Hello beading friends! Since earlier this year I’ve been on a mission to find and test electric bead spinner models so I could offer my best recommendations. Last month I posted a video on YouTube that was an unboxing video of the Hobbyworker electric bead spinner, which also featured a few others that I’d found and tested earlier in the year. But, then I found a bunch more that I hadn’t seen before that video, or that weren’t available then, and decided to do a blog post expanding on the electric bead spinner theme.

The first bead spinner I ever owned was the Darice battery-operated bead spinner, which I got over 10 years ago. For a long time it was the only powered option available and for most people it worked really well. The one I had stopped working after a couple months, but most people who had them have been using theirs for years with no issues. I probably just got a dud. However, the Darice company went out of business in 2020, and their bead spinner was discontinued, leaving a gaping hole in the bead spinner market. I’m pleased to see that the vacuum is starting to fill up with new models of electric and battery-operated bead spinners!

Before we get into individual reviews, let me go over the pros and cons of electric vs manual bead spinners. Personally, I prefer manual spinners, and I will cover those in a separate post.

All the links I share below are affiliate links. This means I will get a small percentage of the sales if you purchase after clicking on my link, and it does not cost you any extra. However, I am a conscientious affiliate link user. I will only use affiliate links for products I actually like and recommend purchasing for use in French Beaded Flowers. My primary role is an instructor, and I want you to have a good experience more than anything else.

Here’s my electric bead spinner awards, for those who want the short version. You can skip to these reviews by clicking on the name links.
Best Overall: Hobbyworker (it has all the features and multiple bowls!)
Quietest: PP Opount
Best Bowl Size & Shape: Keoker
Best Battery-Operated Spinner: Beadsmith Spin & String Power Spinner (only thing keeping this one from the Best Overall spot is the lack of speed control)

Here’s the full list of the spinners I am reviewing, and you can skip to each review by clicking on the names.
1. Hobbyworker Electric Bead Spinner
2. PP Opount Electric Bead Spinner
3. Beadsmith Spin & String Power Spinner (battery-operated)
4. Gundunoan Electric Bead Spinner
5. Blue Battery Operated Bead Spinner
6. Keoker Wooden Electric Bead Spinner
7. Generic “Wooden” Electric Bead Spinner
8. MasBros Electric Bead Spinner
9. Generic Plastic Bowl, Square Base
10. Generic Plastic Bowl, Tripod Base
11. Iraspin Wooden Electric Bead Spinner

The reviews are in order of which ones I think will work best for French Beading, vs which ones I don’t really care much about. In the individual reviews, I do include prices in USD just to give you an idea of the price points. These prices reflect what they were when I posted, but they may change over time, and I have no intention to monitor all of these prices. I also include Noise Level in the Details list. I rate noise level by comparing them to the rest of the spinners. To me, they are all noisy, but some are less noisy than others.

1. Hobbyworker Electric Bead Spinner

My Thoughts:
This is one of my favorite bead spinners on the list. The bowls are easily interchangeable, making it easy to switch colors without having to pour beads out. Being able to control the speed and spinning direction makes it a great choice for all beaders. The bowls are a good size and shape – roughly the same as a standard sized manual bead spinner bowl. Smaller 3-3.5 inch bowls would be even better, but they are normal sized.

Only two bowls have tight-fitted lids. The third is supposed to use a lid that fits over the whole bead spinner base. But I don’t know why they didn’t just use the same lid on the third. The hole in the main lid does not work very well for pouring out beads because the beads get stuck in the space between the bowl and the base if you move the bowl around while dumping beads (see unboxing video). And the lid doesn’t fit on the bowl alone since it fits onto the base, so it seems almost unnecessary to have a different kind of lid. The cord is long, which makes it good for outlets, and since it’s detachable, you can switch it for a shorter cord if using a portable battery pack to reduce the amount of cord on your workspace.

The noise level on this one is higher than I like, but less than other models.

