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The verdict: buy an electric wheel if you're learning, want steady speed or have limited space. Choose a kick wheel if you want a silent, power-free wheel, enjoy a slower and more physical way of throwing, and have room for a very heavy machine. For most home potters, electric is the better first wheel. A kick wheel is a great second wheel or a deliberate choice, not a budget shortcut.
A kick wheel pottery wheel uses a heavy flywheel near the floor. You push it with your foot, and its momentum turns the wheel head. An electric wheel uses a motor and a foot pedal to set speed. Both throw the same pots. The difference is in how you control the speed, and how that feels under your hands.
We haven't tested these wheels ourselves. This comparison is based on manufacturer and retailer specifications, teaching practice and recurring owner feedback in pottery communities.
Side-by-side comparison
| Kick wheel | Electric wheel | |
|---|---|---|
| Power source | Your foot, stored in a flywheel | Electric motor |
| Speed control | Kick to speed up, let it coast or drag to slow | Foot pedal or hand lever, holds a set speed |
| Speed under load | Drops as you press into the clay unless you keep kicking | Held by the controller (e.g. Brent's constant-speed control, Speedball's load-sensing control) |
| Noise | Near silent | Motor hum to near silent (direct drive) |
| Electricity needed | No | Yes |
| Weight | Very heavy (Lockerbie Model K: 89 lb flywheel, 272 lb shipped) | From 25 lb (Shimpo Aspire) to 100 lb-plus for floor wheels |
| Footprint | Large (Model K: 36 x 42 x 30 in) | Compact to medium |
| Learning curve | Steeper: kicking and throwing at once | Gentler: both hands and mind on the clay |
| Reversing | Kick the other way | Switch, plug or controller setting on most models |
| New models available | Few | Many, at every price tier |
| Maintenance | Bearings, frame | Motor, controller, belt (if belt-driven) |
How a kick wheel works
A kick wheel has a vertical shaft with the wheel head at the top and a heavy flywheel near the bottom. You sit on a built-in seat and push the flywheel with your foot. The flywheel's mass stores the energy and keeps the head turning while you work. When the wheel slows, you kick again.
The Lockerbie Model K is the best-known kick wheel still sold new in the US. The Ceramic Shop lists it with a reinforced concrete flywheel 27.5 inches across and 89 lb, protected by steel bands, a tapered roller bearing under the flywheel, a 13-inch wheel head, a welded steel tripod frame, an aluminum work table rated for up to 200 lb, a red oak seat and an included splash pan. The retailer says the design has been on the market since the mid-1960s, and lists a 5-year limited warranty and a lead time of several months.
The Model K is sold through ceramic suppliers such as The Ceramic Shop, not on Amazon. We found no kick wheel on Amazon whose specs we could verify.
Treadle wheels, where you push a pedal or bar rather than the flywheel itself, work on the same principle. They're rarer in the US.
How an electric wheel works
An electric wheel uses a motor to drive the head, either through a belt (Brent, Shimpo VL-Lite) or directly (Shimpo's Whisper models). A foot pedal or hand lever sets the speed, and the controller tries to hold that speed as you press into the clay. AMACO says its Brent Classic Controller keeps wheel speed constant under varying loads. Speedball describes a load-sensing control that does the same on the Clay Boss.
Electric wheels come in every size, from 25 lb tabletop wheels like the Shimpo Aspire to 150 lb-class floor wheels. Our best pottery wheel roundup compares them.
If you want an electric wheel you can order on Amazon, Speedball's Big Boss is listed there. Speedball rates it at 1.0 peak HP and 175 lb of clay, with a foot pedal, a 14-inch head and a 10-year warranty.
The differences, one by one
Speed control
This is the big one. On an electric wheel, you set a speed with your foot and the controller holds it. On a kick wheel, speed rises when you kick and falls as you work. Pressing hard while centering slows the flywheel, so you kick, center, kick again.
Kick wheel fans see this as a feature. They say you learn to feel the clay's resistance directly, and that the gradual slowdown suits the stages of throwing: fast for centering, slower for pulling, slow for finishing. Beginners usually find it harder, because they're managing two rhythms at once.
Learning curve
Most classes teach on electric wheels, so that's what tutorials and teachers assume. If you're just starting, an electric wheel with a pedal lets you focus on centering, opening and pulling. Our wheel throwing for beginners guide follows that sequence. Once you can center reliably, a kick wheel is much easier to pick up.
Power and capacity
A kick wheel's capacity depends on flywheel mass and your legs. There's no motor rating to compare. A heavy flywheel carries a lot of momentum, but centering a large lump means stopping to kick more often.
Electric wheels publish ratings, though brands measure them differently. AMACO rates the Brent Model B at 150 lb continuously, Shimpo rates the VL-Whisper at 100 lb, and Speedball rates the Clay Boss at 100 lb.
Noise
A kick wheel is essentially silent. That's a real advantage in apartments, at night, or for potters who just like quiet. Electric wheels vary. Belt-driven wheels hum. Shimpo's direct-drive Whisper models are the quietest electric option, and Shimpo describes them as virtually quiet with no belt and no vibration.
