Best Ceramic Stains: Mason Stains and Colorants for Custom Hues
Updated How we research
Ceramic stains are the raw pigments of the pottery world. Mix them into slip, clay body, glaze, or a wash and you get custom color that commercial jars simply do not offer, from colored porcelain for nerikomi to precisely tuned glaze palettes. Stains differ in strength, firing stability, and price, and a few colors, especially reds and purples, need the right host glaze chemistry to develop at all. Knowing typical mixing percentages saves both money and disappointing test tiles. This guide covers the ceramic stains worth stocking, with recommended starting ratios for slips and glazes, notes on which colors stay stable to cone 6 and beyond, and advice on assembling a versatile core palette.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.8 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g. Value score of 8/10, overall 7.8/10.
- Solid build:Crimson Red 222 Pottery Pigment Stain, 20 g. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 7.6/10.
- Feature-rich:Cobalt Oxide Pottery Pigment, 10 g. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This does not change our picks. Affiliate disclosure
Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors
Pasler's ceramic stains, 12 Color set at 60g each, pigment powder for underglaze, glaze or mixing into slip and clay.
Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g
Cobalt Blue 007 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 25 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.
- 1.Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Crimson Red 222 Pottery Pigment Stain, 20 g7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Cobalt Oxide Pottery Pigment, 10 g7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Penguin Pottery Ceramic Stain Variety Set of 47.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.French Grey Pottery Pigment Stain, 40 g7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Straw Yellow S11 Pigment Stain, 20 g7.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Pasler Ceramic Stains, Medium Green, 120g6.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
| # | Product | Our score | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors | 8.6/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 2 | Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g | 7.8/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 3 | Crimson Red 222 Pottery Pigment Stain, 20 g | 7.6/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 4 | Cobalt Oxide Pottery Pigment, 10 g | 7.6/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 5 | Penguin Pottery Ceramic Stain Variety Set of 4 | 7.2/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 6 | French Grey Pottery Pigment Stain, 40 g | 7.2/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 7 | Straw Yellow S11 Pigment Stain, 20 g | 7.0/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 8 | Pasler Ceramic Stains, Medium Green, 120g | 6.8/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
Pasler's ceramic stains, 12 Color set at 60g each, pigment powder for underglaze, glaze or mixing into slip and clay.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 60g of each color is enough for real batches, not just tests
- + 12 Color set covers a broad palette for custom glazes
- + Versatile for underglaze, glaze and colored clay work
- - Requires a scale and mixing skills to use well
- - Test fire each color on a sample tile before full use
Cobalt Blue 007 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 25 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Stable cobalt blue stain gives predictable color in many bases
- + 25 g pack is more than the smallest stain pouches
- + Made in Germany for reliable pigment quality
- - Blue can bleed into surrounding glaze if applied thickly
- - Stain needs testing in your chosen glaze base
Crimson Red 222 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 20 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Reds are hard to achieve, and a made-for-ceramics stain helps
- + Made in Germany with consistent pigment quality
- + Usable across earthenware, stoneware and porcelain
- - Red stains can burn out if the glaze base is not compatible
- - 20 g is enough only for small test batches
Cobalt (II,III) oxide pottery pigment made in Germany, 10 g, a strong colorant for classic blues.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Cobalt oxide is very strong, so a small amount colors a lot of glaze
- + Classic source of deep blue in glazes and brushwork
- + Made in Germany with consistent purity from batch to batch
- - Toxic raw oxide needs gloves and a respirator when handling
- - 10 g is small, though it goes further than most stains
Penguin Pottery variety set of four ceramic stains: 6 oz black plus 4 oz each of red, blue and green, for coloring clay, slip and glazes from cone 06 to 10.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 6/10
- + Black, red, blue and green give a mixing palette for custom colors.
- + Listing states a firing range of cone 06 up to cone 10 and use in clay, slip or glaze.
- + Backed by the maker's stated lifetime warranty.
- - Only four colors, so many shades need mixing and there is no yellow in the set.
- - Priced as a premium kit, with the listing giving a starting ratio of one part stain to ten parts glaze.
French Grey pottery pigment stain, 40 g, for making colored ceramic glazes or mixing with slip and clay.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + French Grey gives a calm, modern neutral for glazes and slips
- + 40 g is double the size of many small stain packs
- + Mixes into slip or clay bodies for colored clay work
- - Grey can shift warmer or cooler depending on the base glaze
- - Note the batch number so reorders match the same shade
Straw Yellow S11 pigment stain, 20 g, for ceramic earthenware, stoneware and porcelain color work.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Straw yellow is a soft, warm tone for glazes and slips
- + Works with earthenware, stoneware and porcelain
- + 20 g pack is a low-cost way to test a new color
- - Very small quantity only suits test batches
- - Order extra grams at once if you need consistent color batches
Pasler ceramic stain in Medium Green, 120 g, a colorant for clay, slip, glazes and underglazes rated for cone 06 to 10.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + Listing states a wide firing range of cone 06 to cone 10.
- + Intended for coloring clay, clay slip, glazes and underglazes.
- + 120 g jar at a low price makes it an easy way to try a stain color.
- - Single color and the listing offers no mixing ratios or test tile guidance.
- - It is green, not the tan of the stain it replaces, so it adds a different color to the guide.
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Requires a scale and mixing skills to use well (Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors)
- Blue can bleed into surrounding glaze if applied thickly (Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g)
- Red stains can burn out if the glaze base is not compatible (Crimson Red 222 Pottery Pigment Stain, 20 g)
- Toxic raw oxide needs gloves and a respirator when handling (Cobalt Oxide Pottery Pigment, 10 g)
- Only four colors, so many shades need mixing and there is no yellow in the set. (Penguin Pottery Ceramic Stain Variety Set of 4)
- Grey can shift warmer or cooler depending on the base glaze (French Grey Pottery Pigment Stain, 40 g)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among ceramic stains: mason stains and colorants for custom hues?
Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g, 12 Colors is our top overall pick. Pasler's ceramic stains, 12 Color set at 60g each, pigment powder for underglaze, glaze or mixing into slip and clay. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Cobalt Blue 007 Pottery Pigment Stain, 25 g is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Cobalt Blue 007 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 25 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Pottery Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
Popular right now
- Underglaze TechniquesArticle
- Best Underglaze Pencils: Draw Fine Ceramic Detail on BisqueBuying guide
- Best Clay Storage Containers to Keep Clay Workable for MonthsBuying guide
- Why Glaze Crazes and How to Prevent ItArticle
- Recycling ClayArticle
- Best Ware Boards for Moving and Drying Pots SafelyBuying guide
Based on the last 28 days of search and visitor data.