A mop brush is a large, soft, rounded brush with a full head of hair. In pottery it is the go-to brush for brushing glaze, because it carries a lot of liquid and lets you dab on an even coat without dragging lines through the layer below. For most home potters the Silver Brush Silver Mop round is the best mop brush, with the cheap Chinese Clay Art mop as a budget backup. Below we compare seven pottery brushes from maker pages and US dealer listings. This is a research-based comparison: we did not glaze with these brushes ourselves.
If you are new to glazing, read our how to glaze pottery guide first, then our brushing glaze page for the technique itself.
Quick picks
- Best mop brush overall: Silver Brush Silver Mop round 5518S (soft, very high glaze capacity, five sizes)
- Best budget mop brush: Chinese Clay Art mop brush (classroom staple for under $3)
- Best oval glaze mop: Mayco CB-434 3/4 in Oval (thin wash coats over dried glaze)
- Best fan brush: Mayco CB-604 #4 Soft Fan (blends glaze and smooths drips)
- Best hake brush: Yasutomo Hake (wide, soft, stitched head for plates and tiles)
- Best detail brush: Mayco CB-106 #6 Script Liner (long lines and underglaze work)
- Best stiff glaze brush: Mayco BB-110 1 in Basic Glaze (firmer bristles for thick glaze)
Pottery brushes compared
| Brush | Shape and size | Hair | Best job | Typical price band | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Brush Silver Mop 5518S | Round mop, sizes 10 to 20 | Goat hair (maker); synthetic (Blick) | Glazing bowls and mugs | $10 to $42 by size | Check price |
| Chinese Clay Art mop | Round mop, S, M, L | Not published | Budget glaze and slip | $1 to $3 | Check price |
| Mayco CB-434 | 3/4 in oval | Taklon and natural blend | Wash coats, blending | $11 to $14 | Check price |
| Mayco CB-604 | #4 soft fan | Taklon and natural blend | Large areas, smoothing | $7 to $9 | Check price |
| Yasutomo Hake | Flat, 1 to 5 1/2 in wide | Goat and synthetic blend | Plates, tiles, slip | $4 to $22 by width | Check price |
| Mayco CB-106 | #6 script liner | Taklon and natural blend | Lines, lettering | $9 to $11 | Check price |
| Mayco BB-110 | 1 in flat | Taklon and natural blend, stiffer | Thick glaze, broad coats | $5 to $7 | Check price |
Price bands are what we saw at maker stores and US dealers in October 2026. Check the live price before you buy.
1. Silver Brush Silver Mop round 5518S: best mop brush overall
Silver Brush makes its Silver Mop for watercolor and other paints, but the same traits make it a strong glaze mop: a big, soft round head that holds a lot of liquid and lets you lay on glaze with a light dab. Silver Brush says round mops are the tools to use when covering large areas with color because of how much color they hold, and that is exactly the job when you glaze the outside of a mug or the inside of a bowl.
The round comes in sizes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20 with a short lacquered handle and a nickel-plated brass ferrule. A size 12 or 14 suits mugs and small bowls; size 20 is for big platters. Silver Brush also makes an oval version (5519S) with a flatter head.
Source conflict on hair: Silver Brush's own page describes ultrasoft goat hair, while Blick lists the line as "White Synthetic Goat" with a synthetic filament. Check the live listing if natural hair matters to you.
- Shape: round mop (oval version 5519S also sold)
- Sizes: 10, 12, 14, 16, 20
- Hair: goat hair (maker); synthetic goat (Blick listing)
- Handle and ferrule: short lacquered handle, nickel-plated brass ferrule
- Care (maker): clean right after use, never leave standing in water, dry flat
Pros
- Very high glaze capacity
- Soft tip leaves few brush marks
- Five sizes
Cons
- Large sizes cost far more than a budget mop
- Sold as a paint brush, not a ceramics line
Who should skip it: classroom buyers who need dozens of brushes. The Chinese Clay Art mop costs a fraction as much.
2. Chinese Clay Art mop brush: best budget mop brush
The Ceramic Shop sells Chinese Clay Art mop brushes in small, medium (item B108-6) and large (item B108-9) for a dollar or two each. The listing calls them durable, sturdy, multi-purpose brushes with a thick, full head that holds a lot of liquid, for applying glazes, underglazes and slips. They are a classroom staple for a reason: you can own several and keep one for each glaze color.
