Best Fidget Spinners – Buyer’s Guide

Everybody knows someone who drives people crazy with their fidgeting. Whether they are nervous, have ADHD, or are trying to break a bad habit, the constant motion, and noise created by someone who just cannot seem to stop fidgeting can get on on anyone’s last nerve.

Thankfully, someone saw a problem and came up with a solution: meet the best fidget spinners. Though it may appear inauspicious at first, the hand fidget spinner in an ingenious and simple device which can allow those fidgeters to release that pent up energy without creating a distraction that might annoy those around them.

How to Choose the Best Fidget Spinner?

However, not all hand spinners are created equally. With different sizes, shapes, and materials, it can be difficult to determine which hand spinner is the best fidget spinner. That is why we have put together this list of the Top 5 best fidget spinners. Then, we provide a handy buyer’s guide, so you can get the hand spinner that is right you or that person you know who just cannot stop moving.

Best Hand Fidget Spinners of 2017

1. Atill Hand Spinner – Best All-Around-Value Hand Spinner

Our first hand spinner provides a little bit of everything without selling out on any one approach. It is not the lightest nor the smallest nor the smoothest nor any quality that you would look for in a hand spinner. However, it is reasonably priced and provides a solid value by catering to the most people with a design and action that is more along a goldilocks approach aiming to be “just right”.

First, this hand spinner is fairly small at 2 ½” x 2 ½”. In fact, this is the second smallest hand spinner on our list. However, this smaller profile is minimal–less than 20 percent–so it should not necessarily make that big of a difference when you are holding it or during use.

Price Still Matters

Still, the smallest of differences in price can make all the difference when it comes to transport. Unless you plan to carry your hand spinner in a bag or something of the sort, you are likely to simply slip it into your pocket.

However, with pockets often holding a fair number of arbitrary and necessary item, keys in particular, the smaller profile will help prevent this hand spinner from getting tangled or caught up in the other items in your pockets and emptying them upon retrieval.

Materials

Another factor that has both its ups and downs in regards to the Atill is the material. The outer frame is made from brass. Aside from the fact that this gives the Atill an elegant appearance, it provides a bit of heft to add some sense of stability to its otherwise relatively slight profile.

Unfortunately, this standard of material excellence does not extend beyond the frame and into the more relevant part of the hand spinner: the bearing. While the Atill does not utilize a substandard bearing, the stainless steel construction does leave a bit to be desired. It is the stainless steel bearing which limits the hand spinners average spin time to 3 minutes.

2. BOKATE Crusader EDC – Most Compact Hand Spinner

The BOKATE is a fairly unusual hand spinner on our list. First, it is the only hand spinner that does not feature 3 prongs. This provides it some advantages, but it can also lead to some issue after extended use.

First, this is probably the best hand spinner if you do not want everyone to know that you are using a hand spinner. It is easily the smallest hand spinner with dimensions of close to 2” by almost 3”. Only the Atill can compare to these dimensions.

Spinner Dimensions

However, due to its absence of a 3rd prong, the BOKATE is ultimately smaller in profile, even if it is ¼” longer. While the small size makes it easy to use the BOKATE without everyone knowing, the 2 prong design also makes it much easier to carry. Simply slip it into your pocket, and you are ready to go. The 3 prong design may not fit quite as comfortably in your pocket and is more likely to become tangled on keys, earbuds, and other items.

Still, this 2 prong design is not without its drawbacks. First, the 3 prong design provides more points of leverage during contact. This makes using the 3 prong design a bit easier. While the absence of the 3rd prong does not exactly make for a difficult technique, it can still require a bit getting used to–especially if you have already used a 3 prong hand spinner.

In Conclusion

Another potential issue with only 2 prongs comes with balance. In this regard, we are not referring to your ability to properly balance the hand spinner, but the hand spinner bearing’s ability to balance itself as the two ends can create pressure points that increase friction and reduce the spin.

3. EWR- Original R188 – Best Budget Hand Spinner

The EWR is the first product on our list that eschews the use of metal for the frame. However, this does not mean the frame itself is fragile by any means. In fact, the EWR’s frame is made out of ABS plastic–the same material that legos are made out of. This does offer some interesting advantages as well.

First, since the frame is not made out of metal, you do not have to worry about rust or corrosion. Granted, this caveat only applies to the frame as the bearing itself is an R188. This is actually the highest graded bearing available, though it oddly does not contribute more to the average spin time. As such, the EWR’s average spin time is a paltry 1 to 4 minutes–the lowest on our list.

Bearings and Materials

This likely has to do with the inherent limitations of the R188 bearing. While this bearing design is in fact the highest rated, its architecture contributes to an off-center balance. This translates to a wobbly spin, though there is far less friction. Ultimately, the R188 will provide the smoothest spin possible, but it is most effective when held.

If spun on a table or other flat surface, expect lower spin times. Still, while held, the EWR spins beautifully. As alluded to earlier, the ABS plastic is more than durable. It is also exceedingly light too. This prevents the EWR’s somewhat larger frame at 3” x 3” from also carrying any significant bulk.

As such, the blend if a lightweight and a slightly larger profile makes the EWR comfortable to hold in one’s hand and spin for hours without suffering any fatigue. However, the EWR does employ an odd design choice not found on any of the other hand spinners.

Overall

4. TYZEST Spinner Fidget EDC – Longest Spinning Hand Spinner

The TYZEST is a hand spinner for the pros–if hand spinning pros is even a thing. Regardless, if you are looking for a hand spinner that can go the distance along pretty much every metric, then this is the spinner for you. However, bear in mind that achieving this level of quality does come with its own caveats.

