Daily Dose Hacks: DIY Clay Pot Heater: Simple Warmth in Cold Times

In emergencies or power outages, even a little warmth can make all the difference. A clay pot heater is an inexpensive, low-tech way to heat a small room using only terracotta pots and tea candles. While it won’t replace a furnace, it’s an excellent backup for survival situations or chilly evenings.

How to Make a Clay Pot Heater

• Materials Needed:

  • 1 large terracotta flowerpot (unglazed clay works best)

  • 4–6 tea light candles

  • A fireproof tray or dish (metal or ceramic)

  • Optional: smaller terracotta pot to nest inside the larger one for extra heat storage

• Steps:

  1. Place tea lights on the fireproof tray.

  2. Light them carefully.

  3. Invert the terracotta pot over the candles, propping it slightly on bricks, stones, or an upside-down metal pan so air can circulate.

  4. The clay absorbs the candle's heat and radiates it outward, acting like a small stove.

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⚠️ Safety Note: Never leave unattended, and always keep the heater on a stable, nonflammable surface.

Spiritual Lesson from the Clay Pot Heater

The clay pot is simple, common, and overlooked—yet when placed over flame, it radiates warmth and life. In the same way, God uses humble people as vessels of His Spirit.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7, KJV

Ellen G. White reflected on God’s ability to work through ordinary means:

• “The Lord has no place in His work for men who have a greater desire to win the applause of those around them than to meet the approval of God.” (Gospel Workers, p. 111)

It is not the clay pot that deserves credit, but the fire within. So it is with us—we shine only when the Spirit of God fills and ignites us.

Closing Thought

A clay pot heater may be small, but it brings comfort and safety in the cold. Likewise, an ordinary life, surrendered to Christ, becomes a vessel that radiates light and warmth in a dark and chilly world.