Studio checklist

Kilns for home pottery, glass and jewelry

120 V plug-in kilns, a 30 A studio package, glass and microwave kilns, and the shelves, posts, cones and wash that every firing uses.

Best kiln for homeBest 120V kilns120V vs 240VOutlet checkerFiring costKiln furniture
Community studio with electric kilns, a wheel and shelving
Photo: Mutney, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kiln firing cost calculatorEstimate what a kiln firing costs from kiln kW, firing hours and duty cycle, using EIA average residential…Can I plug in my kiln? Outlet checkerCheck a kiln’s amps or watts against a 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 A circuit using the 80% continuous-load rule,…Orton cone temperature chartOrton self-supporting cone temperatures for cones 022 to 10 at slow, medium and fast heating rates, in °F…

What kinds of kilns are in this category?

Kilns for home pottery are only part of this category, and the labels on listings can mislead. You will find true pottery kilns (the Paragon SC2, Xpress E12A and Xpress Q11A on 120 V, and a Skutt KM818 30 A package), small glass and metal-clay kilns (Skutt Firebox, PMC OV-1), an enameling furnace, budget "kilns" that are really jewelry melting furnaces, and microwave kilns for glass.

Around them sit the consumables: cordierite-mullite shelves, high-alumina posts, stilts, kiln wash, Orton cones, a thermocouple and replacement elements.

How do you choose a home kiln?

Three specs decide almost everything, and you should check each one against the cone your clay and glaze need.

  • Max temperature vs cone. On the Orton chart, cone 06 bends at 1,828 °F, cone 04 at 1,945 °F and cone 6 at 2,232 °F (medium rate, 108 °F/hr). The Xpress E12A lists 2,000 °F, enough for low-fire bisque but not cone 6. The Q11A lists 2,350 °F.
  • Amps vs your circuit. A kiln is a continuous load, so it may use only 80% of the breaker. That puts the Q11A (12 A) right at the limit of a 15 A circuit and the E12A (15 A) and SC2 (14 A) on a 20 A circuit. A 30 A kiln is a hard-wired or dedicated large-circuit job.
  • Chamber size. The Q11A lists 6 × 6 × 6¼ in inside, the E12A 8½ × 12 × 6¾ in. Small chambers fire test tiles and a few mugs, not a dinner set.
ProductVoltagePowerWattsMax temperatureInterior size
Paragon Xpress Q11A 120V Kiln120v12amp—2350 F6" W x 6" D x 6 1/4" H
Paragon Xpress E12A 120V Kiln120v15amp—2000 F8 1/2" W x 12" D x 6 3/4" H
Paragon SC2 120V Digital Kiln, Sentinel Touch120V14A / 1680W———
VEVOR 1650W Programmable Melting Furnace, 2192°F——1650W2192℉/1200℃8 x 5 x 6 inch / 203 x 127 x 152mm

Specs as listed by the maker or seller; check the listing before you buy.

Budget furnaces are not stoneware kilnsListings at 1,500–2,000 W with a 2,102–2,192 °F maximum are jewelry and melting furnaces. Orton puts cone 6 at 2,232 °F at a medium rate, so they cannot fire cone 6 stoneware. Microwave kilns fuse glass and metal clay only.Source: Orton Ceramic Foundation
Have an electrician confirmKiln makers publish installation requirements for every model. Have a licensed electrician check the breaker, wire and receptacle before the first firing, then use our outlet checker to plan.Source: Skutt kiln installation

Who is each type of kiln for?

Kiln mistakes to avoid

  • Buying a kiln before checking the outlet and breaker.
  • Firing without witness cones. A controller reading is not the same as heat work; cones show what the ware actually received.
  • Skipping kiln wash. Glaze drips fuse to bare shelves.
  • Venting nowhere. Firing releases fumes; read studio safety before choosing a room.
  • Guessing costs. The firing cost calculator uses your kiln's watts and your state's rate.

Read before you buy

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Best kiln for home pottery: 120V and 240V picks

The best kiln for home pottery depends on your circuit and cone: Skutt and Paragon kilns compared by volts, amps and…

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Best 120V kilns (and what budget furnaces can't do)

The best 120V kiln for you depends on cone and amps: Paragon and Skutt plug-in kilns compared by listed specs, plus…

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Best glass fusing kilns for home: electric and microwave

Pick a glass fusing kiln by shelf size and controller: Skutt Firebox, Paragon SC2 and Fuseworks electric kilns, plus…

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Best microwave kilns for glass fusing and jewelry

A microwave kiln fuses glass pendants and earrings in a home microwave. Compare WICAND, Fuseworks, Tujoe and more by…

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Best clay for pottery wheel throwing: cone 6 and low fire

The best clay for pottery wheel work matches your kiln's cone: mid-fire stoneware from Rocky Mountain Clay, AMACO and…

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Best kiln shelves and furniture: shelves, posts and kiln wash

The best kiln shelves and furniture must be rated above your firing cone and fit your kiln. Compare 8 shelves, posts…

Kilns: questions

Can you plug a kiln into a regular outlet?
Some small 120 V kilns can, if the circuit is sized for them. Because a kiln is a continuous load, a 15 A circuit allows 12 A; anything above that needs a 20 A or larger circuit confirmed by an electrician.
What cone do I need for stoneware?
Most home stoneware is cone 5–6, which is 2,167–2,232 °F at Orton's medium rate. Low-fire clay is usually cone 06–04. See the cone chart.
Can a jewelry furnace fire pottery?
Only very low-fire work, and not reliably. Furnaces listing a 2,192 °F max cannot reach cone 6 at a medium rate, and their small chambers suit metal, not pots.
How much does it cost to fire a kiln?
It depends on the kiln's watts, firing length and your electricity rate. Our firing cost guide shows the math with EIA state rates.
Do I need a vent for a kiln?
Kiln makers recommend venting fumes outdoors, and the Skutt KM818 package here includes a vent. At minimum, fire in a ventilated room away from living space.