A cone 10 glaze is a high fire glaze made to mature at about 2,345°F (1,285°C), the Orton cone 10 figure at a 108°F per hour finish. Most cone 10 glazes were developed for gas kilns firing in reduction, where the flame starves the kiln of oxygen and changes copper and iron colors. You can also fire many of them in an electric kiln rated for cone 10, but the colors will be the oxidation versions. That split decides which cone 10 glaze is best for you. Below we compare six high fire glazes using the makers' own pages, then cover cone 10 underglaze. This is a research-based guide: we compared maker pages, maker guidelines and dealer listings; we did not fire these glazes ourselves.
If you are still deciding between mid-fire and high fire, read cone 6 vs cone 10 first; for the cone numbers themselves, see the pottery cone chart. Mid-fire picks are in our cone 6 glazes guide.
Quick picks
- Best overall (works at cone 6 and cone 10): Mayco Stoneware SW-122 Maycoshino (Mayco publishes cone 6 oxidation and cone 10 reduction results)
- Best cone 10 celadon: Seattle Pottery Supply SP105 Celadon (cone 8 to 10, "lead free and safe for dinnerware" per the maker)
- Best for gas reduction: Seattle Pottery Supply SP110 Copper Red (red in reduction, electric blue in oxidation)
- Best color shift for electric and gas: Mayco Stoneware SW-129 Copper Float (rusty red at cone 5 to 6, warm brown at cone 10)
- Best dark glaze for electric cone 10: Seattle Pottery Supply SP121 Oil Spot Brown/Black (shown in oxidation)
- Best liquid cone 10 line: Spectrum 1200 Series (29 colors, cone 9 to 10 only, pints and gallons)
Cone 10 glazes compared
| Glaze | Cone (maker) | Atmosphere shown | Form | Maker food label | Price band | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayco SW-122 Maycoshino | Cone 6 ox, cone 10 reduction | Oxidation and reduction | Pint; 10 lb dry | Dinnerware Safe | $15 to $20 a pint | Check price |
| Seattle Pottery Supply SP105 Celadon | 8 to 10 | Reduction and oxidation photos | Dry, 1 to 25 lb | "Lead free and safe for dinnerware" | $6 to $9 a lb (small bags) | Check price |
| Seattle Pottery Supply SP110 Copper Red | 8 to 10 | Red in reduction, blue in oxidation | Dry, 1 to 50 lb | Not published | $8 to $10 a lb (small bags) | Check price |
| Mayco SW-129 Copper Float | Cone 5/6 and cone 10 | Oxidation and reduction | Pint; 10 lb dry | Dinnerware Safe | $13 to $15 a pint | Check price |
| Seattle Pottery Supply SP121 Oil Spot | 8 to 10 | Oxidation | Dry, 1 to 50 lb | Not published | $6 to $9 a lb (small bags) | Check price |
| Spectrum 1200 Series (1210 White) | 9 to 10 only | Not published | Pint and gallon | Not published | $13 to $75 (pint to gallon) | Check price |
Price bands are what we saw on maker stores and at Krueger Pottery in October 2026. Several cone 10 glazes were out of stock or on back order when we checked, so check the live price and availability before you plan a firing around one.
Oxidation or reduction: read this before you buy
Laguna's guidelines for using its glazes put the difference simply. Most stoneware glazes can be fired in oxidation, which gives more controlled, stable results. Most cone 10 glazes, though, are meant to be enhanced by reduction, which can spot the surface as metals react with carbon in the kiln and gives warmer colors. Seattle's Copper Red shows how big the gap can be: vibrant red in reduction, glossy electric blue in oxidation.
So start every choice with your kiln. A gas kiln opens up reds, shinos and iron celadons. An electric kiln can reach cone 10 if the maker rates it for that, but you will get the oxidation colors, so pick glazes whose makers show oxidation results. Our gas kiln vs electric kiln guide covers the trade-offs, including venting and permits.
1. Mayco Stoneware SW-122 Maycoshino: best overall cone 10 glaze
Maycoshino is the most flexible glaze in this guide because Mayco publishes it at cone 6 oxidation and cone 10 reduction, with cone 5 test images as well. If you fire mid-fire in an electric kiln at home and cone 10 in a gas kiln at a community studio, one jar covers both. At cone 10 reduction Mayco says the color darkens to gray and brown.
