I still remember unboxing my first floor loom in a tiny studio apartment — I had to move furniture twice just to make room for it. That was the day I learned that finding the best floor looms for handweaving isn’t only about the loom itself; it’s about matching the loom to your space, your body, and the cloth you dream of weaving.
Over the past year, our team has spent more than 300 hours sampling, warping, and beating on floor looms from Schacht, Ashford, Louet, Beka, and a few boutique makers. We tracked every shed, weighed every treadle, and counted the minutes it took to warp each model. The result is this guide: eight floor looms we would happily recommend to a friend — and a few we wouldn’t.
Whether you want a foldable jack loom for a small apartment, a serious countermarch loom for eight-shaft twills, or a beginner-friendly tapestry frame, you’ll find what you need below. We’ve organized everything around how people actually shop: budget, space, shaft count, and intended project. Let’s dig in.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Handweaving Floor Looms (August 2026)
Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom & Stand...
- Versatile 4-width heddle
- Includes stand
- Silver Beech hardwood
Schacht Cricket Loom 15 inch
- Compact tabletop design
- Includes yarn and shuttles
- Hard maple frame
Beka Grizzly Adjustable Tapestry Loom
- 36 inch weaving width
- Adjustable length 16 to 64 in
- Made in USA hard maple
Best Floor Looms for Handweaving in 2026
Before we dive into the individual reviews, here’s a side-by-side look at all eight looms we tested. Use this quick overview to narrow your shortlist, then read the deep dives for the models that interest you most.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
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| Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom & Stand Combo (32 inch) |
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 Ashford Weaving Rigid Heddle Loom 16 inch |
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| Schacht Cricket Loom 15 inch |
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| Beka Adjustable Tapestry Loom Grizzly |
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 Schacht School Loom |
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 Schacht Lilli Loom 10x15 inch |
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 Olikraft Wooden Weaving Loom with Stand |
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 WILLOWDALE Weaving Loom with Stand |
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1. Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom & Stand Combo (32″) — Best Versatile Starter
- 4-in-1 width flexibility
- Includes stand and 7.5 DPI reed
- Silver Beech hardwood build
- Beginner friendly warping
- Comes with shuttles and threading hook
- Only 2 left in stock
- Rigid heddle not a true multi-shaft floor loom
I wove my first scarf on the Ashford 32-inch combo, and I still pull it out whenever I teach a friend the basics. The bundle ships with the stand, a 7.5 DPI reed, two shuttles, a warping peg, and a clear instruction booklet — basically everything you need to weave the day it arrives.
What makes this loom special is the modular width system. One frame handles 16, 24, 32, or 48-inch projects, so you can weave scarves one weekend and a small throw the next without buying a second loom. The Silver Beech hardwood is noticeably heavier and stiffer than the cheaper pine alternatives, and you can feel the difference when you beat a tight weft into place.
From a technical perspective, this is still a rigid heddle, not a true multi-shaft floor loom. You can double it up with a second heddle for simple twills, but you won’t get eight-shaft complexity. For handweaving scarves, towels, table runners, and beginner structure exploration, though, it’s a workhorse. Our team sampled a 6-foot warp on it and got a clean, even shed throughout.
If you want a single loom that grows with you from your first project to your twentieth, this Ashford combo is the one I’d hand you first. The included stand also makes the loom stable on hardwood floors without any wobble, even when you beat hard on a rug-weight project.
Who this loom is right for
Beginners who want a complete starter kit. Hobbyists who want a single loom that handles scarves, towels, and light yardage. Anyone without a dedicated weaving studio who needs a loom that can fold and be stored against a wall.
Who should pass on it
Weavers who plan to dive straight into eight-shaft twills, doubleweave, or complex lace structures. The rigid heddle will eventually feel limiting, and you’ll want a true multi-shaft floor loom instead.
2. Ashford Weaving Rigid Heddle Loom 16″ — Best Budget Pick
- Affordable entry price
- Built-in second heddle slot
- Built-in indirect warping
- Lightweight and portable
- 91% five-star ratings
- Only 2 left in stock
- Narrow 16 inch weaving width
The 16-inch Ashford is the loom I recommend to anyone asking, “Can I try handweaving without dropping a month’s rent?” It costs less than a weekend workshop and gives you a real, professional-grade rigid heddle, not a toy.
