There’s nothing better than the feeling of a deep, juicy stretch, right? And the best yoga wheels are perfect for getting into that perfect spot.
Whether you’re looking to get more flexible or build extra strength, a yoga wheel can be a great partner to your workouts. To help you find the right one for your fitness goals, I’m running through 11 of the best yoga wheel brands around.
Afterward, I’ll also go through a detailed FAQ about all things yoga wheel related, to break down how they work, and help you decide which wheel is the right choice for you.
Let’s get rolling!
TOP 11 Best Yoga Wheels Reviewed 2019
Reehut 12.6” Yoga Wheel
Review: The Reehut Yoga Wheel is a large, lightweight yoga wheel, covered in 10mm extra thick hybrid TPE foam padding, with a 5” width, and is a great affordable option when you’re looking for extra support and assistance with your back.
This yoga wheel comes in a good range of different colors, and has a lightly textured surface, giving it gentle grip without being too bumpy.
- Designed to support up to 440 pounds, so this wheel is ideal for larger and taller people.
- The wheel weighs less than 3 pounds, so it can be easily carried around or packed away when not in use.
- Thick padding supports your body for a more comfortable experience.
- The wheel size may be too big for shorter or less flexible people.
- It can become a little wobbly or unstable at times if not positioned properly.
If you’re on the bigger side, this yoga wheel is fantastic to help with back troubles, improve flexibility and toning, and is super easy to use, while being light enough to take it anywhere.
Risefit Yoga Wheel
Review: Could this the best yoga wheel of 2019? It’s certainly promising to be one of the strongest, as the Risefit Yoga Wheel is described as supporting up to 1000 pounds of load.
Made out of a strong inner tube of ABS, it has a stylish wood grain finish, with a yoga mat-feel textured outer for comfort.
You don’t need to be super flexible to use this wheel, and it can be great for everything from easing tight shoulders sitting at a desk all day, to helping more advanced yoga practitioners work on deeper poses.
- Comes with a manual of suggested poses to try out.
- Made of sturdy, eco-friendly material with no smell.
- Has a variety of uses and is extremely versatile.
- Textured outer material can feel a little thin and uncomfortable.
- Plastic material is susceptible to scratches or chips.
A good value wheel that is supportive and strong, the Risefit Yoga Wheel is a handy tool to help relieve back issues or improve extra flexibility without breaking the bank.
Aozora 13” Yoga Wheel
Review: With a yoga-chakra themed print across a thick, cork-style exterior, the Aozora Yoga Wheel might be one of the best options out there for devoted yoga fans.
Sturdy and strong, the padding is ¼” thick, with a lightly textured feel to give it enough grip and resistance.
The inner wheel is also made of wood, providing a very durable and long lasting support that should last for years of use, while supporting users of all sizes.
- Stylish, patterned exterior means this wheel looks great, even when not in use.
- Comes with a detailed booklet of poses with suggestions for all levels, from beginners to advanced.
- Extra thick padding provides cushioning and comfort when used.
- Is heavier, and less easy to transport around.
- Cork exterior can feel a little rough when used with direct contact with skin.
This robust and attractive yoga wheel is well designed for use in all kinds of poses, from stretching and improving backbends to building core strength and working on more challenging poses such as headstands.
Upcircle Yoga Wheel Set
Review: When you’re on the hunt for the best yoga wheel for beginners, this comprehensive set from Upcircle is a great value package.
While it has a higher price point, the pack does include 3 different sizes of wheels, making it a good value choice when you need different sized wheels to support different poses, or to provide options to help you progress as you improve your abilities.
- Extra thick padding provides maximum comfort.
- Strong and sturdy construction.
- The extra wide width of the wheel compared to most other wheels provides more stability.
- Smaller sized wheels only come as part of the whole set.
- Can be bulky to store away.
Having a yoga wheelset gives you access to more options and the possibility of being more creative with how you use them, as well as being able to tailor the right wheel for how you’re feeling at the time.
No need to compromise, you can move with comfort and ease each time with this set.
Acumobility Yoga Wheel
Review: If you’re looking for the best yoga wheel for back pain, the Acumobility Wheel is definitely a strong contender.
This versatile and unique wheel is designed to work as a back roller and a yoga wheel in one, with a therapeutic bump pattern across the surface.
This wheel has a wider width than most typical wheels, measuring at 7.5”, but is still lightweight enough to be easily carried about.
- Sturdy and wider build prevents it from tipping over.
- The strong build is ideal for supporting athletes and larger bodies.
- Bump pattern is designed to ease muscle tension and spinal mobility.
- The bumpy surface might make it less ideal for other yoga poses.
- Hard bumps can take a little getting used to and feel uncomfortable at first.