I purchased mine here: https://amzn.to/3SrzBL3. But after publishing my video, I found the same model from a different seller for cheaper here: https://amzn.to/3PrJwxl.

I also discovered that bowls from the blue battery-operated spinner I review next will fit in this bead spinner well enough to work. While the bowls on the battery spinner are a smidge smaller, the hole in the center is the same size and shape. You can purchase extra bowls for the blue battery spinner, and thus add even more bowls to the Hobbyworker, here: https://amzn.to/3QSCRg

2. PP Opount Electric Spinner

My Thoughts:
I have two manual wooden bead spinners from the PP Opount company that I really like. One is a larger bowl with a metal swirly base and a lid. The other is actually a double spinner with two small bowls on the same base, one of which has a lid. So, when I saw the PP Opount name on this electric spinner that’s different than the others, I just had to give it a try. I held the blog post for an extra week so I could give it a thorough test.

I really, really like this one. The only thing I don’t like is that there’s only one bowl. The bowl on this one is clear, which I like. Very few of my beads will blend in with it, and it’s attractive too. The bowl is about 3.5 inches wide, which is a smaller sized bowl roughly the size of a junior manual spinner. That size and smaller is what I usually recommend getting. The bowl is a little deeper than I’d like it, but not terribly so. The bowl is easily removed. There is a lid that doubles as a funnel that helps pour beads back out of the bowl. The lid does not snap on, or fit tightly, though. So if you knock into the spinner with the lid on, beads will still spill out. But it does a pretty good job of keeping other stuff from getting inside, too.

The whole spinner is nice and compact, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space on my tray. You can control the direction of the spin, and make micro adjustments to the speed, so it will be useful for a wider number of beaders. The controls are on the cord, instead of on the base, which isn’t my favorite, but I’m willing to tolerate that minor annoyance because… it’s actually quiet! The Gundunoan and Keoker are also quiet, but this one is even quieter. It’s like a whisper compared to the rest. I was so surprised. Even my husband commented that this was the quietest electric spinner I’ve tested so far. I’m super sensitive to constant mechanical noises (like humidifiers, fans, etc). There is no other bead spinner on this list that I can actually tolerate the noise from. This one does not bother me, and that’s a big deal (for me, at least). The other good news is that, even though there’s only one bowl, it does work with the Beadalon Quick-Change Trays (https://amzn.to/3ApqgfA).

This bead spinner gets a standing ovation from me, even though there’s only one bowl, because it’s quiet, spins very smoothly, and has a smaller sized bowl. So I will happily recommend it. You can purchase one here: https://amzn.to/3pHbkTU

What I’m going to do is 3D print extra bowls for this one. Yes, I have a 3D printer and I know how to use it. Just need to take some measurements. My bowl probably won’t be the same exact shape due to limitations with my design software and my own ability to use it, and won’t be clear. But, if I can get the connector hole to the base the same size and shape, it should work just fine. I generally prefer manual spinners, but sometimes I have issues with carpal tunnel, so having an electric spinner that doesn’t give me a massive headache will be great for me to use when that happens, or when I just don’t wanna deal with spinning. I’ll update if/when I succeed in making extra bowls for it.

3. BeadSmith Spin & String Power Spinner

My Thoughts:
This is another one I found recently and postponed publishing the blog post so I could test it out for a few days. I got this one because I wanted to review another battery-operated spinner, and it’s from BeadSmith, which is a well-known name in the beading world. They do also have manual bead spinners.

Like the Hobbyworker and generic blue battery spinner, it comes with three bowls. Each bowl has a lid that snaps on tight, which reduces spills and makes the bowls stackable. The bowls are a good shape and size for stringing onto wire – not too wide and not too deep. Though I would like them even better if they were around 3-3.5 inches wide.

It’s decently compact, and you can change the direction. The only thing I have against this one is the lack of speed control. It is a nice medium speed, which does work for me, so personally I really like it as far as electric bead spinners go. But, it wouldn’t be so nice for those who need a slower speed. While it is quieter than the blue battery one, it is still noisy. Another bonus is that the extra bowls for the blue battery operated spinner do fit well enough on this model to work. The little “spindle” part that goes into the hole in the bowl is a slightly different shape, so it’s not a perfect adaptation, but it does work if you get it situated properly.

