Stoneware vs Earthenware vs Porcelain

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The short verdict: for most home potters, stoneware pottery is the right default. Mid-fire stoneware at cone 5–6 is forgiving to throw, fires dense enough for mugs and bowls in an ordinary electric kiln, and every major clay maker offers it. Choose earthenware if your kiln only fires low, or if you want bright colors and terracotta planters. Choose porcelain once you're confident on the wheel and want white, smooth, translucent work.

All three are ceramic pottery: clay hardened by fire. What separates them is the clay they're made from and how hot they're fired. Temperature decides how much the clay vitrifies (turns partly glassy), and that changes absorption, strength, color and how you can use the finished piece.

The figures below come from Digitalfire's reference material and from clay and glaze makers' published data: Mayco, AMACO, Laguna and Standard.

Stoneware pottery vs earthenware vs porcelain: side by side

Absorption figures are single examples from each maker, not ranges for the whole category. Different bodies vary.

The differences, one by one

Firing temperature

This is the root of every other difference.

• Earthenware is fired low. Digitalfire defines it as clay fired at cone 010–04. Mayco puts low-fire bodies between cone 06 (1826°F, 998°C) and cone 04 (1945°F, 1063°C).
• Stoneware is fired hotter. Digitalfire describes it as a high-fired clay, about 1200°C (2192°F) and up. Most hobby stoneware today is mid-fire, which Mayco places at cone 5 (2167°F) to cone 6 (2232°F, 1222°C). Traditional high-fire stoneware goes to cone 10.
• Porcelain is usually fired above about 1180°C (2156°F), which Digitalfire gives as the practical lower limit of feldspar as a flux. Mid-fire porcelains at cone 5–6, such as Laguna's Porcelain Five or Standard's 551, bring it into reach of home electric kilns.

A clay's cone must match your glaze and your kiln. Our bisque firing guide explains the two firings, and our kiln guide covers which kilns reach which cones.

Absorption and vitrification

As clay fires hotter, feldspar melts and glues the particles together, and the body becomes less porous. Digitalfire explains that earthenware lacks the glass development to fill those voids, that stoneware is semi-vitreous ("not translucent and not zero porosity"), and that porcelain goes further.

Makers' numbers show the gap clearly:

• Earthenware: AMACO White Art Clay No. 25 absorbs 13.7% at cone 04. Laguna's B-Mix cone 06 lists 17%.
• Stoneware: Laguna B-Mix 5 lists 2.3% at cone 5. AMACO Buff Stoneware No. 46 lists 1.8% at cone 5.
• Porcelain: Standard 551 V.P. Porcelain lists 0.3% at cone 6. Laguna Porcelain Five lists 0.5%.

Why it matters: Mayco notes that porous, low-fire clay absorbs moisture, and that a porous piece with cracks or surface texture can absorb liquids and be harder to clean as functional ware. That's why most potters make everyday mugs from stoneware or porcelain.

Strength and durability

Digitalfire describes stoneware as dense enough for strong, durable functional ware, and notes that glazed stoneware approaches the strength of porcelain. Porcelain is harder and denser. Earthenware is the softest and chips more easily, though Digitalfire notes it can be much stronger if fired toward the top of its range.

Thermal shock

Here earthenware has the advantage. Porosity lets it absorb sudden temperature changes. Digitalfire describes a terracotta cup surviving 25 seconds under direct flame, against about 10 seconds for typical porcelains and stonewares. This is why terracotta is traditional for some cookware and planters.

That said, Mayco recommends against putting earthenware in the dishwasher, microwave or oven, and says hand washing is best. It says vitrified stoneware may be used in the microwave, dishwasher and oven, but should preheat with the oven to avoid thermal shock.

Color and look

• Earthenware often fires red (terracotta), buff or white, and it pairs with bright low-fire glazes.
• Stoneware fires darker. Digitalfire lists brown, gray, buff and off-white. Speckled stonewares, like Laguna's Speckled Buff, add iron specks.
• Porcelain fires white. Digitalfire notes that well-vitrified porcelain that's low in titanium can be translucent when thin.

White bodies keep glaze colors true. Darker bodies make the same glaze look warmer and moodier. See our glazes for pottery guide for glazes in each range.

Workability on the wheel and in hand-building

• Earthenware is usually very plastic. AMACO calls its White Art Clay "extremely plastic," for example.
• Stoneware is the all-rounder. Digitalfire notes it is more plastic than porcelain, with fewer drying cracks and less warping.
• Porcelain is traditionally less plastic, and Digitalfire notes porcelains tend to warp in firing because they're fired close to their melting point. Throwing it rewards good technique. "Very plastic" porcelains, like Standard's 551, are made to narrow that gap.