As a more therapeutic yoga wheel, this is designed to help get into those hard to reach back muscles and really work out the kinks, tension, and soreness.
This wheel is perfect for anyone who wants to ease their back pain a little more easily.
Yoga Design Lab Yoga Wheel
Review: Sometimes style is just as important as substance, and if you’re looking for something that will cause serious “wheel envy” the next time you’re in a yoga class, then the Yoga Design Lab wheel is a pretty good yoga wheel for you.
It hits all the marks with strong, lightweight construction and a good, non-slip surface, but the star of the show is really the beautiful and eye-catching print that covers the outer surface. Guaranteed to get attention.
- Attractive, sleek black interior with stylish prints in a range of options.
- Extra strong and durable construction, designed to hold up to 550 pounds.
- Lightweight and easy to transport.
- Not really the best affordable yoga wheel, if you’re just looking for something to help you stretch.
- The printed exterior may leave marks when used on yoga mats or light surfaces.
Probably one for those who love to look the part, this yoga wheel is beautifully designed and one you’ll be proud to have next to your mat in class, at home or anywhere else you use it.
Body Wheel Yoga Wheel
Review: The Body Wheel is a yoga wheel with a big difference: unlike most other wheels, this comes with a solid body, instead of just being a hollow ring.
This makes it a lot more versatile and you can use it for more than just the typical back bends and stretches, although it works pretty well for that too.
The wheel has different finger grips so you can adjust how you hold and use it in different poses and movements. The outer surface is designed with grooves on the sides, to allow you to open up different parts of the body more easily.
- The solid wheel makes it much more stable.
- Wider size for greater support on the back.
- The softer surface feels more comfortable and therapeutic.
- More expensive than other standard yoga wheels.
- Soft textured surface easily picks up lint and dirt.
If you’re looking for a wheel that can support more than just a yoga practice, the Body Wheel is a good all-around tool, that can help improve aches and pains, build strength and flexibility, and provide more versatile options, so you’ll never get bored of it.
Zura Pro Grade Yoga Wheel
Review: A sturdy and stylish yoga wheel, the Zura is designed to do more than just provide a good stretch for tight shoulders or back muscles.
With a lightly textured surface, this wheel also gives a gentle tension-relieving massage each time you use it, combining the benefits of a yoga wheel and a massage roller in one.
Despite being quite lightweight, it’s strong enough to withstand up to 300 pounds without bending or breaking, so can be used for a range of positions.
- Textured bumps can be used for muscle release as well as stretching.
- Sweat-resistant grip means it won’t slip.
- Mid-size width of 5.75” means it’s comfortable enough to use between shoulders, while still being sturdy.
- Plastic material might have a light smell when new.
- The bumpy surface may not roll as smoothly on a yoga mat.
For a yoga wheel that can get into those hard to reach areas of tension and tightness, this is a really good buy. The Zura Wheel is a great, affordable option for all-round flexibility and muscle relief.
Xiao Jian Diamond Pattern Yoga Wheel
Review: The Xiao Jian yoga wheel and roller set is the perfect package for anyone who is getting serious about their fitness and wellbeing.
This yoga wheel is designed with an innovative, diamond-edged textured pattern that is made to provide an intensive massage to your muscles.
Plus, it comes with a matching foam roller that can be used on other parts of your body, for a good, all-over treatment.
- Non-slip design and texture makes it safe to use everywhere.
- The textured pattern is ideal for a relaxing massage as well as flexibility.
- A great set for muscle recovery after intensive sports.
- The textured surface may feel too hard on sensitive muscles and body parts.
- The hollow shape may feel unstable for more advanced, balancing positions.
This is handy yoga wheelset for those who do a lot of intense sport and fitness activities, with the perfect tools to help relax and relieve muscles that have been working hard, rather than people who are looking for a more yoga-based workout tool.
Solofit Double Radian Yoga Wheel
Review: The Solofit Double Radian yoga wheel provides many of the benefits of a usual yoga wheel, but with a pretty obvious difference – instead of having a typical round, wheel shape, this features a “double radian”.
That means this wheel comes in a more unique, oblong shape, with two different shaped arcs to provide support or challenge you to help you go further.
The wheel is strong enough to support your whole body weight, stretch tight muscles or work on improving flexibility, but can also be used in a variety of different, supportive ways because of its unique shape.
- 2 different textured surfaces can be used to tailor the workout to your needs.
- Different arcs provide a gentler or deeper stretch, as required.
- Innovative shape and strong material mean it can be used for support in place of a yoga block.
- Cannot be used to roll on like a typical wheel.
- Has less padding, which may be uncomfortable.
The Solofit works as a good complement to a yoga practice, and might the perfect tool for you if you’re looking for something to help build flexibility or work on more challenging poses.
Though it might not be best for beginners, as the shape can take some getting used to.