The listing does not say what hair they use, and you should expect a few loose hairs in the first coats. For the price, that is a fair trade, and many potters keep cheap mops just for slip and wax so their good brush stays clean.
- Shape: round mop
- Sizes: small, medium (B108-6), large (B108-9)
- Hair: not published
- Uses (dealer): glazes, underglazes, slips
Pros
- Very low price band
- Holds plenty of glaze
- Buy one per color
Cons
- Hair type and exact size not published
- May shed
Who should skip it: potters who want the smoothest possible coat on a show piece. A Silver Mop or Mayco oval sheds less.
3. Mayco CB-434 3/4 in Oval: best oval glaze mop
Mayco's Perfect Touch oval brushes sit between a mop and a flat brush: a rounded, domed head that covers broad areas but gives a cleaner edge than a round mop. Mayco says the CB-434 excels at wash effects, which means applying thinner coats of glaze over existing dried layers, a common step when you layer glazes.
The hair is Mayco's blend of Taklon and natural hair, set in a triple-crimped, nickel-plated brass ferrule on a kiln-dried birch handle with five hand-dipped coats of lacquer and sealer. Mayco lists the country of origin as the US. A smaller 1/2 in oval (CB-425) is also sold.
- Shape: 3/4 in oval
- Hair: Taklon and natural blend
- Handle: kiln-dried birch, five lacquer and sealer coats
- Ferrule: triple-crimped, nickel-plated brass
- Made in: US (maker)
Pros
- Clean edge for glaze bands
- Made for ceramics
- Moisture-resistant handle
Cons
- Holds less glaze than a large round mop
- Pricier than a budget mop
Who should skip it: potters who only dip glaze and use a brush for touch-ups. A small round or liner is enough.
4. Mayco CB-604 #4 Soft Fan: best fan brush
Mayco calls the CB-604 its secret weapon for glazing large areas. The soft, loose hairs blend glazes, smooth out drips and soften edges, and Mayco recommends it for specialty glazes such as crystal glazes. A fan holds a surprising amount of glaze across its spread, so you cover more surface per stroke than with a round of the same price.
It uses the same Taklon and natural blend, birch handle and brass ferrule as the other Perfect Touch brushes, and is made in the US. Mayco also sells a #2 and #8 soft fan, plus a #4 Glaze Fan (CB-624) at a higher price.
- Shape: #4 soft fan
- Hair: Taklon and natural blend
- Handle: kiln-dried birch, lacquered
- Other sizes: #2 (CB-602), #8 (CB-618)
- Made in: US (maker)
Pros
- Covers big areas fast
- Good for blending and smoothing drips
- Low price band
Cons
- Not for fine detail
- Loose hairs splay if stored upright wet
Who should skip it: potters who glaze mostly by dipping. You may never need a fan. For crystal glaze work, see our crystalline glaze page.
5. Yasutomo Hake: best hake brush
A hake brush is a wide, flat, very soft brush from the Japanese painting tradition. In pottery it is the brush for flat surfaces: plates, tiles and slab work, plus broad coats of slip or terra sigillata. Blick describes Yasutomo's hake as a super-soft blend of goat hair and synthetic hair, hand stitched into a one-piece split handle, and says it is well suited for ceramic art.
Widths run from 1 in to 5 1/2 in (1, 1 1/2, 1 7/8, 2 1/2, 3 1/4, 3 7/8 and 5 1/2 in at Blick). Yasutomo also makes a flat hake with sheep hair and a metal ferrule, which Blick lists as excellent for applying glazes. A 1 1/2 in or 2 1/2 in width suits most home potters.
- Shape: flat hake, stitched head
- Widths: 1 to 5 1/2 in
- Hair: goat and synthetic blend
- Handle: one-piece split wood handle
Pros
- Wide, soft stroke for flat ware
- Many widths
- Low price band in small sizes
Cons
- Sheds hair when new
- Too wide for the inside of mugs
Who should skip it: potters who throw mostly mugs and small bowls. A round mop reaches inside curves better.
6. Mayco CB-106 #6 Script Liner: best detail brush
Mayco says liners are the best choice for precise glaze placement and give maximum control for delicate lines. A script liner has long hair that holds enough color to draw a long, even line, which is what you want for rim bands, lettering and outlines in underglaze. It is also handy for touching up wax resist on a foot.
