Best Benchtop Lathes of 2025

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Benchtop lathes are versatile machines used for shaping and cutting various materials such as wood, metal, and plastic. They are compact and designed to fit on a workbench, making them ideal for small workshops or hobbyists. With a range of features such as variable speed control, digital readouts, and easy-to-use controls, benchtop lathes allow users to create precise and intricate designs. Whether you are a professional woodworker or a DIY enthusiast, benchtop lathes can help you achieve your project goals with ease and accuracy.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Benchtop Lathes
T-Mech 1m Wood Lathe with Chisels
The T-Mech Wood Lathe is a powerful tool featuring a 400W motor, allowing you to achieve a precise and beautiful finish on your woodturning projects. With four speed settings from 810 to 2480 RPM, you can tailor the lathe's performance to suit your skill level, whether you're a beginner or an expert. Its metre-long design is fully portable, easily breaking down into two pieces for convenient transportation. Additionally, the inclusion of six high-quality chisels means you are well-equipped to create stunning objects with a maximum turning diameter of 350mm.
LUMBER JACK VSL305 550W Wood Lathe with Digital Display
The LUMBER JACK VSL305 Lathe features a powerful 550W motor, ensuring reliable and efficient performance for your woodturning projects. Its full electronic variable speed control allows you to precisely adjust the speed within three ranges, from 450 to 3500 RPM, giving you flexibility for different tasks. The anti-vibration feet enhance stability, minimising any unwanted movement while you work, which is essential for achieving accurate results. Additionally, the MT2 spindle and tailstock accept two Morse Taper accessories, providing you with versatility in tool options.
Proxxon Micromot DB 250 Woodturning Lathe
The Proxxon Micromot DB 250 is an efficient woodturning lathe designed for precision and versatility. With a powerful motor operating at 220 - 240V and 100W, it delivers reliable performance. The variable speed control allows you to adjust between 1,000 and 5,000rpm, giving you the flexibility to work on various projects at your preferred pace. The centre distance of 250mm and a swing of 40mm mean you can easily handle different sizes of wood. Additionally, it includes six collets ranging from 2mm to 10mm, ensuring you have the right tools for every task.
Axminster Workshop AW205WL Woodturning Lathe
The Axminster AW205WL Lathe is an excellent choice for those keen to learn woodturning. You can take advantage of a 50% discount on online turning courses or opt for a free introduction in-store. This flexibility allows you to choose a learning method that suits you best. The lathe falls under the benchtop category, making it a convenient addition to your workspace without taking up too much room. As a product of Axminster Workshop, it promises quality and performance for both beginners and experienced users alike.
Winbomgo Mini Wood Lathe Tool Kit
The Winbomgo Mini Lathe is an easy-to-use woodworking tool designed for both beginners and hobbyists. With a powerful 100W motor and seven adjustable speeds, you can effortlessly turn, cut, grind, and polish various wooden items. This mini lathe is perfect for creating small decorative crafts, such as ceramics, pens, and beads, allowing you to explore your creativity. Moreover, the professional-quality tools included ensure durability and effectiveness, making your DIY projects even more enjoyable.
Axminster Workshop AW305WL Woodturning Lathe with Drive
The Axminster AW305WL Lathe is a versatile benchtop woodturning tool designed to enhance your crafting experience. It comes with a prong drive, which ensures secure and reliable rotation of your workpiece, allowing you to achieve precise results. Additionally, a live centre is included, providing excellent support for your projects and helping you maintain accuracy as you turn. This lathe is perfect for both beginners and experienced users, making it an excellent addition to your workshop. With its user-friendly design, you can enjoy woodturning with greater ease and confidence.
Einhell TC-WW 1000/1 Wood Lathe Machine
The Einhell Wood Lathe is an excellent choice for anyone looking to explore woodturning. With its powerful 400 W motor, you can enjoy longer work sessions without worrying about performance. It accommodates workpieces up to 280 millimetres in diameter and can even clamp larger pieces, making it versatile for various projects. The adjustable tool support ensures that you achieve precise turning results, while the tailstock provides extra security for your workpiece, giving you peace of mind as you create.
CREWORKS 1100W Mini Metal Lathe
The CREWORKS Mini Lathe is a powerful tool designed for small to medium projects, boasting a robust 1100W motor. With its precise 5-inch 3-jaw chuck, you can work with both square and round materials, ensuring accuracy in tasks like threading. You have complete control over the rotational speed, adjustable from 50 to 2250 rpm, allowing you to tailor your work for optimal results. Its sturdy all-metal construction not only promises durability but also includes a transparent chuck guard for added safety while maintaining visibility during operation.
CREWORKS Mini Metal Lathe with LCD Display
The CREWORKS Mini Lathe is a powerful tool designed for small to medium metalworking projects. Its 1100W motor, combined with a speed range of 0 to 3000 rpm, offers you complete control over your work. With a high-precision 3-jaw chuck, you can easily handle both square and round materials, ensuring accuracy for threading tasks. The robust cast iron construction not only provides durability but also enhances safety, as the transparent chuck guard shields you from debris while keeping the workspace visible.
Charnwood W824 Midi Woodturning Lathe, 12"x14"
The Charnwood W824 Lathe is an excellent choice for woodturning enthusiasts. With electronic variable speed control ranging from 500 to 3800rpm, you can easily adjust the speed to suit your project needs, allowing for precise and smooth finishes. The sturdy cast iron construction of the bed, headstock, tailstock, and tool rest banjo ensures stability during operation, giving you confidence as you work. It offers a maximum spindle turning length of 360mm (14") and a bowl turning diameter of up to 300mm (12"), making it versatile for various projects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much does a small lathe cost?
Mini wood lathes generally cost around $100-$800 dollars. But there are some upper-class benchtop lathes that are used more professionally that may cost you up to some thousand dollars.
2. Are warco lathes any good?
Warco quality is not great, but it's getting better. You get a lot of machine for your money, and they are very sturdy which is one of the most important things you need in a machine. The detail finishing can be pretty bad, but the fundamentals like the ground bed and the headstock bearings seem to be fine.
3. What are bench lathes?
Noun. 1. bench lathe - lathe mounted on a workbench. lathe - machine tool for shaping metal or wood; the workpiece turns about a horizontal axis against a fixed tool. Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection.
4. What is a lave tool?
A lathe is a machining tool that is used primarily for shaping metal or wood. It works by rotating the workpiece around a stationary cutting tool. ... Whatever the type and function, they all operate using this basic holding and rotating mechanism.
During our benchtop lathe research, we found 35 benchtop lathe products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 6,188 customer reviews through our big data system to write the benchtop lathes list. We found that most customers choose benchtop lathes with an average price of £409.06.
The benchtop lathes are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of benchtop lathes, including T-Mech, LUMBER JACK, PROXXON, Axminster Workshop, Winbomgo. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 439 consumers with an average rating of 4.5.

Kenneth Collin graduated from Imperial College, London, at 22. He is a UX/UI designer, a web developer, and a writer, amongst others. At age 14, Kenneth programmed his first app. Kenneth's app served as a remote control for censored devices. "When I was 8, I would pick up scraps from electronics and try to rebuild or at least fix them," Kenneth said in one of his recent articles on Home repairs for top gadgets.