Stanwood Yarn Ball Winder
If you wind more than 5 skeins/month, I strongly advise you to get a ball winder, and this ball winder is a solid place to start.
Stanwood Umbrella Yarn Swift
If you typically wind more than three hanks per month, you should be strongly considering a swift, and this is great way to enter the market. I would strongly recommend this yarn swift to anyone considering a purchase, especially if you are currently using a manual method (like a chair or your partner) to hold your hanks while you wind.