10 Best Woodturning Lathes for the Money 【Updated 2021】

If you are looking for efficient and smooth operations on your lathe but don’t want to spend a fortune, Grizzly Industrial’s model G0462 is a great lathe for you. Suitable for those who are committed to this craft for a long time and see a wood lathe as their long-term companion, this lathe is durable and simple.

Simplicity makes its prominent feature. Once you have used this lathe for weeks or months, you will notice that any issue in its operations is easily treatable by you without needing professional help from the repair shop. Another commendable feature that comes with this lathe is its powerful motor. While most small- to medium-scale woodturning lathes come with a maximum 1 horsepower, this lathe offers 2 HP electric. What happens next is smooth operations with the easy handling of the wood.

Intrigued? I am!

It is also precise with the speed you choose to work on. The absence of speed control and inclusion of digital readout means that you are spared from guesswork that goes into managing speed. It has 10 different speed options so you can choose the speed that is most adequate for your activity need. What’s the catch, the lowest speed which you can choose is only 600 rpm. Speed management is further made efficient by the use of the Reeves system which automatically adjusts the pressure on the lathe’s belt. Although this system enhances efficiency, it puts excess pressure on the belt resulting in its fast depletion. In short, the only maintenance commitment you are buying with this lathe is a periodic change of its belt. Think of changing the belt up to twice a year.

Another feature that is standard among all the wood lathes of this size or a little smaller is an easy transition to reverse direction. In this model’s case, for example, you can change this direction using a simple switch.

Those of you who have pledged their loyalty to woodturning would love this product. It’s not as easy to use as other machines listed in these lathe reviews but even this little difficulty level says something. When you are a professional, you love to understand the processes in detail and are ready to get your hands dirty.

Ease of use doesn’t matter as much as an understanding of the processes on which these tools work. Consequently, there is no option to choose reverse rotations in the middle of the operations. You have to do it manually. Another feature that this lathe borrows from professional models is the sliding and pivoting headstock. You can enjoy ultimate flexibility and comfort when working on your piece.

When we compare the size of this floor-standing lathe with its motor power, you may feel cheated. It’s only 1 horsepower, after all. Don’t worry! Even at 1 HP, this motor works smother than higher power motors in competing lathes. When we say this lathe is a floor-standing model we automatically assume that it comes with strong, durable legs that can support its weight with or without pressure from work. For Jet JW-1440, this durability comes from iron cast legs and base.

Plus, its heavyweight, which can be a problem in carrying and movement, only supports it and prevents it from moving during operations. Variability of speed is also a plus point. You can choose any option from the allowed range of 400 RPM and 3000 RPM using the speed controlling knob. Although it’s a step backward from current industry standards of digital readout, it is just perfect for more experienced or pro users.

Think of the feel of being a professional who is confident enough in his choices and strategy to play with different speed options. Although the lathe comes with a 40-inch distance between centers, it doesn’t completely define the length of the object you are turning. If your project requires it, you can extend the bed to a total of the 60-inch distance between centers.

One of the most trusted wood lathes, Delta Industrial 46-460 is the perfect solution for a woodturner who considers relatively small-sized projects. Don’t get me wrong. The diameter of wood supported by Delta lathe is unrivaled by most of its immediate competitors; it’s only dwarfed by Grizzly Industrial’s lathe.

Like the predecessor, it also enjoys durability and strength and users love it because of its reliable performance. The manufacturer further backs it by extending a 5-year warranty. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer a digital readout to ease up the speed management process. You can depend on the speed control knob together with your knowledge from the instruction manual about what each number represents.

Although this lathe makes the best woodturning lathe for many craftsmen, some of them prefer it because of its small footprint. This lathe’s smaller size allows – a length of only 36 inches – the users to keep it in the limited space they’ve got at their workstation. Its lowest speed makes one of the most desired factors of this lathe. Although you also get many products that offer lower value for minimum speed, this model is the only one that combines low speed with durability and strength.

3-step pulley system also adds smoothness as it keeps the wood in place minimizing slippage. You can rely on it for supporting larger bowls by exerting the right level of pressure on the lathe’s belt. Delta is among the few wood lathe brands that earn applause because of its effortless design.

The Control panel and tray for storing tools are the two features that allow peace of mind to the user. This lathe allows craftsmen to switch from forward to reverse direction easily. This standard feature saves the user time from manually adjusting the belt to change speed. 150 increments for indexing enhance the precision of the design you are creating with this lathe.

