Sculpd vs Potted Pottery Kit: Two Beginner Clay Kits Compared

Introduction

At-home pottery kits have quietly become one of the most popular beginner craft products online, and two names keep coming up: Sculpd and Potted. Both are beginner-friendly clay kits aimed at people who want to unwind at home, make something with their hands, and end up with a few small handmade pieces without ever touching a kiln.

After using both kits and putting their clay to the test, the conclusion is clear: these two kits are far more alike than they are different, and the right choice mostly comes down to budget versus clay feel.

Why These Two Kits Look So Similar

It is worth knowing the backstory before you buy. The two boxes are almost the same size and shape, with the same flap-style packaging, similar branding style, and product contents that look remarkably close down to the shape of the bottles and bags. Even the product photography is similar, with both brands using pastel paints, elevated boxes, and small pots holding plants.

The kits also launched around the same time. Sculpd was founded in April 2020 in London at the start of the first lockdown by three co-founders who wanted to build an experience-based company for people stuck at home. Potted was founded in 2021 by a couple in the UK who, after spending too much of 2020 in front of screens, wanted to help people reconnect with their creative side. Potted also works with a London-based charity to host affordable creative events across the city.

Both brands are clearly successful on social media as well. Potted has around 185,000 followers on Instagram and Sculpd around 337,000, and both post the same kind of satisfying, cutesy clay content that makes pottery look easy, which it really is not.

Inside the Sculpd Kit

Sculpd’s kit is very well packaged, with every item sitting in its own slot rather than rattling around loose. Inside you get bags of air-dry clay, wooden tools, a sponge, an eggshell white base, and a gloss varnish.

The contents are nicely thought out. The paint and varnish containers are 2.4 fluid ounces, which is noticeably larger than the 50ml containers in the Potted kit, so you get more product per bottle. The instruction sheet shows projects like a pinch pot, plant pot, photo stand, trinket dish, incense burner, and draped dish.

One thing to check before buying: the standard Sculpd kit does not include paint. To get the version with the same pastel paint set, you have to pay significantly more, which pushes the kit up to around $65, about $6 more than the equivalent Potted option.

Inside the Potted Kit

The Potted kit costs around $59 and includes paint in the base price, which is the single biggest practical difference between the two brands. You get two bags of clay, two larger brushes, wooden tools, a sponge, and pastel paints.

The instruction sheet shows a pinch pot, vases, a plant pot, a trinket dish, and a coil pot, with clear directions and pictures on either side. The clay bag states that it dries naturally in 24 hours and needs no kiln firing, which makes the whole process genuinely beginner-proof.

The main complaint worth flagging: during use, the included paint was found to peel off the dried clay fairly easily, which was the one real disappointment with this kit.

Clay Comparison: The Biggest Real Difference

When you actually get your hands into both clays, the difference is noticeable. The Sculpd clay is softer and squishier, and it was clearly easier to mold and shape. The Sculpd bag also notes that the air-dry clay can be fired between 1,000 and 1,260 degrees Celsius if you want to take it further.

The Potted clay is a bit firmer, which some people may prefer, but for total beginners the softer Sculpd clay was simply more forgiving. On the paint side, a cheap craft paint was applied over the eggshell white base from the Sculpd kit and it went on beautifully without peeling, which made that base coat a genuine highlight.

Which Kit Should You Buy?

If budget is the deciding factor, Potted is the better deal: it is cheaper and includes paint, giving you more in the box for your money. If you want softer, easier-to-mold clay, a larger varnish and base bottle, and a base coat that does not peel, Sculpd is the one to pick.

It is also worth saying that experienced potters tend to find these kits expensive, because they already know which individual supplies to buy. For beginners with no studio setup, though, both kits are a genuinely good starting point.

Conclusion

Sculpd and Potted are two near-identical beginner pottery kits with one real fork in the road: Potted wins on value because paint is included at a lower price, while Sculpd wins on clay quality and paint performance. Whichever you choose, you end up with a fun, low-pressure way to try pottery at home, and both are easy to recommend for a creative evening in.