The Best Ceramic Kilns for Making Pottery at Home
When you work with pottery clay or ceramics of any kind, the clay has to be “cooked” or fired for it to be finished. Why does pottery have to be fired, you ask? The clay must be fired to change the structure of it, making it a stronger material when heated to a certain temperature. Otherwise, clay will remain brittle and your ceramic piece will be unusable. Whether you are creating decorative pottery or functional pottery, like a mug or dinnerware, you’re going to need a specialized oven to fire it in. You’re going to need a kiln!
What is a kiln
A kiln is a specialized high temperature oven used for firing pottery, metal, glass projects, and even drying wood. In this case, we are going to discuss kilns specifically used for firing pottery. These ovens are thermally insulated in one way or another to bring pottery clay up to higher temperatures than you could achieve in your standard cooking oven.
In the world of pottery, these high temperatures are measured in increments, or in a potter’s term cones. The larger the cone number, the hotter the temperature. The temperature range is large. The minimum temperature, recognized as cone 022, is 1112 degrees Fahrenheit and the hottest cone, Cone 12, is 2552 degrees Fahrenheit.
The kiln heats to bring clay up to the temperature cone required for it to become a strong, vitrified piece of ceramic. Each type of clay, or clay body, requires a different temperature to reach vitrification. Often times, clay needs to be kiln fired twice, especially when glazes are used. A piece of pottery will undergo a bisque fire at a lower temperature which creates a porous piece of pottery that is ready to accept glaze. Once your bisqued piece is glazed, it’ll be fired at a final, hotter cone, to fully vitrify the clay body as well as melt the glass element of the glaze.
Gas Kilns
These kilns are not recommended for the beginner potter. Gas kilns utilize a natural gas such as propane for the power source and heat the kiln with burners. They can be used for both oxidation firings and reduction firings. These kilns are not equipment that you can set to temperature and walk away from. They need supervising at all times and can be more difficult to install in a home studio. You may need a special high pressure gas line in your studio to use one. Generally, they require more hands, experienced potters for safe use. I’d recommend taking classes on using a gas kiln or finding an experienced local potter to study under if gas firings are something you want to achieve. These kilns are the best for repeatedly firing to cone 10 and are the best option for reduction firings as well.
Electric Kilns
Electric kilns are the most commonly found kiln in home studios. This is the type of kiln I have as well. These kilns run off of electricity. They are the simplest to install and often only require the installation of a 15-20 amp breaker and a new 240v outlet. Ventilation is needed for an electric kiln as well. An open area or a garage space would be ideal for a kiln or you can install a ventilation system to redirect any off-gassing out of your indoor space.
Electric kilns are chambers made up of insulated fire brick, specialized elements like in a heater or oven , and a thermocouple to read the internal temperature of the kiln. Some electric kilns have a kiln sitter that shuts the kiln off when witness cones are melted at the correct temperature. Other kilns are a little easier to use with a digital controller that shuts off when your kiln reaches temp.
An electric kiln makes the perfect first kiln or kiln for a home studio. Electric kilns come in smaller kilns as well as larger kilns for potters that are interested in becoming a production potter. Electric kilns can be front-loading with the door of the chamber on the front of the kiln. They can also be top-loading with a hatch style lid on top of the chamber. Front-loading kilns make excellent jewelry kilns while I prefer top-loading kilns for traditional pottery. It’s really a personal preference.
Pit Kilns
Pit kilns are a more primitive way to fire pottery, where you literally create a pit that is capable of containing a fire and place your pottery in that fiery pit. This firing technique can be seen in raku pottery. While pit firing can yield beautiful results, it is a little more dangerous and is not a kiln that you could ever leave unattended. If you are an experienced potter or a potter interested in Raku with enough land to create a designated area for a pit, then this may be the firing style for you! As always, I recommend studying under an experienced local potter for safest practices.
What is the best type of pottery kiln for a home studio?
By far, I would say that electric kilns are the best kiln for a home studio. They come in so many different sizes for any home studio set up. They are the most user friendly, especially if you opt for a digital kiln. I’d also venture to say that these kilns are the safest choice with the smallest risk of fire or combustion. Electric kilns are extremely well insulated, and unless there is something externally touching your kiln (which there NEVER should be), the risk of fire is extremely low.