First, this is the biggest hand spinner on our list–in more ways than one. Its dimensions are a full 11 sq. in. larger than the next largest hand spinner. While this may not seem like a lot, when the hand spinner is nearing half a foot in a single cross dimension, you are starting to get near the unwieldy arena of “hand held” dimensions.

Great Materials

In fact, this hand spinner is more than an ounce heavier than the next heaviest spinner. Again, while a single ounce may not seem like much, when most hand spinners are separated in weight by fractions of an ounce, an increase of one third the entire weight is significant.

As such, when you combine the large dimensions with the comparatively hefty weight, you get a hand spinner that could be said to have considerable bulk–within the fidget spinner market at least. Thankfully, that size does at least provide an advantage in the spinning action.

Final Words

5. Boxgear Hand Spinner – Most Durable Hand Spinner

While some of the other hand spinners on our list have been shockproof and other hand spinners on the list have been made out of ABS plastic, this is the first hand spinner on our list to combine both of those qualities into a single product. As such, this spinner avoids some of the durability pitfalls that can plague other hand spinners to claim the title as the most durable hand spinner on our list.

First, unlike the numerous hand spinners which are constructed with a metal body, the ABS plastic ensures that you do not have to worry about corrosion or rust. Moreover, while the bearing itself is made out of a hybrid ceramic and stainless steel, the bearing has been treated with an anti-corrosive coating. This eliminates the need to take the bearing apart and clean it–assuming you have kept it out of some of the dirty environments in the first place.

Lightweight Material

Moreover, this combination of a lightweight ABS plastic body with a solid, if not exceptional, ceramic and stainless steel bearing allows the Boxgear to achieve average spin times of around 5 minutes. While this is not the most on our list, it is still substantially better than many other products.

However, this average spin time will be dependent on whether you are spinning on your hand or a flat surface. Hand spins, due to being a bit less steady and uncentered, may have average spin times of as low as a minute. Though, that is largely dependent on your technique and ability maintaining an even keel hold.

The Boxgear is only 3” x 3” which a good size for most people. However, when you combine the average size with the lightweight ABS plastic construction, the Boxgear may feel a tad insubstantial to some people. If you prefer your hand spinner to have a bit of heft, opt for a fidget spinner with a metal body.

In Conclusion

Best Fidget Spinners – Buyer’s Guide

For such a simple device, hand spinners can come in a surprising varieties of materials. Moreover, because the hand spinner relies on primarily two different components, the mixtures of different material combination add further variety to the ultimate offerings.

Choosing the Best Fidget Spinner Materials

First, the most important part of the hand spinner is the bearing. This is the part that determines how effective the spinner actually spins. You are looking for a spinner that not only spins for a long time but also provides an effortless, smooth spinning action.

The most common bearing material is stainless steel or some hybrid of stainless steel with ceramic. The ceramic hybrids provide a better spinning action and spin for longer periods of time on average. However, the way the bearing is constructed will also affect this.

The second material consideration comes with the body. This is where things can get a bit more complicated. Ultimately, the body has little to do with the spinning action, though it can impact the spinner in other ways.

For instance, a metal body is far less likely to suffer damage from being dropped, but it far more likely to be at risk of rusting or corrosion. Of course, many manufacturers who make metal bodied spinners coat the body with an anti-corrosion spray. The metals however can range from bronze to copper to stainless steel.

The other popular material for hand spinners is ABS plastic, the same material used for Legos. This material is both durable and lightweight. Moreover, it carries no risk of rusting or corrosion. However, spinners made from ABS plastic are also more likely to be somewhat off balance.

Fidget Spinners Spin Time

This factor is determined primarily by two qualities: the bearing and the balance. If either of these qualities are substandard, your spinner will likely have short spin times and the spinning action will not feel smooth.

In regards to the bearing, there are a handful of different designs. Ultimately, there is not one design that is better in every way then another and each have their advantages. The consensus “best” bearing design is the R188.

This design features a large open center and produces little resistance to the spinning action. However, this design also suffers from balancing issues due to the fact that the architecture keeps the different moving parts from rubbing against each other and slowing down the spin through friction.

Of course, balance is not simply a matter of the bearing and will also be influenced by the body’s design. If the body is made from metal, it is better to be made from a laser etched mold. The laser etched mold will trim the body so that each prong is of equal weight and provides a better balance.

Optimal Size

There is no “best” size. Ultimately, the best size is the one that feel right to you. If you have large hands, you will likely appreciate a larger size hand spinner with a bit more heft. Conversely if your hands are smaller, a lighter hand spinner with a smaller profile will feel more natural. Regardless, the quality of your fidgeting experience will be affected by the hand spinner’s size, so you might want to find other objects of similar dimensions and weight to see how they feel in your hands before purchase.

In Conclusion – Still Looking For a Fidget Spinner?

Ultimately, finding the best fidget spinners will come down more to personal preference than anything else. If you are simply looking for a reasonably well priced product that can accommodate the most needs, though it may not truly shine in any of them, your best bet is the EWR.

However, if performance is a priority, then you will be looking at either the Boxgear or the TYZEST. The former is the most durable product on our list and, if properly cared for, can likely outlast your need for it. The TYZEST on the other hand simply provides the longest spins out of any other product on our list.

Of course, if you are looking for a hand spinner that can give you a little bit of everything, the Atill touches most bases and also comes at a fairly reasonable price. And for those of you who need to fidget but do not want to broadcast that fact to the world, the BOKATE has you covered with the smallest profile and fewest prongs for inconspicuous spinning on the go.