Best Small Wood Lathes 【Top Picks 2021】

Due to the obstructing features, some lathes are challenging to use. Older lathes decrease control by offering heavy vibrations in the system.  But this model has been designed to boost up the control of the overall system. JET claimed that this model is entirely different from anything that anybody has ever designed before. 

JET believes that they have designed the best gadgets in the small lathe niche that gives the perfect woodturning experience.

The bed of this lathe is made from cast iron that makes it reliable and durable. The overall weight of this lathe is 129.8 that has powerful effects on its overall performance that makes it the best small lathe. 

The reason is that the weight of the JWL 1221VS totally decreased at the time of turning. This process increases the precision and accuracy of your wood work. 

Besides the minimum vibrations of the system, it is relatively quiet when in use. This is considered as the best small lathe that won’t take up much of your workshop space. 

Working on several projects provides you some extra versatility with 24 indexing positions. This indexing head initiates new techniques in many ways such as improved accuracy in your turns and detailed pattern of grooving and drilling. 

With a quick glance at the control system, you can easily change the speed and can perform other adjustments. 

If you are looking for your first wood lathe, JWL 1221VS just might be the best budget lathe in the market right now.

The Delta industrial 46–460 is one of the best machines that is handy for a multitude of wood projects. It is considered great for professionals as well as hobbyists. With the variable speeds for consistency and control, this lathe offers fast and smooth results. 

It is designed with strong cast iron and bearing live center with a knockout bar of steel. This lathe is equipped with the onboard storage so that you can store its accessories. 

The power and the swing speed of this lathe is the largest in its class. You can easily change the speed without changing the positions of the belt. 

Forward and the reverse functions of the lathe saves much of your time. You only need to change the switch instead of turning your objects in opposite directions. Such andy features enhance its ease of use and helps it qualify as one of the best wood lathes for beginners.

This lathe also has a belt tensioning system to make fast changes in speed. It sets the tension of the belt automatically for maximum efficiency. Six groove belts of this lathe offer more power for even larger projects that make it one of the best small lathe in the market. 

The Delta Industrial 46–460 is the best small lathe for any smaller projects such as candlestick holders, pens, chair spindles. Besides, it can also be used for larger projects with the help of an extension. Larger projects can be table legs, basketball bats, or even cue sticks. 

Its solid build, reversing feature and the variable speeds makes it one of the best benchtop lathe and the best small lathe. It also offers slow speed, unlike many other lathes. Small speeds help in finishing works and for turning projects. This is arguably one of the best wood lathes for the money that you can get your hands on.

It is another great offering from a respected brand. This small lathe has an extremely sturdy and durable design that decreases the number of vibrations distributed throughout the system. 

It offers several extensions and accessories that can be customized and can easily be utilized. For many woodmen, this feature made this model in high regard and the best small lathe. 

Although the size of the machine is small, it does not compromise on functionality. You can work with larger  woodenobjects while occupying much lesser space. 

It comes with a nylon faceplate that is easy to use which prevents the materials from getting stocked at the end of the spindle. It is very convenient to use as compared to its competitors such as Shop For W1 that is not considered as an ideal choice for the beginners. 

The dual-purpose spindle lock is located at the headstock. Due to its location, it is easy to use. On the headstock, the indexing meter has 12 positions that are arranged equally spaced. 

It offers an accurate work pattern for detailed tasks such as drilling, layout, grooving, and several others. Besides, it is also used to remove chucks, lock the spindle without the need for two different tools. 

The Rikon Mini lathe facilitates the handling of space with maximum output. It is a huge time saver and very convenient to use. It is one of the best small lathes available in the market considering the above factors.

It is one of the best options for beginners comprising of a strong variable motor speed in a small size. The RPM range of this lathe is between 250 to 4000 RPM from higher to lower speed. This feature has made this lathe an ideal option for different wood projects and is a contender for the best small lathe in the market. 

The forward and reverse features of this lathe makes it extra flexible and helps you to get a premium finish. Along with optimal flexibility, the feature of the 3 step pulley system with various speed ranges stand it out among the professionals. 

Normally, the middle step of the pulley gives enough range for a lot of woodturning processes. However, for some critical applications, you can use an extra two steps as they offer more torque. 

The cast-iron design of this lathe provides rigidity and solid strength that will absorb any vibration. You will experience high-quality creations and an exceptionally smooth turning experience. 

