Mayco Crystal Clear Dipping Glaze, Gallon Review (2026)

Who this glaze is for

Crystal Clear Dipping is built for potters and studios working in low fire earthenware, the cone 06 range common in school and community programs. If you already paint colored underglazes onto bisque and want a fast, even clear coat over the top, this is the kind of glaze that saves an evening of brushing. It suits anyone glazing more than a handful of pieces at once, since dipping a mug or bowl takes seconds compared with several careful brush coats. Potters working exclusively in mid fire stoneware or porcelain are the wrong audience here, since the glaze is formulated for a lower firing temperature and behaves differently outside that range. Think of it as a production tool for low fire studios rather than a general purpose clear for any kiln.

What the cone 06 rating actually means

Mayco lists Crystal Clear Dipping as firing in cone 06 oxidation, which is where it produces a clean, clear, glossy surface. Fired hotter, to cone 6, the same glaze is prone to blistering and pinholing rather than a smooth finish, so it is not interchangeable with a mid fire clear even though both are labeled clear glazes. It is sold as a dipping formula rather than a brushing one, meaning the consistency is thinned for quick immersion coats rather than layered brush strokes. Mayco also notes it is luster compatible and works over colored underglazes, which is the main reason studios pair it with underglaze decorated bisque instead of a stain or glaze that reacts unpredictably with color underneath.

Using it day to day

In practice, dipping glaze needs regular stirring since the solids in the gallon jar settle between sessions, and a quick sponge along the foot of each piece after dipping keeps glaze off the kiln shelf. The gallon size is the practical middle ground for a working studio, large enough to dip a full load of bisque without refilling constantly, but nowhere near the volume of the 3 gallon pail, which Mayco sells mainly through distributors for high volume shops. Expect drips and a slightly uneven pool at the bottom of dipped pieces, which is normal for any dipping glaze and is cleaned up before firing rather than avoided entirely. Keeping consistency even with water additions, rather than letting it thicken, gives the most predictable coat over time.

Trade-offs against other clears in the lineup

Among clear glazes rated for similar studios, AMACO's Low Fire Liquid Dipping Glaze DC-10 scores a touch higher on fit for the job and is worth comparing directly if you dip in volume, since both are gallon dipping clears aimed at the same cone 06 range. Speedball's 1-Gallon Clear Stoneware Glaze sits at the opposite end, a mid fire clear rather than a low fire one, so it is not a substitute unless your kiln schedule changes. Mayco's own brushing version, Crystal Clear Brushing S-2101, gives more control for spot coating or small test tiles but takes longer across a full batch. The trade-off with any dipping glaze, this one included, is speed for batch work against the fine control brushing allows on individual pieces.

Verdict and who should look elsewhere

For a low fire studio glazing underglaze decorated bisque in batches, Crystal Clear Dipping earns its our score of 8.1 out of 10 by doing one job well: a bright, glassy, dependable clear coat with minimal fuss. It is not a do everything glaze. Mid fire potters firing to cone 6 need a stoneware rated clear such as Speedball's or Penguin Pottery's mid fire option instead, since pushing this one hotter risks blistering. Anyone who only glazes a few pieces at a time, or wants tighter control near rims and handles, may prefer the brushing version even though it takes longer. For everyone else running a low fire kiln and glazing by the shelf load, this is a sensible, well proven choice.

Frequently asked questions