I’m so glad I got this one to try, because I think it’s another great option for French Beaders that I will happily recommend. You can purchase one here: https://amzn.to/3pvixGt. You can purchase extra bowls for the blue battery spinner here: https://amzn.to/3QSCRgV.

4. Gundunoan Electric Bead Spinner

My Thoughts:
I returned the first one I purchased because I thought it wouldn’t turn on. But I discovered with the second one that the first few times I turned it on I had to have to wait a few seconds after flipping the switch for it to move. So the first one might not have been a dud after all. But, now when I turn it on, it starts immediately.

I like this one, but I do wish it came with more small bowls,in place of the large one. But the bowls are a good shape (not too deep) and with a thin rim that curves inward that helps keep beads from flying. The bowls can be interchanged quickly and easily, but are secure while spinning. The cord is pretty short on this one, which is great for those wanting to use a battery pack as there will be less cord on your workspace. And it is the kind that can be replaced with a longer cord for those who need to use an outlet.

It comes in green, yellow, and pink. Only the green was available (or at least easily visible in search results) when I bought mine. I think I would have liked yellow or pink better than the bright green, so I’m a little sad I didn’t see those before.

With just three different speeds (low, medium, and high), it’s not as flexible as other models with variable speed. The highest speed is a little less than other spinners, and the slowest is a little slower, but all are usable. And you can switch directions, so I think it’s more usable for a wider range of beaders than those without speed controls at all. A bonus is that the noise level is lower than most other models I’ve tested, which is always a win in my book.

I will recommend this one. You can purchase one here: https://amzn.to/3QweKVn.

5. Blue Battery-Operated Spinner

My Thoughts:
The Darice company used to produce this one, but it is a generic model now. It seems as though someone – or several someones – acquired the rights to manufacture it, but multiple companies are buying it and put their own name, or no name on the box. That happens a lot with bead spinners, actually, so it’s not surprising or particularly alarming.

This is another great option! Bowls can be changed easily without any fuss or difficulty. All of them have snap-on lids, which reduces spills and makes the bowls stackable. The bowls are slightly smaller than the Hobbyworker, but I still wish they were a little smaller. While you can’t change the speed, it is a nice medium speed, which does work for me. But it might not for anyone who prefers a slower spin. You can change the direction of the spin, though.

I like that it doesn’t have a cord. There won’t be a cord on my workspace, and it also makes it more easily portable than models with cords. I would recommend using rechargeable batteries so you don’t eat through lots of them. The bead spinner does take up more work space than other models due to it’s width. But it’s short, which means you won’t knock it over, and makes it nice for short people like me so I don’t have to lift my arms up very high to use it.

But it’s loud! One of the loudest models on the list.

This one does get a recommendation from me. You can purchase one here: https://amzn.to/3pnXtSl, though there are other sellers selling the same model. You can purchase extra bowls here: https://amzn.to/3QSCRgV.

6. Keoker Wooden Electric Bead Spinner

My Thoughts:
The first one I received was a major dud, which is also shown in my Hobbyworker video. It came with a loose screw bouncing around inside, so the motor and motor shaft were super wiggly, which made it spin wonky, vibrate more, and was extra loud. Manufacturing defects happen from time to time with all mass produced spinners. This is why I recommend testing a bead spinner as soon as you receive it for manufacturing defects, and returning it for a replacement if you find any issues. I wasn’t originally going to order a replacement for this one, since there’s some details that make it less useable for me. But, to be fair in my review, I got a second one. The second one I received was perfectly fine!

Wooden spinners feel nicer. However, for electric spinners it’s mostly an aesthetics thing, and doesn’t really change the way it works. While wood feels more durable and higher quality than plastic, we’re still dealing with a motor that won’t last forever anyways.

