For most beginners buying a full-size wheel, the Speedball Clay Boss is the best first pick. Speedball gives it a 0.5 HP motor, a 14" wheel head, 100 lb centering capacity, a foot pedal with 0 to 240 rpm control and a reversing plug for left- or right-handed throwing. If noise is the bigger worry, the Shimpo VL-Whisper uses a belt-free direct-drive motor that Shimpo describes as extremely quiet. If the wheel has to live on a table and go back in a closet, look at the tabletop Speedball Artista or Shimpo Aspire.

Every spec below comes from the maker’s own product page. None of these wheels has been used or measured for this page.

Quick comparison

Wheel Best for Wheel head Centering capacity Speed control
Speedball Clay Boss A first full-size wheel 14" 100 lb Foot pedal, 0 to 240 rpm
Shimpo VL-Whisper (Search Amazon for Shimpo VL-Whisper ) Quiet direct drive 14" 100 lb Foot pedal, 0 to 250 rpm
Shimpo VL-Lite (Search Amazon for Shimpo VL-Lite ) A lighter floor wheel 12" 25 lb Foot pedal, 0 to 250 rpm
Speedball Artista Tabletop, stores away 11" 25 lb Hand control, 0 to 220 rpm
Shimpo Aspire (Search Amazon for Shimpo Aspire pottery wheel ) Small pieces, compact 7" 20 lb Hand lever, 0 to 230 rpm

Speedball Clay Boss: best first full-size wheel

The Speedball Clay Boss covers what a beginner needs to grow into: a 14" wheel head, a 0.5 HP motor rated for 100 lb of clay, and a foot pedal with variable speed from 0 to 240 rpm. Speedball says its load-sensing control keeps wheel head speed steady as the load changes, and the reversing plug switches the direction for left- or right-handed throwing.

Cleanup gets some attention too. It has a polyethylene tabletop and a two-part splash pan, and Speedball includes 7.5" and 12" plastic bats. The wheel head uses universal 10" bat pin spacing, so standard universal bats fit. Speedball lists the wheel at 29.75" long, 24.5" wide and 17.25" high, weighing 68 lb, with a 10-year warranty on new wheels.

Choose it if you want one wheel that can handle larger pieces later. Skip it if the wheel has to be carried in and out of storage every session.

Shimpo VL-Whisper: best quiet wheel for a shared home

The Shimpo VL-Whisper (Search Amazon for Shimpo VL-Whisper ) uses a brushless, belt-free direct-drive motor (1/2 HP, 400 W). Shimpo calls it “virtually quiet; no belts, no vibration.” It matches the Clay Boss on the numbers that matter most, with a 14" alloy wheel head drilled for bat pins and 100 lb centering, and adds a 0 to 250 rpm range on a remote foot pedal.

Shimpo lists two behaviors that help beginners. The pedal stops the wheel head immediately, since there is no belt to keep it turning, and the wheel holds a set speed while you step away to center, even at slow speeds. With the pedal at stop, the head works as a banding wheel. The legs adjust and come off for tabletop use or storage, and the wheel runs clockwise or counterclockwise.

It is the heaviest wheel here at 120 lb, Shimpo’s warranty is 5 years, and Shimpo lists its 2-piece splash pan as a separate accessory. Shimpo also warns that highly acidic clays can damage the aluminum wheel head and recommends throwing on a bat whenever possible. Its product page carries a warning that the wheel may be harmful to a person with a pacemaker and advises consulting a physician before use.

Choose it if you throw in an apartment or a room next to living space and want the quietest drive on this list. Skip it if you need to move the wheel often.

Shimpo VL-Lite: best lighter floor wheel

The Shimpo VL-Lite (Search Amazon for Shimpo VL-Lite ) is a belt-driven wheel that Shimpo pitches as light enough to carry yet sturdy enough to throw on. It weighs 51 lb, has a 12" wheel head, a 100-watt reversible motor, 25 lb centering and a remote foot pedal with a 0 to 250 rpm range. An automatic belt-tensioning system, a built-in breaker that protects the motor from overload and a two-piece splash pan round it out, along with a 5-year warranty.

