How to Choose a Kiln

    Choosing a kiln should not be difficult.  Start with the temperature rating of the kiln.  A kiln that is not capable of firing to the temperature you desire should never be considered a viable kiln to meet your needs.  As simple as that sounds, it is the most common mistake made when purchasing a new kiln as customers will often chase price over temperature.  Price should be the last consideration.... as you compare the merits of two competing kilns the issue of price should enter the equation.  But for starting the kiln selection process, you need to understand that kilns are designed around specific performance requirements.  One of the major performance requirements will be temperature.  So always start with temperature as it is the easiest design feature to utilize to quickly weed out the kilns inappropriate for your needs.  Please note: a higher temperature firing kiln is not necessarily more expensive than a lower temperature firing kiln so always select the highest performing kiln to maximize the potential operation of the kiln.

Temperature:

    There are generally three important temperature ratings which will determine what clay products that you may fire in your kiln. Though a kiln rated to 2300°F (Cone 8) can fire porcelain and stoneware, the 2350°F (Cone 10) rated kiln is generally preferred due to the higher performance rating. The list below are the common temperatures of the various clay products:

  
    To simplify your purchasing decision nearly all of the Paragon Kilns featured and stocked by Dogwood Ceramic Supply, such as the every popular TnF 27-3 or Viking 28, are rated to 2350°F (Cone 10).  These higher performance kilns are usually rated as Energy Misers as their 3" wall bricks have better heat retention which yields significant energy savings over the 2.5" bricks traditionally found in electric kilns.  The higher temperature ratings also means the kiln will handle a wider variety of task.  Obviously (or maybe not so obviously) a kiln rated to 2350°F will operate quite nicely at lower temperatures, so there is little reason to compromise in the temperature rating of the kiln.

     Glass kilns, such as the Paragon Fusion or Pearl Kilns are typically rated to 1700°F.  The kiln may have sufficient power to achieve higher temperatures, but those higher temperatures are not desirable as they are well above the melt point of most glass so the digital controllers are limited to a practical maximum temperature.  Glass kilns utilize a different element configuration than the element configuration in ceramic/pottery kilns.  Glass must be evenly fired and as the temperature range suffers from directional heat issues, the design of the kiln will typically utilize an overhead element to heat the entire surface of the glass object evenly.

    There are also a number of specialty kilns, typically rated anywhere from 1000°F to 2000°F.  Many of these kilns are fairly small in size and are not the best value (size versus cost) compared to the larger kilns rated to higher temperatures.

    The newest kilns from Paragon are from the Paragon Janus series.  These dual purpose kilns (the name Janus, taken from the Roman god "Janus" who was often features with two faces) are based upon classic ceramic or pottery kiln designs which have been modified with the addition of an element in the top (or roof) to accommodate glass firing.  We (at Dogwood Ceramic Supply) refer to the Janus kilns as our 90/10 kilns.... perfect for the hobby potter who needs a casual usage pottery kiln that will accommodate a small amount of glass in the same kiln from time to time.  Dedicated glass artists are generally better off purchasing a dedicated glass kiln which offers greater flexibility for firing glass.  That said, the Janus kilns have gained favor with college glass departments for use with casting (melting) glass as the Janus Kilns offer a deeper chamber than traditionally found in the dedicated glass kilns.

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12590 Dedeaux Road
Gulfport Mississippi, 39503
Telephone (228) 831-4848        Fax (228) 831-3111

Showroom Business Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10AM to 5PM
Thursday 1PM to 6PM

Closed Wednesday and Sunday

Choosing a kiln should not be difficult.  Start with the temperature rating of the kiln.  A kiln that is not capable of firing to the temperature you desire should never be considered a viable kiln to meet your needs.