Uniek pottery studio – A new way to get into a classic craft
A while ago, our team has received an email from the designers of Uniek asking for a review about their potter’s wheel that was about to launch on Kickstarter. Having taken a few pottery classes back in school but never quite mastered it, I immediately agreed. Fast forward a few weeks, a parcel has arrived at our door step.
Pottery is almost as old as civilization itself. Most civilizations learned to make utensils out of clay since the very beginning. To make rounded pots and cups effectively, a potter’s wheel has been invented, powered at first by hands and then by steam power and later electricity. Uniek is also powered by electricity, but far smaller than most wheels for sale today.
After opening up the outer box, we see the box of the product with “Uniek” printed on it. The box is made of extra dense cardboard, which is more resistance to water and should last longer too. Inside we see high-density foam material as stuffing, like you would find on many computer peripherals today. The Uniek is located in the middle of the box.
Uniek is made out of ABS with the main color painted on, the color and glossy finishing of the paint gives a retro impression. The 45mm turning table is milled aluminum and finished quite well. The power and speed buttons are both chromed. Overall, the surface is both durable and easy to clean in case the clay has made a mess. All tools are stored near the base in a tray, so you can pull them all out and access during your section. The tips attach to the handle easily and the wet sponge is handy. There is no extra storage space, but you can totally use other familiar tools with it.
When the package was on its way, I have already went to a craft store to buy the pottery clay as well as to refresh my memory by chatting with the owner. I laid the clay on the turntable and switched Uniek on to medium speed. The wheel turns steadily and did not jerk or wave. As I start shaping with the tool on hand, the clay changes shape immediately and the wheel had enough torque not to get affected. Next, I removed the cable and tried to run it on battery – there is no noticeable difference in performance.
The clean-up part is just as important. Often times, it can take as much efforts to clean the tools as to craft the pottery. Luckily, nothing on Uniek is challenging to clean with water and I was able to get everything back to new condition in just a few minutes.
Uniek is the most fun I have in a while! It was a pleasant experience reviewing it, it does everything it is advertised to well and I did not even read the instructions.
I feel Uniek is easier to use than the traditional one. Certainly recommended anyone who wants to start pottery as a hobby!
