Are you trying to find benchtop metal lathe among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling benchtop metal lathe on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 24 hours of research and did 57 benchtop metal lathe tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best benchtop metal lathe you can buy today
- Precise Engineering: Ideal for professionals, this power metal lathe's high-precision 4-inch 3-jaw chuck handles both square and round objects with equal aplomb. It's especially suitable for jobs requiring high accuracy, such as threading.
- Large Working Capacity: This metal working lathe cranks out 550W and handles small to medium projects. It provides a 7.09"/180mm swing over bed and 13.78"/350mm center distance so that you can manage more extensive projects.
- Upgrade Design: This small metal lathe uses metal gear instead of a nylon one. Aluminum handwheel can increase service life. Automatic power-off protection switch to make it safer. An extra LED lamp can help you finish processing in places with insufficient light.
- Complete Control: The lathe's rotational speed can be set from 50 to 2500rpm and monitored by the digital display; the well-crafted head and tailstocks, large through-hole, and 4-way tool post also contribute to providing greater control of your work.
- Professional Construction: 4-way quick change tool post can install 4 standard turning tools at the same time. You can adjust tool post forwards/backward by turn blade adjustors with accurate scales clockwise/anticlockwise.
- 【STURDY IRON CONSTRUCTION】- The mini metal lathe bed is made of high grade iron. Equipped with nylon gears, this lathe machine is wear-resistant, durable, more accurate rotation and professional. Mini metal lathe power of motor: 550W. The full-length splashguard provides maximum protection.
- 【INFINITELY VARIABLE SPEEDS】- Spindle Speed from 0-2250 RPM. Forward and reverse in all speeds. Operate either manually or with the adjustable auto feed rate. The handness and accuracy of the v-slideways are obtained by raw material, heat hardening and grinding. Emergency stop buttom included.
- 【ACCURATE 3-JAW CHUCK】- Mini metal lathe chuck, 3-jaw self-centering chuck, for setting cylindrical materials steadily. Backsplash guard included. Spindle is supported by precision tapered roller bearings, spindle accuracy within 0.01mm. A free lamp is included.
- 【PROFESSIONAL COMPOUND REST】- The mini metal lathe quick change tool post can achieve positions of internal cutting, face cutting and bevel cutting by changing the tool post angle and adjusting the compound rest. Professional cross slide is designed with abrasive resistance, moving blades freely with feed rod.
- 【WIDE APPLICATION】- Driven by DC motor, this mini metal lathe cut off tool can be used in areas such as mini precision parts processing, sample processing and modeling works.
- Motor: 1/3 HP, 2 Amp, 110V, Single-phase, 60 Hz
- 12-inch distance between centers
- 8-inch swing over bed
- Cast iron construction and infinitely variable speed control
- Includes two tool rests
- Extra Large Spindle Bore: The lathe features a large spindle bore with a diameter of 1.5''/38mm, allowing for the insertion of materials from the aperture of the machine head. This makes it more convenient to process longer materials
- Automatic Feed Range: The automatic feed range is adjustable from 0.1mm to 0.2mm, providing flexibility in machining operations
- 900W Brushless Motor: Equipped with a high-performance 900W brushless motor, ensuring efficient and precise machining
- Adjustable Spindle Speed: The lathe offers a segmented spindle rotation speed within the range of 50 to 2500 rpm. The continuous speed adjustment allows for adaptable operation suitable for various machining tasks
- Robust Construction: The miniature lathe features a high-quality cast iron bed that has undergone high-frequency quenching and precision grinding, ensuring exceptional stability and durability for precise machining
- Widely Used: Our metal lathe machine, measuring 8.3'' x 29.5'', is perfect for processing precision parts and models. It has a wide range of turning pitches that can create 24 different kinds of threads, including 14 metric system (ranging from 0.3-3mm) and 10 imperial system (ranging from 10-44 TPI) threads.
- Built to Last: Our power metal lathes are built to last with high-quality HT200 cast iron. They come equipped with wear-resistant and strong metal gears and aluminum alloy handwheels, ensuring a longer service life.
- 750W Brushless Motor: Our benchtop metal lathe features a 750W brushless motor that provides more power and avoids the need for brush replacements, saving time and effort.
- Continuously Variable: Features a spindle that can turn in both forward and reverse directions, with two-speed options: a high gear of 100-2500 rpm and a low gear of 50-1250 rpm. It also has intelligent electric speed controls and a digital display, allowing for accurate speed adjustments and making your work easier.
