Laguna clay is worth buying for most home potters, and B-Mix 5 is the body to start with. Laguna Clay Company makes one of the widest ranges of moist clay in the US, from low fire earthenware to cone 10 porcelain, and its B-Mix family is a standard in many studios. This review is research-based: we compared Laguna's own product pages with dealer listings for cone, shrinkage and absorption. We did not throw or fire the clays. Specs checked October 2026.
Verdict
Buy Laguna B-Mix 5 if you fire to cone 5 and want a smooth throwing clay. Choose B-Mix 5 with Grog if you also hand-build, and Frost if you want a white, translucent cone 6 porcelain. Skip Laguna if you need low fire clay right now: its online store showed every cone 06 body sold out when we checked.
Laguna Clay Company at a glance
Laguna says it started in 1976 on the California coast, with its founder selling pots and clay from the back of a van. A company article on Laguna's site lists facilities in City of Industry, California and Byesville, Ohio, and its About page mentions three locations, including a Florida facility that makes its colored porcelains. Laguna sells direct online in 50 lb steps (50 to 250 lb per order) and through dealers across the US, and it has a brand storefront on Amazon.
Laguna names its bodies with codes: WC numbers for most stoneware and porcelain, EM numbers for low fire clays, and LC numbers for a few newer bodies. Dealers and Amazon listings use the same codes.
Laguna clay bodies compared
All figures are from Laguna's product pages unless noted.
| Body | Code | Cone | Shrinkage | Absorption | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-Mix 5 | WC401 | 5 | 12% | 2.3% | Smooth, porcelain-like |
| B-Mix 5 with Speckles | WC408 | 5 (not past 5) | 12.47% | 2.47% | Smooth, speckled |
| B-Mix 5 with Grog | WC436 | 5 | 11% | 2.75% | Very fine grog |
| Speckled Buff | WC403 | 5 | 12% | 3% | Smooth, low grog |
| Hawaiian Red 2 | WC365 | 5 | 10.5% | 4.5% | Slightly coarse, with sand |
| Azabache Black | LC3 | 5 (not past 5) | 13% | 2.59% | Smooth, black |
| Frost Porcelain | WC437 | 6 | 11% | 0.5% | White, translucent |
| #16 Porcelain | WC617 | 6 (titled ^5) | 13.9% | 0.12% | Very plastic |
| B-Mix 10 | WC379 | 10 | 13% | 1% | Smooth, porcelain-like |
| White ^06 | EM210 | 06 | 5.5% | 17% | Smooth modeling clay |
B-Mix 5 (WC401)
B-Mix 5 is the reason most people search for Laguna. Laguna describes it as a smooth, porcelain-textured cone 5 stoneware that offers the same characteristics as its cone 10 B-Mix. It fires cream in oxidation and lists 2.3% absorption, dense enough for functional ware with a glaze rated for the same cone.
- Cone: 5
- Shrinkage / absorption: 12% / 2.3%
- Fired color: cream (oxidation)
- Price band: about $0.85 per lb at Laguna before shipping
Pros
- Very smooth throwing
- Cream body shows glaze color
- Widely stocked
Cons
- Rated for cone 5 only
- No grog for big hand-built work
Who should skip it: cone 10 studios, who should buy B-Mix 10.
B-Mix 5 with Speckles (WC408) and with Grog (WC436)
The Speckles version adds iron specks for a rustic look while keeping B-Mix's working feel. Laguna warns not to fire it past cone 5, asks for slow drying and good compression on rims and bottoms, and says it is stocked only in California.
The Grog version uses a very fine grog that Laguna says makes it more forgiving, with slight texture and minimal speckling. Laguna lists it for large throwing and large hand-building.
- Speckles (WC408): cone 5; 12.47% shrinkage; 2.47% absorption
- Grog (WC436): cone 5; 11% shrinkage; 2.75% absorption (Blick lists 10.5% and 2.5%)
Pros
- Same B-Mix feel in two useful variations
- Grog version handles slabs and larger forms
Cons
- Speckles has no margin for over-firing
- Grog is slightly rougher on hands
Who should skip it: anyone firing to cone 6 should not buy the Speckles version.
Frost Porcelain (WC437)
Frost is Laguna's best known porcelain. Laguna lists it at cone 6 and calls it exceptionally white and translucent, with 11% shrinkage and 0.5% absorption. It is a good second clay once your throwing is steady; see our porcelain clay guide for handling tips.