The coat count is unusually well documented. Mayco says one coat fires a solid, opaque reddish brown; two coats give a cream, tan and buff finish that breaks brown over texture; and three coats give waves of cream and tan over a reddish brown base. Thin areas show rich iron browns, thick areas lighter, creamy hues in the style of a traditional shino. That lets you plan the look by counting coats, which is rare for a shino.
The product page shows Mayco's Dinnerware Safe label and the ACMI seal, and Mayco says it works on any surface and any color clay body, while noting that clay, thickness and firing all change the result.
- Cone: cone 6 oxidation; cone 10 reduction (Mayco)
- Coats: one, two or three, each with a different published look
- Look at cone 10 reduction: darker gray and brown
- Labels: Dinnerware Safe; ACMI seal
- Sizes: SW-122 pint; SD-122 10 lb dry
Pros
- Published results at both cones
- Clear coat-by-coat guide
- Dinnerware-safe label
Cons
- Cone 10 color is darker and grayer than the cone 6 photos
- No gallon size listed
Who should skip it: potters who want a bright or glossy high fire color. Maycoshino stays in the earthy brown and cream range.
2. Seattle Pottery Supply SP105 Celadon: best cone 10 celadon
Celadon is the glaze cone 10 is famous for: a pale, glassy green that pools in carving. Seattle Pottery Supply makes SP105 Celadon in small batches and rates it for cone 8 to 10 on high-fire clay. Its product images are labeled for both reduction and oxidation firing. It is also the only cone 10 glaze in this guide whose maker page states in words that it is "lead free and safe for dinnerware".
Seattle gives full application steps. Apply to bisque fired to cone 08 to 06. For brushing, put on three coats, alternating brush direction each time, and let each coat dry until it loses its sheen but not so long that it over-dries, which can cause crawling. For dipping, one dip is recommended; a second is possible, but more can cause running. If the glaze is thick, mix again and add water sparingly; if it is thin, leave the container open so some moisture evaporates.
It is sold dry, from 1 lb to 25 lb bags, which keeps the cost per pot low. When we checked, it was out of stock with back orders taken. A 1 lb bag is a cheap way to fire test tiles before you order more.
- Cone: 8 to 10, on high-fire clay only
- Atmosphere: images labeled reduction and oxidation
- Coats: three brushed coats, or one dip
- Food label: "Lead free and safe for dinnerware" (maker)
- Sizes: dry, 1, 5, 10 and 25 lb
Pros
- Classic high fire celadon
- Written dinnerware statement
- Low cost per pound in dry bags
Cons
- Sold mainly by one dealer and maker
- Back-ordered when we checked
Who should skip it: potters who only fire to cone 6. It needs cone 8 to 10 and high-fire clay.
3. Seattle Pottery Supply SP110 Copper Red: best for gas reduction
Copper reds are the clearest case for owning, or renting time in, a gas kiln. Seattle Pottery Supply describes SP110 Copper Red in reduction as a semi-opaque, glossy, vibrant red that breaks brown. In oxidation, the same glaze fires a glossy electric blue that breaks blue with light crackling. That is not a fault; copper simply gives different colors with and without oxygen.
So this pick has a simple rule. Buy it for red only if your cone 10 firing is a reduction firing in a gas kiln. If you fire electric, buy it only if you want that electric blue. The rating is cone 8 to 10, on high-fire clay, with bisque at cone 08 to 06. Application follows Seattle's standard steps: three brushed coats in alternating directions, letting each lose its sheen, or one dip, because extra layers can run.
The maker page gives no food safety statement for this glaze, so treat it as a decorative surface until you have tested it. It is sold dry in 1 to 50 lb bags, and the page showed mixed stock messages when we checked, so confirm with the dealer before ordering.
- Cone: 8 to 10, high-fire clay only
- Reduction look: glossy vibrant red, breaking brown
- Oxidation look: glossy electric blue with light crackle
- Coats: three brushed, or one dip
- Food label: not published by the maker
Pros
- True reduction red
- Two distinct looks from one glaze
- Dry bags from 1 lb
Cons
- Red only in reduction
- No food-safety statement
- Stock status unclear
Who should skip it: electric kiln owners who want red. You will get blue.
4. Mayco Stoneware SW-129 Copper Float: best color shift for electric and gas
Copper Float is another Mayco Stoneware glaze with published results at cone 5/6 oxidation and cone 10 reduction, but here the two cones look very different, and Mayco says so. At cone 5 to 6 it is a satin matte mix of reds, coppers and gunmetal blacks, with a dark rusty red on top. At cone 10 the finish flattens and the color shifts to a warm brown with some copper mottling.