The compact design of this lathe gives the maximum stability and control to its users. Additional accessories allow you to customize your lathe according to the type of your project. We can confidently recommend this lathe by considering all these excellent features. 

It is considered as a great budget lathe for small to moderate woodturning projects, pen turners, and for the beginners who are new to woodturning.

It is another one of the best small wood lathes that every woodturner likes to have is this benchtop machine. It is known well for its compact and heavy-duty construction. 

Grizzly H8259 is an ideal wood lathe for all those who are searching for a low-cost solution that helps them best. Without compromising on the quality, Grizzly H8259 is one of the cheapest and the best small lathes for you. 

It does not produce any vibrations or noise when in operation. However, the motor gets hot even on overheating. Overheating of the motor is not a major issue as the power tool still functions normally. 

Along with the adjustable leveling feet, this lather offers a tool rest that fits your all needs comfortably. Besides, the Grizzly H859 has a solid motor with a variable speed which is an amazing feature of any lathe. 

The motor offers variable speed from 826 to 3337 revolutions per minute (RVP). It is an amazing feature that offers you to work on different projects for different woods. The speed of the Grizzly H859 can only be changed manually by changing the belt to another pulley. 

It comes with a 1-year warranty and is considered great for beginners. All the experienced woodworkers can use this machine as a portable wood lathe or a standby machine. This is perhaps one of the top mini wood lathes for sale right now.

It is one of the best lathes for your money. This small lathe is certified by Intertek. Therefore, you can be assured of the safety, performance, and quality of the products.

It has replaced the TCLC10VS model. PSI woodworking lathe has ¾ horsepower and 110v of the motor. It is the best small wood lathe for most of the woodwork projects. 

It features a digital readout meters from where you can select your required speed for work. The speed of this lathe is variable with two belt positions. The speed of the position A is 500 to 2000 RPM  while the speed of position B is 1500 to 3600 RPM. 

These are considered a wide range of speeds for this type of lathe in this price range. It means that it can handle a variety of different tasks with versatility.

All in all, this is one of the best benchtop wood lathes if you’re on a budget.

It is considered as one of the best small wood lathes for a beginner. The W1740 is built from cast iron that can be used for all the small tasks such as rings, pens etc and can even manage larger turnings.

It is designed immensely from high-quality components. This is a contender for the best budget lathe that would be a durable addition to your workshop. 

The motor of this mini benchtop wood lathe delivers a very powerful output. That offers the workers to work with speed without feeling hesitating about the vibrations that occur throughout the spindle. 

The motor speed of 700 to 3200 RPMs on ⅓ hp that is considered as perfect for turning different types of woods into unique designs. This power and speed do not support large size objects. 

Users can produce clean and symmetric chisels because of its compact size, maximum speed, and weak horsepower count. The infinite variable speed offers versatility and an amazing quality of chisel in both hardwoods and softwoods. 

This is an affordable lathe and is actually quite good. You can control the speed by just twisting the knob which is beneficial for producing symmetrical works of art. 

Controlling the speed by just twisting the knob is considered as an excellent feature that is not common in other budget wood lathes. This system weighs around 50 pounds that is somewhat stable, however; it still needs additional weight to make it stable from moving unexpectedly.

Overall, this may be seen as one of the best benchtop wood lathes you can buy in the small lathe category.

Just because it’s cheap, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it!

This mini wood lathe is the best beginner wood lathe that should be included in your testing list if you are looking to start your professional career in turning. 

It is a budget-friendly lathe with the best performance and quality like many other power tools. 3424T is one of the first models designed within the 342 series by WEN. It comprises 4.5 Amp motor and an impressive list of variable speeds. 

It is designed by the solid cast iron that makes this lath durable. The benchtop can be fitted on a workstation as it has a decent fit for it. 

3424T lathe delivers a powerful output that is considered as one of the best features of it. The motor begins its operation gradually to avoid unwanted mishaps or damaging the engines. The speed of the motor can be adjusted by the woodturner.

Generally, lathes give very choppy regulators at this affordable price range in the market. But 3424T are available in two forms of speed; variable speed for better accuracy and fixed-rate speed. 

The performance of the spindle and tailstock is great in the 3424T model. It comes up with the additional accessories such as a knockout rod, a flat wrench, two tool rests, a faceplate, or some other accessories for the use of consumers.

Overall, this is one of the most affordable wood lathes that packs a heavy punch considering its price range.