Among various factors that guarantee value for money from this lathe, the feature that jumps out at you is its widest speed range. It lowest possible speed is 60 RPM and you can go as high as 3600 RPM. Plus, you can choose any speed value within this range.

Being a proficient user of wood-turning lathes or an enthusiastic beginner, you must know the benefit that comes with this cool range of lathe speeds. Users use low speeds when they want to add detail to their art pieces. On the other hand, higher speeds are most common for those activities which are rough and such as smoothing the surface of cutting the bowl to get it into a shape suitable for detailed design.

60 rpm is the perfect number for finishing the design and making it clean. 3600 RPM, on the other hand, is best when your focus is on cutting the rough-edged as quickly as possible. This lathe’s design and build are also worth bragging about. You get an easy-to-use and handy control panel. This panel is efficient because of the digital readout which makes it easier to select your most optimal speed option. The biggest bowl you can turn with this lathe should have a 12-inch diameter and 21-inch distance between centers. In short, this lathe is a good choice for you if you have limited your craft to projects of small to medium size.

If the size is not your concern, other than speed and ease of use, you will also get help from a smaller size this lathe carries. It’s the dream lathe, among all the lathe reviews presented here, which you are looking for to keep at your small setup because of its size and value for money.

The automaticity of reverse rotations is one standard feature it shares with other midi lathes; 24 different indexing positions of 15-degree increments each is another.

This extremely budget-friendly lathe combines the strength and features of professional lathes into a mid-level bench-top lathe. A tiny footprint only enhances its appearance as a bench-top lathe. But don’t be fooled, its solid iron cast bed will take care of smooth operations with low vibrations.

Other than its durability, the lathe allows the users to turn large pieces of wood. Its basic distance between centers is only 16.5 inches which can be considered quite low for midi wood lathes. You may choose to stick with this size if your needs are limited.

However, if you want to turn larger pieces, you can opt for a bed extension for some extra charge. With such an extension, you can get a total of a 42-inch center to center distance. The largest bowl it turns can have a maximum diameter of 12 inches.

Please note that this value defines a raw piece of wood that goes into the lathe and not the final product. The final product can be smaller. Most medium-sized lathes come with standard 3/4 to 1 horsepower electric motors. It seems this lathe has chosen a lower value for itself. Given that this lower power has no negative impacts on the performance of NOVA 46300 Comet II Wood Lathe, it shouldn’t make a decisive factor. It also has the widest speed range to choose from. And what is even better is users’ ability to choose any value that lies within this range. The lowest speed you can choose is just 250 RPM. It offers variety when we look at the highest possible solution. However, its lowest speed value doesn’t offer much advantage when compared to its competitors.

Easy transition from forward to reverse rotation is another standard feature that connects this lathe with high-quality machines. It supports this transition with 3 step pulley system which maintains hold on the piece in wake of a sudden change of direction.

Although I have listed its low motor power in its cons, considering its size and needs, this power is just perfect for the lathe. With 1/3 Horsepower users can get enough efficiency to turn the small piece without slippage and roughness.

The first quality that you should know about this lathe is the wood size it caters to. It is a mini lathe which means that the pieces that you can turn with it should be small. Ideally, you will be turning pens and small bowls with this lathe. Its swing over the bed is 8 inches at best; the distance between centers is 12 inches just enough for a mini lathe. If you are starting or you are in the testing phase of your hobby, this lathe will help get a hang of woodturning. Use the technical manual provided by the manufacturer to learn the skill and use of this machine. As is natural for any mini lathe, this lathe also has a smaller size and, consequently, a smaller footprint. Yes, it makes a cool product for your garage workstation. If you have worries about the size, note that a smaller size doesn’t define its durability. In fact, this lathe’s cast iron bed makes it the most reliable one among its immediate competitors.

It matches midi lathes’ quality standards by offering variable speed. You get a wide range between 700 RPM and 3200 RPM. Although it may seem that 700 RPM as the lowest possible speed is too high, you should consider the size of wood it will service. For a mini-lathe which will work on an 8-inch wide piece of wood, higher speed is better than lower. Lower speed translates to adequate speed for smaller pieces. The problem is with larger pieces that may get too fast under the high-speed settings of a wood lathe.

If you are looking for a more professional build, this is the woodturning among all the woodturning lathe reviews in this article lathe after Jet JWL-1440. If we consider the low cost it carries, it becomes the best option for those woodturners who have committed themselves to bigger projects but have limited budgets.