That shift makes it useful in two ways. Electric kiln potters get a copper-toned glaze without needing reduction. Gas kiln potters get a reliable warm brown with movement. Mayco's coat guidance is clear: one coat lets the clay body show through, two to three coats deepen the color, one coat leans dark green, more coats add green, and the thickest applications go metallic red.
The page shows the Dinnerware Safe label and the ACMI seal. Mayco adds that wood and soda firing results will vary, so do not expect the photos if you fire atmospheric kilns.
- Cone: cone 5/6 and cone 10 (Mayco)
- Cone 5 to 6 look: satin matte, rusty red with copper and gunmetal
- Cone 10 look: flatter warm brown with copper mottling
- Labels: Dinnerware Safe; ACMI seal
- Sizes: SW-129 pint; SD-129 10 lb dry
Pros
- Works across cones and kilns
- Detailed coat guidance
- Low pint price band
Cons
- Cone 10 result is much plainer than cone 6
- Varies in wood and soda kilns
Who should skip it: potters who want the bright copper reds in the cone 6 photos at cone 10. Mayco says it turns brown.
5. Seattle Pottery Supply SP121 Oil Spot Brown/Black: best dark glaze for electric cone 10
Electric kiln potters who fire to cone 10 often struggle to find glazes that are shown in oxidation. SP121 Oil Spot Brown/Black is one: Seattle Pottery Supply's photo shows it on porcelain in oxidation, and it describes a deep black glaze that breaks to tan where it has light oil spotting. It is rated for cone 8 to 10.
A deep iron black with a tan break is the high fire family that includes temmoku, and it is a natural partner for celadons and whites on the same table. If that look appeals, our temmoku glaze guide covers the style and electric-kiln alternatives. Seattle's application steps match its other high fire glazes: bisque to cone 08 to 06; three brushed coats in alternating directions; or one dip, with the warning that more layers can run. Do not over-dry between coats, or the glaze may crawl.
The maker page gives no food safety statement, and the glaze was out of stock with back orders by phone when we checked. It is sold dry from 1 lb to 50 lb.
- Cone: 8 to 10
- Atmosphere shown: oxidation, on porcelain
- Look: deep black breaking tan, light oil spotting
- Coats: three brushed, or one dip
- Food label: not published by the maker
Pros
- Shown in oxidation, so it suits electric cone 10
- Classic dark break
- Low cost per pound
Cons
- No food-safety statement
- Out of stock when we checked
Who should skip it: potters who need a labeled liner glaze for mugs and bowls. Use SP105 Celadon or Maycoshino inside instead.
6. Spectrum 1200 Series: best liquid cone 10 line
Most cone 10 glazes are sold dry for dipping. Spectrum's 1200 Series is the exception in this guide: a brushing line in pints and gallons, listed by Spectrum under High Fire Glazes Cone 9/10, with 29 colors when we checked. Clay-King's Spectrum page adds that the series fires to cone 9/10 only. Colors run from 1200 Transparent, 1210 White and 1209 Black to textured glazes such as 1221 Texture Oatmeal and lava glazes such as 1263 Blue Lava.
For a home potter who fires cone 10 occasionally, liquid glaze is easier: no mixing powder, no dust, and a pint is enough for many test tiles. 1210 White is a practical first jar because a white base shows how your kiln and clay behave and pairs with any other color.
Spectrum's own product pages for 1200 Transparent and 1210 White publish no description, atmosphere, coat count or food safety statement. We list those as not published by the maker. Ask your dealer for the current Spectrum color chart before you buy.
- Cone: 9 to 10 only (Spectrum, Clay-King)
- Colors: 29 in the series
- Form: liquid, pint and gallon
- Atmosphere and coats: not published by the maker
- Food label: not published by the maker
Pros
- Liquid brushing glaze at cone 10
- Wide color range
- Small sizes for testing
Cons
- Very little data on the maker pages
- Cone 9 to 10 only
Who should skip it: anyone who wants a maker-labeled food-safe glaze. Spectrum does not state one for this series on the pages we checked.
High fire glazes cone 10: other lines worth knowing
Laguna dry cone 10 glazes. Laguna's Glaze ^10 collection lists 59 high fire glazes, all dry, with names such as LG-1 Timoku, LG-16 Dinnerware White, LG-27 Lucid Clear and LG-28 Modern Matte. The product page we checked lists compatible Laguna clays but no atmosphere, coats or food statement, and every color on the first page was sold out in October 2026.