- Cone: 6 (The Ceramic Shop lists 5 to 6)
- Shrinkage / absorption: 11% / 0.5%
- Price band: about $1.40 per lb at Laguna before shipping; more at dealers in small quantities
Pros
- Very white and translucent
- Cone 6
Cons
- Soft and less forgiving than stoneware
- Costs more
Who should skip it: beginners who cannot center reliably yet.
B-Mix 10 (WC379)
The original B-Mix is a cone 10 body. Laguna calls it one of the most popular clay bodies in the United States, a cream-white throwing clay that is similar to porcelain but easier to throw. It fires gray-white in reduction and lighter in oxidation.
- Cone: 10
- Shrinkage / absorption: 13% / 1%
- Price band: about $0.78 per lb at Laguna before shipping
Pros
- Very smooth
- Low absorption at cone 10
- Suits gas reduction firing
Cons
- Needs a cone 10 kiln
Who should skip it: anyone with a cone 6 kiln.
Other Laguna bodies worth knowing
Beyond B-Mix and Frost, Laguna's cone 5 range includes bodies for specific looks and methods. These are the ones home potters ask about most, with figures from Laguna's pages where we loaded them.
- Speckled Buff (WC403): a smooth, low-grog cone 5 throwing body that fires tan to brown with specks. Laguna lists 12% shrinkage and 3% absorption.
- #15 Porcelain (WC616): a translucent cone 6 grolleg porcelain for thin pieces, with 14.9% shrinkage and absorption listed at 0.009%.
- Dark and black bodies: Azabache Black (LC3), Dark Horse (LC5), B-3 Brown (WC391) and Smooth Red (WC443) for contrast under light glazes. See dark clay bodies.
- Max's Paper Clay (WC953): a cone 5 paper clay for hand-building and repairs. See paper clay.
- Cone 6 labeled stoneware: L.B. 6 (WC393, ^5-6), 50 ^6 (WC606) and 65 ^6 (WC609) if you want a stoneware labeled for cone 6.
- Low fire: White ^06 (EM210), Laguna ^06 White (EM330), B-Mix ^06 (EM66) and red bodies such as EM207. EM210 lists 5.5% shrinkage and 17% absorption; all were sold out on Laguna's store in October 2026.
Speckled Buff, Hawaiian Red and Azabache Black
These three cone 5 bodies are the Laguna clays people ask about most after B-Mix, because each gives a different fired look without changing kilns.
- Speckled Buff (WC403): cone 5; 12% shrinkage; 3% absorption; tan to brown with specks in oxidation; smooth, with little sand or grog; about $0.75 to $0.80 per lb at Laguna list.
- Hawaiian Red 2 (WC365): cone 5; 10.5% shrinkage; 4.5% absorption; red-brown in oxidation and dark red-brown in reduction; slightly coarse with sand, talc-free; about $0.80 to $0.85 per lb.
- Azabache Black (LC3): cone 5; 13% shrinkage; 2.59% absorption; Laguna calls it a "rich toned black clay" and a "really smooth throwing body for mid-scale work"; about $0.90 to $0.95 per lb.
Speckled Buff is the easy one: it throws like a smooth stoneware and gives a warm, rustic base under pale glazes. Hawaiian Red 2 has the highest absorption of the Laguna cone 5 bodies in our table, so glaze the inside of anything meant to hold liquid; Laguna lists it for wheel throwing, hand-building, tableware, ovenware and tile. Azabache Black has a hard ceiling: Laguna says "Do not fire past Cone 5" because of its color content, so it is not a body for a kiln you push to cone 6. Keep black and red scraps out of your light-colored reclaim bucket, or they will tint it. Our dark clay bodies and speckled clay guides compare similar bodies from other makers.
How to buy Laguna clay
You can buy Laguna clay three ways. Laguna's own store sells moist clay by the pound in 50 lb steps from 50 to 250 lb per online order, with larger orders by phone. US dealers stock popular bodies such as B-Mix 5 and Frost, often in 25 lb or 50 lb boxes, and a local dealer is usually the cheapest route once freight is counted. Amazon carries B-Mix 5, B-Mix 5 with Speckles, B-Mix 5 with Grog, Frost and several other bodies in 5 to 50 lb sizes, which is convenient for a trial but costs more per pound.
Quote the WC or EM code when you order. Several Laguna bodies have similar names, and the code is the only way to be sure you get the cone you want.
Is Laguna clay good value?
