# Best Ceramic Stains: Mason Stains and Colorants for Custom Hues Source: https://potterynest.com/best/best-ceramic-stains Updated: 2026-10-20 Publisher: Pottery Nest. Our score is an editorial rating out of 10 (fit 35%, features 25%, build 20%, value 20%), not a customer rating. Method: https://potterynest.com/how-we-research#our-score 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. ## Picks ### 1. Pasler Ceramic Stains, 60g Each Color, Pigment Powder for Making Underglaze, Pottery Glaze, Ceramic Glaze or Mixing with Slip/Clay (12 Color) Our score: 8.6/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10) Pasler's ceramic stains, 12 Color set at 60g each, pigment powder for underglaze, glaze or mixing into slip and clay. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Requires a scale and mixing skills to use well - Test fire each color on a sample tile before full use Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B0D1QLQBN6 ### 2. Cobalt Blue - Pottery Pigment Stain Colors Made in Germany, Earthenware Stoneware Porcelain - 007 (25 g) Our score: 7.8/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Cobalt Blue 007 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 25 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Blue can bleed into surrounding glaze if applied thickly - Stain needs testing in your chosen glaze base Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B0DH64993G ### 3. Crimson Red - 222 - Pottery Pigment Stain Colors Made in Germany, Earthenware Stoneware Porcelain (20 g) Our score: 7.6/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Crimson Red 222 pottery pigment stain made in Germany, 20 g, for earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Red stains can burn out if the glaze base is not compatible - 20 g is enough only for small test batches Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B08GZK77NS ### 4. Cobalt Oxide - Cobalt (II,III) Oxide - Pottery Pigment Stain Color Made in Germany (10 g) Our score: 7.6/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Cobalt (II,III) oxide pottery pigment made in Germany, 10 g, a strong colorant for classic blues. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Toxic raw oxide needs gloves and a respirator when handling - 10 g is small, though it goes further than most stains Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B08RCW1W4M ### 5. Penguin Pottery - Variety Set of 4 Ceramic Stains - 6 oz Black, 4 oz Each of Red, Blue and Green - Colorants for Clay, glazes, Clay Slip Pottery Glaze, Ceramic Glaze Our score: 7.2/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 6/10) 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. Pros: - 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. Cons: - 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. Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B0CTFRCCMF ### 6. French Grey - Pottery Pigment Stain for Making Color Ceramic Glazes or Mixing with Slip/Clay (40 g) Our score: 7.2/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10) French Grey pottery pigment stain, 40 g, for making colored ceramic glazes or mixing with slip and clay. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Grey can shift warmer or cooler depending on the base glaze - Note the batch number so reorders match the same shade Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B0DMM7M3JK ### 7. Straw Yellow - S11 - Pigment Stain for Ceramic Pottery Earthenware Stoneware Porcelain (20 g) Our score: 7.0/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10) Straw Yellow S11 pigment stain, 20 g, for ceramic earthenware, stoneware and porcelain color work. Pros: - 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 Cons: - Very small quantity only suits test batches - Order extra grams at once if you need consistent color batches Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B092TQZVCF ### 8. Pasler Ceramic Stains, 120g Colorants for Clay, glazes, Clay Slip Pottery Glaze, Ceramic Glaze (Medium Green) Our score: 6.8/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10) Pasler ceramic stain in Medium Green, 120 g, a colorant for clay, slip, glazes and underglazes rated for cone 06 to 10. Pros: - 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. Cons: - 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. Details: https://potterynest.com/product/B0G3P554Y6 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.