Threw away $40 on a fancy crock that cracked on first use

I bought a handmade fermentation crock from a local potter at a market last month. Paid $40 for it because the glaze looked perfect for my sauerkraut experiments. After just three days of brine sitting in it, a hairline crack appeared at the bottom. The potter refused to refund me because it was 'artisanal' and 'not meant for liquid.' Now I'm back to using my old glass mason jars, which have NEVER let me down. Has anyone else had bad luck with ceramic crocks from craft sellers?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthony1657h agoMost Upvoted

Used to be one of those people who thought handmade ceramic was always better than store bought. This post changed my mind real quick though. A $40 crock that cracks from brine is basically a fancy paperweight. I get supporting local artists but if they won't stand behind their work when it fails, it's not worth the money. Mason jars have been reliable for decades for a reason.

riley587h agoMost Upvoted

$40 is actually on the cheap end for a handmade crock that size, at least from what I've seen at local markets. They usually start around $60 or $70. But yeah, if it cracked just from brine, that's a firing issue not a user error.