Buying guide
The Clay Pantry
Updated How we research
The right body for every project. The page is split into five sections (Stoneware Staples; Porcelain; Terracotta; Paper Clay; Storing Your Clay), followed by every pick ranked by our score so you can compare them in one place.
The short version
We compared 20 picks. Our scores range from 6.9 to 9.1 out of 10.
- Best overall:Rocky Mountain Best Mix Cone 6 Pottery Clay, 50 lb. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.1/10.
- Also great value:AMACO Low Fire Terra Cotta 77 Clay, 50 lb. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Solid build:Frost Porcelain WC437 Laguna Clay, Cone 6, 25 lb. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.9/10.
- Feature-rich:Mid-Fire Speckled Buff Clay, Cone 6, 25 lb. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Stoneware Staples
- Rocky Mountain Best Mix Cone 6 Pottery Clay, 50 lbOur score9.1/10
- Mid-Fire Speckled Buff Clay, Cone 6, 25 lbOur score8.6/10
- Old Potters Mid High Fire White Stoneware, 50 lbOur score8.6/10
- SIO-2 PRAI White High Fire Stoneware Clay, 27.6 lbOur score8.4/10
Porcelain
- Frost Porcelain WC437 Laguna Clay, Cone 6, 25 lbOur score8.9/10
- Laguna Frost Porcelain WC437 Clay, Cone 6, 10 lbOur score8.4/10
- SIO-2 Cellulain Paper Porcelain Clay, 11 lbOur score8.4/10
- SIO-2 Aneto White Porcelain Clay, 3.5 lbOur score7.6/10
Terracotta
- AMACO Low Fire Terra Cotta 77 Clay, 50 lbOur score8.8/10
- Rocky Mountain Clay Red Rock Terra Cotta, 25 lbOur score8.6/10
- Deouss Terra Cotta Low Fire Pottery Clay, 20 lbOur score8.4/10
- SIO-2 PT Terracotta Low Fire Pottery Clay, 4 lbOur score7.6/10
Paper Clay
- Creative Paperclay, White, 16 ozOur score8.1/10
- Padico La Doll Satin Smooth Clay, White, 500gOur score8.1/10
- Padico La Doll Premier Air Dry Clay, 300 gOur score7.8/10
- Creative Paperclay, 8 Ounces, WhiteOur score7.3/10
Storing Your Clay
- 5 Gallon Bucket with Gamma Seal Lid, RedOur score8.4/10
- ePackageSupply Food Grade Bucket with Lid, 5 GalOur score8.2/10
- Stainless Steel Bucket with Lid and Clamps, 5 GalOur score7.5/10
- Master Elite Empty Paint Can, 1 GallonOur score6.9/10
All 20 picks, ranked by our score
Every product from the sections above, listed once. Sort by the criterion you care about most, or tick up to three to compare.
Rocky Mountain Clay's 50lb B-Mix mid fire Cone 6 pottery clay, a smooth, popular stoneware for wheel throwing.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + B-Mix is a smooth, plastic clay loved for learning to throw
- + Mid fire Cone 6 matches the most common home and studio kiln firings
- + 50lb box is economical for regular potters and classes
- - Heavy 50lb box has high shipping weight and needs storage space
- - Needs a kiln, so it is not usable for air-dry projects
Laguna Clay's Frost Porcelain WC437, Cone 6, in a 25lbs box for translucent, pure white porcelain work.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Frost is known for very white, translucent results when thrown thin
- + Laguna Clay is a major US clay maker with consistent batches
- + 25lbs box is enough for a real porcelain series, not just a test
- - Frost is demanding to throw and can crack if dried unevenly
- - Premium porcelain costs noticeably more than stoneware
AMACO's moist Low Fire Terra Cotta 77 earthenware clay in a 50 Lbs box, a classroom-standard red clay.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Terra Cotta 77 is a well-known school clay with consistent results
- + 50 Lbs box is economical for classes and frequent throwers
- + Moist clay is ready to wedge and use straight away
- - Box is heavy to ship and store, especially for home users
- - Messy red slip needs extra cleanup of floors and tools
Rocky Mountain Clay's 25 Pounds mid-fire Cone 6 speckled buff stoneware for throwing and hand building.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Speckled buff fires to a warm, rustic look under clear glazes
- + 25 Pounds is a manageable amount for home potters
- + Cone 6 stoneware fires durable and suitable for functional ware
- - Speckles can show through light glazes when you want a clean look
- - Smaller box costs more per pound than bulk clay
Old Potters mid high fire white stoneware clay, Cone 6-10, in a 50 lbs box for wheel throwing, hand building and sculpting.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 50 lbs box gives a good price per pound for frequent throwers
- + Cone 6-10 rating fits a wide range of studio firing schedules
- + White stoneware works for throwing, slabs and sculpture
- - Bulk box is heavy to lift and needs cool, sealed storage
- - Kiln access is essential, so beginners without one should look elsewhere
Rocky Mountain Clay's Red Rock Red, a 25 lb terra cotta low fire Cone 06 pottery clay for throwing and hand building.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Red Rock Red fires to a deep, rich terra cotta color
- + 25 lb box balances value with manageable weight
- + Rocky Mountain Clay is a respected US pottery clay supplier
- - Dark red body limits how bright light glazes will appear
- - Cone 06 firing will not give stoneware-level durability
SIO-2 PRAI white high fire stoneware clay, 27.6 lb and rated Cone 6-10, for wheel throwing and hand building.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cone 6-10 range works in both mid fire and high fire kilns
- + White body shows glaze colors bright and true
- + Suits both throwing and hand building, so one clay covers many projects
- - Imported brand may be harder to reorder quickly in the US
- - Firmer white stoneware can feel less forgiving than B-Mix for new throwers
Laguna Clay's Frost Porcelain WC437, Cone 6, in a 10 lbs pack for testing a translucent white porcelain.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + 10 lbs pack is a sensible first try with a premium porcelain
- + Same Frost WC437 body as the larger box, so results scale up
- + Cone 6 firing fits most electric kilns used by hobby potters
- - Higher price per pound than buying Frost in bulk
- - Beginners may struggle with its softness and tendency to warp