If you're still learning to center, start with stoneware. Our wheel throwing guide covers the basics.

Shrinkage

Clays shrink as they dry and fire, and hotter clays shrink more. AMACO's White Art Clay lists 6.3% shrinkage at cone 04. Mid-fire stonewares like B-Mix 5 list about 12%, and porcelains like Standard 551 list 13% at cone 6. Throw porcelain and stoneware a little bigger than the size you want.

Cost of firing

Low-fire earthenware needs less heat, which means shorter firings and less wear on elements. Digitalfire notes stoneware costs much more to fire. Mid-fire at cone 5–6 is the compromise most home potters choose: dense, durable pots without the extreme temperatures of cone 10. A small 120V kiln such as those in our small pottery kiln guide can reach cone 6, though usually with little headroom.

Glazes for each clay

Your clay and your glaze have to mature at the same cone, so choosing a clay also chooses your glaze range.

• Earthenware pairs with low-fire glazes. Mayco lists its Stroke & Coat, Foundations and Jungle Gems lines among the glazes that suit its earthenware bisque. AMACO recommends cone 05 glazes for its White Art Clay.
• Stoneware pairs with mid-fire glazes such as AMACO Potter's Choice, Mayco Stoneware and Coyote, at cone 5–6. Mayco notes that many of its low-fire glazes also work at mid-range on stoneware, and it shows mid-range results on its site.
• Porcelain takes the same mid-fire or high-fire glazes as stoneware of the same cone. Its white body makes colors brighter and celadons especially clear.

Glaze fit matters too. Coyote explains that crazing happens when a glaze shrinks more than the clay as it cools, and shivering when it shrinks less. Both depend on the pairing, not on either material alone, so fire test tiles of your glazes on any new clay. AMACO notes, for example, that some of its high-fire glazes may craze on its No. 38 stoneware at cone 5.

Porcelaneous stoneware: the in-between option

Some clays sit between stoneware and porcelain. Laguna describes its B-Mix 5 as having a smooth, porcelain-like texture while firing cream at cone 5, and calls its speckled version a "porcelaneous stoneware." Standard sells its 563 as a cone 6 porcelaneous stoneware with 2.0% absorption. These bodies give you some of porcelain's smoothness with stoneware's easier throwing. They're a good next step for potters who want a smoother, whiter surface but aren't ready for true porcelain.

How to tell which clay a finished pot is

Look at the unglazed foot. Earthenware is often red or orange and feels slightly chalky. It may darken if you touch it with a wet finger, because it absorbs water. Stoneware is usually gray, buff or brown, feels smooth and dense, and stays dry-looking when wet. Porcelain is white and glassy-smooth, and thin porcelain glows when you hold it up to light.

Which clay should you choose?

Choose earthenware if...

• Your only kiln access fires low (cone 06–04).
• You want bright, saturated glaze colors or majolica-style painting.
• You make planters, decorative pieces or terracotta.
• You want the lowest firing cost.

Choose stoneware if...

• You make everyday mugs, bowls and plates.
• You're a beginner, or your studio fires cone 5–6.
• You want durable, low-absorption ware that suits a dishwasher.
• You like warm, earthy, speckled or toasty surfaces.

B-Mix 5 and most moist stonewares are sold through ceramic dealers. If you want to order stoneware on Amazon, Old Potters lists a 10 lb white stoneware rated cone 6–10. It doesn't publish absorption or shrinkage figures, so fire a test tile first.

Choose porcelain if...

• You already throw comfortably and want a new challenge.
• You want a pure white surface or translucent walls.
• You make fine tableware, cups or lamps where light matters.
• You're happy to accept more warping and more careful drying.

Porcelain throwing clays such as Standard 551 are sold through ceramic dealers. We found no mid-fire porcelain on Amazon whose specs we could verify.

For specific bodies in each category, see our picks for the best clay for pottery wheels and where to buy it.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up cones. A cone 06 clay in a cone 6 glaze firing can slump or melt. A cone 6 clay fired only to cone 06 stays weak and porous.
• Assuming "ceramic" means waterproof. Unglazed, low-fire ware absorbs water.
• Starting with porcelain. It's beautiful and unforgiving. Learn on stoneware.
• Ignoring clay color with glazes. The same glaze looks different on white, buff and red clay. Test on your body.
• Putting earthenware in the dishwasher. Mayco recommends hand washing low-fire ware.

FAQ