Yoloha Premium Cork Yoga Wheel
Review: The Yoloha Premium Yoga Wheel is definitely on the pricier end of the spectrum, but if having an all-natural, plastic-free option is a priority for you, then this hand-crafted, sustainably made yoga wheel might just be right up your street.
This yoga wheel is made from sustainably sourced wood, sealed with wax, and topped with cork, for a naturally non-slip and anti-microbial surface.
All the materials are sustainably sourced, with as little waste as possible, to minimize the environmental impact of this purchase.
- A sustainably sourced yoga wheel that is perfect for anyone environmentally conscious.
- Toxic-free and made with all-natural materials to prevent reactions to artificial plastics or chemicals.
- No weird plastic smell when you open it.
- Cork surface may not provide enough cushioning.
- Wooden surfaces may have some sharp edges.
Though it’s more expensive than many other yoga wheels, this one is created in mind for the person looking for a more ethical and toxic-free choice, that fits in with a healthier lifestyle overall.
What to Look for in a Yoga Wheel?
A yoga wheel is a pretty versatile and handy prop to have, whether you’re super bendy or not. But when you’re trying to pick the right one for you, it’s about more than just choosing the best-rated yoga wheel.
These are some useful things you need to think about when you’re trying to find your dream wheel:
What Kind of Yoga Wheels are There?
Most yoga wheels are pretty much what they say in the name – a wheel. That means they’re usually hollow, wheel-shaped rings, that can be used to support your body, roll on and do all kinds of other movements with.
But when you look on the market, you’ll find a few different varieties, including wheels with solid cores, and textured yoga wheels.
These kinds of wheels are usually designed to have some extra features, such as providing a muscle release or massage function or providing a greater number of positioning options.
When you choose a yoga wheel, think about what you plan to use it for, before deciding whether or not you need one with extra benefits.
What Size Yoga Wheel Should I Choose?
Yoga wheels can come in a range of sizes, from small, medium to large diameters.
Smaller yoga wheels are usually about 7” tall, medium wheels are roughly around 10-11”, and larger wheels will usually be around 13”.
The size you choose will depend on your body shape, height, and ability levels, as well as how you may want to use it.
A small wheel is ideal for petite people, and people with very limited flexibility, as it provides a gentler stretch. It’s also a more portable option.
A medium or large wheel is better for taller and heavier people as it will provide greater support, but these can also be better for people with a higher level of flexibility already, as they will provide a more challenging stretch.
Should I Choose a Heavier Wheel?
You’ll find yoga wheels in a variety of materials and weights, and some are designed to be more lightweight and easier to transport, while others are built with heavier material, usually with a thicker outer layer.
Lightweight wheels can sometimes feel less supporting or stable but are ideal for carrying around. If you’re looking for a wheel you can take with you anywhere, such as to the gym, a yoga class, or on a trip, a lighter wheel might be a better investment.
If you plan on keeping your wheel at home, then you might prefer to choose a more sturdy, supporting wheel with more cushioning.
How Can a Yoga Wheel Help Me?
Yoga wheels can help in a variety of ways:
- Improve flexibility by helping you get into deeper stretch positions
- Provide support and help you move into challenging poses more safely
- Ease tight muscles across your upper and lower back
- Build core strength with plank-style exercises
- Help you work on inversions such as headstands and handstands
- Help improve balance and stability
- Ease muscle tension in neck and shoulders after driving or sitting at a desk for long hours
- Provide a workout you can do anywhere
How Often Should I Use a Yoga Wheel?
A yoga wheel can be used every day, as it is a very versatile piece of equipment.
You can use it to provide gentle muscular relief and stretch tight muscles after an intensive workout, or a long day being hunched over, by spending a few minutes leaning into it.
It’s best to build up the time you use it for slowly, so you might want to start spending a few minutes a day in a stretch, and increase this as you feel more comfortable.
You can also use it for more tougher workouts, such as working on core strength and inversion practice. You might want to limit this to a few times a week, depending on your other fitness activities, to let your body recover properly in between.
One Last Surprising Benefit
Sure, yoga wheels are great for improving backbends, and even with getting upside down in all kinds of cool ways.
But here’s one hidden benefit you’d never expect:
It’s great for helping you sit around more comfortably.
If you find that you tend to slouch when sitting down, then a yoga wheel is perfect for correcting your posture. Simply place it behind you, supported by a wall, and lean your back gently onto it.
The wheel helps you stay upright and tall and prevents slouching, and is a great way to improve your spine’s health on a daily basis.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you find the best yoga wheels for you! Yoga wheels are great for improving your health and fitness, and you don’t need to be a super-yogi to enjoy one.
From improving your posture and getting rid of niggling back pain, to working on more impressive positions, they’re a great tool to have, for every ability and every body type.
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