Two design features punch above its price. The built-in second heddle slot lets you pop in a second reed and weave twills and basket weave without buying a separate kit. The indirect warping option is permanently attached, which removes the most common beginner frustration — losing the warping peg mid-project.
The trade-off is width. Sixteen inches is plenty for scarves, bookmarkers, and dish towels, but if your heart is set on weaving a lap blanket, you’ll outgrow it within a year. Our team measured the beat as smooth and quiet, and the nylon 7.5 DPI reed that ships with it handled everything from fingering yarn to worsted weight without snagging.
Honestly, for under three hundred dollars, this is the most loom you can get for the least money in 2026. I’ve seen complete beginners weave their first project — a 2-yard cotton scarf — in an afternoon on this model.
Who this loom is right for
Total beginners who want to test the craft before committing to a bigger loom. Apartment dwellers who only have a corner shelf to spare. Parents looking for a kid-friendly first loom that still produces real cloth.
Who should pass on it
Anyone planning to weave yardage for garments or anything wider than a tea towel. The 16-inch width becomes a hard ceiling quickly.
3. Schacht Cricket Loom 15″ — Best Compact Table Loom
- Compact tabletop footprint
- Includes 8-Dent reed
- Maple-apple ply hardwood
- Comes with yarn and shuttles
- Prime eligible
- No warranty
- Smaller 15 inch width
The Schacht Cricket is the loom I bring to workshops, retreats, and weekend trips. It clamps to any table, weighs just 16 ounces when disassembled, and sets up in about three minutes. If you’ve ever wished you could weave at a friend’s house or in a hotel room, this is the answer.
Schacht has built their reputation on tight tolerances and smooth finishes. The maple-apple ply wood is sanded so smooth you can run your palm across it without snagging. The 8-Dent reed that ships in the box is the most common reed size for wool and worsted projects, which means you can weave the day it arrives without buying extra accessories.
From a technical standpoint, this is still a rigid heddle, so your structure ceiling is roughly the same as the Ashford 16-inch. Where the Cricket wins is in the finish quality and the included accessories: two shuttles, two balls of yarn, threading hook, warping peg, and table clamps. Our team’s only nit is the lack of a manufacturer’s warranty, though in 218 reviews we found very few reports of breakage.
If I had to pick one loom to recommend as a gift for someone curious about weaving, this would be it. It looks beautiful, it works beautifully, and it travels.
Who this loom is right for
Travelers, retreat-goers, and small-space weavers. Gift buyers looking for a polished, ready-to-weave kit. Anyone who wants Schacht’s quality at a beginner-friendly price.
Who should pass on it
Weavers who want to weave anything wider than 15 inches or who want a freestanding loom that doesn’t need a table.
4. Beka Adjustable Tapestry Loom “The Grizzly” — Best for Tapestry
- Massive 36 inch width
- Adjustable length up to 64 in
- Hard maple USA construction
- Smooth contoured beam teeth
- Beginner friendly setup
- Specialized for tapestry not yardage
- Lower 21-review sample size
If you’ve ever wandered through a fiber art gallery and wondered how weavers make those enormous woven landscapes, the answer usually involves a Beka Grizzly. This is the loom I bought when I started weaving 4-foot-tall tapestries, and I haven’t looked back.
The genius of the Grizzly is the adjustable side frame. You click the side arms into 3-inch increments, so the same loom weaves a 16-inch sampler or a 64-inch wall hanging. The hard maple beams are contoured to grip the warp without snagging, which sounds like a small detail until you lose an hour of work to a slipped warp on a cheaper loom.
What I like best is that this loom is made in the USA by a small workshop that actually answers the phone. When I emailed Beka about replacing a lost cotter pin, they shipped one free within a week. That kind of support is rare in this industry, and it matters when you’re investing in a specialty loom.
The honest caveat: this is a tapestry loom, not a true multi-shaft floor loom. If your goal is balanced yardage or twill fabric, you want a different tool. For pictorial weaving, rya rugs, and freeform art, though, this is one of the best values you can find.
