A bead spinner is just about the best tool to ever happen to anyone who frequently strings tons of beads by hand. If you are into French beading or any other bead weaving, knitting, or embroidery technique, you’ll be elated to discover one of these.
A bead spinner is a two-part tool that aids in beading wire quickly by the action of spinning. It is bowl-shaped with a spindle and a separate base with a shaft where the bowl fits.
The bead spinner works using centrifugal force whereby the bowl half-filled with beads is span sending the beads to the very edge. The beader traps beads by strategically holding the wire to the edge at an angle in the opposite direction of the spin, which causes the beads to flow up.
With a bead spinner, it only takes a fraction of the time you would actually spend fiddling with seed beads and wire while straining your eyes. Not to mention the hand fatigue.
So what is the best bead spinner? The best bead spinners are made from wood and have a smooth rotation, although some plastic spinners can be made well. Spinners with wider, larger bowls are easier to use, but the general size should match project needs. Bidirectional spinners are helpful for left-handed crafters.
If you are ready to take your beading game a notch higher, then continue reading this quick bead spinner buying guide. We’ll recommend the three best bead spinners for you to check out.
But first things first.
What to Look For When Choosing a Bead Spinner
Bead spinners rarely come with extra frills. The tool’s simple design is kind of uniform across brands. Still, there are minor differences here and there you might need to consider before making a purchase.
Material
Wood is the traditional and most popular material for bead spinners. Today, there are metallic (rare) and even plastic models.
Many experienced bead workers agree that the wooden bead spinner is the smoothest flowing of the three, and the most durable, too.
Cheaper plastic models tend to act up after a few uses. It is worth paying more for a better quality of plastic if this is your preferred material.
Size
Bead spinners come in various bowl sizes. These bowl will need to be at least ½ to ¾ of the way full in order to function properly, so keep that in mind when deciding on the right size for your needs.
Smaller bowls are better if you have a small project and not enough beads to reach halfway up a large bowl. You can also consider the size of your beads.
Wider bowls are typically easier to use than narrow brimmed ones. They provide more room to spin without your hand brushing against the edges and halting the spin.
Functionality
Spinning the bead spinner manually is actually fun, intriguing, meditative and even relaxing once you get the hang of it. You get better speed control with manual spinners which is an important aspect for beginners.
There are motorized versions of the bead spinner that are battery run and thus work faster, saving you time. These take care of spinning so you can fully focus on getting those beads in.
Spin Direction
Depending on what your dominant hand is, a unidirectional bead spinner can be challenging to use.
A bidirectional bead spinner allows you to spin in either direction, clockwise or counter-clockwise, which is especially useful for lefties. Unidirectional spinners are more likely to be designed for right-handed crafters.
The 3 Best Bead Spinners
With that out of the way, here are our recommendations for the best bead spinners as reviewed by beadwork experts:
Rank | Product | Key Features |
---|---|---|
1. | Shop LC Wooden Bead Spinner | Wooden, good for multiple bead shapes/sizes |
2. | Beadalon Spin-n-Bead Bead Loader | Wooden, mini size, great for seed beads |
3. | Darice 3-Piece Spinner Set | Plastic, bidirectional, motorized, good for seed beads |
Let’s look at each in a little more detail.
1. Shop LC Wooden Bead Spinner
Our first pick is this standard-sized handmade bead spinner from Shop LC, which measures 6″ by 4.5” and comes with a curved needle to get you started.
The spinner is made from natural wood with excellent craftsmanship devoid of wobbling. A gentle spin, and it runs freely and silently for long.
We particularly loved the top knob at the spindle. It provides some grip that makes spinning such a breeze. The interior is also polished smooth.
The bowl has ample holding capacity for plenty of beads and still leaves room for comfortable picking. It works great with a variety of bead shapes and sizes. You’ll definitely love this bead spinner for those tedious beading projects.
2. Beadalon Spin-n-Bead JR Bead Loader
You might like a mini spinner better than a standard-sized one. Well, Beadalon offers this little spinner in classic wood.
It measures 3.5” by 2.5”, perfect for those tiny seed beads between 6/0 and 11/0. It also works best when nearly full. The overall build is solid, with quality finishing and an exceptional spin.
It is a perfect fit for the Beadalon changing trays that are indispensable for quickly switching bead colors or sizes instead of emptying and refilling the bowl. You must buy them separately though.
3. Darice 3-Piece Spinner Set
Not up for some repetitive hand spinning? The Darice bead spinner is a motorized model that uses two AA batteries to take the muscle work from you.
It provides a fast and even automatic spin that significantly cuts back the time it takes to bead your thread or wire. You get to only concentrate on one thing.
It’s a 3-piece set. That means you get 2 extra bowls so you can interchange beads in a jiffy. They threw in 2 needles too.
This bead spinner is bidirectional, which is good news for the left-handed bead worker. It turns clockwise or counter-clockwise at the flip of a switch.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to put up with a little bit of irritating noise. Also, the speed is not adjustable. If you can live with that, then this is the bead spin for you.
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