Electricity and location
A kick wheel needs no outlet, so it works in a barn, a garden studio or anywhere off-grid. Electric wheels need power. For full-size wheels, follow the manufacturer's electrical requirements and keep cords away from water and slop.
Size and weight
Kick wheels are big. The Lockerbie Model K's footprint is 36 x 42 x 30 inches, and it ships at 272 lb. That's because the flywheel needs mass to work. Electric wheels are far more compact. Shimpo's VL-Lite is 51 lb, and its Aspire tabletop is 25 lb.
Reversing
On a kick wheel, you kick the flywheel the other way. On electric wheels, reversing depends on the model: a toggle on a Brent, a plug on the Speedball Boss wheels, and a fixed direction chosen at purchase on the Speedball Artista and the Shimpo Aspire.
Physical demands
Kicking is exercise. Some potters love that. Others find it tiring over long sessions, or it isn't practical because of knee, hip or back issues. Electric wheels only need light pressure on a pedal, and some have hand levers instead. Brent's Model 16 Adaptive, for example, can be used from a wheelchair, according to AMACO.
Maintenance
Kick wheels have few parts: a shaft, bearings and a frame. Owners on the Ceramic Arts Daily forum describe bearing noise as the most common problem on old kick wheels, and some models make the lower bearing hard to reach. Electric wheels add a motor, controller, pedal and, on many models, a belt. Brent's automatic belt tensioning and modular motor and pedal connections are designed to make that easier.
Availability and cost
Few kick wheels are made new today, and lead times can be long. Electric wheels are available at every price, from budget tabletop models to professional floor wheels. A new kick wheel isn't cheap either: at current US retail, a new Model K typically costs more than a full-size electric Speedball Clay Boss. Our pottery wheel price guide breaks down the electric tiers.
Motorized kick wheels
Some kick wheels can take a motor that spins the flywheel for you, so you get electric start with kick-wheel feel. Skutt sells a kickwheel motor attachment with a 1/3 HP enclosed motor and a rubber drive wheel that contacts the edge of the concrete flywheel. An internal switch turns on when you press the foot lever, and Skutt lists a 5-year warranty. It's listed in Skutt's legacy wheel section, so it's mainly relevant if you own or buy a used Skutt kickwheel.
Older motorized Lockerbies also turn up used. Owners describe them as using a drive wheel that engages the flywheel, so you don't need to kick it up to speed first.
Buying a kick wheel used
Because few new kick wheels are made, many people buy used. Check that:
- The shaft runs true. Spin the head and watch the rim for wobble.
- The bearings are quiet. Squeaks or rumbling when the wheel slows usually mean a bearing.
- The flywheel is intact. Look for cracks or chips in concrete flywheels.
- The frame is solid, with no cracked welds, and the seat is secure.
- You can move it. Measure doorways and plan for at least two strong people.
Our used pottery wheel guide has a full checklist for electric wheels too.
Choose a kick wheel if…
- You want a silent wheel or have no reliable power where you throw.
- You already throw and want a slower, more physical rhythm.
- You have floor space and a way to move a very heavy machine.
- You like equipment with few parts that can last for decades.
Choose an electric wheel if…
- You're a beginner or plan to take classes on electric wheels.
- You want steady speed while you center and pull.
- Space is tight or you need to move the wheel.
- You want a wide choice of new models, warranties and dealer support.
For first-time buyers, our pottery wheel for beginners guide narrows it down. If you've settled on a long-term electric wheel, our Brent pottery wheel review covers the most common studio choice.
How we compared
We didn't test these wheels in person. We used retailer and manufacturer specifications (The Ceramic Shop for the Lockerbie Model K, Skutt for its kickwheel motor attachment, AMACO, Shimpo and Speedball for electric wheels) and recurring owner experiences on the Ceramic Arts Daily forum.
FAQ
Is a kick wheel good for beginners?
It can be, but an electric wheel is easier. On a kick wheel you have to keep the flywheel moving with your foot while you center and shape, so you are learning two skills at once. Most beginners progress faster on an electric wheel with a foot pedal, then try a kick wheel later if they like the idea.
Do kick wheels need electricity?
A true kick wheel does not. You spin a heavy flywheel with your foot and its momentum turns the wheel head. Some kick wheels can be fitted with a motor attachment, such as Skutt's 1/3 HP kickwheel motor, which spins the flywheel through a rubber drive wheel and does need power.
What is a manual pottery wheel?
In pottery, a manual wheel usually means a kick wheel or treadle wheel that you power with your foot. Small hand-turned turntables sold as manual pottery wheels online are closer to banding wheels: useful for decorating and hand-building, but they cannot hold speed for throwing.
How heavy is a kick wheel?
Heavy. The Lockerbie Model K, one of the best-known kick wheels in the US, has an 89 lb reinforced concrete flywheel and ships at 272 lb in a crate, according to retailer The Ceramic Shop. Plan for freight delivery and a permanent spot.
Are kick wheels quieter than electric wheels?
Yes. A kick wheel has no motor, so the only sounds are the bearing and your foot. Electric wheels range from a noticeable motor and belt hum to the near-silent direct-drive Shimpo Whisper models, which Shimpo describes as virtually quiet.