These kilns are also great for the beginner potter learning to use a kiln as well as the professional potter that doesn’t have time to babysit the kiln all day. As far as kiln maintenance goes, they are also relatively easy to care for. Just change the thermocouple and elements out when they go bad. Keep the fire bricks clean and you should be good to go!
What can an electric kiln be used for?
Electric kilns are extremely versatile and can be used for so many things! These kilns can be used in glass projects, enameling, knife making, metal work, ceramics or pottery, tile making, and so much more. Each of these crafts has different temperature requirements, so take that to consideration when choosing an electric kiln. I use my kiln primarily for pottery making. I was a self-taught beginner potter when I purchased my first electric kiln. I’ve learned so much from using this kiln and have loved how user friendly it was when I basically had no idea what I was doing at first. If you’re a nervous beginner or a production potter looking for a low maintenance kiln, the electric kiln is for you!
How to choose the right electric kiln:
So what electric kiln is the perfect kiln for your home studio? This answer will vary from potter to potter. There are so many wonderful electric kilns out there, but you need to consider a few things before choosing your “perfect” kiln.
What size kiln do you need? Are you a jewelry maker who only needs a small kiln to fire your wares in? Maybe you are a production potter who needs a rather large kiln to fire tons of pottery in each firing. If you’re like me, you’re probably somewhere in between. You love pottery and the idea of having your own kiln, but it doesn’t have to be huge. You need something that is just right to fit a moderate amount of pots. Size definitely matters when it comes to kilns because they will limit or dictate what you’re able to make and fire. If you choose a kiln with a 17 inch inner chamber, you won’t be able to make pots that are much larger than 16 inches in height. Pay careful attention to your measurements when making your selection.
Another important thing to consider is the temperature range of your electric kiln. Do you need a kiln that only goes up to midfire temperatures like cone 5? Maybe you want to use high fire pottery and glaze techniques that require a maximum temperature of cone 10. Not all electric kilns are built to run those extremely hot higher cone temperatures. Double check the temperature range that your craft of choice requires when buying your kiln.
The best electric kilns for your home studio!
Finally it is time to unveil what I believe are the best electric kilns for the home studio.
The first kiln that I love for home use is the Skutt KM-818. This kiln was my very first kiln. I have used it for almost 8 years and it is tried and true! I have used it for my hobby potter days, but it was also big enough to start out my journey into production pottery and larger collections. I’d say that this is the Goldilocks of kilns because it’s truly just right. It is perfect for the average potter. It is a medium sized with an inner chamber that is 18×18. It is well insulated with 2.5 or 3 inch firebrick. The firing range is extremely versatile since it can go up to cone 10, but it shines with midrange firings. The elements and thermocouple are relatively easy to change out. I love my Skutt KM 818! I get consistent firing results each time!
If you’re looking for a larger kiln for production firings or larger pieces, I’d recommend the Skutt Km-1227. It has all of the same features of the Skutt KM-818, but boasts a larger inner chamber that is 28×28! This is an excellent choice if you’re looking to take your home studio to the next level. It also has that sweet digital controller which makes programming your kiln a breeze!
Obviously I’m a big fan of Skutt. They truly make the best kilns for potters in all stages. They also have amazing service if you need any help! As far as kilns go, I think Skutt is top of the line on the market today.
If you don’t have much space, and can only accommodate a tabletop or small electric kiln, I’d recommend any of the Paragon kilns! Just choose your specifications and preferences. These are great for jewelry making clay and metal smithing. If you want to make small pieces or are firing beads, this is a great option.I will say that choosing such a small kiln will put you in a box of what you’re able to create. For me, I knew I wanted to make pots so a small kiln was not the right kiln for me.
There you have it- the best pottery kilns for your home studio! Whether you’re an experienced potter or someone just throwing lumpy bowls in your garage like I once was, I hope this article has helped you understand kilns a little better and guide you on your journey to buying your own home studio kiln! Kilns are a big investment so take your time, do your research, and enjoy the hunt!
