10 Best Rotary Tattoo Machines in December 2023
Top 3 Pick
Editor Pick
Mast Flip Machine
Overall Best
Dragonhawk Machine
Budget Pick
Stigma Machine
There is no doubt rotary machines are far better than coil machines to make the tattooing process a lot easier. However, when the tattoo industry is filled with many low-quality rotary tools, it makes it hard to find the best rotary tattoo machine with all the required features.
Therefore, we’ve tested and reviewed top 10 rotary tattoo machines that are perfect for both beginners and experienced tattoo artist:
- Mast Tour Pro Rotary Pen
- Mast Flip Rotary Machine
- Stigma Tattoo Machine
- Dragonhawk Tattoo Machine Kit
- Wormhole Tattoo Pen
- Dragonhawk Extreme Tattoo Machine
- Romlon Tattoo Kit
- Arenahawk Black Queen Rotary Machine
- Dragonhawk S4
- Mast Flash Rotary Pen
All of these tattoo machines have a lightweight and ergonomic design, which allows steady handling. Similarly, they have the necessary stroke length and a powerful motor to handle demanding tattooing work, including lining, shading, and packing.
Moreover, these are the best rotary tattoo machines in terms of compatibility with various types and sizes of tattoo cartridge needles. Continue reading this review guide to discover the tattoo machines that meet your specific needs.
Image
Product
features
Price
Mast Tour Pro
- Small in Design
- 2 in 1 Mode
- Solid build quality
Mast Flip Rotary Machine
- Budget-friendly
- Six stroke length
- Versatile
Stigma Tattoo Machine
- Powerful motor
- Complete kit
- Smooth needle movement
Wormhole Tattoo Pen
- Great all-rounder
- Easy to assemble
- Excellent rotary motion
Dragonhawk Extreme
- Super quiet
- Cheap price
- Solid build quality
Romlon Tattoo Kit
- Ergonomic design
- Lightweight
- Excellent rotary pen
Arenahawk Black Queen
- Easy to handle
- Excellent pen
- Durable build quality
Dragonhawk S4
- 3.5mm stroke
- Affordable price
- Ergonomic and lightweight
Mast Flash Rotary Pen
- Easy to use
- Lightweight and durable
- Autoclave grip
Best Rotary Tattoo Machines Reviews
Mast Tour Pro Rotary Pen
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
The Mast Tour Pro is a super short best rotary pen tattoo machine that perfectly fits in your hand in long tattoo sessions. It is constructed with aluminum or metal that gives a smooth and lightweight feel. This ensures a steady sleeve grip to create beautiful tattoo designs.
This machine is installed with a custom coreless motor that provides stable needle movement and maximum torque during tattooing session. This is an all-in-one machine that can be used for lining, shading, and color packing to create the perfect tattoo style. This device also allows it to set between a standard RCA cable or wirelessly.
However, this machine does not come with a battery pack and it needs to be purchased separately. Nevertheless, it is compatible with all standard tattoo power supplies. The stroke of this machine is 3.6mm with 0 to 4mm needle adjustment, which is excellent for smaller needle groupings or to do a bit of everything.
Regarding price, the Mast Tour Pro beats all other brands. No other wireless tattoo machine offers such high-quality features in this price range. Therefore, it would be fair to call it the best budget tattoo machine with top-quality features.
Mast Flip Rotary Machine
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
This is the second-best professional rotary tattoo machine from the Mast brand in our list. This pen-style tattoo machine is designed to provide a smooth and comfortable grip to achieve desired results. Moreover, its design has no dirt traps, so you don’t need to worry about cleaning it.
However, it’s difficult to fully break down the Mast flip to clean it, as this is also an issue with most rotary tattoo machines. Additionally, the clip grip is very tight and hard to unscrew. Therefore, those who prefer a smooth and easy screw grip should consider other machines.
Furthermore, as you know, it’s a battery-operated product that can be connected to the top of the device. However, if you’re going to connect long, heavy batteries it will feel too tall to hold in your hand, and it may make your wrist tired. Therefore, it would be best to operate this machine via an RCA standard cable instead of using batteries.
One of the best standout features of this machine is its variable needle stroke length. These lengths include 2.6mm, 2.9mm, 3.2mm, 3.5mm, 3.8mm, and 4.0mm. This means tattoo artists can perform any tattooing work with a single machine.
However, it would be a niche addition if they replaced the 2.6mm, 2.9mm, and 3.2mm stroke with a 4.5mm stroke length. This feature would make it the best wireless tattoo machine with more versatile and stand out features for different tattoo techniques.
Its operating voltage ranges from 5V to 12V, without producing any extra noise and vibrations that vary depending on the input voltage. For example, when we ran it at 8V with a 2.6mm stroke length, it was silent and made low vibrations.
However, it was loud when we ran it at 12V with a 4mm stroke length and produced extra vibrations. Therefore, whether it makes noise or vibrations depends on the input voltage. Let’s come to the favorite part of any tattoo machine; it is excellent for lining and shading.