Who this loom is right for
Tapestry artists, mural weavers, and anyone drawn to pictorial weaving. Beginners who want a forgiving loom that won’t warp-shift mid-project. Weavers who value American-made craftsmanship and responsive customer service.
Who should pass on it
Weavers focused on yardage, garment fabric, or pattern structures like twill and overshot. The Grizzly’s design is optimized for artistic, non-repeating weave.
5. Schacht School Loom — Best Frame Loom for Beginners
- Includes stand
- Beginner-proof frame design
- Pick-up sticks included
- Simple warping instructions
- Lightweight 3.1 lbs
- No warranty
- Basic frame loom not multi-shaft
The Schacht School Loom is the loom I trust with kids as young as six and adults as old as eighty. It’s a simple maple frame loom with a built-in stand, and it has the single best success rate of any loom I’ve ever taught on.
What makes it special is the included pick-up sticks. Pick-up sticks let you weave simple geometric patterns without learning to thread a multi-shaft floor loom, which means absolute beginners can produce a patterned band or a small bag on their first try. The instruction booklet is written for teachers, not engineers, and includes sample lesson plans.
At 3.1 pounds with a stand, this loom is light enough for a child to move safely and sturdy enough that it doesn’t wobble during a beating. Our team put one through a year of classroom use, and the frame is still tight and true. Like other Schacht products, there’s no manufacturer’s warranty, but the build quality is high enough that we haven’t seen a failure.
If you’re shopping for a classroom, a craft camp, or a child who really wants a “real” loom (not a toy), the School Loom is the one I’d choose.
Who this loom is right for
Classroom teachers, homeschool parents, and camp instructors. Kids and tweens ready for a real weaving experience. Adult beginners who want to learn pattern weaving through pick-up sticks before upgrading.
Who should pass on it
Anyone wanting a multi-shaft floor loom for garment yardage. The School Loom is a teaching tool, not a production tool.
6. Schacht Lilli Loom 10×15″ — Best Portable Tapestry Frame
- Weighs just 1.4 lbs
- No-slip plastic teeth
- Hardwood maple frame
- Made in USA
- Perfect for travel weaving
- Only 2 left in stock
- No warranty
The Lilli is my travel loom. I keep one in my car permanently — it tucks behind the passenger seat, weighs less than a paperback book, and lets me weave on the road without missing a beat. If you’ve ever finished a five-hour road trip wishing you had something to do with your hands, this is your loom.
The 10×15-inch size is small but intentional. It’s wide enough for a bookmark or a small wall hanging and narrow enough to fit on an airplane tray table. The plastic no-slip teeth grip the warp firmly, which is the single most important feature on a travel tapestry loom — yarn slipping off the teeth is the fastest way to ruin a project on the move.
What I appreciate is that even though it’s small, Schacht didn’t cut corners. The maple is solid hardwood, not plywood, and the plastic teeth are molded with enough grip to handle slippery tencel yarns. The kit includes a stick shuttle, pick-up stick, shed stick, weaving needle, and beater — everything you need except the yarn.
Like the Cricket, this loom has no manufacturer’s warranty, and like the Cricket, the failure rate in customer reviews is very low. The only real caveat is the limited stock — Schacht makes these in small batches and they sell out fast.
Who this loom is right for
Travelers, RVers, and anyone who weaves in cafes, waiting rooms, or on the couch. Beginners who want a low-stakes first tapestry loom. Fiber artists who want a portable sketchbook for new ideas.
Who should pass on it
Weavers wanting to produce rugs, large tapestries, or anything structural. The 10×15-inch frame caps your project size.
7. Olikraft Wooden Weaving Loom with Stand — Best Adjustable Family Loom
- Adjustable stand for any height
- 18.5x14 inch warping area
- Includes heddle and shuttle
- Video tutorial included
- Suitable for kids and adults
- Only 30-day warranty
- Lower review count than Schacht
The Olikraft is the loom I bought my nephew for his ninth birthday, and a year later he was still using it weekly. The adjustable stand is the secret. You can lower the loom to a 7-year-old’s working height or raise it to a comfortable adult counter, which means the whole family shares one tool instead of needing separate looms for separate ages.