Choose it if you want the hands-free control of a foot pedal without a 100 lb machine. Skip it if you plan large pieces. Its 25 lb centering capacity is a quarter of the Clay Boss and VL-Whisper ratings.

Speedball Artista: best tabletop wheel that stores away

The Speedball Artista is a compact, portable tabletop wheel with an 11" wheel head, a 1/3 HP motor and 25 lb centering capacity. Speed is set by hand control from 0 to 220 rpm, and Speedball sells a separate Artista foot pedal. It comes with a two-part splash pan and the same 7.5" and 12" plastic bats as the Clay Boss, plus a 5-year warranty.

One detail matters before ordering. The Artista comes in right-handed and left-handed versions, and Speedball says its direction cannot be changed later.

Choose it if your wheel will share a table and go into a closet between sessions. Skip it if you are left-handed and might share the wheel with a right-handed thrower, or the reverse.

Shimpo Aspire: best compact wheel for small pieces

The Shimpo Aspire (Search Amazon for Shimpo Aspire pottery wheel ) is the smallest wheel here: a 7" alloy wheel head with bat pins, a 100 W DC motor, 20 lb centering and a weight of 25 lb. It ships with a hand lever for 0 to 230 rpm (a foot pedal is available), a one-piece twist-off splash pan and two bats. Shimpo lists the lever version as handicap accessible. Like the Artista, it has to be ordered in the direction you need, and Shimpo’s warranty is 5 years.

Choose it if you want a light, small wheel for cups, small bowls and practice. Skip it if you expect to throw larger forms soon, since the 7" head and 20 lb rating are the most limiting on this list.

How to choose a pottery wheel

Centering capacity sets the ceiling

Centering capacity is the maker’s rating for how much clay the wheel can center. The full-size Clay Boss and VL-Whisper are rated for 100 lb, while the VL-Lite and Artista are rated for 25 lb and the Aspire for 20 lb. A higher rating gives room to grow into larger pieces. Speedball and Shimpo both describe their full-size wheels holding speed under load.

Foot pedal or hand control

A foot pedal changes speed while both hands stay on the clay. The Clay Boss, VL-Whisper and VL-Lite use pedals. The Artista and Aspire use hand controls, and both makers sell a pedal option. Shimpo lists the Aspire’s lever version as handicap accessible, which makes it the pick here for a potter who cannot work a pedal.

Direction, if you throw left-handed

The Clay Boss, VL-Whisper and VL-Lite can switch direction. The Artista and Aspire must be ordered in the direction you want, so decide before you buy.

Weight and storage

The lighter wheels are far easier to move: the Aspire is 25 lb and the VL-Lite 51 lb, against 68 lb for the Clay Boss and 120 lb for the VL-Whisper. Speedball does not publish the Artista’s weight, but describes it as lightweight and portable. If the wheel has to come out and go away every session, weight matters more than capacity.

Bats and splash pans

The Clay Boss, VL-Lite, Artista and Aspire come with splash pans, while Shimpo sells the VL-Whisper’s splash pan separately. Speedball includes 7.5" and 12" bats with both of its wheels, and the Clay Boss uses universal 10" bat pin spacing. The Aspire uses its own 9 3/4" bats. On its VL-Whisper page, Shimpo recommends throwing on a bat to protect the aluminum wheel head from acidic clays.

Tools come after the wheel

You do not need a large tool kit to start throwing. For which hand tools to buy first, see budget pottery starter tools vs. a pro pottery tool kit . If you are not sure you want a wheel at all, hand-coil tools vs. a full wheel kit compares the two paths.

Final verdict

Buy the Speedball Clay Boss for a full-size first wheel with room to grow. Choose the Shimpo VL-Whisper if quiet operation is worth the extra weight, and the Shimpo VL-Lite for a pedal-driven wheel you can still carry. For a wheel that lives on a table and goes away after each session, pick the Speedball Artista, or the Shimpo Aspire for small pieces and hand-lever control.

Sources