If you’re thinking of taking up pottery, you’ll be in good company.
Brad Pitt and Seth Rogen are keen amateur potters too. All you really need is a pottery wheel, some pottery tools and some air dry clay and you’re running a pottery studio.
Spend a bit more on a motorized pottery wheel and train up your fine motor skills and you’re now running a cool maker pottery studio!
Home pottery-making is going through something of a boom!
It’s a crafting hobby where well-made end products can be, relatively, easily sold for a profit too.
So, why not get started today with one of our best pottery kits for beginners? Pottery wheels are the most important part of this, and assuming you don’t want to buy a kiln today too – focus on air dry clay as you shop. Ordinary clay needs very high temperatures to make pottery from it.
SEAAN Electric Pottery Wheel Machine
The real “beginner’s pottery” kit is a pottery wheel and tools for shaping the pottery, you need to buy clay and colors, etc. in addition to this kind of kit.
It’s one of the best pottery wheels that we tried in a start pottery kit.
The SEAAN setup is high quality and we love that it’s foot pedal operated just like a professional real, the sculpting tools are very good too.
1. It’s very quiet to run unlike some pottery wheels
2. You can work with large projects (up to 5 lbs.) with ease
3. The motor is built to last and shouldn’t erode over time
1. The splash tray can be awkward to fit properly and it must be fit properly
2. It’s not as high a platform as it could be, we just put ours on top of something else
3. It could be a little wider then it would be one of the best potter wheels for any application
CO-Z 10 inches Pottery Wheel Machine
This kit also includes tools to work with and an excellent pottery wheel and yes, once again, you’ll need to buy clay and coloring, etc. separately.
The only minor gripe that we have is the paint pots are a bit small and it sometimes it feels more like a pottery wheel for kids than for adults.
This is a little wider than the SEAAN model which leaves it a little more forgiving when it comes to accurate pottery throwing.
1. It’s wide enough for full studio use
2. There’s a foot pedal which makes operation super easy
3. It comes with sculpting tools in the box
1. The motor is a little underpowered and you may need to work harder than you should
2. The splash pan is easy to put together but not so easy to take apart again
3. You can’t remove the legs and flatten this setup down for storage
Insnug Pottery Wheel Art Craft Kit
OK, this one’s really aimed at older children rather than younger kids but we think it’s the ideal trial of pottery, if you’re trying not to spend much money.
You’ve got a wheel, clay (which is air drying rather than wet clay) and shaping and coloring tools and it’s a lot of fun.
1. Super cheap
2. Ideal for a family learning pottery
3. Very safe and a lot of fun to use
1. This is not built to last, don’t expect it to be something you gift to your grandchildren
2. You need batteries to make the wheel move
3. It takes up to 2 days (48 hours) for the clay to dry
Pottery Wheel Studio for Beginners
This is a nicely made pottery studio which is clearly aimed at kids but is also fine for an adult looking to dip their toe in the water without spending too much money.
It includes a nice wheel, foot pedal, all the cutting tools you need, some clay, colors, sponges, spray bottle and more.
1. Comes with a 100% money back guarantee, if you’re not happy send it back
2. Comes with all you need to get started and make your first piece
3. Anyone can master this on their first go
1. If you want to try more adventurous pieces, this won’t be enough and will need replacing
2. It’s not built to last forever though we think you’d get a year or so’s casual use out of it
3. The clay supplied isn’t great, and you may want to buy better quality clay
Arteza Polymer Clay Kit, Modeling Clay Oven Bake for Adults and Teens
If you don’t feel ready to get behind a potter’s wheel, this kit contains everything you need to sculpt but not to throw clay.
It’s full of rich colors, excellent quality sculpting tools and additional decorations for your pieces and the clay is bake dry.
1. Very easy to use because there’s no wheel
2. They offer a 100% guarantee on the clay and will replace anything you’re not happy with
3. 100% non-toxic and you can use it in your oven
1. No wheel means a limited amount of things you can do
2. The finished clay is a bit soft, it’s very easy to mark
3. The clay needs cooking for about 30 minutes longer than the instructions suggest for the best finish
Final Thoughts
If you’ve decided to join your favorite celebrities in doing pottery, these pottery kits offer a wide range of ways to get into the hobby and there’s something for every budget too.
If pottery’s not for you, you might want to learn how to dye clothes, how to weave a basket or even just browse these great online craft shwops for ideas.