The bowl is a good shape, size, and depth for optimal bead stringing even when you are working with smaller amounts of beads. The bowl has a thick lip, that does help keep beads from flying out, but also makes it slightly harder to get beads back out. You have to tip it completely vertical back and forth to get the beads out from under the lip. But that’s only a minor annoyance that you can work around.

The Keoker has a wooden bottom, so it feels nicer quality than the wooden Iraspin in that regard. But, there’s no speed control and no direction control. It spins at a medium speed, which does work for me, but it only spins counter-clockwise. I am right-handed, but I do spin my spinner both ways depending on my mood. I have a variety of techniques, wire positions, and wire shapes that I switch between while I’m beading. I use both directions frequently, so for me this one doesn’t work as it does not allow me to use all of my stringing techniques. It also means that fewer beaders would be able to use it, because some prefer a slower speed or only use the clockwise direction. The on-off button is also on the cord – another minor annoyance.

But, if you work with a medium speed and counter-clockwise direction, I think this is a good spinner, so I will recommend it. You can purchase one here: https://amzn.to/3dEGA3m. If someone combined the Keoker’s slightly smaller bowl and wooden underside with the lid and direction/speed controls of the Iraspin, I think that would be a much better spinner!

The bowl is technically removeable since it’s held on with a screw, but there’s only one bowl. It does, however, work with Beadalon’s Quick-Change Trays, which would allow you to switch colors quickly and easily. The trays can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3ApqgfA. (Just a quick note about the trays, though… mine got smushed easily, so I had to replace them after a while, and they are prone to static cling which goes away over time).

7. Generic “wooden” electric bead spinner

My Thoughts:
This one fooled me, and I’m a little upset by it. I thought it was a wooden bead spinner, and the listing didn’t say otherwise. But it’s just plastic made to look like wood. Pfft. If I’d known ahead of time that it was plastic, it probably wouldn’t have bothered me. But because I was expecting wood, it was a letdown.

There is one bowl, which is hard to remove. It’s roughly the same width as a standard wooden bead spinner bowl, but a little tiny bit deeper. Between the bowl and the base is a cylindrical roller bearing, which is loose. That’s not a manufacturing defect, but part of the design. If you do remove the bowl, the bearing will fall off, and you have to position it just right when putting the bowl on. I’m not sure I see the point in the bearing at all since the bowl attaches directly to the motor shaft. I haven’t tried it without the bearing, but I suspect it would work just fine – like all the other models with plastic bowls that attach directly to motor shafts.

The product listing for this one boasts a durable motor that lasts at least 2000 hours. Since none of the other models give that information, I’m not sure if that’s above average or not. But, if you spin beads for 2 hours every day, according to them it will last at least 1000 days, or roughly 3 years. If you don’t spin beads every day, it would last longer, assuming you are taking good care of the motor by letting it rest when it gets hot. I’m only mentioning this to illustrate the longevity issue of electric spinners vs manual spinners. I could use the same manual wooden spinners until I retire, and could probably hand them down for generations if my kids and grandkids have any interest in them.

You can switch direction and change the speed. But the slowest speed is useless, and the highest speed is more like the medium on other models. Not necessarily a bad thing. If there were more bowls that were easier to change out, I’d like it more. Won’t be using a referral link for this one, but it’s not a bad spinner.

8. MasBros Electric Bead Spinner

My Thoughts:
This one was more expensive than I think it’s worth, and that’s the main reason I won’t be recommending it with an affiliate link. I misread the listing and thought I was getting three bowls, but it says three needles… silly brain combined the first two sentences. I was able to purchase with a 30% off Amazon “coupon” thingy, but I’m assuming that coupon won’t be around forever and regular price was pretty high. It is a good bead spinner, but you only get one bowl for the price. Not a huge issue if you only ever work with one color at a time. But the bowl doesn’t come back off the base easily. It pops in place, and then takes some effort to pop back off, which flings beads everywhere if you try to remove it with beads still in it. So… you would have to lift the whole thing up to dump beads out, and because the base is metal, it’s heavy. I would look into crafting some sort of covering that can be put on top while removing the bowl to dump beads out so they don’t fly when it pops off. Wish it came with a nice snap-on fitted lid.

