Best picks
Rankings built from maker specs and the job the product has to do in a home studio.
Best ofBest pottery wheel for beginners: real wheels vs starter kits
The best pottery wheel for beginners, compared by centering capacity, motor, wheel head, reversing and noise:…
Best ofBest pottery wheel for home use: floor and tabletop picks
The best pottery wheel for home studios, compared by centering capacity, motor, wheel head, reversing and noise:…
Best ofBest tabletop pottery wheel: compact and mini wheels compared
The best tabletop pottery wheel for small spaces, compared by motor, centering capacity, head size, reverse and noise:…
Best ofBest pottery wheel for kids: starter kits by age
The best pottery wheel for kids, sorted by the age each maker states: National Geographic, SKIRFY, Alldeer, FAO…
Best ofBest kiln for home pottery: 120V and 240V picks
The best kiln for home pottery depends on your circuit and cone: Skutt and Paragon kilns compared by volts, amps and…
Best ofBest 120V kilns (and what budget furnaces can't do)
The best 120V kiln for you depends on cone and amps: Paragon and Skutt plug-in kilns compared by listed specs, plus…
Best ofBest glass fusing kilns for home: electric and microwave
Pick a glass fusing kiln by shelf size and controller: Skutt Firebox, Paragon SC2 and Fuseworks electric kilns, plus…
Best ofBest microwave kilns for glass fusing and jewelry
A microwave kiln fuses glass pendants and earrings in a home microwave. Compare WICAND, Fuseworks, Tujoe and more by…
Best ofBest clay for pottery wheel throwing: cone 6 and low fire
The best clay for pottery wheel work matches your kiln's cone: mid-fire stoneware from Rocky Mountain Clay, AMACO and…
Best ofBest air-dry clay for sculpting, decor and crafts
The best air-dry clay for home crafts: Activa, DAS, Crayola, FIMOair, Sculpey and paper clay compared by listed…
Best ofBest polymer clay for jewelry, charms and sculpting
The best polymer clay for jewelry and sculpting: Sculpey Premo, FIMO Soft and Professional, Super Sculpey and big…
Best ofBest clay for kids and classrooms: air-dry, polymer and kiln
The best clay for kids depends on age and whether you have an oven or kiln: Crayola, Jovi, Sculpey, FIMO and AMACO…
Best ofBest glazes for beginners: low-fire and cone 6 sets
The best glazes for beginners match your kiln's cone: Mayco, Penguin Pottery, Sax, AMACO and Pasler sets compared by…
Best ofBest food-safe glaze: what makers actually promise
The best food-safe glaze is one the maker says is dinnerware-safe when fired as directed: Penguin Pottery, Mayco, Sax,…
Best ofBest underglazes for pottery: liquids, pans and pencils
The best underglaze for your work depends on firing range, opacity and format. Compare 8 underglazes from 5 brands by…
Best ofBest pottery tool kits for beginners and classrooms
The best pottery tool kit covers ribs, a cut-off wire, a needle tool and trimming loops. Compare 8 kits from 6 brands…
Best ofBest trimming tools for pottery: loops, kannas and carbide
The best trimming tools for pottery cut leather-hard clay cleanly and fit your hand. Compare 8 loops, kannas and…
Best ofBest pottery ribs: polymer, silicone, wood and steel
The best pottery ribs match flexibility to the job: soft for curves, stiff for straight walls. Compare 8 ribs from 6…
Best ofBest pottery wheel bats: Medex, HDF, plastic and bat systems
The best pottery wheel bats fit your wheel's pin spacing and stay flat. Compare 8 bats and bat systems from 6 brands…
Best ofBest slab rollers for home pottery (and honest alternatives)
The best slab roller for home use may be a hand-crank machine or a rolling pin with guides. Compare 8 options from 7…
Best ofBest clay extruders for handles, coils and trim
The best clay extruder for home pottery depends on scale: clay guns for small coils, handle cutters for mugs. Compare…
Best ofBest banding wheels for pottery, sculpting and glazing
The best banding wheel spins smoothly, holds your heaviest piece and sits at a useful height. Compare 8 banding wheels…
Best ofBest wedging boards for home pottery (and DIY wedging tables)
The best wedging board gives you a firm, absorbent surface that fits your table. Compare 8 boards, canvas boards and a…
Best ofBest respirators for pottery and silica dust
The best respirator for pottery is a NIOSH-approved mask that seals on your face. Compare 8 P100 half masks and N95s…
Best ofBest kiln shelves and furniture: shelves, posts and kiln wash
The best kiln shelves and furniture must be rated above your firing cone and fit your kiln. Compare 8 shelves, posts…
Best ofBest pottery kits for adults: air-dry kits and a mini wheel
The best pottery kit for adults lets you make real pieces at home with no kiln. Compare 8 air-dry and mini-wheel kits…
Best ofBest pottery kits for kids, by age
The best pottery kit for kids matches the age the maker lists and the clay your home can handle. Compare 8 kid wheels…
Best ofBest gifts for potters: tools, aprons, stamps and studio upgrades
The best gifts for potters are tools they will use every week. Compare 8 gift ideas from 8 brands, from a Giffin Grip…