Independent buying guides for pottery
Pottery Nest

Throw, trim and glaze at home

Real picks for pottery wheels, clay, trimming tools, glazes, kilns, and everything for home ceramics

  1. 1

    Throw

    Center and pull clay on the wheel.

    Wheels & Equipment →
  2. 2

    Trim

    Shape the foot once the pot is leather hard.

    Pottery Tools →
  3. 3

    Bisque

    First firing, typically cone 06 to 04.

    Kilns & Firing →
  4. 4

    Glaze

    Glaze, then fire to the cone your clay is rated for.

    Glazes & Decorating →

Top picks right now

Cone chart, 06 to 10

  1. 061828°F
  2. 051888°F
  3. 041945°F
  4. 031987°F
  5. 022016°F
  6. 012046°F
  7. 12079°F
  8. 22088°F
  9. 32106°F
  10. 42124°F
  11. 52167°F
  12. 62232°F
  13. 72262°F
  14. 82280°F
  15. 92300°F
  16. 102345°F

Approximate, from Orton self-supporting cone charts at a 108°F per hour final heating rate. Slower firings bend cones at lower temperatures, so follow your clay and glaze ratings.

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Start Here: Getting Started in Pottery

8 short steps in the order a beginner needs them, with the guides and tools for each one.

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The Beginner Potter Kit

The Wheel Throwing Station

Hand Building Setup

The Glaze Bench

Shop by category

Wheels & Equipment

Pottery wheels, banding wheels, slab rollers, and wedging surfaces.

Browse 9 guides →

Clay & Materials

Stoneware, porcelain, air dry clay, slip, and casting materials.

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Pottery Tools

Trimming, carving, ribs, wire tools, needles, and texture tools.

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Glazes & Decorating

Glazes, underglazes, brushes, sponges, and decorating supplies.

Browse 12 guides →

Kilns & Firing

Kilns, kiln shelves, stilts, cones, and firing accessories.

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Studio & Care

Aprons, storage, bats, drying racks, cleanup, and studio gear.

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Best buying guides

Best Underglaze Transfers for Printed Patterns on Pottery

Underglaze transfer sheets compared by pattern scale, color, sheets per pack and price, with notes on which designs suit mugs and which need plates or vases.

Best Glaze Dipping Tongs for Clean, Fingerprint-Free Glazing

Glaze dipping tongs compared by grip style, length and handle comfort, plus fingertip clamps for cups, so dipped pots come out with no finger marks.

Best Splash Pans to Contain the Mess at Your Pottery Wheel

Splash pans for pottery wheels compared by fit, capacity, and cleanup ease, including two-piece replacements and universal options for common wheel models.

Best Clay for Beginners

The best beginner clay bodies for wheel and handbuilding. Why forgiving stoneware beats porcelain early on, and which bodies to start with.

Best Pottery Tool Kits

The best pottery tool kits for throwing, trimming, and sculpting. Which starter sets have quality tools and which pad the count with filler.

Best Pottery Decorating Tools: Stamps, Rollers, and Slip Tools

Find the best pottery decorating tools, from texture rollers and stamps to sgraffito and slip tools. Build a surface design kit that earns its space.

Packing tips

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