AMACO Low Fire Liquid Dipping Glaze, Clear DC-10, 1 Gallon Jar Review (2026)

Who this glaze is for

AMACO's Clear DC-10 targets potters, hobbyists and school ceramics programs who fire in the Cone 05 low fire range and want a clear glaze that goes on by dipping rather than brushing. It is formulated so the glaze stops running as soon as a piece is lifted out of the bucket, which is the main reason studios reach for a dipping glaze over a brush-on clear: it covers a mug, bowl or plate in one motion instead of several careful coats. That makes it a good match for anyone glazing in volume, whether that is a classroom finishing a shelf of student bowls or a home potter batching functional ware for a kiln load. It is not aimed at stoneware or high fire work.

What Cone 05 and dipping formula actually mean

AMACO rates DC-10 to Cone 05, which is the standard low fire glaze range used for earthenware and many school clay bodies, so pieces need to be bisque fired to around Cone 04 before glazing and then fired again to mature the glaze at Cone 05. The gallon jar is deep enough that a bisque mug or small bowl can be submerged in one dip rather than glazed in sections, which is what keeps the surface even instead of streaky. Because it is a liquid dipping glaze rather than a brushing glaze, it is formulated to flow off cleanly when a piece is lifted and turned, leaving a smooth, consistent clear coat without the brush marks that a pint of brushing glaze can leave behind on curved forms.

Using and storing the glaze day to day

Like most liquid glazes, DC-10 needs regular stirring before and during a glazing session, since the solids in the mixture settle out at the bottom of the jar over time and an unstirred dip can come out thin or uneven. Bisque ware should be clean and dry before dipping, and excess glaze should be allowed to drain off the bottom edge so pieces do not stick to the kiln shelf during firing. A full gallon covers a meaningful number of pieces before it needs replenishing, and studios that go through it regularly appreciate not having to mix their own low fire clear from raw materials. Keeping the lid sealed between sessions helps slow the water evaporation that concentrates the glaze over months of storage.

How it compares with other dipping and clear glazes

Against rivals like Mayco's Crystal Clear Dipping Glaze, another gallon-sized low fire dip, AMACO's formula sits in the same Cone 05 range and the choice mostly comes down to which brand a studio already stocks glazes and clay from. Compared with a brushing glaze such as Mayco's Crystal Clear Brushing Glaze in a pint, DC-10's dipping format is faster for batches but less practical for touch-ups on a single piece or for glazing only part of a form. Potters who fire stoneware to Cone 5 or 6 should look at a mid fire clear such as Speedball's stoneware glaze instead, since DC-10 will not mature properly at those higher temperatures and is built specifically for low fire bisque.

Verdict and who should look elsewhere

DC-10 makes sense for anyone whose kiln schedule tops out around Cone 05, from classroom ceramics programs to home potters working with earthenware or low fire stoneware bodies, and who wants a clear glaze that goes on quickly and evenly by dipping. It is less useful for stoneware or porcelain potters firing to Cone 5 and above, who need a mid or high fire clear instead, and it is not the right pick for someone who only wants to brush-glaze a single small piece rather than dip a whole batch. For its intended low fire, batch-glazing use, it does the basic job of a clear coat reliably without much fuss.

Frequently asked questions