This paper discusses the recent use of pottery stoves by the Sama (Bajau) who have a strong sea-based subsistence economy, including boat-dwelling and fishing. Pottery stoves or portable earthenware hearths form part of the basic material culture of the Sama’s sea-based life, and even in modern times, the Sama still make and use pottery stoves, even though the practice has largely been abandoned elsewhere. The paper focuses on the production and distribution of pottery stoves and their daily use with reference to the food consumption and subsistence patterns of the Sama in Semporna District, east coast of Borneo. The survey reveals that, while it is difficult to prove a direct relationship between them, there appears to be a mutual relationship between the use of pottery stoves and having a sea-based subsistence. The study confirms that the use of pottery stoves mainly correlates with a preference for specific foods and cooking methods, but also with geographical, social, and economic factors within the context of the modern Sama in the research area.