Multiple styles, and the difference matters more than it sounds.
The espresso cups are double-shot size - just right for a short black, macchiato, piccolo, or the kind of coffee you drink standing at the bench before anything else happens. Handmade ceramic espresso cups are glazed in the same abstract palette as the rest of the range, so they sit well alongside anything else from the studio.
The cups are the all-purpose size. Coffee, tea, a flat white, whatever you default to in the morning. This is the size most people reach for. Handmade coffee mugs and cups at this size hold a standard drink without being oversized. Each one is glazed in Rhiannon's signature layered style, so the colour shifts slightly depending on how the light hits it - no two are exactly alike.
The mugs are the standard morning pottery mug, perfect for a slow morning. Pottery coffee mugs this size suit black coffee, tea with milk, or anything you want to hold with both hands. Made at the studio in Bellambi, Wollongong, in small batches with brush-applied glaze.
The large mugs are the biggest in the range. If you've ever thought a regular mug runs out too fast, this is what you want. Large ceramic coffee mugs for the people who make one cup and want it to last. The glaze on each is dipped and brush-applied, so the layering is more visible and each mug genuinely looks different to the last.
All sizes and styles are dishwasher safe and microwave safe. Handmade pottery mugs are shipped Australia-wide with $15 flat rate shipping or free tracked delivery on orders over $190.
How the mugs and cups are made
Every cup and mug in this collection is formed and finished by hand at Rhiannon's studio in Bellambi, Wollongong. The process starts with shaping the body and the handle - each one lovingly created by hand. The mug dries slowly before it goes into the kiln for a bisque fire, which hardens the clay without glazing it.
After bisque, each piece is glazed by hand. Rhiannon pours and brush-applies her own glaze in multiple layers - this is why the colour has depth and moves across the surface rather than sitting flat. The glazes are abstract and colourful: not matched to any pattern or palette, just built up by hand until they look right. A second kiln firing at cone 6 sets the glaze permanently.
Handmade pottery mugs and cups made this way take longer than factory production, but the result is a piece that holds heat well, sits well in your hand, and looks different to anything mass-made. Handmade ceramic mugs from the studio in Wollongong, NSW.
Why buy handmade ceramic mugs?
Dishwasher safe and Microwave safe
All cups and mugs are sturdy and built to last. No need to hand wash!
Unlike Anything in a Shop
Every piece is handmade in Wollongong by one woman - Rhiannon Gill. Each piece is truly unique. You won't see ceramics like this at the supermarket.
Unique, Food Safe Glazes
Rhiannon creates her own glazes and tests thoroughly before hand pouring and brush glazing. Colours shift and sparkle, with no two truly identical.
Free Tracked Shipping Across Australia
For orders above $190, flat rate shipping of $15 on all other orders. Contact us for international shipping quotes.
Questions about our range of handmade mugs?
The range is made in small batches in Rhiannon's chosen colourways. If you're after a specific colourway or size you don't see in stock, get in touch - we can let you know if it's planned for the next batch or add you to a waitlist.
Yes. All glazes used on cups and mugs are food safe, lead-free, and non-toxic. The pieces are fired at cone 6, which fully vitrifies the clay and solidifies the glaze making it stable for everyday food and drink contact.
Yes - all cups and mugs are dishwasher safe on the top rack. The glaze and clay body are fully vitrified and ceramic at cone 6, which makes it durable and stable in normal dishwasher conditions. Hand washing will extend the life of any ceramics if you want to be extra careful, but we've been throwing them in the dishwasher in our house for years. Though be careful not to bang ceramic items together.
Yes. All mugs and cups in this collection are microwave safe. They are fully vitrified and non-porous so don't trap any water, so they can go in the microwave without issue.
Four sizes: espresso cups (double-shot size), cups (all-purpose - good for coffee, tea, or a flat white), mugs (the standard morning pottery mug), and large mugs (the biggest in the range, for people who want their coffee to last). Each size is available in multiple colourways, though stock varies as everything is made in small batches. Rhiannon constantly produces new designs so check back frequently.
Exact capacities are shown on the individual product pages. As a general guide: espresso cups hold a double shot, cups hold a standard cafe-style drink, mugs hold a generous morning coffee, and large mugs are the biggest in the range.
Each piece is formed and finished by hand at the studio in Bellambi, Wollongong. The clay is shaped, and the piece is fired twice - first a bisque fire to harden it, then a glaze fire at cone 6. The glaze is brush-applied in multiple layers before the second firing, which is why the colour has depth and varies piece to piece.
Yes. The espresso cups are double-shot size and work perfectly with a home machine. They're ceramic, so they hold heat well - you can warm them first by rinsing with hot water before pulling your shot. The glaze is food safe and handles everyday use without any issues.
Not as pre-packaged sets - but if you want a matching pair or a group in the same colourway, get in touch before ordering. Stock permitting, we can often hold pieces together. Because each mug is made individually, no two are exactly alike even within the same colourway, but they'll still form a beautiful set. Ordering multiples at once gives you the best chance of colour consistency.
They do - a ceramic mug is something people use every day, which makes it one of the more lasting gift options. We can include a handwritten note with your order if you let us know in the order notes at checkout. The mugs are packaged carefully for posting. For gifting, the standard mugs and large mugs tend to be the most popular choices - though the espresso cups are a good option for anyone who takes their coffee seriously.
Yes - Australia-wide tracked shipping on all orders. Free tracked shipping on orders over $190. Orders under that threshold ship at a flat rate of $15. We pack everything carefully for transit. Most orders are dispatched within a few business days - check the current dispatch note on the product pages for the most accurate timeframe. We also ship internationally, contact us for a quote, we just need your address and what you'd like to order.
Dishwasher is fine. Microwave safe. If you want to get the most out of them long-term, hand washing is always gentler on any ceramic. Avoid sudden temperature changes - don't take a cold mug straight to boiling liquid, though normal hot drink use is completely fine. The glaze is stable and won't craze or flake under normal conditions.