On list price, yes. Laguna's cone 5 stoneware bodies run about $0.60 to $1.00 per lb before shipping in October 2026, with B-Mix 5 near $0.85, and its cone 6 porcelains about $1.20 to $1.40 per lb. That is in line with or a little below AMACO's list prices for 50 lb stoneware boxes. The real cost depends on freight, which can add a large share for a single 50 lb box. Check the live price and the delivered total before ordering.
Laguna vs AMACO for beginners
AMACO and Laguna are the two clay brands beginners meet most often. On spec sheets, Laguna B-Mix 5 is the smoother throwing body with a cream fired color, while AMACO No. 46 is the better all-rounder for wheel and hand-building, with lower absorption at cone 5 (1.8% against 2.3%). AMACO publishes fewer figures per body but adds AP safety seals; Laguna publishes more data, including COE and wet color, which helps when you start mixing or testing glazes. AMACO sells mostly 50 lb boxes and 20 lb premium boxes; Laguna sells by the pound in 50 lb steps. Either is a sound first clay if its cone matches your kiln.
Laguna glazes: cone 5 to 6 lines and glaze combos
Laguna is also a glaze maker, and its mid-fire glazes are built to sit on bodies like B-Mix 5. Its mid-fire ^5 glaze collection listed about 150 products in October 2026, grouped into lines including Moroccan Fusion, Moroccan Color, Moroccan Matte, Designer Effects, Versa 5 and a Dry Lake series. NM Clay describes the Moroccan Sand glazes as cone 5 with "gloss, mottled and matt finishes in warm stoneware colors."
Versa 5 is the line to look at if you like layering. Laguna calls it a cone 5 to 6 series of 17 mixable colors with a stiff melt that "preserves texture when layered," and it publishes Versa 5 combinations. For other lines, Laguna sells glaze boards (tiles mounted on a board) for Low Fire, Moroccan Fusion, Moroccan Color, Moroccan Matte and Designer Effects, which show combinations before you buy. Most liquid glazes come in pints, from about $15 to $21 at Laguna list, and many are also sold dry by the pound for dipping and spraying. Laguna's low fire ^06 line and its dry cone 10 glazes (celadons and a Timoku among them) round out the range.
Food safety: Laguna's glaze board page and NM Clay's Moroccan Sand listing describe these glazes as lead free and "safe for use on food and beverage containers" when properly fired. That is the maker's label. Results on your own pots depend on the clay, application, firing to the stated cone and testing, so we cannot promise any glaze is food safe on your work.
For how to choose and apply glazes, see our clay and glazes guide and cone 6 glazes.
Laguna underglazes: Silky Underglaze
Laguna's current underglaze line is Silky Underglaze, the SK series, which replaces its older SIL series. Laguna lists 36 colors and says they are "designed to perform optimally at Cone 06 while maintaining stability and vibrancy at Cone 6, with select colors staying true up to Cone 10." You can apply them to leather-hard clay, bone-dry greenware or cone 04 bisque, by brushing or spraying. They come in 4 oz, pint and gallon sizes, from about $18 for the smallest jar at Laguna list. That cone range means one set of underglazes can cover low fire and mid-fire work, but test the colors you care about at your own cone, since Laguna says only select colors hold to cone 10. Our best underglazes guide compares Silky with AMACO and Mayco lines, and what is underglaze explains how underglaze differs from glaze.
Laguna air-hardening clay for potters without a kiln
If you have no kiln, Laguna makes Mexo-White (WC641) and Mexo-Red (WC640), air-hardening moist clays sold by the pound at about $1.30 per lb at Laguna list, with a 50 lb minimum online. Laguna also sells them as Happy Clay in 450 g packs. Laguna's Mexo-White page says it is "Suitable for throwing, coiling and sculpting," "Air dries quite well," and dries white to light gray. It also says, in capitals, "Do Not Fire!"
That makes Mexo-White an air-dry clay its maker lists for throwing, and Laguna recommends it for large groups, which suits practice and classes. The limits are the usual ones for air-dry clay: Laguna says it "Must be sealed with a commercial water sealant to waterproof," it is decorated with acrylic paint rather than glaze, and it never becomes ceramic, so do not use it for food or drink. Our air-dry clay on a pottery wheel and air-dry clay vs kiln clay guides cover the trade-offs.
