How to use the checklist
- Start at the stage you are in now. You can skip stages: plenty of potters hand-build for years without a wheel.
- Items marked essential are the ones most people regret skipping, usually for safety or because nothing works without them.
- Links go to our rankings or category pages so you can compare options by spec.
Safety items are not optional extras
Dry clay and glaze dust contain crystalline silica. OSHA sets a workplace exposure limit of 50 µg/m³ averaged over 8 hours, and NIOSH recommends engineering controls such as wet methods and ventilation. At home, that means wet cleaning, a HEPA vacuum rather than a broom, and a proper respirator for dusty jobs.
Questions
What do I need to start pottery at home?
Clay, a basic tool kit, a surface clay won’t stick to and a way to clean up without making dust. A wheel and a kiln can come later; air-dry or polymer clay needs no kiln at all.
Do I need a kiln to start?
No. Start with air-dry or polymer clay, or make stoneware at home and fire it at a community studio or firing service.
Where are my ticks saved?
In your browser’s local storage on this device. Nothing is sent to us, and clearing site data removes them.