After getting a pottery wheel, what to sit on was actually an afterthought. There I stood admiring my new wheel and wanting to make something right away.
But wait. What was I going to sit on?
It’s smart not to just grab any old thing to sit on. My friend turned a five-gallon paint bucket over and used it longer than she intended to.
You may also find yourself sitting much longer than you intended.
I think it’s worth taking your time to look at the options before just grabbing a stool.
Most potter stools are not thick and comfortable enough for a good long pottery making session. At the pottery studio, I often find myself putting something soft on the seat because after a few hours it can get uncomfortable. However, there are a few alternatives I can recommend. My favorite stool is a Swivel Task Chair available on Amazon.com (pictured above, arms and back removed) Yes an office chair. People sit on them for eight hours a day, so it makes perfect sense to use one as a potters stool. It has extra thick foam padding that makes every pottery making session a comfortable experience. A swivel task chair cost a little more, but they are totally worth it in my opinion. That’s my top pick.
What to Look for In A Potters Stool
- Adjustable height for your legs, your arms, and the wheel.
- Comfortable to sit on for long periods of time
- Lightweight
- Sturdy
- Wheels, Stationary, or Swivel
Why I chose the Swivel Task Chair for my Potters Stool.
Having wheels is a plus if you want to roll over to another area and grab a tool or something. The wheels come in handy when pulling away from the pottery wheel or move in closer. It’s nice to roll your chair over to your work table and raise the height of your seat when needed.
The swivel is excellent for grabbing things next to you or behind you without having to get up when you’re in the middle of throwing a piece.
This Swivel Task Chair is leather. Which is a good thing because the clay wipes right off your seat. Clay will get stuck in cloth seats, which will kick up clay dust every time you sit down.
The seat is a good size giving you plenty of room. It’s also comfortable to sit on, and my bottom doesn’t get sore even when throwing for long stretches of time.
Other Good Potter Stools To Consider
Obviously, you’ll want a stool that fits your needs. Here are several different types of stools you can choose from depending on what you’re looking for
Shimpo Traditional Potters Stool
As far as Adjustable potter stools go the Shimpo Potters Stool is one of the best. The Shimpo is not just about the height adjustment, it’s also about the angle. The Shimpo potters stool is a two in one chair that can be adjusted to be level or tilted. Some potters feel more comfortable when they are tilting in towards the pottery wheel while throwing or trimming. It’s all about your comfort level. The adjustable legs go all the way up to 25 inches and down to 18 inches.
This chair also has a soft, comfortable cushioned blue vinyl seat that wipes clean.
The rubber non-slip feet are great for keeping you in one place.
Weighing only 10 pounds, you can easily move this stool all over your work area.
Stationary Drum Throne
Yes, drum roll, please. Here are a few reasons I picked the Drum Throne for a good potters stool.
When it comes to comfort the Drum Thorne’s comfortable seat does the job. The top of the seat has 3 ½ inches of durable good quality foam that last a long time. The bicycle style seat helps you fit around the wheel nicely which makes cutting off the circulation in your legs less likely.
Nice and lightweight but sturdy. It does not wobble when you’re throwing on the wheel. This seat has no wheels but thick rubber feet that stay where you put it.
Being adjustable is a big plus. When it comes to the size of potters and a comfortable position you want to be in, one size does not fit all. Being able to adjust this seat from 18 inches all the way to 24 inches is nice.
Overall the extra cushion on the Throne will help prevent your bum from getting numb and make your time on the wheel more comfortable. And clay easily wipes off the vinyl seat.
Drafting Stool with Wheels
If you like wheels, I found this Drafting Stool to be a nice alternative. Having 5 smooth coaster wheels is good for stability when throwing on the wheel.
The seat is 15 inches a crossed and very comfortable to sit leaning forward for long periods of time. That’s pretty important to me.
The Drafting stool height does adjust from 20 inches to 25 inches. I also like the 360 swivel for grabbing tools and things behind me. This chair is compact and fits right up next to your wheel nicely and only takes a few minutes to assemble.
For all these reasons this chair may be a good choice for you.
Traditional Potter’s Stool
National Public Seating Steel Stool is a basic pottery stool you will find in most studios. At 18 inches high it does have a nice cushion seat.
One of a Kind Brent Potters Stool
The Brent Potters Stool is unique in that It is the only attached potter’s stool.
This stool attaches to Brent models B, the Brent C, Brent EX and to my favorite Wheel the Brent CXC
It also fits the, and IE and IE-X models made after 2009
The Brent potters stool attaches to the rear leg of the Brent CXC wheel. It has an adjustable height of 19 to 25 and a half inches. The nice feature of this seat is that the distance and the height can be adjusted. Once you adjust it to your liking your seat stays put. Perfect for the potter who doesn’t want their seat to move at all.
All of these stools are nice for making your pottery throwing experience as fun and comfortable as possible.
Taking care of your butt and back is pretty important when you want to relax and create a unique piece of pottery. I really do notice the difference when sitting for hours and not wanting to get up because I’m comfortable and enjoying my work. Having a good seat is number one when it comes to maintaining a good posture. So choose the one that works best for you.