This floor mounting lathe bridges the gap between midi lathes and more professional or industrial lathes. We can start with considering the product size you can manufacture with this lathe. It takes up a huge wood piece of 16-inch diameter and 46-inch length. The lathe also features headstock turning at 0, 60, 90, 120, and 180 degrees which are a blessing for craftsmen because of the ease and efficiency of operations that come with these angles. The electric motor is another prominent feature this lathe takes from more pro lathes. While most midi lathes are okay with a 1-HP motor, this lathe comes with one having 2HP power. As a rule of thumb more powerful motors translate into smoother operations. You can rely on a sturdy build for keeping vibrations further down.

Although you might be thinking that like other medium-sized lathes this one will allow you smooth and automatic transition to reverse rotations, this option is absent in this lathe. It responds to the taste and needs of professional woodworkers who prefer to adjust the direction manually.

Speed range may disappoint some of the buyers and potential buyers. This range is not only narrow it fixes the minimum speed at a whopping 600 RPM. You have to be exceptionally skilled and experienced to manage to design and detailing at this speed. Choose from 10 available options for speed by using an easy-to-adjust digital tachometer.

This lathe is at the borderline between mini and midi lathes. You get value for your money because of affordable price, compact design, powerful motor, and ease of use. If you are shopping for the lathe so you can turn small wooden objects like pens and bowls, the PSI Woodworking lathe makes one of the most reliable choices.

It has a powerful motor that is better than most similar products. Its best power is 3/4 HP and works smoothly at this rate. Despite the small size of wood it handles, it takes care of smoothness in operations and a beautiful finish. And the small size is also responsible for the small footprint it will have in your workstation. Consider keeping it on a 32×9 inches bench and leaving some room to stand.

Voila! It’s minimalist!

Let’s see what the biggest piece of wood this lathe can turn is. It comes with a 10-inch swing over the bed and an 18-inch distance between the centers. Considering these facts, the raw wood that you can serve in this lathe can be a maximum of 10 inches in diameter and 18 inches in length.

If you want to turn a longer piece, you can consider adding an extension bed that would give a total of 42 inches in center to center distance.

This model features two different speed management modes. You can opt between manual speed control and automatic variable speed control depending on your needs.

The speed ranges between 500 RPM and 3600 RPM and you can choose from one of the two options available. The first range you can opt for is 500-2000 RPM and the second option is 1500-3600 RPM. You can use a digital readout to accurately set the speed.

Probably the perfect lathe for starters, Grizzly’s model H8259 is a bench-top lathe that fits in a small garage workshop. It has a relatively small footprint with just 36 inches in length.

If you are serious about your hobby and want to learn the craft and its tools in detail, this lathe will be a great teacher. You will learn to manually set up the machine especially belts to create different speed levels. At the same time, it allows you to experiment with small products including pens and bowls.

You can rely on this lathe to turn pieces that have diameters of up 10 inches and lengths of up to 18 inches. Note that these measures are of a raw wooden object that goes into the lathe and not the finals products you will get from it. The resulting products can be smaller when you smooth out the rough edges. Different speed options available for this lather are range between 826 and 3337 RPM. Other than the two extreme options, other speeds available are 1205, 1713, and 2422 RPM.

It’s a great lathe if you are not too invested in this craft. For bigger projects and more committed hobbyists, larger lathes will be more suitable.

Rikon is a name of quality and trust among woodworkers. This lathe from Rikon combines the quality from one of the perfect wood lathe brands and features of a mini lathe to provide a fine woodturning experience to users. It features a sturdy build self-ejecting tailstock which to save time and energy. With a small footprint of just over 33 inches long and 11 inches wide, this lathe fits your workplace easily. Its lightweight is another feature that makes it easier to handle. You can keep it on your workshop bench and it will be fine there.

Variable speeds start with 430 at the lowest end. Although it may sound too high for the lowest speed, the size of the products you hold with this lathe makes this speed just convenient. As a general rule, smaller sizes can do well even at high speeds. Mini lathes are usually characterized as those lathes which hold small bowls or pens. They have limited capacity in diameter and center to center distance. However, this lathe competes with the best midi lathes in the width of bowls it can handle. Although its center to center length is still low, you can opt for extensions and make it just as handy as midi lathes. The wide diameter of bowls supported by it makes it the largest mini-lathe among all the lathe reviews we have detailed here.

It also features a powerful electric motor. The standard power for motors of mid lathes ranges between 1/2 and 3/4 horsepower. A lower value for these motors is sufficient for the lower intensity work they do.