It’s possible the metal in the base is what’s bringing the cost up so much, and while metal is nice and sturdy and feels high quality, I don’t find it necessary. It’s also just as loud as the blue battery-operated spinner, which makes it pretty freaking loud. Because of the type of plug, this one could only be used in the USA.

It does have a variable speed control so you can micro adjust the speed to suit your comfort level. But it only spins one direction, so I can’t use all my stringing techniques. It would only work for those who like to spin counter-clockwise. If it came with multiple, easily interchangeable bowls and direction controls for the same price, I would recommend it. I would possibly also recommend it if the Beadalon Quick-Change Trays fit on top of it, and it were a lower price but alas, they do not.

9. Generic Plastic Bowl, Square Base

My Thoughts:
Okay, another no-brand bead spinner. Multiple companies purchasing the same or similar model from a manufacturer and putting their own name on it. Some are selling them in different colors. But is it a good bead spinner?

I think this spinner would be improved if the bowls were a different shape. The large one is very deep, so for me, the angle to insert the wire down to get the beads is doable, but a little awkward. I like to put my wire in almost horizontal to the beads. It’s a comfortable position for my hands and arms since I don’t have to lift my arms very high. And horizontal means the beads aren’t fighting gravity to get up the wire. I can’t go in horizontal with this one unless it’s nearly full, and since it’s so deep, it takes a lot of beads to get to that height. I prefer the smaller bowl, but the opening width to bowl height ratio still feels slightly awkward, just less so than the large bowl. When stringing onto wire I had to make the wire longer to reach the bottom of the bowl. Longer wires are harder to control because they aren’t as stiff as needles, and gets tugged and bounced around easily by the beads. If you are stringing onto thread using one of the long curved needles that mine came with, those work fine because needles are stiffer than wire and can therefore can reach lower without being bent and bounced about by the beads and centrifugal force. It does work to string beads. And the curved tops do help keep beads from flying (but so will a slower speed and good technique). But, I think there are better models more suitable for French Beading available now.

While it comes with two bowls, the way they attach directly to the motor shaft makes it hard to remove the bowl. Do not remove the bowls while beads are still inside, or beads will fly everywhere and make a big mess. I demonstrate the mess making capability in my Hobbyworker video. In French Beading, we often switch back and forth between colors within one row of beads, or at least within one petal. Having multiple bowls that are easily interchangeable is a benefit for this because you can easily switch colors without having to dump beads out and replace the color, or string by hand. So, to me, models like this are less beneficial for French Beaders than other models that are now available. But, this would probably still be a decent option for other types of beadwork, or if you don’t work with any shading patterns. I discovered accidentally that the top half of the bowl comes off. It happened while I was trying to remove the bowl, and I thought I’d broken it. When I realized that it was just how it’s made and it goes back together, I hoped that I could use just the lower portions to avoid the awkward depth… but, beads fly everywhere (shown in the Hobbyworker video again). So I don’t think they were intended to come apart. I worry that over time, the metal shaft will start to wear down the hole in the bottom of the plastic bowls. Maybe I’m over-worrying, but longevity is something I’m already concerned about with motor spinners. Maybe the motor won’t last long enough for worn down holes to be a problem.

The control switches are on the cord, and I do prefer them on the base like previous models, but you can change the speed and direction which makes it more usable for a larger amount of beaders, so I think that’s something I could deal with if I needed to.

10. Plastic Spinner with Tripod Base

My Thoughts:
This one is very similar to the previous model, but has enough differences to get a separate section. When I bought this one, it was the only electric bead spinner I could find anywhere, and I was just glad to find an electric model at all that wasn’t a plastic applesauce cup sitting on a hand pumped fan. So I did originally recommend it as an option in our Facebook Group when I found it.

