The 8 Best Unresponsive Yoyos
This wiki has been updated 23 times since it was first published in April of 2018. Unlike the traditional style that jumps up at the flick of your wrist, modern, unresponsive yo-yos sleep indefinitely, opening up a new realm of potentially gravity-defying tricks. Available at a range of prices and with a surprising number of variations for such a seemingly simple toy, each of these top picks offers something different to help you on your quest for spinning supremacy. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Yoyo King Grind Control
2. MagicYoyo Y01 Node
3. MagicYoyo Silencer
Editor's Notes
February 05, 2021:
There are tons of yoyos to choose from, and many models come and go pretty quickly. The Yoyo King Grind Control, MagicYoyo Silencer, and YoyoFactory Grind Machine are three that have stood the test of time and are still very highly regarded. The Duncan Windrunner and Yoyo King Dr. Smalls, on the other hand, are relatively recent compared to the others, and in particular, the Windrunner offers some impressively refined hardware. If you want something that can do both traditional and long-spin tricks, get the Yoyo King Spin Control because it has both bearing types. If you're familiar with traditional bearings and want something affordable to get you into sleeper routines, the MagicYoyo Y01 Node is almost certainly the way to go.
November 15, 2019:
A warning to the uninitiated: these are not your average kid's toys. Unresponsive yoyos are the kind used by professionals and the most skilled players; they don't return to the hand when simply tugged, so to use one you'll have to learn how to do a bind trick. The whole point of these is to enable the kinds of tricks that require long sleep times no matter how the yoyo's being handled. So if you're new to unresponsive yoyos, we'd recommend starting with an inexpensive one like the Ametoys V4, because if it's just not for you, you're only out a few bucks. Alternately, consider the Spin Control, which has interchangeable bearings so you can move between standard and unresponsive action with just a bit of tinkering. The YoyoFactory Boss is another exceptional option for beginners, because it's pretty affordable, too, and it's even good enough to serve as a backup for more advanced users.
If you're dedicated to the craft, though, you might be willing to shell out considerably more; the Space Crown Ultra, Heist Pocket-Size, and YoYoFactory Monster Edge 2 are all pretty costly, but they're about as refined as a yoyo can get. Keep in mind that the Heist and the Monster Edge require significant skill to use properly, as one of them is unusually small and the other remarkably large (we'll let you guess which is which).
But you don't have to drop a fortune to get one of the best, really. The MagicYoyo Silencer is quiet, the K9 King is heavy, and the Grind Machine is one of the best polycarbonate options, and they're all in the mid-to-low price range. But at the end of the day, the Grind Control is arguably the most popular and most beloved of all and it, too, is relatively well-priced.
4. YoyoFactory Grind Machine
5. Duncan Windrunner
6. Ametoys V4
7. Yoyo King Dr. Smalls
8. Yoyo King Spin Control
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.