Top 10 Rock Tumblers 2023
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#1
10.0
KomeStone Advanced Professional Rock Tumbler
- 2.5 lb capacity
- Low noise barrel
- 3-speed controls
- Rubber & plastic material
- Includes grit packets, rocks, & more
Picked by 331 people this week!
#2
9.7
Dan&Darci Professional Rock Tumbler
- 1 lb capacity
- Low noise barrel
- 3-speed controls
- Rubber & metal material
- Includes grit packets, rocks, & more
#3
9.3
National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit
- 0.5 lb capacity
- Sound-reducing barrel
- 1-touch timer with automatic shutoff
- Rubber & stainless steel material
- Includes gemstones, info guide, & more
#4
9.2
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit
- 3 lb capacity
- Leakproof rubber barrel
- One-touch settings with automatic shutoff
- Rubber material
- Includes rock tumbler, gemstone dig kit, geode crystal set, safety goggles, adventure guides, and more
#5
9.0
KoolStone Professional Rock Tumbler
- 2.5 lb capacity
- Low noise rubber barrel
- 3-speed controls
- Rubber & plastic material
- Includes grit packets, gem stones, & more
#6
8.8
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit
- 0.5 lb capacity
- Leakproof quiet barrel
- 1-touch timer with automatic shutoff
- Stainless steel & rubber material
- Includes polishing grit, sifter, & more
#7
8.7
BRYTE Rock Tumbler
- 0.5 capacity
- Rubber barrel
- On-device controls
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene material
- Includes polishing kit and instructions
#8
8.6
Classic Crafts NSI Rock Tumbler
- 1 cup capacity
- Plastic composite barrel
- 1-touch timer with automatic shutoff
- Plastic & metal material
- Includes gemstones, grit, instructions & more
#9
8.4
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Media Refill Kit
- Polishes 8-10 lbs of rock
- Use in any rock tumbler barrel
- Tumbler not included
- Silicon carbide, ceramic, & more materials
- Includes refill mix, polishing grit, & more
#10
8.3
WireJewelry Single Barrel Rock Tumbler
- 3 lbs capacity
- Hard rubber barrel
- 1-touch function
- Rubber & metal material
- Includes gemstones, grit, instructions & more
We also considered 1 other:
Our Top Choice
#1
10.0
KomeStone Advanced Professional Rock Tumbler
- 2.5 lb capacity
- Low noise barrel
- 3-speed controls
- Rubber & plastic material
- Includes grit packets, rocks, & more
Picked by 331 people this week!
About Our Rankings:
Our recommendations are based on expert comparisons between available products in each product category. For rock tumbler, we chose the topics that we think matter most to our users, and provide consise, clear comparisons of the features that matter. Our rankings change day-to-day based on our proprietary algorithms, that crunch data to identify top-performing products and tailor recommendations to exactly what our readers are looking for.
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Rock Tumbler Buyer's Guide
A rock tumbler is a perfect purchase for those who produce jewelry, or geology enthusiasts. They do a great job at making stones clean and sparkling.
Overview
When shopping for a rock tumbler, it’s important to know what to look for so you can easily compare products. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
What is a rock tumbler?
A rock tumbler is a tool used to polish off rocks. This enables the rocks to give off a clean and shiny image. After tumbling them you can use the rocks in making jewelry, in decorating a part of your home, or you can examine it if you have a special interest in geology. In addition to their practical use, they can also be used as a fun toy, especially for kids.
In order to get your rocks nice and shiny, you need to combine the rocks in the tumbler with grit and water. However, you won’t be able to tumble just any kind of rock. You need specific types of rocks such as quartz or flint. Some of these rocks may be found in natural areas such as a lake shore, and others may have to be bought online.
How does a rock tumbler work?
There are two major components to any rock tumbler. The first is the drum. This is a cylindrical storage container in which you place the rocks, grit, and water. The second major component is the motor. This is the electrical part of the device that allows the drum to rotate over time and actually tumble the rocks so that they become polished.
Some tumblers roll continuously while others may only rotate every few minutes. The process of rolling occurs over a few weeks. During the rolling, the water and grit that you put in with the rocks slowly chips away at the outside of it and whittles it down so that it eventually becomes smooth and polished enough to be used for other purposes.
What makes the best rock tumbler?
There are several things you will want to look for when buying a rock tumbler. Perhaps the most important is the size of the drum. These can come in a variety of sizes with some only holding half a pound of rocks and others that hold several pounds. The size of the drum that suits you best depends on your own wants and needs.
Beyond drum size, another important factor is the quality and wattage of the motor. Other things to look for might be the quality of the material the tumbler is made of or ease of control. If you are a beginner to rock tumbling, you may want to purchase a model that comes with instructions and a sampling of rocks and grit to use.
What are the different types of rock tumbler?
The two basic types of rock tumblers are rotary and vibratory. Rotary tumblers tend to be simpler to use and will both shape and smooth your rocks while they are being tumbled. By contrast, vibratory tumblers will not shape your rocks but only finely polish them. However, they do have an advantage in that the process is much faster with a vibratory tumbler as opposed to a rotary tumbler.
Rock Tumbler FAQ
So how do you choose the rock tumbler that’s right for you? These are the questions consumers are asking when shopping for a rock tumbler.
What size rocks can I tumble?
You should definitely opt for smaller size rocks when using your rock tumbler. In general, any rock you put in the tumbler should be no larger than half the size of the drum in diameter. If you overload the drum it could damage or break your tumbler.
Is rock tumbling loud?
The noise caused by the rock tumbler depends on the make and model you buy. Some might emit a lot of noise while others are designed with volume in mind. Some models available may advertise soft sound as a feature in the product description.
Is it safe to leave a rock tumbler on?
In general, yes. Rock tumblers are designed to be left running for extended periods of time. If you feel that the motor is getting warm, that is a normal function of the machine. But if it’s getting hot enough that you’re afraid it might cause a fire, turn it off and see if there’s anything wrong with the motor.
Final Thoughts
There are a number of reasons why you might want to buy a rock tumbler. No matter what the reason, a rock tumbler is sure to leave you with beautiful, polished stones that you can use in a variety of ways.
Written By Ryan W.
Ryan graduated with a degree in journalism and spent years building his writing career in the tech media field. An avid fan of gadgets and tech in general, Ryan has spent years testing and reviewing a wide array of devices. He specializes in reviewing everything from laptops and smartphones to more niche items like smart home devices and security cameras.
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