Okay, so I got this pottery wheel for my niece's birthday, and let me tell you – it's chaos in the BEST way possible. The box arrived looking all fancy with that Nat Geo logo, and inside? Pure artistic mayhem waiting to happen.

The 2 lbs of clay is like playdough on steroids. My niece immediately started squishing it like she was kneading pizza dough (RIP my kitchen table). The wheel itself? Surprisingly sturdy for plastic! The two-speed motor is perfect – slow for little hands learning, faster when they get cocky and think they're the next Picasso of pottery.

PRO TIP: That apron is NECESSARY unless you want clay fingerprints on everything you own. We learned this the hard way when my dog ended up with clay paw prints all over the couch. Whoops.

The tools are legit – not some flimsy plastic junk. The shaping arms actually help center the clay (which is good because my niece's first attempt looked more like a sad pancake than a vase). The paint set included is basic but gets the job done – though we definitely needed more clay after day one because 'Auntie look I made 17 ashtrays for cats!'

Warning: This is messier than a toddler eating spaghetti. But watching a kid's face light up when they pull their lopsided 'bowl' off the wheel? Priceless. Would buy again just for that moment – though maybe keep a mop handy.