The picks
Best Yarn Winders
Capacity and clamp fit. And you probably need the other half of the pair too.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 4, 2026
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The short answer
A yarn winder turns a hank or a skein into a center-pull cake that sits still and feeds from the middle. The Stanwood YBW-A is the sensible choice at about 4oz capacity - and if you buy hanks rather than pull skeins, you need a swift as well, because a hank must be held open while it is wound.
| # | Product | Best for | Capacity | Drive | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoStanwood Needlecraft YBW-A Yarn Ball WinderMetal-bodied, about 4oz per cake, with the gears fully enclosed. | Most yarn, most tables | About 4oz | Hand crank | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoStanwood Needlecraft Wooden Umbrella Swift (Medium)Without a swift, a hank tangles - and this is the part people forget to buy. | Holding a hank open while you wind | Skeins to 6ft | Manual, free-spinning | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoStanwood Needlecraft YBW-B Yarn Ball WinderSame 4oz capacity and sealed gears - a straight alternative to the YBW-A. | The same job, second option | About 4oz | Hand crank | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoArtBin Yarn DrumA yarn drum stores and feeds yarn. It does not wind it. | Not winding | 8 skeins | Storage only | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Stanwood Needlecraft YBW-A Yarn Ball Winder
Stanwood Needlecraft · Best for most yarn, most tables
A metal-bodied hand winder that makes center-pull cakes up to about 4oz, with the gears fully enclosed.
- Capacity
- About 4oz per cake, center-pull
- Body
- Metal, 1lb, 11.5in tall
- Mounting
- Clamp base, table up to about 1.5in thick
- Gears
- Fully sealed
- Drive
- Hand crank
Who it suits
Anyone who buys hanks, or who wants center-pull cakes from pull skeins that keep collapsing.
Why it is here
Roughly 4oz per cake, 11.5in tall, clamp base fitting a table up to about 1.5in thick, with the cogwheels fully sealed so they cannot catch the yarn.
What you give up
4oz is less than one 7oz skein of economy acrylic - a large skein needs winding in two cakes. Check your table thickness before ordering.
Specifications from Stanwood Brands product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Stanwood Needlecraft Wooden Umbrella Swift (Medium)
Stanwood Needlecraft · Best for holding a hank open while you wind
A solid birch umbrella swift that holds a skein open while a winder pulls from it - the half of the pair people forget to buy.
- Capacity
- Skeins up to 6ft in circumference
- Material
- Solid birch, fine sanded, no varnish
- Mounting
- Clamp, fits edges up to 1.75in thick
- Sizes
- Medium (6ft) and large (8.5ft)
Who it suits
Anyone who buys hanks rather than pull skeins, which is most people once they move past the big-box brands.
Why it is here
Solid birch, fine sanded with no varnish, holding skeins up to 6ft in circumference, clamping to edges up to 1.75in thick. Medium (6ft) and large (8.5ft) sizes exist.
What you give up
It takes up real space and is the more expensive half of the pair. If you only ever buy pull skeins, you do not need one.
Specifications from Stanwood Brands - wooden umbrella swift specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Stanwood Needlecraft YBW-B Yarn Ball Winder
Stanwood Needlecraft · Best for the same job, second option
The sibling model to the YBW-A, at the same 4oz capacity with the gears fully enclosed.
- Capacity
- About 4oz per cake, center-pull
- Mounting
- Clamp base, up to about 1.75in thick
- Drive
- Hand crank
- Gears
- Fully sealed
Who it suits
Anyone who finds the YBW-A out of stock, or who prefers this body style.
Why it is here
About 4oz per cake with the same clamp fitting and the same fully sealed gear design.
What you give up
Nothing meaningfully different in specification, so buy whichever is available and cheaper.
Specifications from Stanwood Brands product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
ArtBin Yarn Drum
ArtBin · Best for not winding
A 12-inch canvas drum with a slot in the lid, so the working yarn feeds out while the skeins stay put and stay clean.
- Dimensions
- 12in diameter x 12.75in high
- Capacity
- Up to 8 standard skeins
- Feed
- Slot in the top of the lid
- Material
- 600D poly-canvas with a textured PVC base
- 8 x 3in front pocket
- Carry
- Adjustable shoulder strap and top handle
Who it suits
Not anyone shopping for a winder. It is here because yarn drums and winders sit next to each other and get confused.
Why it is here
A 12in canvas drum with a feed slot, holding up to 8 standard skeins. Genuinely useful, for a different job.
What you give up
If what you want is to stop your yarn rolling across the floor, this is the right product - see [best knitting bags](/accessories/best-knitting-bags).
Specifications from ArtBin Yarn Drum specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
What a winder is actually for
Yarn comes in three formats and they behave very differently:
- Pull skein - the supermarket format. Oblong, wound so you can pull from the center. Usable straight away, and it collapses into a mess about two-thirds through.
- Hank - a large loop twisted into a bundle. This is how most yarn-shop yarn is sold, and it is unusable until it is wound. Knit straight from a hank and you get a tangle.
- Cake - a flat-topped center-pull cylinder produced by a winder. Sits still, feeds from the middle, does not roll.
So a winder is close to essential if you buy hanks, and a genuine convenience if you buy pull skeins - rewinding a big-box skein into a cake stops the mid-skein collapse entirely.
The swift, which people miss
A hank has to be held open, under light tension, while the winder pulls from it. That is what a swift does - it is an adjustable frame that spins freely as the yarn feeds off.
Buy a winder without a swift and you will be draping hanks over a chair back or over someone's hands. That works, badly. If you buy hanks, budget for both.
The specifications that matter
| Specification | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Capacity | About 4oz is standard. A 7oz skein of economy acrylic needs two cakes. |
| Clamp thickness | Usually up to about 1.5 to 1.75in. Measure your table first. |
| Enclosed gears | Exposed cogwheels can catch the yarn. Sealed is better. |
| Body material | Metal bodies are steadier under load than light plastic ones. |
| Swift compatibility | Any free-spinning swift works with any winder - they are separate tools. |
Measure your table. A clamp that does not fit is the most common complaint about every winder on the market, and it is entirely avoidable.
Do you need one?
Honestly, not everyone does:
- You buy hanks - yes, and a swift too.
- You buy only big-box pull skeins - it is a convenience, not a necessity. Nice to have; not the first accessory to buy.
- You want to combine leftovers or split a skein by weight - a winder plus a kitchen scale makes that trivial.
- You knit one project a year - probably not. Wind by hand around your fingers, or ask the shop to wind it for you.
If you are prioritizing accessory spending, blocking mats change your finished results more than a winder does. A winder changes your convenience.
How we picked
Specifications are the manufacturers' published figures - capacity, body, mounting and gear design. We have not used any of these. How we pick is the method.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best yarn winder?
The Stanwood YBW-A for most people - about 4oz capacity, a metal body and fully sealed gears. Check your table thickness against its clamp before ordering.
Do I need a yarn swift as well as a winder?
If you buy hanks, yes. A hank has to be held open under light tension while the winder pulls from it, and that is what a swift does.
What capacity yarn winder do I need?
About 4oz covers most single skeins. A 7oz economy acrylic skein exceeds it and needs winding as two cakes.
Can I use a yarn winder without a swift?
With pull skeins, yes. With hanks it is possible using a chair back or a helper's hands, and it is slow and tangle-prone.
Are electric yarn winders worth it?
Only at volume - a dyer or someone winding dozens of skeins. For ordinary use a hand crank is faster to set up and has less to go wrong.