For example, its 4mm length is suitable for solid lining work, but still, it is not as dedicated to lining as the Bishop wand. But it’s perfect for color packing, and blending as it has five different stroke length options. This means many customization options exist to create perfect tattoo designs. Also, this means that the Mast Flip will be great for shading and coloring.
Stigma Tattoo Machine Review
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Last two products that we discussed are some premium-quality rotary machines, which are undoubtedly expensive options. However, there is no need to worry for those on a tight budget. The STIGMA Pro Tattoo Kit is the best affordable rotary tattoo machine available for under $50.
This traditional-style tattoo machine consists of a powerful 10W motor that provides an excellent power supply to the gun. It also allows you to connect the power supply with a clip or DC cord. This means that the powerful motor is enough to push needle groupings with more precession and control, enabling you to achieve solid tattooing work.
Moreover, the voltage input is easily adjusted, and you can do so conveniently. But we noticed it ran perfectly at low speed like 6v. It comes with 20 needles of different sizes, providing you with full versatility. Plus, STIGMA Pro is made with slider technology, which makes needle movement smoother.
This kit comes with the best rotary tattoo kit that includes all the essential accessories you need to start your work, such as fake skin, gloves, tattoo ink, and needles. So, the kit is excellent for getting started with your tattooing work or practice. However, the package does not include a guide on how to set up and use it properly.
Dragonhawk Tattoo Machine Kit
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Dragonhawk is an easy to use and best tattoo machine for beginners that will simplify your tattooing process as a starter. This is our favorite tattoo machine in our studio collection. Dragonhawk has both a sleek and ergonomic design that fits perfectly in your hand, allowing for steady use during long tattoo sessions. Its outer frame is made of space aluminum, making it lightweight (only 120g), easy to clean, and user-friendly.
Additionally, its construction is super reliable and durable, making it an excellent option for tattoo artists who enjoy traveling and want to keep their tools with them. Furthermore, its parts are also easy to replace.
In case you want to replace any part, it’s very simple. We also appreciate how comfortable it is to unscrew the head of this device, unlike the Mast flip, which is very stiff to unscrew at the top. Moreover, its pen is so amazing that it gives a perfect and smooth tattooing experience and runs quietly.
Plus, it provides consistent performance in lining and shading work, which is especially great for beginners. It’s compatible with major tattoo cartridge needles, and the needle depth adjustment is very easy with a tight fit.
It comes with a standard kit that includes some necessary accessories. But most of them are not of professional level including needle cartridges and tattoo ink. The Dragonhawk Rotary Pen has a completely adjustable power supply, allowing you to set the voltage between 6V to 9V.
However, the power supply is not of high quality, and many online users claim it does not last long. It features a powerful, quiet, durable custom motor that performs stable performance through the long tattoo session. Its speed is also very consistent, which helps to push ink into the skin smoothly. From a pricing standpoint, the Dragonhawk is the best budget rotary tattoo machine.
Read full review here: Dragonhawk Mast Pen Rotary Tattoo Machine Review
Wormhole Tattoo Pen Review
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
This is another low-cost, best rotary tattoo machine. The Wormhole Tattoo Pen is both a super budget-friendly and beginner-friendly machine, which is excellent for beginner tattoo artist. Additionally, it has all the required accessories to get started as a starter.
However, like Dragonhawk Tattoo Machine Kit, most of its kit accessories are only good for practicing. Like most other rotary tattoo machines, the Wormhole Tattoo Pen also has a 3.5mm stroke length, suitable for performing versatile tattooing tasks. Also, the needle depth is adjustable between 0 to 4mm.
However, the tattoo needle does not fit very well in the center of the cartridge, which is not perfect for lining. Need to mention, if you need a best tattoo machine for lining, check this list. But this machine is super great for shading work and color packing.
Overall, it’s great for performing a bit of everything. Moreover, Wormhole is equipped with a durable motor that performs well throughout the session with minimal vibration without causing discomfort in hand. Its adjustable voltage range is between 5v to 10v.
However, it makes a bit of loud noise even at voltage 6, though not as loud as coil tattoo machines. The power supply is of a decent quality and consistent; it does not cut off power like other cheaper tattoo machines.
Read full review here: Wormhole Tattoo Pen Review
Dragonhawk Extreme Rotary Tattoo Machine
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
This tattoo device is not fancy like the one we discussed earlier. However, it’s an old-style, simple, and beautiful rotary tattoo machine that is also the cheapest on the list. Its adjustable stroke length is relatively reliable but a little long. However, overall it’s okay. It allows you to adjust the size from 1.5mm to 3.5mm, making it a good all-rounder.
This well-made machine has an ergonomic design and is built with durable materials to last. Additionally, it runs smoothly at minimal noise levels and produces no noticeable noise, even at high voltages.
From a functional perspective, it is a versatile rotary tattoo machine that is great for performing various tasks. Furthermore, it has a solid motor configuration and a decent-quality power supply. However, the foot pedal is not up to mark in terms of quality.
Romlon Tattoo Kit
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
This is the first time we have reviewed a tattoo machine from this brand, and we were impressed with its superb features. This pen-style machine is very small in size and much easier to hold.