- Security Comes First: Our metal lathe machine has multiple security features in case of emergency, ensuring operator security. These include an emergency stop switch, overload protection, chuck cover power off switch, pulley set housing power off switch, and a main control panel security switch.
- 【STURDY & DURABLE CONSTRUCTION】 - The mini lathe is made of high-quality cast iron which stands up to tear and wear. It is equipped with a 600W motor that delivers a great deal of energy. If you are into making models, it would be your professional assistant who has precise metric graduations and metal gears and therefore is punctilious.
- 【INFINITELY VARIABLE SPEEDS】 - Revolving Speed Range: 50-2250±10%. The mini lathe machine comes with variable speeds that give you the convenience to achieve the best work. This lathe allows you to work on both forward or reverse of any possible speed. The feeding rate can be adjusted manually or automatically. And an emergency button is accessible just in case.
- 【WORKS WITH PRECISION】 - Spindle Bore: 0.8"/21 mm. The metal working lathe is pre-installed with a 3-jaw chuck, 3.9"/100 mm in diameter, which clamps raw materials tight, and a backsplash guard that ensures your safety during operation.
- 【FASTER & MORE EFFECTIVE】 - Swing Over Bed: 8.3"/210 mm; Swing Over Cross Slide: 13.8"/350 mm. The small metal lathe features a turret post for quick tool change and a cross slide for free blade moving, making internal cutting, face cutting and bevel cutting possible.
- 【WIDE APPLICATION】 - The lathe produces precision work without taking up a lot of room in your shop or garage, making bushings, spindles, prototypes, models, and more.
- [Infinitely Variable Speed] The mini metal lathe is driven by DC motor with Power.Use high-power motor with power 1100W.Taper in Spindle Nose: MT5.The spindle spped can be adjusted variably during its range of 50-2500 rpm.Quiet, low decibel sound at work, don't worry about disturbing neighbors to rest.
- [Durable Construction] Benchtop metal lathe use all metal gears, metal shell, metal hand wheel without any plastic parts.High frequency quenching process and precision grinding of high quality cast iron bed.
- [600mm Swing Range]-The bench top lathe brings a 3-jaw Chuck with Diameter: 4.92"/125mm.Range of Inch Threads(optional accessory ): 10-44T.P.I. Precision of the spindle: 0.01mm.
- [Large Spindle Through Hole] The woodworking lathe use 1.50"(38mm) large spindle hole,can be inserted from the machine head when processing long parts, the operation is more conwenient.Forward and reverse switch and with emergency stop switch, which is more safe.
- [Scale]Telescopic sets with scale, you can intuitively see the length of the telescopic handle scale, precise scaling can be digitally standardized or adjusted by lateral movement. Used for turning, facing, drilling, boring and turning thread.
- 【Speed】This is a MINI metal lathe driven by a 12V DC transformer, The speed is fixed. Can not change the speed of the machine. Note: The machine defaults to use the high-speed motor. which can be used for turning, drilling, boring, threading and other processing.Lathe SIZE:length 10.94 x width3.94 x high5.91inch
- 【Processing】It can be used to form and cut a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic and soft metals (pure copper and pure aluminum), but not alloys. When processing harder materials, the feed rate should be smaller, which is slower than processing wood. we offer several shims for you to adjust the height of the turning tool.
- 【Application】 Ideal for use in juvenile activity centers, school technical rooms, science and technology activity rooms, DIY hobbyist workshops, and student science and technology creation in science museums.making it perfect for small projects or hobbyists.
- 【Durable】Made of advanced aluminum alloy, durable and non-deformable for usage. The Milling is suitable for mini drill and drill bracket series. It can withstand regular use without showing signs of wear and tear.
- 【Precision】This machine is a micro lathe and cannot achieve very high precision. Please check the size of the accessories. If you have requirements for high precision, please consider purchasing carefully.
- 8" x 14" Metal Lathe: Our metal lathe machine adopts external poly-V-belt drive technology. The output torque is increased by 3 times, up to 1:9, so you can turn 45# steel bar easily. With 20 mm / 0.79 in hole through spindle diameter, you can process all kinds of rotating surfaces and end faces of rotating bodies.
