Best Clear Glazes: Crystal-Clear Coats That Do Not Cloud or Craze
Updated How we research
A clear glaze has one job, and it is surprisingly hard to do well: vanish. It should seal the surface, deepen underglaze color, and add gloss or a soft satin sheen without milkiness, pinholes, or a craze pattern spreading across your work a week after the firing. Clears also interact with clay bodies differently, so a glaze that fires glassy on one stoneware can cloud on another. In this guide we compare the clear glazes that consistently fire transparent, covering both brushing bottles for small studios and dry dipping clears for potters glazing in volume. We also explain application thickness, why clears go cloudy, and which products fit each firing range.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.1 to 8.1 out of 10.
- Best overall:Amaco LG-10 Lead Free Liquid Gloss Glaze, Clear, Pint 16 Oz. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.1/10.
- Also great value:Speedball 002000 Stoneware Glaze, Clear, 16 oz. Value score of 9/10, overall 7.5/10.
- Solid build:Mayco Crystal Clear Brushing Glaze, Pint, S-2101. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.1/10.
- Feature-rich:AMACO Celadon C-11 Mixing Clear High Fire Transparent Gloss Glaze Pint, 16 oz. (473 mL), Cone 5-6 Liquid Ceramic Pottery Glaze for Bisque. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.0/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Amaco LG-10 Lead Free Liquid Gloss Glaze, Clear, Pint 16 Oz
AMACO's LG-10 lead free liquid gloss glaze in clear, a 16 Oz pint for low fire earthenware.
Our score8.1/10Budget
Mayco Crystal Clear Brushing Glaze, Pint, S-2101
Mayco's Crystal Clear brushing glaze S-2101 in a pint, a low fire clear for sealing underglaze designs.
Our score8.1/10Budget
#1AMACO's LG-10 lead free liquid gloss glaze in clear, a 16 Oz pint for low fire earthenware.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + LG-10 is a classic low fire clear widely used in classrooms
- + Lead free formula is suitable for functional ware when fired correctly
- + Brushable liquid glaze is easy for beginners to apply
- - Low fire only, so it will not mature in stoneware firings
- - Thick coats can look cloudy over dark clay bodies
#2Mayco's Crystal Clear brushing glaze S-2101 in a pint, a low fire clear for sealing underglaze designs.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Brushing formula applies smoothly in even coats
- + Crystal Clear is popular over Mayco underglazes and colors
- + Glossy finish makes painted designs look bright and finished
- - Low fire clear, so stoneware potters need a different glaze
- - Needs several coats brushed carefully to avoid thin spots
#3AMACO's Celadon C-11 mixing clear transparent gloss glaze, 16 oz. (473 mL), Cone 5-6 for bisque ware.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cone 5-6 clear gloss suits the most common mid fire kilns
- + Mixing clear can be blended with colorants for custom celadons
- + Transparent gloss shows underglaze and clay color beneath
- - Mixing clear is meant for tinting, so plain clears may be simpler
- - Pint jar covers limited ware if dipping rather than brushing
#4Penguin Pottery's clear low fire glaze, Cone 06-04, in a 1 Pint jar for low fire clay bodies.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cone 06-04 range matches common low fire kiln schedules
- + Clear glaze protects and brightens underglaze designs
- + Pottery-focused brand with clear labeling for beginners
- - 1 Pint jar is small for dipping larger pieces
- - Low fire range will not work on mid fire stoneware
#5Speedball's 002000 stoneware glaze in clear, 16 oz, for durable mid fire and higher firing pottery.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + Stoneware clear gives a tough, glassy surface for functional ware
- + Budget-friendly jar from a widely stocked brand
- + 16 oz jar is enough to brush a set of mugs
- - Confirm the cone range on Speedball's glaze chart first
- - Brush application can streak without careful coats
#6AMACO's high fire zinc-free clear gloss glaze in a pint for stoneware and porcelain firings.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Zinc-free formula avoids color shifts with some underglazes and oxides
- + High fire clear gloss gives a durable glassy surface
- + AMACO's consistent formulation is trusted in schools and studios
- - Confirm the cone range matches your kiln before glazing
- - Pint size is small for dipping multiple pieces
#7Mayco's clear glaze for stoneware, a mid to high fire clear coat for durable functional pottery.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Stoneware formulation suits potters firing above low fire
- + Mayco is a major glaze maker with dependable results
- + Clear finish lets clay body and underglaze show through
- - Title omits jar size and cone range, making comparison hard
- - Harder to compare value without a stated quantity
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.
- Low fire only, so it will not mature in stoneware firings (Amaco LG-10 Lead Free Liquid Gloss Glaze,...)
- Low fire clear, so stoneware potters need a different glaze (Mayco Crystal Clear Brushing Glaze, Pint, S-2101)
- Mixing clear is meant for tinting, so plain clears may be simpler (AMACO Celadon C-11 Mixing Clear High Fire...)
- 1 Pint jar is small for dipping larger pieces (Penguin Pottery - Clear Glaze - Low Fire...)
- Confirm the cone range on Speedball's glaze chart first (Speedball 002000 Stoneware Glaze, Clear, 16 oz)
- Confirm the cone range matches your kiln before glazing (AMACO High Fire Zinc-Free Clear Gloss Glaze Pint)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among clear glazes: crystal-clear coats that do not cloud or craze?
Amaco LG-10 Lead Free Liquid Gloss Glaze, Clear, Pint 16 Oz is our top overall pick. AMACO's LG-10 lead free liquid gloss glaze in clear, a 16 Oz pint for low fire earthenware. It earns our score of 8.1/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Mayco Crystal Clear Brushing Glaze, Pint, S-2101 is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Mayco's Crystal Clear brushing glaze S-2101 in a pint, a low fire clear for sealing underglaze designs.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span $ 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.
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