The CB-106 uses the same Taklon and natural blend, birch handle and brass ferrule as the other Perfect Touch brushes. Mayco also makes finer options down to a #20/0 detail spotter for dots and tiny work.
- Shape: #6 script liner
- Hair: Taklon and natural blend
- Handle: kiln-dried birch, lacquered
- Made in: US (maker)
Pros
- Long, steady lines
- Good with underglaze
- Ceramics-specific
Cons
- Useless for coverage
- Needs gentle cleaning to keep its point
Who should skip it: anyone who does not decorate. For underglaze work, read how to use underglaze and our best underglazes guide.
7. Mayco BB-110 1 in Basic Glaze: best stiff glaze brush
Mayco describes its basic glaze brushes as made for broad-area coverage with stiffer bristles than its soft fans and mops. A firmer brush moves thick, heavy glazes that a soft mop just smears, and it also works for stirring settled glaze in a small jar and for applying wax resist.
The BB-110 is 1 in wide with a Taklon and natural blend, a lacquered birch handle and a brass ferrule. It is made in the US and is the cheapest Mayco brush in this list.
- Shape: 1 in flat
- Hair: Taklon and natural blend, stiffer than fans and mops
- Handle: kiln-dried birch, lacquered
- Made in: US (maker)
Pros
- Moves thick glaze
- Doubles as a wax brush
- Low price band
Cons
- Leaves more visible strokes than a soft mop
- Not for blending
Who should skip it: potters who want a smooth, streak-free coat. A soft mop or oval does that better. For wax brushes, see our wax resist guide.
How to choose pottery brushes
You do not need a big brush set. Most home potters cover everything with three or four glaze brushes: one mop for coverage, one wide flat or hake for flat ware, one fan for blending, and one liner for detail.
Mop brush vs round brush
A mop brush has a fat, domed head with lots of loose hair, so it holds a big load and puts it down softly. A standard round brush is slimmer with a firmer point, so it holds less glaze but gives more control at edges. For coverage use a mop; for edges and small areas use a round.
Hake brush and wide flats
A hake brush lays down wide, flat strokes and is the easiest way to coat a plate or tile evenly. A stitched hake is softer; a ferrule hake is a little firmer and sheds less. On tall forms, a hake is awkward; switch to a mop.
Natural, synthetic or blended hair
Natural hair (goat, sheep, squirrel) holds more liquid and leaves softer strokes. Synthetic hair (often Taklon) springs back and lasts longer in abrasive glazes. Mayco's ceramic brushes blend the two. For most home potters a blend or soft goat is a safe choice.
Size for the job
Match the brush to the area you cover. A mop around 3/4 in to 1 in across suits mugs and cereal bowls. Platters and tiles go faster with a 2 in hake or larger. Detail work needs a liner or small round. Bigger brushes mean fewer strokes, and fewer strokes mean fewer lines in the glaze.
Separate brushes for each material
Keep one set for glaze, one for underglaze, and a cheap one for wax resist, which ruins a good brush. Labeling handles with tape stops cross-contamination between colors.
Brush technique in brief
Load the brush fully and dab or flow glaze on instead of scrubbing back and forth, which lifts the coat underneath. Let each coat dry before the next. For coat counts and thickness, follow the glaze maker's label and our glazing guide.
Glaze brush care and safety
Rinse brushes in a bucket of water right after use, not under the tap, so glaze and clay do not go down your drain. Silver Brush advises never leaving a brush standing in water and drying it flat so water does not seep into the ferrule. Reshape the head with your fingers and store brushes flat or hair up once dry.
Glaze safety: read the maker's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every glaze you use. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator when you mix dry glaze materials, wipe spills with a damp sponge, and never dry sweep glaze or clay dust, which contains silica. See our clay dust safety guide. A brush does not make a glaze food safe: follow the maker's label, fire to the stated cone and test, as our food safe glaze page explains.
Sources: Silver Brush product page for Silver Mop round 5518S; Mayco product pages for CB-434 3/4 in Oval, CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, CB-624 #4 Glaze Fan, CB-106 #6 Script Liner, BB-110 1 in Basic Glaze and the Mayco glaze brush catalog; dealer listings at Blick (Silver Brush Silver Mop 5519S, Yasutomo Hake, Yasutomo Flat Hake, ceramic and glazing brush category) and The Ceramic Shop (Chinese Clay Art mop brushes B108-6 and B108-9). Specs checked October 2026.