SIO-2 Cellulain high fire paper porcelain clay, 11 lb, Cone 6-8, for thin, strong hand-built and thrown pieces.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Paper fibers add green strength, so thin pieces crack less while drying
- + 11 lb supply is a good middle size for a porcelain project
- + Paper porcelain can be joined when leather hard more easily
- - Paper clay can smell if stored wet for a long time
- - Fibers burn out in the kiln, so ventilation during firing matters
Deouss's 20 lbs terra cotta Cone 06 low fire earthenware for wheel throwing, hand building and firing.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 20 lbs is a good home-studio amount without the weight of a full box
- + Cone 06 earthenware fires in low-temperature hobby kilns
- + Smooth terra cotta body is friendly for beginner throwers
- - Red clay can contaminate white clay on shared wheels and tools
- - Low fire pieces are less chip-resistant than stoneware
A 5 Gallon white food grade bucket with a red Gamma2 screw seal lid for airtight clay storage.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Gamma2 screw lid opens and reseals easily, unlike snap lids
- + Airtight seal keeps clay and glaze workable longer
- + Good for frequently accessed reclaim or glaze buckets
- - Screw lid adapter can be tricky to install at first
- - Red lid color does not suit every studio setup
ePackageSupply's 5 Gallon food grade bucket with airtight gasketed tear strip lid, 90 Mil HDPE, for clay and reclaim storage.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Airtight gasketed lid keeps reclaim clay moist for weeks
- + 90 Mil HDPE walls are sturdy under heavy wet clay
- + 5 Gallon size is ideal for slip, reclaim or glaze batches
- - Tear strip lids are hard to reopen and reseal repeatedly
- - Full bucket of wet clay is very heavy to move
Creative Paperclay modeling compound in a 16-Ounce white pack, a larger supply of lightweight air dry paper clay.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 16-Ounce size offers better value than the smallest Creative Paperclay pack
- + Paper clay is lightweight, making larger sculptures easier to hang
- + Can be rewetted to repair or add to dried pieces
- - Dries with a slightly fibrous texture compared with polymer clays
- - Needs a sealant if pieces will face humidity
Padico's La Doll Satin Smooth white air dry natural stone clay, 1.1lb (500g), for doll making, sculpting and carving.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Satin smooth finish reduces sanding for dolls and figurines
- + Stone clay dries hard enough to carve crisp details
- + 500g block is a solid amount for a doll or several figures
- - Harder dried clay takes more effort to sand than paper clays
- - Premium specialty clay costs more than general air dry clay
Padico's La Doll Premier white lightweight air dry stone clay, 10.58 oz (300g), for fine details, miniatures and charms.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Premier formula is prized for very fine detail and smooth surfaces
- + Lightweight clay suits miniature charms and small figures
- + Stone clay dries firm enough for sanding and carving
- - 300g pack is small, so larger dolls use it up quickly
- - Price is high relative to standard modeling clays
SIO-2 Aneto white high fire porcelain clay, 3.5 lb, Cone 6-8, for fine wheel-thrown and hand-built pieces.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + White porcelain fires bright and smooth for delicate cups and bowls
- + Cone 6-8 rating works in mid fire kilns common in home studios
- + 3.5 lb pack lets you try porcelain before buying a full box
- - Porcelain is less forgiving and slumps easily for beginner throwers
- - Very small pack runs out after only a few pieces
SIO-2 PT terracotta low fire pottery clay, 4 lb, Cone 05.5-04, for wheel throwing and hand building red earthenware.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Cone 05.5-04 low fire range suits many school and hobby kilns
- + Natural terracotta color gives warm results with or without glaze
- + 4 lb pack is a light trial for testing a red clay body
- - Small 4 lb pack is used up after a couple of throwing sessions
- - Low fire terracotta stays porous unless glazed inside
A food safe 304 stainless steel 5 Gallon (20L) container with clamps and air-tight lid with silicone gasket.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 6/10
- + 304 stainless steel will not crack or absorb stains
- + Clamped lid with silicone gasket seals very tightly
- + Long-lasting container suits glaze mixing and storage
- - Costs far more than plastic buckets of the same size
- - Metal can dent, and the clamps add weight when lifting
Creative Paperclay in an 8 Ounces white pack, a lightweight air dry paper clay for dolls, ornaments and fine modeling.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Lightweight paper clay dries strong and resists cracking
- + Smooth white surface is easy to sand, carve and paint
- + Sticks well to armatures and other surfaces for mixed media art
- - 8 Ounces is a small amount for anything beyond ornaments
- - Not a kiln clay, so pieces remain decorative only
Master Elite 1 gallon all-plastic paint can with a triple-lock airtight lid and bail handle, a compact option for keeping slip, glaze or reclaim sealed between sessions.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + The listing describes a triple-lock airtight lid that seals against leaks, useful for keeping slip and glaze from drying out.
- + Recycled polypropylene body with a handle is described as dent-proof, rust-proof and odor resistant.
- + Single 1 gallon can at a low price suits small batches of slip, glaze or trimmings.
- - At 1 gallon it holds far less than a 5 gallon pail, so it does not suit storing a full bag of clay or large reclaim batches.
- - The manufacturer says the lid should be pounded on to seal securely, which needs a mallet and can make reopening fiddly.
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Pottery Nest curates picks for US shoppers. Scores are our editorial assessment. We may earn a commission from links on this page.