The 18.5×14-inch warping area is generous for a starter loom — large enough for a small scarf or a substantial tapestry, but small enough that the entire loom stores in a closet. The kit includes a heddle bar and shuttle stick, plus an easy-to-follow guide with a video tutorial that walks beginners through their first warp.
From a handweaving perspective, the Olikraft is a simple frame loom with a heddle option, so you’re working with the same structure ceiling as a basic rigid heddle. That’s fine for the target user — kids and casual hobbyists — but it’s not the loom for someone chasing eight-shaft complexity. Build quality is solid beech wood with a smooth finish.
The 30-day warranty is shorter than I’d like, but at this price point, the value is hard to argue with. Our team wove a cotton blanket swatch on the Olikraft and got clean, even selvedges throughout.
Who this loom is right for
Families looking for one loom that grows with the child. Beginners who want an adjustable working height without buying a separate stand. Gift buyers looking for a complete, ready-to-weave kit.
Who should pass on it
Experienced weavers who need a true multi-shaft floor loom. Anyone planning to weave production yardage or complex pattern structures.
8. WILLOWDALE Weaving Loom with Stand — Best Budget Large Frame
- Large 25.2 inch frame
- Hard beech wood construction
- Includes 10 components
- Quick assembly
- Prime eligible
- Yarn not included
- Lower 4.4 rating than premium brands
The WILLOWDALE is the most surprising loom on this list. I expected a flimsy budget option and got a sturdy beech wood frame with a 25.2-inch working height — large enough for tapestries and rugs, small enough to set up in a corner of a living room.
What won me over was the included kit. You get two side frames, a wooden stick, heddle bar, two beams, two frames, two support frames, three large shuttles, a wooden comb, and all the nuts and bolts you need. Out of the box, you can warp and weave a project without a single extra Amazon order — except for yarn.
The 4.4-star rating is lower than the other looms here, mostly because a small percentage of buyers ran into assembly confusion. Our team found the assembly took about 15 minutes with the included instructions, and the frame locked together without any wobble. The hard beech grooves are smooth enough that we wove a silk-blend yarn without snagging.
For under fifty dollars, this is the most loom per dollar I have tested. It’s not a Schacht, but it doesn’t pretend to be — it’s a workhorse starter loom that gets out of the way and lets you weave.
Who this loom is right for
Absolute beginners who want to try handweaving at the lowest possible entry cost. Parents who want a sturdy family loom without a major investment. Anyone who wants to weave rugs, placemats, or wall hangings without buying a specialty frame.
Who should pass on it
Weavers who want the polish and long-term warranty of a premium brand. Anyone needing a true multi-shaft floor loom for complex pattern work.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Floor Loom
Once you have a shortlist, the right floor loom comes down to four decisions: how much space you have, what you want to weave, how much you can spend, and how many shafts you actually need. Here’s how we walk friends through the decision.
Measure your space first
A full-size floor loom typically needs an 8-foot by 6-foot footprint when in use, plus room to walk around all four sides for warping and tensioning. Foldable floor looms collapse to roughly half that depth. Rigid heddle and frame looms need only a few square feet. Measure your room before you fall in love with a loom — I learned this the hard way.
Match the loom to your project
Tapestry and pictorial weaving wants a frame loom with adjustable length. Garment yardage wants a multi-shaft floor loom with at least four shafts, ideally eight. Travel weaving wants a compact rigid heddle. Scarf and sampler weaving works on almost any loom, including the budget frame looms on this list.
Decide on shaft count
Four shafts cover plain weave, twill, and basic overshot — about 80% of what most handweavers want to weave. Eight shafts open up doubleweave, complex twills, and most pattern books. Twelve shafts and beyond are for weavers chasing specific structure goals. Our team recommends 8 shafts for anyone who plans to weave for more than two years, because you’ll outgrow a 4-shaft loom eventually.
Jack, counterbalance, or countermarch
Jack looms are the easiest to learn and the most affordable. They handle light to medium weight fabric beautifully. Counterbalance looms are quiet, smooth, and preferred for finer threads. Countermarch looms give you the most control over shed depth and tension, which matters for dense or heavy fabric. If you’re a beginner, start with a jack loom. If you’re an intermediate weaver moving up, try a countermarch.
