The short answerStart with a $15 to $35 air-dry clay kit or one studio class before you buy any wheel. If you still love it, a full-size 350W wheel with a 10 in wheel head costs $150 to $300. Skip the kiln and pay a local studio to fire your pots.
What to buy
Trying clay for the first time
Air-dry clay kit with basic shaping tools
No wheel and no kiln, so you find out if you like clay for the price of a pizza. Pieces aren't waterproof or food-safe, so think trinket dishes and skip the mugs.
$15 to $35
See options on Amazon →Real pots without a wheel
25 lb bag of mid-fire stoneware clay, cone 5 to 6
Hand-build at your kitchen table, then pay a studio to fire it into real, usable pottery. Ask the studio which clay and cone they accept before you buy.
$25 to $50
See options on Amazon →Learning to throw at home
Full-size 350W wheel, 10 in wheel head, foot pedal
Enough power for the 2 to 5 lb of clay that mugs and bowls need. These wheels are louder and jerkier at low speed than studio wheels.
$150 to $300
See options on Amazon →Sticking with it for years
Studio-grade wheel, 1/4 to 1/2 HP
Quiet, smooth, and strong enough to center 20 lb or more without slowing down. It's a lot of money, so buy it after a few months of classes.
$700 to $1,500
See options on Amazon →Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Take a class or a studio membership before buying a wheel. Community studios rent wheel time and fire your pots, usually charging by the piece or by size.
What the numbers mean
- Wheel head size
- The spinning metal plate you throw on. A 10 in head fits mugs and bowls, and the 2.5 to 4 in heads on mini wheels only fit thumb-size pots.
- Motor power
- Budget wheels list watts and studio wheels list horsepower. About 350W is the floor for real throwing, and 1/4 to 1/2 HP handles big pieces without stalling.
- Cone
- The heat rating for clay and glaze. Low-fire cone 06 to 04 is about 1,830 to 1,945°F, and mid-fire cone 5 to 6 is about 2,165 to 2,230°F.
- Kiln power
- Small test kilns plug into a 120V outlet, often on its own 20 amp circuit. Bigger kilns need a 240V circuit like a clothes dryer, and cost $700 to $3,000 or more.
- Reversible direction
- A switch that spins the wheel either way. Left-handed throwers usually want clockwise, so check for it.
What not to pay for
- A mini tabletop wheel as your first real wheel
The $30 to $80 mini wheels are toys for miniatures. The motor stalls when you press, so they can't teach you to center a mug.
- A kiln in year one
Kilns are expensive, need the right wiring and venting, and take practice to run. Most hobby potters use a studio or a firing service.
- Big tool bundles
A basic 8-piece tool set for about $10 covers you for the first year. A sponge, wire cutter, needle tool and wooden rib do most of the work.
Kilns run hotter than 1,800°F and give off fumes, so they need venting, clear space around them, and no kids or pets nearby. Dry clay dust contains silica, which harms lungs over time. Clean up with a wet sponge or mop, and never sweep it dry.
Questions
Can I fire pottery in my kitchen oven?
No. A home oven tops out around 500 to 550°F, and real clay needs 1,800°F or more to turn into ceramic. Oven-bake polymer clay is a different material and is fine in an oven.
Can I make a mug from air-dry clay?
Not one you can drink from. Air-dry clay stays porous and softens with water, and sealers don't make it food-safe. Use it for dishes that hold keys and rings.
What does it cost to have pots fired?
It varies a lot by studio, and many charge a few dollars per piece or by size. Call first, because some only fire clay they sell or approve.
Written by the DIY Project team. We recommend by type and spec, cheapest option that does the job first. How we check
Updated October 3, 2026. Prices are estimates.