New Tumbling Rough

Well, you have a few options. All of the options are based on how much you will want to spend.

On the less expensive side:

Harbor Freight Double Barrel 3 lb Barrel Tumbler.

The downside to that is, they will be the same size as the Lortone tumbler that you currently have. 3lb barrels mean that you are limted to the size of rocks that you can run in them.

The plus side would be, inexpensive ($60-$70 depending if you catch it on sale) and you get two 3lb barrels which means you can run the equivalent of 6 pounds of rock at one time.

I think Harbor Freight has a 90 day no questions asked return policy in case you get a dud. And they also offer extended warranties where they will replace it if something happens.

If you like the faster speed of the Nat Geo, I would suggest getting a Koolstone C1 Pro Max.

It has a brushless motor in it which makes it more durable, and will last longer, than a brushed motor. The main failure point of a brushed motor is the brushes. Once the brushes wear out, the motor stops working until the brushes are replaced. Some motors, you can not replace the brushes, so you basically need a new motor.

It has a noise damping outer shell with a door.

I believe that it has a larger barrel than the Nat Geo. The barrel is definitely bigger than the advertised 3lb that they claim. It is at least 4lb, but I think that it is closer to 5lb.

It is available on Amazon and retail is $150, but they almost constantly run discounts on it ranging from $30-$50 off putting it around the $100-$110 range almost daily.

The only downside that I have experienced with it are the barrels. I'm not a big fan of the rubber that they use. It is softer than other tumbling barrels and they leave black residue on your hands when you handle them after they have been tumbling. However, I have not had a barrel fail on me yet. But I did pick up a couple.of spare barrels just in case. They sell for about $30 each.

I also run my tumblers 24/7 and I have 3 of the Koolstones running since July of 2024 and have had zero issues with them. They also have a 1 year no questions asked warranty. There are like 20 left in stock right now.

If you opt for either of those I named above, let me know before you use them. I have figured out a few things that you should know that will help you to get them running well. Especially the Harbor Freight. Do not follow the instructions with either of them. In fact, the instructions in almost every tumbler are wrong.

On the more expensive side, other than Lortone and Thumblers, there is Highland Park. If I do end up spending the money on a more expensive brand, this is the one that I will opt for. Based on my research, they SEEM very good.

Here is what they offer in the size range you're looking for:

Double Barrel 3lb tumbler for about $170

Single Barrel 4.5lb tumbler for about $160

Single Barrel 6lb tumbler for about $315

I don't have any experience with them to give any pros or cons.

Hope this helps. 👍