Laguna pottery wheels and kilns
Laguna also sells equipment. Its Pacifica wheels are the ones home potters are most likely to consider:
- Pacifica GT 800: 1/2 hp motor; centers up to 100 lb of clay; 13 in cast aluminum wheelhead; 3-position reversing switch; two-piece splash pan and bat pins included; 5-year limited warranty; 105 lb shipping weight; about $2,000 to $2,100 at Laguna list.
- Pacifica GT 400: centers up to 80 lb; 13 in cast aluminum wheelhead; 3-position reversing switch; splash pan; 5-year limited warranty; about $1,700 to $1,800 at Laguna list.
Source note: Laguna's GT 400 product description says "1/6 hp motor," while the same page's summary text says 1/2 hp. Confirm with Laguna or a dealer before you buy. Neither product page lists voltage or plug type; check the Pacifica manual, and have a licensed electrician check the outlet if you are unsure about the circuit.
On kilns, Laguna's store lists gas kilns (the LE-200 series, from 9.2 to 40 cubic feet, priced roughly $17,000 to $45,000) and raku kilns for natural gas or propane (roughly $900 to $4,500), but no electric kilns. The gas kilns are studio and school equipment rather than garage kilns. We did not find an ETL, UL or CSA certification stated on the Laguna or dealer kiln pages we checked, so ask Laguna for certification details. Any gas or propane kiln must be installed and run per the maker's instructions, local fire code and propane safety rules. Most home potters will be better served by an electric kiln; see our best kilns for home pottery, raku kiln and best pottery wheels guides, and our planned Pacifica wheel review.
What Laguna does well
- Full spec pages: every body we checked lists cone, shrinkage, absorption, wet color and COE (thermal expansion), which many brands do not publish.
- Range: Laguna's cone 5 list alone showed at least 24 bodies in October 2026, from B-Mix to dark, red and paper clays.
- Consistent families: the B-Mix variations let you change look or texture without relearning a clay.
- Availability: B-Mix 5 and its variants appear at many US dealers and on Amazon in 5 to 50 lb sizes.
Weak points
- Freight: Laguna's online store sells in 50 lb steps, and moist clay is heavy, so the delivered price can be far above the per-pound list price.
- Stock gaps: Laguna's cone 06 page showed all 15 low fire bodies sold out in October 2026, and WC408 ships only from California.
- Labeling quirks: the #16 porcelain page is titled ^5 but lists cone 6 in its specs. Read the spec field, not only the title.
- Prop 65 warning: Laguna's pages warn of crystalline silica (all clay contains it) and, on some bodies, lithium carbonate. Handle dry clay with dust control.
Who should buy Laguna clay
Buy Laguna if you fire to cone 5 or 6 and want a smooth, well-documented throwing body, if you want to try porcelain at cone 6, or if you fire cone 10 reduction and want B-Mix 10. Skip it if you need low fire clay today or if no dealer near you stocks it and freight would double the cost.
Alternatives
- AMACO No. 46 Buff Stoneware: an all-rounder for wheel and hand-building at cone 5, with 1.8% absorption. See our best clay for pottery guide.
- AMACO No. 16 White Chocolate: a cone 5 to 7 stoneware with 0.3% absorption at cone 6.
- Standard 365 Grolleg Porcelain: a cone 6 porcelain from Standard Clay, sold through dealers.
- AMACO No. 25 White Art Clay: a low fire option while Laguna's EM line is out of stock. See low fire clay.
For a deeper look at the flagship body, see our planned B-Mix 5 review, and our stoneware clay guide for how Laguna compares with other stoneware.
Safety: wet clean clay dust, never dry sweep, and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator when mixing dry clay or glaze materials.
Sources: Laguna Clay product pages for WC401, WC408, WC436, WC403, WC437, WC617, WC379 and EM210; Laguna mid-fire, cone 10 and cone 06 collection pages; Laguna About page and company article (founding, locations); Blick listing for WC436; The Ceramic Shop listings for Frost and #16; Laguna product pages for WC365 Hawaiian Red 2, LC3 Azabache Black and WC641 Mexo-White, and its air dry, mid-fire ^5 glaze, low fire ^06 glaze, high fire ^10 glaze, Versa 5 and Silky Underglaze collection pages and glaze boards page; NM Clay listing for Laguna Moroccan Sand glazes; Laguna product pages for the Pacifica GT 800 and GT 400 wheels and its gas kiln and raku kiln collection pages; The Ceramic Shop listing for the Laguna LE2012 gas kiln. Specs checked October 2026.