My Electric Yarn Winder Guide – All The Best Models Available

A yarn baller machine is usually operated by hand. What if you don’t enjoy winding yarn by hand or it hurts your hands? Use an electric yarn ball winder.

Read my review of the best electric wool winder.

My Quick Recommendations

• My Top Pick – Ashford Electric Yarn Ball Winder
• Best Luxury Option – Standard Electronic Maple Yarn Winders

Want more info on these things? Read the content below.

Note: There aren’t plenty of options, but these are the best ones out there.

Table Of Contents

• Ashford Electric Yarn Ball Winder
• Standard Electronic Maple Yarn Winders
• What To Look For In The Best Electric Ball Winder
• Which Is Best For You?
• Q&A

What Is The Best Motorized Yarn Winder?

By far, the best electric yarn ball winder for sale is the Standard Electronic Yarn Winder. It’s smooth, made of quality materials, and durable.

Check out the rest of my reviews of the best brands for more information. Here are some great electric yarn winders to make your life easier.

Ashford Electric Yarn Ball Winder

What a lovely choice in the yarn ball winders category! It would make a wonderful addition to any craft room or craft tables.

Make those pesky skeins and hanks into neat yarn cakes. (A yarn cake is shaped like a cylinder with flat sides on the bottom and top.)

More details are provided below.

How Does It Compare?

• Construction & Materials Sturdy? – Strong yarn guide and other components
• Easy & Smooth To Crank? – Yes, these great yarn winders make it effortless
• What Sizes Of Yarn Balls? – You can wind up to (171 1/2 oz) 500gms of yarn. More than enough for most commercially available skeins, especially fingering weight yarn!
• Easy To Set Up? – Slightly more complicated than hand operated yarn ball winders, but instructions are included

Product Design

Wonderfully produced with beautiful native New Zealand Silver Beech Hardwood. An outstanding feature is how you have even flow of the yarn and better control over creating your center pull balls than with hand-crank winders.

Overall, it’s a worthwhile purchase if you wind a lot.

Would you like to see an unboxing? Check out the 8.30 mark in this video.

https://youtu.be/dQntEYq1SMY

Pros

• Both clockwise and anticlockwise winding ball functions
• As the yarn winds on the cone, you can control it with a soft start
• Instant stop when you need it and include a foot switch for better yarn control
• Winds yarn purchased effortlessly so you can get back to your project faster
• Mounted on rubber feet, with one clamp included
• Included is a 12v mains power cord
• Silver Beech hardwood with a lacquered finish, native to New Zealand
• Strong yarn guide and other components
• Excellent customer ratings for this tool used to wind balls
• These products are some of the best crocheting technologies
• Table clamp secures to any table edge
• Shipping to the United States at a reasonable price
• Less hassle because it doesn’t require any cones or tubes
• If you have a question, the seller is friendly and responsive

Cons

• Expensive
• Sometimes unavailable or out of stock
• If there is no electricity, you can’t take it outside

Standard Electronic Maple Yarn Winders

Conquer your yarn stash and start knitting your projects more quickly with some of the best yarn winders out there.

When you wind small or jumbo yarn into (centre) center pull cakes, they’re easy to put in a yarn bowl and start knitting or crocheting!

Yet another reason this is a suitable addition for your home!

How Does It Compare?

• Construction & Materials Sturdy? – Yes,
• Easy & Smooth To Crank? – This signature mega wool winder works like a dream, and the best part is all you have to do is turn in on and let it work!
• What Sizes Of Yarn Balls? – They can handle most commercial skeins, from fingering weights to thicker ones
• Easy To Set Up? – Easy to set up on any work surface

Product Design

The ball winders are plug & play played and operate on 100-240v wall power and a small brushed DC motor.

A speed control knob and LED display are part of the power supply/speed control unit. The display corresponds to the winder’s speed.

Speed control is a separate unit that can be positioned anywhere the user finds comfortable. These ball winders are available for replacement parts such as a spool. The pieces are simple to assemble.

Product Evolution

Here’s what’s included in the package of this version.

• It’s mostly assembled when it arrives
• The power bank
• An extension cord

Pros

• Easy to use and creates lovely results
• You can adjust the speed for winding yarns
• This thing makes minimal noise and the sound isn’t annoying
• These knitting tools have even tension
• If you have any problems with your order, the customer service will help
• Has a large yarn capacity (one of the largest on the market)
• Great for all fiber arts, including weaving and crochet
• These options sit on any tabletop without needing a clamp
• Easy shopping experience with this business
• The wood color is pleasant and makes the process nice
• It’s the perfect chance to organize your yarn stash and an excellent way to get your materials under control
• Has rubber feet on the bottom to hold it in place

Cons

• You cannot adjust the direction to suit your preferences
• This jumbo ball winder doesn’t deliver to the United Kingdom
• This sort of thing has expensive prices
• Not great for extended usage, give it occasional breaks
• You need an account to purchase things
• Only ships to the US

Hague PDB 250G Electric Yarn Winder

Almost any yarn weight can be wound using this automatic yarn winding machine. This winder is ideal for quickly organizing scrap yarn.

If you have trouble using the product, contact their customer service via email. It certainly makes shopping easier!

How Does It Compare?