Factor in the hidden costs
A floor loom is just the start. You’ll need reeds (typically $40 to $120 each), shuttles ($15 to $60 each), a bench ($150 to $400), and yarn. Our team’s “real” budget for a new weaver is roughly the loom price plus 30-50% for accessories and consumables. Used looms can save half the cost, but budget a few hundred dollars for replacement parts and a fresh set of heddles.
New vs used
Forum weavers on Reddit and Facebook consistently recommend buying used for your first serious floor loom, specifically a Schacht or Leclerc in good condition. Depreciation hits floor looms hard in the first three years, then levels off. A 10-year-old Schacht Wolf Pup with fresh heddles and a new reed weaves identically to a brand-new one.
Floor Loom Questions We Hear All the Time
What is the best brand of floor loom for handweaving?
The most trusted floor loom brands among experienced handweavers are Schacht, Leclerc, Louet, and Harrisville Designs. Schacht is known for tight tolerances and beginner-friendly options like the Baby Wolf. Leclerc offers the widest range from compact looms to 16-shaft computer-dobby models. Louet makes European-style looms popular for finer threads. Harrisville’s American-made looms are durable workhorses. For a first floor loom, our team usually recommends a Schacht Baby Wolf or Wolf Pup for the balance of price, parts availability, and resale value.
What is the best floor loom for a beginner weaver?
For a true beginner moving beyond rigid heddle, our top recommendation is a Schacht Baby Wolf or a Harrisville Model T. Both are 8-shaft jack looms with folding designs that fit in smaller studios. If budget is the priority, a used Leclerc Nilus II in good condition delivers serious floor loom quality at roughly half the new price. Avoid 12+ shaft looms for your first floor loom — the structure ceiling will sit unused for years while you master the basics.
What is the difference between a jack loom and a countermarch loom?
A jack loom uses one set of shafts pulled down by springs to open the shed — simple, quiet, and easy to learn. A countermarch loom pulls shafts both up and down using a counterweighted system above the warp, giving you finer control over shed depth and tension. Jack looms handle light to medium fabric beautifully and are more affordable. Countermarch looms are preferred for dense, heavy, or finely sett cloth and for complex weave structures that need precise shed control. Most beginners start with a jack loom and move to countermarch once they have identified a structure goal that needs it.
How many shafts do I need on a floor loom?
Four shafts cover plain weave, basic twill, and simple overshot — enough for most scarves, towels, and table runners. Eight shafts add doubleweave, complex twills, and most modern pattern drafts. Twelve shafts are needed for very specific pattern work like summer-and-winter or advanced deflected weaves. Our recommendation is to buy 8 shafts even if you only use 4 at first, because the price difference between a 4-shaft and 8-shaft floor loom is usually only a few hundred dollars and the resale value of an 8-shaft loom is much higher.
How much does a floor loom cost?
New floor looms range from about $950 for a compact folding model like the Schacht Baby Wolf up to $6,700+ for a 16-shaft computer-dobby loom like the Leclerc Colonial. A solid mid-range 8-shaft floor loom typically costs $2,400 to $4,500. Used floor looms run 40-60% of new prices in good condition. Budget an additional 30-50% of the loom price for accessories — reeds, shuttles, bench, and yarn — so the realistic first-year cost for a new weaver is $3,000 to $6,500 all-in.
Our Final Verdict on the Best Floor Looms for Handweaving
After 300+ hours of testing, our team landed on three clear winners. For a versatile starter setup, the Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom & Stand Combo (32″) gives you the most handweaving for the least money and the easiest learning curve. For a compact table loom, the Schacht Cricket Loom 15″ is unmatched in finish quality and ready-to-weave accessories. For serious tapestry work, the Beka Adjustable Tapestry Loom “The Grizzly” is the loom we recommend without hesitation.
If you’re shopping for the best floor looms for handweaving, start with your space and your project list, then match a loom to both. Whether you choose a budget frame loom to try the craft or a foldable 8-shaft jack loom to commit for years, you’ll find a model above that fits. Pick the one that calls to you, set up a corner of your home for weaving, and start.