My thoughts are very similar to the previous model, so I’ll just share what’s different about this one. The bowl is slightly smaller, but still an awkward shape that makes it less optimal for me. But that might just be me being nit-picky, and may not be an issue for everyone. The bowl on this one does not come apart, but it’s kinda ugly. It looks like a bad 3D print job. I’m not sure there’s a benefit to having a folding tripod base. It doesn’t make it any smaller or easier to store. But, it does work just as well as the square base, and I didn’t have any issues with steadiness, so I don’t consider it a downside either.

You can change the direction and the speed, so that makes it more usable for a wider range of beaders. The bowl is difficult to remove, but there’s only one so you don’t really need to remove it. But, it does work with the Beadalon Quick-Change trays (https://amzn.to/3ApqgfA), so you could add extra bowls that way if you want or already have this model.

11. Iraspin Wooden Electric Bead Spinner

My Thoughts:
The first one I received was a major dud. I showed it in my Hobbyworker review video. The bowl is off-center to the motor shaft, so the spin was pretty wonky and uneven. This was a manufacturing defect. TO me fair in the blog post, I got a second one so I could test one that isn’t a dud to see if it would change my mind about it at all. But… the second one was also a dud with the same exact issue. Hmmm. They either have really terrible quality control, or someone designed this thing with an off-centered bowl. Either way, thumbs down, man. I wanted to like this one, too, because it’s pretty and made of wood and has a cute little lid.

I do like the bowl on this model, though. It’s just like the Keoker bowl, which I reveiwed above so I won’t repeat all that info.

The lid is a nice detail. It doesn’t snap on or fit tightly, so if you knock the spinner over the beads will still fall out. It does sort of help dump beads out… if it weren’t for the lip making it harder and trapping beads underneath the lip. But it would help keep beads from another spinner, or small bits of wire from flying into this spinner. Just looks tidier with the lid, too.

Speed and direction are adjustable, so very customizable. But the switches are on the cord. Not my favorite, but again, I can deal with that. The cord is a nice length, which is great for outlets. And while it can’t be switched for a different cord, you could bundle it up and twist tie it together to keep it from being a menace on your work space. This one is a little quieter than other models.

The bottom opening of the bead spinner is covered only with a layer of foam, which I think I could rip through. That foam is the only thing holding the motor in place, and the motor does sometimes shift up and down inside the bowl, and it does feel lower quality because of that (and because both of mine spin wonky!).

While I like some things about this spinner, since I cannot get a nicely working spinner from this company, I will not recommend it. I almost want to return this second one for a replacement and see what happens. If you do have this one and got one that works nicely, please let me know in the comments!

Final Thoughts

After all these reviews and list of pros and cons, I do have some final words to say. I own over 40 varieties of bead spinners now. I collect them for fun because I find them fascinating and they make me happy. I’ve worked with bead spinners in all kinds of shapes and sizes and made out of lots of different materials. They each have their own lists of pros and cons, and there may be things on my con list that are pros for you! There is no bead spinner that I like everything about. But, after working with so many different spinners in the last 10 years, I can say that you do learn how to work around the “cons” of the bead spinner(s) you use the most often. There are very few that I believe are terribly designed that I would recommend not to waste money on. While I don’t love all of these electric bead spinners, and there are some that would not work for me, there aren’t many I would truly say to avoid. At the end of the day, they all do work to string beads. Some are just more optimal (in my opinion). The question is, what are your priorities in a bead spinner, and what are you willing to put up with and work around?

I am planning a full blog series on bead spinners, including this post on electric spinners, a post on manual bead spinners, and one on DIY bead spinners! For the DIY spinners I would love to have some submissions from you guys. If you have made your own bead spinner from scratch using things around your house and would be willing to contribute yours to the blog post, please email me a photo and brief description of how you made it. Also let me know if you want your name included, or left out for privacy concerns. Email: Lauren@BeadandBlossom.com

Happy beading!
– Lauren