Its pen is ergonomically designed and sturdy, making it comfortable for tattoo artists to hold during long tattoo sessions. It weighs 151g, which means it is lightweight, but still a little heavier compared to the Dragonhawk Tattoo Machine Kit, which weighs only 120g.
The pen is compatible with all types of needles, and it also comes with 40 pieces of cartridge needles. Moreover, it includes a complete starter tattoo kit like ink, grips, and other important accessories to start tattooing work directly.
The Romlon Tattoo Machine features an LCD showing voltage output and other settings. It also has a foot pedal switch for easy operation and also anti-overvoltage and overload protection to ensure safety during tattooing operation.
Moreover, this power supply is compatible with most RCA cables. And voltage is also adjustable between 5v to 10. However, we are not satisfied with the quality of this power supply, even through research we found some other online users also have reported that it stopped working.
Arenahawk Black Queen Rotary Tattoo Machine
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
This machine is super affordable with impressive features, perfect for all your tattooing needs. This one is our favorite machine on the list. From a functional perspective, it’s easy to set up and use without any complex steps, just like plug-and-play.
It is also very lightweight and runs smoothly without making any noticeable noise. The rotary pen is amazing and easy to hold and use for long tattooing sessions. It feels like you’re holding a pen, making it perfect for beginners, especially when practicing on fake skin. However, the pen is a little bit fat, but not too bad.
From a durability perspective, it feels very solid. The Arenahawk Black Queen is built with high-quality aluminum and steel, which makes it highly durable and long-lasting. As a result, this will likely last for a long time.
With its 3.5mm stroke, you can do nice shading and lining work. But it’s not too good to create solid lines. The motor also seems very powerful, but after some time, it starts heating. Beside heating, its power supply sucks, and many other online users also reported it stopped working.
Furthermore, one of the things we like most about it is its battery performance. And this battery pack can last up to six hours on a single charge, providing enough power for multiple tattooing sessions.
Dragonhawk S4 Wireless Tattoo Kit
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Dragonhawk S4 Wireless Tattoo Kit is compact and lightweight for any tattoo artist looking to get packed in style. It has a good build quality and plenty of features, which makes it a great option for professional tattoo artists.
Its tattoo power supply features a powerful custom motor that provides a consistent performance in long running without any issues.The kit included ink and 20 tattoo needles allowing users to start working immediately without searching for the right needle.
But the ink that comes with the kit is not of high quality. It can create a mess for you. The sleek design of the machine makes it simple yet classy. The cordless battery of this rotary machine allows you to move freely without the risk of tripping. However, its battery performance is not really impressive.
Moreover, this machine is lightweight and travel-friendly, light enough to store in your bag without making it uncomfortable. The space aluminum frame of the machine provides it with stability and ease of use. This product has many features not found in other rotary tattoo machines in such a pricing range.
So overall, this machine is perfect for any beginner or professional artist who needs a machine that allows for more precision and control to work on any tattoo design.
Mast Flash Direct Drive Rotary Pen
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Mast Flash Direct Drive Rotary Pen is a sleek, lightweight, durable, and reliable rotary machine exclusively compatible with all cartridge needles. It has an ergonomic design and an adjustable needle protrusion of 0 mm up to 4.5 mm.
This machine also features an advanced gear system for a smooth, quiet operation perfect for easy healing and autoclave-safe. In fact, the advanced gear system works flawlessly to deliver smooth and soft operation while maintaining a quiet working environment.
But in running it creates more vibrations when working with high voltage; however, it can deliver clean lines using a lining grip. Normally when working on high voltage, it requires some time to get good control; however, once you get the hang of it, It is easy to get great results.
Moreover, it has an adjustable needle skirt that provides for comfortable tattooing. This machine comes with one package, including one RCA Cord which functions smartly to allow hassle-free cartridge change.
Overall, this machine is lightweight and easy to store and transport for individuals looking for a good quality machine to deliver efficient work and convenient features.
FAQs
Are rotary tattoo machines better?
Rotary machines are perfect for lining and shading work compared to coil machines. They are lightweight, versatile, and quiet and do not create extra vibrations. Rotary machines are also easy to set up and use, making them a better choice overall.
Are Rotary tattoo machines suitable for beginners?
Usually, rotary model tattoo machines have a lightweight, user-friendly design and control that allow the user to use the device easily. Additionally, these machines do not create any extra vibrations, making them perfect for beginners.
Do rotary tattoo guns hurt less?
Rotary machines have a well-balanced and lightweight design, which can be hold steady for long tattoo sessions. Therefore, it is true that rotary tattoo guns cause less pain than traditional machines.
Conclusion:
Although choosing the best rotary tattoo machines can be challenging as there are many features to look at. However, we have done our best to help you to find the best one for your tattooing needs.
If you need a rotary machine with advanced and premium quality features, go with Mast Tour Pro, and Mast Flip. However, if you’re looking for an all-rounder performer machine in an affordable price range, Dragonhawk and Stigma rotary Tattoo Machine are the perfect choices.
Flora Jones is a licensed professional tattoo artist with over 5 years of experience working at various studios in Arizona. In addition to her artistry, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise on various tattoo-related topics through her writing.