- 4-Speed Adjustment: The benchtop metal lathe adopts a 4-speed continuously variable function so that you can adjust spindle speed flexibly from 50 to 2500 rpm according to your demand. Intelligent electric control speed regulation and digital display equipment are more convenient for you to adjust and operate accurately.
- High Accuracy & Professionalism: The tailstock spindle features an MT2 taper with top-press thread quick-lock technology for user-friendly use without effort. The precision dial is provided in the tailstock handle so that you can work more accurately and professionally.
- Forward & Reverse Thread Turning: All gears of the power metal lathe are made of high-quality metal material, ensuring a longer service life. It can turn 18 types of imperial threads (12-52 T.P.I) in both forward and reverse.
- Security Comes First: The benchtop metal lathe has chuck cover disconnection protection, automatic overload protection, and an added circuit board protector to avoid high-speed reverse short circuits, which protects the security of the operator and the machine motor.
- Variable speed goes anywhere from 100 to 1,100 RPM on the low setting and 100 to 2,500 RPM on the high setting
- 18-1/8 x 4-3/4 inch table travels 11-13/16 inches along the X-axis and 5-1/8 inches along the Y-axis
- Bevel the head and column 45 degrees in either direction for angled cuts in metal, wood, plastic and more
- Compact cast iron design measures in at 23-1/4 by 22 by 29-1/2 inches in size with an 8-1/2 by 15 inch foot print
- Includes an R8 spindle taper, a pre-installed drill chuck (1/32 to 1/2 inch), fine-tune adjustment hand wheels, a transparent chuck guard, an emergency stop button, onboard measurement indicators, a 13-inch swing, two M10-1.5 T-nuts, 12mm T-slots, and a two-year warranty
- 4 hex wrenches, 100-2000 RPM spindle speed:
- MT #2 spindle taper, MT #1 tailstock taper
- Double ended wrench, socket head wrench
- Oil cup, stand Included
- Chuck key, 3 external jaws
- THE EASTWOOD MINI METAL LATHE can Easily and accurately turn Steel, Aluminum, Nylon, Delrin, Brass, and Oil Impregnated Bronze.This milling machine has a 3/4 HP motor with INFINITELY VARIABLE SPEEDS 0-2500 RPM and is capable of taking a .010" cut in steel, allowing you to make real parts for your car project.
- INCLUDE HSS CUTTING TOOLS: We even include HSS Cutting tools so you are ready to go out of the box; Equipped with all the features found on large lathes: Auto-feed and selectable gear train, included inside and outside 3-Jaw Chuck set will accommodate a wide range of workpiece configurations; With a 2.125" swing over the cross slide and 12" between centers, you can work materials up to 4" in diameter by 11" in length easily and comfortably.
- EASTWOOD QUALITY: Eastwood offers solutions which combines our 4,000+ unique products with the know-how to “Do The Job Right”. With an In-house product design, development and testing and a strong track record of high-quality, innovative products. Used and trusted by top builders to beginners and also provides a Lifetime Tech Support.
- SAFETY INFORMATION: Always wear eye and hand protection when working with metal. Keep all body parts away from moving parts of this machine. Please read and fully understand the instruction manual before use. Wear proper work glove and protective clothing and eyewear.
- WARRANTY: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Since 1978. We stand behind our solutions and customers. Comes with a 1-year limited warranty and 90-day return.
- Quiet, precise and vibration-free for fatigue free use
- Low weight and slim design, without ever compromising performance
- High quality precision tools
- Brushless motor: Upgraded from a 550W brushed motor to a 1000W brushless motor, providing larger torque and eliminating the need to replace carbon brushes. This results in a more powerful motor and cost savings
- Enhanced performance: Center distance increased to 400mm and rotary diameter expanded to 8"(200mm) for processing larger parts. The noise reduction function lowers noise levels to 50 decibels compared to 90 decibels in ordinary lathes.
- Enhanced durability & safety: The motor direct drive replaces the gear + belt drive, leading to reduced belt wear and longer service life. Equipped with an emergency stop switch and an overload protection device for added safety
- Versatile variable speed: This lathe provides infinitely variable speed control (0-2500rpm) with reversible operation. Motor torque compensation ensures no power loss, replacing the old two-speed pulley system for optimal performance
- Usage precautions: Please carefully read the instructions before use. Also, make sure to wear safety glasses instead of gloves to prevent getting involved in the operation process
- Hardened and ground V-way bed
- Oil-bath gearbox
- Tool box with service tools
- Number of longitudinal feeds: 9
- Chip tray and backsplash
- Power tools: It is driven by 12V safe direct current transformer. It is helpful for improving manual ability and independent thinking, thus effectively improving intelligence of children. So as to be a good didactical tool for children. It is also an ideal tool for DIY hobbyist and modelmaker to make various craft. Wear goggles when using. Children need to be guided by adults.
