This inexpensive wheel is not going to have the quality materials of a $1000 pottery wheel. Everything is made of thinner and lighter material. BUT for the price it is an amazing value. The folks, who designed this wheel, were able to pull together a well-functioning wheel with modest materials. In short, it works and seems to work quite well. I've not had it long enough to speak to its durability. The wheel is low, so you will need to raise it about 8 inches, depending on your preferences. I started out with a pair of concrete blocks, which seemed to be about right for me. But because I needed to move the wheel about from time to time, I built a small lightweight base out of scrap wood. The wheel has more power than I expected. I've centered 3 lbs of clay with ease and the motor did not slow. Something to consider is that the overall weight of the wheel is around 25 lbs. So, if you are going to lean in for centering larger pieces, you may want to place the wheel against a wall or something heavy so that it does not move. The foot control is very responsive. I can slow it down to a crawl. The high end speed seems about right for centering. All in all, it was an excellent buy. 2024 UPDATE: The speed control has become very difficult to adjust at the lower speeds. When trying to increase the speed just a little, it speeds up rapidly and has destroyed a couple of pieces that I was throwing. I suspect it is the foot pedal. I checked inside and found that it uses plastic gears and I suspect that it now has some play in the speed adjustment. Bummer.
Julia P. 
