Noah’s Box Pottery Starter Kit review

Reviewed by Jenny Bray

I was very impressed with this item when it arrived. It was well presented in a sturdy cardboard box that was packed with all sorts of crafting goodies, including 2 packs of clay, a fabric bag with lots of clay tools, a set of 6 acrylic paints in a box, as well as an additional white paint, a gloss varnish and an instruction leaflet. It would be great as a present, as unwrapping it felt quite exciting.

One of the first things I noticed when unpacking the box was the weight of the clay. It was heavier than I expected. The clay is air dry clay and my children have air dry clay that is very lightweight. It was a bonus for me that this clay was more like traditional clay, which felt more ‘adulty’!

The set arrived with 2 packs of clay, each weighing 1kg. I split one between my three children and used a whole one myself (I know, not very fair but I was as interested in doing it as they were and claimed it was for review purposes!). My youngest kept making things and then squishing it back together as he was undecided what he wanted to end up with. My older 2 made their minds up quite quickly and set to work designing and making their items. I opted to make a plant pot. My youngest’s clay is now back in the bag until he settles on a final design, a little dried out due to multiple kneading but salvageable when he finally makes his mind up what to do with it!

The clay is quite messy, so I’d recommend that you wear old clothes or an apron when using it. However, it’s also easy to clean off. Once we’d made our items we left them to dry for 2 days, to ensure they were fully dry before painting (they advise 24-48 hours, until the clay goes white). Their items seemed to dry quickly, whereas my pot took the full 2 days to feel fully dry.

When dry, we set about painting them and then sealing them with the gloss varnish. My children prefer to use bright colours and as they made most of the items I substituted most of the pastel acrylics for bright acrylic paints (as you can see in the photos).

The set I received, with the pastel paints, costs £45. If you don’t want to include the set of 6 acrylic paints then the set is £35. Delivery is free for all items over £30 so that’s the full price for the kit delivered. The basic kit seems great value for money, especially as you then have all the tools if you then decide to get some more clay and do it all again. I’m not sure that the paint set is worth an additional £10 on the price but I already have acrylic paints in the house anyway and appreciate this may not be the case for many people.

I was quite surprised when I looked on the website (www.noahsbox.com) to see that they offer a large variety of items, from a few other crafty kits to all in one kits for students (70 essential items including a full set of kitchen equipment with pans, utensils, plates, bowls, cutlery as well as towels, bedding etc!), just kitchen or home mover sets, baking or cleaning starter kits. Their pottery starter kit is a fairly new addition to their website, although they have some handy ‘how to’ guides for a number of different pottery items. They also offer in person team masterclass options for clay building if you are based around the Greater London area. I think it would be good if Noah started selling replacement clay for the sets separately for people who would like to give it another go (like me, but without the children nearby so I can really concentrate on a design without interruptions).

Noah are a fairly small and new start up company. They are committed to working towards a more sustainable future, which includes partnering with the YMCA, donating 1 kit to help a young person in need for every 20 they sell. They also partner with Onetreeplanted and plant 1 tree for every box they send out, stating this meant 3000 trees were planted by them in 2020. They also partner with Green DPD who aim to deliver emission free in cities with an electric fleet. All of these aspects make the company and their products more appealing to me as it shows that they aren’t just a company focused on profit but are actively trying to give back as well.

I love the concept of this kit. My eldest, who is 11, in his first year of secondary school and only really interested in gaming and youtube and tiktok videos these days, got really in to it and exclaimed that he would like crafty items for Christmas this year, much to my surprise (although I’ll gladly oblige as they will all be things that don’t involve screens of any sort).

It would be a great kit for families with children or just for adults as it is versatile for crafting by either. If you’re keen on gifts that are crafty and slightly different from the norm then this is a great option. I also like the added bonus of their social responsibility aspects. I may well pick up a kit or two as gifts this Christmas. I’m not sure when their last delivery day is but their standard delivery option is next day delivery, so still a very good option for Christmas.

Rating: I rate it 5/5

RRP: £45 (with the extra 6 acrylic paints) or £35 with just the white kit.

This product can be purchased from Noah’s Box here.