- Main parts of the machine:The main components of the headstock, intermediate block, connecting block, tailstock, large slider, small slider, hand wheel, bases and so on are made of metal. The quality of the product is improved, more durable and more precise.
- Processing Materials: It can be used to form and cut a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic and soft metals (pure copper and pure aluminum), but not alloys. Note: The harder the material, the smaller the depth of cut.we offer several shims for you to adjust the height of the turning tool.
- Durable Materials:Made of advanced aluminum alloy, durable and non-deformable for usage. The Milling is suitable for mini drill and drill bracket series. It can withstand regular use without showing signs of wear and tear.
- Applications:Youth Activity Center, School General Technical Room, Science and Technology Activity Room Equipment, Science and Technology Museum Student Science and Technology Creation, DIY hobbyist.
- 【Sturdy Iron Construction】- The Mini Metal Lathe Bed Is Made Of High-Grade Iron. Equipped With Nylon Gears, This Lathe Machine Is Wear-Resistant, Durable, And Professional. Mini Metal Lathe Power Of Motor: 550W. The Full-Length Splashguard Provides Maximum Protection.
- 【Infinitely Variable Speed】- Variable Speed From 50-2250 Rpm. Forward And Reverse At All Speeds. Operate Either Manually Or With The Adjustable Auto Feed Rate. The Hardness And Accuracy Of The Slideways Are Obtained By Raw Material, Heat Hardening And Grinding. The Emergency Stop Button Included.
- 【Accurate 3-Jaw Chuck】- 3-Jaw Self-Centering Chuck For Setting Materials Steadily. Backsplash Guard Included. The Spindle Is Supported By Precision Tapered Roller Bearings, Spindle Accuracy Within 0.01Mm.
- 【Professional Compound Rest】- The Mini Metal Lathe Quick Change Tool Post Can Achieve Positions Of Internal Cutting, Face Cutting, And Bevel Cutting By Changing The Tool Post Angle And Adjusting The Compound Rest. The Professional Slide Is Designed With Abrasive Resistance, Moving Blades Freely With A Feed Rod.
- ELECTRONIC GEARLESS DESIGN: This electric gear lathe boasts a new gearless design coupled with a brand new belt drive system,enabling it to automatically switch between metric and inch systems without the need for changing gears.It is equipped with an electronic lead screw that eliminates the hassle of manually changing gears,making it a more efficient and convenient lathe for users
- AUTOMATIC FEED: The lathe features automatic feed in the X axis direction,with adjustable speeds.The automatic feed range spans from 0.01 mm to 0.4 mm, significantly overcoming many of the disadvantages associated with manual feeding. This ensures improved precision and reduces operational errors
- 1100W BRUSHLESS MOTOR: With a robust 1100 W brushless motor, the lathe delivers high-efficiency and quiet operation.This powerhouse brushless motor not only enhances the processing experience but also minimizes maintenance requirements, providing users with a reliable and long-lasting machine
- VARIABLE SPEED: The spindle rotation speed is divided into two adjustable gears,allows both forward and reverse respectively 50-1250 rpm and 1250 -2500 rpm.The panel can observe the rotation speed in real time, which is flexible and convenient
- VERSATILE STARTING OPTIONS: The lathe offers three starting methods: manual start,automatic start,and delay automatic start. After setting parameters on the control panel and saving them, users can initiate the turning process. This feature includes the ability to perform reciprocating turning functions and thread turning, adding to the versatility of the machine
How to choose a good benchtop metal lathe
Does the idea of finding a fantastic benchtop metal lathe make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in benchtop metal lathe. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top benchtop metal lathe products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top benchtop metal lathe on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top benchtop metal lathe brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top benchtop metal lathe based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the benchtop metal lathe were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good benchtop metal lathe, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your benchtop metal lathe.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting benchtop metal lathe for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our benchtop metal lathe. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what benchtop metal lathe should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on benchtop metal lathe.