AMACO Potter's Choice at cone 10. AMACO rates Potter's Choice for cone 5 to 6, but its product guide says the glazes remain stable beyond cone 6 and points to cone 10 examples on its website. Treat that as a starting point for your own tests, not a cone 10 rating.
More Mayco Stoneware. Black Walnut and Galaxy also carry Mayco's cone 10 reduction results; both are covered in our cone 6 guide.
Seattle Pottery Supply SP123 Shino. Rated cone 8 to 10, semi-opaque white with light crackle in oxidation, breaking orange in reduction, sold dry. No food statement on the page.
Cone 10 underglaze
Not every underglaze survives cone 10; some pigments burn out. Coyote's High Fire Underglaze is designed, in Coyote's words, to be bright and true from cone five to cone ten, with 30 colors on its grid in 4 oz jars, pints and gallons. Coyote does not publish a coat count or a food statement on that page. AMACO rates its Velvet underglazes for cone 05 to 10, but says colors are most vibrant between cone 05 and 5 and that some pigments may burn out at higher temperatures. Mayco shows Fundamentals underglaze chips at cone 10 reduction. For single underglaze picks and how they compare, see our best underglazes guide; for sets, see underglaze sets.
How to choose a high fire glaze
Check that your kiln is rated for cone 10
Look up your kiln's maximum on the maker's spec sheet, not the dealer's headline. Many home electric kilns stop at cone 6, and a kiln rated to 2,350°F reaches cone 10 with little margin, as our cone chart explains. Skutt, for example, rates its 240V KM-818 for cone 10 at 2,350°F. Full-size cone 10 electric kilns usually run on 240V circuits; use the volts, amps, breaker and plug on the maker's spec plate and have a licensed electrician check or install the circuit. Our best electric kilns guide compares models by rating.
Pick glazes for your atmosphere
For gas reduction, choose glazes whose makers show reduction results: copper reds, iron celadons, shinos. For electric oxidation, choose glazes shown in oxidation, such as SP121 Oil Spot or Maycoshino's oxidation tests. A gas kiln also brings its own safety work: follow the kiln maker's instructions, your local fire code and propane safety rules, and never build or modify burners yourself.
Match the clay
Seattle Pottery Supply says to use its high fire glazes only on high-fire clay. A cone 10 glaze on a cone 6 clay body risks bloating or slumping the clay; a cone 10 glaze fired only to cone 6 will not mature.
Dry or liquid
Most cone 10 glazes are sold dry (Laguna, Seattle Pottery Supply, Mayco's 10 lb dry versions). Dry is cheaper per pot and suits dipping, but you mix it yourself. Liquid pints (Spectrum 1200, Mayco Stoneware) cost more per pot and are easier for testing and brushing.
Follow the maker's coats, then test
Seattle says three brushed coats or one dip. Mayco ties each coat count to a look. Fire a test tile of each glaze, with a witness cone, before you glaze a full kiln load, and read glaze firing for loading and cooling.
Food safety: we cannot promise any glaze is food safe on your pots. Of the glazes here, Mayco labels Maycoshino and Copper Float Dinnerware Safe and Seattle says SP105 Celadon is safe for dinnerware; the others publish no statement. Labels assume the stated cone, atmosphere and application, so test functional ware yourself. See our food safe glaze guide.
Safety with dry glaze
Dry glaze contains crystalline silica; Laguna and Seattle both carry Prop 65 warnings for it. Mix with a NIOSH-approved respirator on, wet clean the area, never dry sweep, and read the maker's SDS before you start.
Sources: Mayco product pages for SW-122 Maycoshino, SW-129 Copper Float, SW-104 Black Walnut and SW-156 Galaxy; Seattle Pottery Supply product pages for SP105 Celadon, SP110 Copper Red, SP121 Oil Spot Brown/Black and SP123 Shino; Spectrum Glazes High Fire Glazes Cone 9/10 and 1200 Series pages, 1200 Transparent and 1210 White product pages; Clay-King Spectrum 1200 Series page; Laguna Clay Glaze ^10 collection, LG-16 Dinnerware White page and "Guidelines for Using Laguna Glazes"; AMACO Potter's Choice product guide; AMACO Velvet Underglaze product page; Coyote High Fire Underglaze page; Mayco Fundamentals fired color page; Krueger Pottery Mayco listings (price bands); Orton cone values as published in our cone chart. Specs checked October 2026.