Clay vs Clay Composite vs Ceramic Poker Chips: Which Should You Choose?
For most home games, 13.5- to 14-gram clay composite chips are the best choice: they have a heavy, solid feel, hold up to rough handling and cost less per roll than clay or ceramic. 100% clay chips such as Milano and Phoenix have the softest, most textured feel but need more care. Ceramic chips such as Scroll are smooth 10-gram chips with full-surface printed designs and the value on both faces and the edge.
In this guide
Poker chip materials compared
Clay composite is the toughest and comes in the heaviest weights, 100% clay has the softest feel, and ceramic has the most detailed printing. All of our chips are sold in rolls of 25.
| Clay composite | 100% clay | Ceramic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | Firm, with a molded edge | Soft and slightly textured; grips in a stack | Smooth and hard |
| Weight | 8.5 to 14 grams; 13.5g and 14g styles have a metal insert | 10 and 11 grams | 10 grams |
| Design | Molded edge spots and a center inlay | Molded pattern and a printed center inlay | Printed edge to edge, with the value on both faces and the edge |
| Values | 25¢ to $25,000, or non-denominated colors | 25¢ to $100,000 | 50¢ to $5,000 |
| Best for | Most home games, cash games and tournaments | A premium, collector-style set | Bold artwork and values you can read from the side |
| Our styles | Monte Carlo, King's Casino, Ace Casino, Claysmith Gaming's Desert Heat and Poker Knights, and more | Claysmith Milano, Phoenix, Jupiter Club (43mm) | Scroll |
Clay composite poker chips
Clay composite chips blend clay with other materials, which makes them tougher than 100% clay. They hold up to weekly shuffling and stacking, and the mix allows crisp inlays and detailed edge molds.
Our 13.5- and 14-gram styles have a metal insert for a heavy, solid feel in the hand. They range from 14-gram holographic styles like Ace Casino to Claysmith Gaming's vintage-casino Desert Heat and The Mint.
Choose clay composite for heavy chips, values up to $25,000 for deep tournament stacks, or a big set at a lower cost. See all our clay composite poker chips.
100% clay poker chips
100% clay chips, often called real clay, are made entirely from clay, with no blended materials or metal insert. That gives them a soft, slightly textured surface that grips in a stack and riffles smoothly.
They're lighter than our heaviest composite chips: 10 grams for Milano and Phoenix, and 11 grams for the oversized Jupiter Club. Lighter doesn't mean lower quality here, since the extra weight in composite chips comes from the metal insert.
Clay is softer than composite, so a little care helps. Keep the chips in a case or tray between games, avoid dropping stacks on hard floors, and wipe them with a soft, dry cloth.
Choose 100% clay for a premium, collector-style set. See all our clay poker chips.
Ceramic poker chips
Ceramic chips are printed across the whole surface instead of carrying a center inlay. The artwork, colors and values wrap the entire chip, including the edge, so you can count a stack without picking it up.
Our Scroll chips weigh 10 grams and have a smooth, hard surface with Victorian-style scrollwork. They come in 8 values from 50¢ to $5,000.
Choose ceramic for bold artwork and easy-to-read values in a home cash game or a small tournament. If you need 25¢ chips or values above $5,000, look at Milano or our clay composite styles. See our ceramic poker chips.
Poker chip weights explained
Heavier isn't always better, because weight follows the material. Our 13.5- and 14-gram chips get their heft from a metal insert, while 100% clay and ceramic chips weigh 10 to 11 grams by design.
| Weight | Material | Our styles |
|---|---|---|
| 14g | Clay composite, metal insert | Monte Carlo, King's Casino, Ace Casino, Black Diamond, Las Vegas, Ultimate, Eclipse, Yin Yang, Ace King Suited, Crown & Dice |
| 13.5g | Clay composite, metal insert (Claysmith Gaming) | Desert Heat, The Mint, Poker Knights, Showdown, Monaco Club |
| 11.5g | Clay composite | Striped Dice |
| 11g | 100% clay, 43mm | Jupiter Club |
| 10g | 100% clay | Milano, Phoenix |
| 10g | Ceramic | Scroll |
| 8.5g | Clay composite | Super Diamond |
For a heavy, solid feel, choose a 13.5- or 14-gram composite chip. For the weight of a casino chip, about 10 grams, choose 100% clay or ceramic. Super Diamond's 8.5 grams feels light and firm, similar to plastic chips, which suits casual and family games.
Build each set from one style. Chips from different styles can differ in weight and thickness, so mixed stacks won't line up.
Poker chip size: 39mm vs 43mm
Standard poker chips are 39mm across, the usual casino size, and every style we carry is 39mm except Jupiter Club.
Jupiter Club is an oversized 43mm, 11-gram 100% clay chip with 12 values from 25¢ to $100,000. The bigger face is easy to read across the table and suits big tournament structures.
43mm chips don't fit standard cases or trays. Store them in the 500 Count Oversized 43mm Case, which holds 500 chips plus 2 decks of cards and dice.
Which material fits your game
Most home games are best served by 14-gram clay composite chips in a locking aluminum case.
| Your game | Material | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly cash game, 8 to 10 players | 14g clay composite | 500 Monte Carlo or King's Casino, 500 Count Aluminum Case |
| Home tournament | 13.5g clay composite | 1,000 Claysmith Poker Knights (values to $25,000), 1000 Count Rolling Case |
| Premium or collector set | 100% clay | 500 Claysmith Milano, Black Mahogany Case |
| Bold printed look | Ceramic | 500 Scroll, 500 Count Aluminum Case |
| Oversized chips | 100% clay, 43mm | 500 Jupiter Club, 500 Count Oversized 43mm Case |
| Family or casual game | 8.5g clay composite | 300 Super Diamond, 300 Count Aluminum Case |
The poker chip set builder suggests the rolls of each value and a case that fits, then puts the whole set in the cart. For how many chips your group needs, see our home game guide; for which color means which value, see our values and colors guide.
Poker chip material FAQ
Are clay or ceramic poker chips better?
Neither is better overall. 100% clay has a soft, textured feel, while ceramic has a smooth surface with the design and values printed edge to edge. Ours both weigh about 10 grams.
Are clay composite poker chips real clay?
They contain clay blended with other materials, which makes them tougher than 100% clay. Our 13.5- and 14-gram composite styles also have a metal insert. Milano, Phoenix and Jupiter Club are made entirely from clay.
Are clay composite poker chips better than plastic chips?
Plastic chips are smooth and slick, so stacks slide apart easily. Clay composite chips stack and handle more like casino chips, with molded edge designs, and our 13.5- and 14-gram styles add a metal insert for weight.
What weight poker chips should I buy?
For a heavy, solid feel, choose 13.5 or 14 grams. For the softest feel and the closest match to casino chips, choose 10-gram 100% clay. For casual or family games on a budget, choose 8.5-gram Super Diamond.
How much do casino poker chips weigh?
Chips in U.S. casinos weigh about 10 grams. That's close to our 10-gram 100% clay and ceramic chips. The 13.5- and 14-gram chips popular for home games get their extra weight from a metal insert. Our casino poker chips guide covers what casinos use and how to get that feel at home.
Can I mix chip materials in one set?
It's best not to. Different styles differ in weight and thickness, so mixed stacks won't line up. Every style is sold in rolls of 25, so you can add more of the same style later.
Do clay and ceramic chips fit standard poker chip cases?
Yes. Milano, Phoenix and Scroll are 39mm and fit our standard cases and trays. Only 43mm Jupiter Club needs the 500 Count Oversized 43mm Case.