• Construction & Materials Sturdy? – It’ll last a long time
• Easy & Smooth To Crank? – Yes, the play operation is effortless
• What Sizes Of Yarn Balls? – Depending on the type of yarn used, the PDB 250g Electric Yarn Winder can wind up to 250 gm/about 9 oz of yarn cakes. Say goodby to sore arms, and hello to center pull yarn cakes!

Product Design

A spare bobbin is also provided to wind yarn.

Product Evolution

Despite being based in the UK, this electric skein winder ships internationally. It’ll be the correct voltage for the country to which it’s being sent. However, in some countries, you may have to install a suitable plug for these items.

Pros

• When winding a yarn cake, these types of yarn winders have an even flow
• Get back to knitting faster
• This shop makes winders with great functionality

Cons

• This motorized yarn winder does not auto-shut off. Once the bobbin is full, you must switch off the yarn winder

Simplicity Boye Electric Yarn Winder

Those who have done any research have found an alternative model made by Boye – The Simplicity Boye Electric Yarn Winder. Boye is a well-known knitter and crocheter tool and notions company.

It wound any yarn hank into neat center pull cakes.

I doubt you’ll be able to purchase one of these models new, as they don’t seem to be readily available. Second-hand models may be more readily available. I wouldn’t recommend it.

While it sped up winding yarn cakes by hand, it had to be constantly monitored. Customers complained the motor wasn’t powerful enough and sometimes stopped working altogether.

It fitted nearly any work surface.

The price of the Boye electric yarn ball winder varies depending on where you buy.

How To Use The Boye Electric Yarn Ball Winder

Here’s a video review and demonstration by Good Knit Kisses.

What To Look For In The Best Electric Yarn Ball Winder

Here are a number of key decision-making factors to consider when choosing the best electronic yarn winder.

Are The Construction & Materials Sturdy?

Invest in a product that’s built to last. The best ones are made of hardwoods (such as birch wood, rosewood, or beech wood) and metal.

Make sure they won’t break if they’re made of plastic.

Ensure the gears are protected. If the Yarn slips beneath the gears, it gets caught. Sturdier models protect the gears better.

Your craft room table needs table clamps that won’t damage the surface.

Is It Easy & Smooth To Crank?

It’s important to have something that cranks hard. The device should easily to operate without pulling on the yarn.

You need a sturdy yarn winder machine that won’t break easily! The electric yarn winder does the winding for you.

What Sizes Of Yarn Balls Does It Suit?

Think about the yarn you buy regularly. Are the diameter and weight small hanks, up to 4 oz, or larger skeins and hanks, up to 10 oz?

Here are expert recommendations based on their experience.

• For smaller cakes, look for a winder that can handle up to 4 ounces
• You should use a 10oz winder for larger cakes
• For anything above that, use heavy-duty winders made of sturdy materials

Is It Easy To Set Up?

Beginners need something quick, easy, and simple. You want something that quickly winds yarn to tidy up your hanks and extra leftover yarn. Read the reviews to see what experiences others had with the yarn winder.

Which Is Best For You?

• Ashford Electric Yarn Ball Winder – Your best bet in terms of quality and previous happy customers
• Standard Electronic Maple Yarn Winders – Expensive, but has great value and will last for many years to come. Some of the best yarn winders

Q&A

How To Use An Electric Yarn Winder And Swift

Here is how to use electric winders and a yarn swift.

Follow the tutorial on YouTube below.

Manual Or Electric Yarn Ball Winder?

Here’s a quick comparison list to help you decide which one is best for you.

• Yarn winders are typically sold in all online stores and in some local yarn shops, while electric ones are harder to find
• Electric ones are far more expensive and require more of a learning curve
• Manual winders take more time and energy

Is It Worth Buying An Electric Yarn Winder?

Here’s a list of reasons buying one of these is worth it.

• Your hands tire easily (no more sore arm muscles with these)
• You have repetitive stress injuries, carpal tunnel, arthritis, tendonitis or hand/wrist/arm pain
• You’re busy and want to save time
• You buy all or most of your yarn in hanks
• You’re a prolific crafter and go through lots of yarn
• You want to control when and where you wind your yarn
• You need something to quickly organize a large yarn collection
• You’re an indie dyer/spinner, commissioned fiber artist or owner of a yarn store

How Do You Use An Electric Yarn Ball Winder?

Here is a quick tutorial on how to use this tool.

How Do You Make An Electric Wool Winder?

Using lots of tools, patience, and a good tutorial! You can make a DIY electric yarn winder by following these great instructions.

Try this more complicated, efficient setup by Mr. Innovative.

This one by Boston Woolworks is a simpler approach but perhaps not the safest option.

Where To Buy An Electric Yarn Ball Winder?

Etsy or Amazon are your best bets. Some people sell them second hand, and you can sometimes find them in craft stores. There are few businesses or brands that make them, so they’re hard to find.

Read Next – Looking for nifty tools to make your knitting life easier? See here.

I’m yet to find an electric yarn winder for someone on a budget. That’s why the Boye Electric Yarn Winder was so popular. Hope this post helped!

I’ll update my post if I find an economical option that works well. Do you have a recommendation for an electric yarn ball winder, helpful knowledge to share, need some advice or have some questions?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, get in touch here or on social media, and I’ll answer! (Your email address is never published.)

(Note: I’ve never seen an electric yarn swift (swifts), and Knit Picks doesn’t sell electric yarn winders; only hand-operated ones are available.)

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