: 350W electric motor, 0-300 rounds/minute
Wheel diameter: 9.8inches/25cm
Plus: This wheel comes with 16 shaping tools.
The Wheel
The wheel feels solid and durable, giving me the confidence that it will last while I improve my skills and eventually decide to upgrade. It's also surprisingly quiet, which is a big plus since I often work on my pottery late at night.
It also has a foot pedal which is not attached to the wheel itself but has a wire connecting it to the wheel which makes it far more comfortable while throwing.
The wheel is super easy to clean too as the guards come off easily. It takes me around 10 minutes total to get this wheel clean and store it away while I'm not using it.
Verdict
This wheel is obviously not the best wheel on the market. A pottery wheel lives and dies by its motor, and it's clear that you will not get a high-end motor for this price. However, as someone new to the hobby who wants to do this craft at home (and not spend upwards of $200-$300/month on a studio), this wheel is perfect.
Will I be doing pottery in a year? Maybe. And that's exactly why I invested in a cheaper wheel which I can eventually upgrade. If you're in the same boat as I am, then this is a good wheel for a beginner. If you know you'll be doing pottery 5 years from now, go invest in a better wheel.
