Paragon Small Kiln Comparison

    Paragon and every other kiln company manufactures a variety of small kilns.  Many of these kilns were designed to serve a specific market or usage, such as glass, clay, ceramics or precious metal clay.  And while the kilns may be sold to any consumer without any restriction, not all of these kilns are a good value or the best kiln for the customer's particular situation.

Small Kiln Basics

    What is a good kiln for one customer versus another customer can be quite complex.  Let's start this discussion by comparing the popular Paragon TnF 1613-3 with the Paragon TnF 66-3.  While both of these two kilns are 240v models, the issues of size and amperage are quite illustrative:

     The first thing most people notice is good value of the TnF 1613-3 compared to the other kiln.  A wider chamber combined with higher temperature rating makes the TnF 1613-3 such a good value when compared to the TnF 66-3 that Dogwood Ceramic Supply has not sold a TnF 66-3 in nearly 2 decades.  So what good is the smaller kiln?  It is the 20 amp rating of the smaller kiln that makes the TnF 66-3 desirable.  In the USA the difference between 20 amps and 30 amps is negligible as most modern circuit box would allow either 20 amps or 30 amps circuit breakers to be installed.  But in some European and Asian countries the common household voltage is limited to 20 amps.  The TnF 66-3 series may not sell well in the USA, but overseas the TnF 66-3 is a really big seller.

    And now you know one major reason why Paragon offers so many different kiln models as some kilns were designed to service one specific customer group.

Small Kiln Basics, Part 2

    The Paragon TnF 1613-3 has a listed chamber size of 1.75 cubic feet with 16.5" width and 13.25" depth.  Many customers will "assume" that the measurements listed are the maximum size object that the kiln the kiln can handle.  That assumption is entirely incorrect.  The measurements are the biggest/best size of the kiln.  For a top loading "round" kiln with 6 or more side walls the width will be measured at the narrowest point, what Dogwood Ceramic Supply refers to as side wall to side wall.  For a multi-side kiln, there is a little extra space that can be found in the corners where the kiln bricks join together.

    Objects fired in a kiln will expand.  Every type of clay, glass, metal etc has a different expansion rate which is affected by the temperature achieved in the kiln.  Traditionally clay artists will allow up to 1" of expansion.  Using the 1" allowance for expansion the largest piece that should be placed within the Paragon TnF 1613-3 is approximately 15.5" wide and 12" high, IF the piece is fired directly on the kiln bottom and the piece does not require stilting or has the potential for glaze dripping.

    In the long run, after allowing space for stilts, kiln shelf false bottom and expansion of the item to be fired, a kiln with a chamber of 8" by 8" might be unable to fire a large coffee cup.

    Yes size really can be important.

120V versus 240v

    The kilns discussed in the previous section were all using 240v.  Most of the kilns from Paragon smaller than the two previously mentioned kilns are operating off of 120v electrical service, and some of the kilns can be plugged right into a standard household electrical outlet.  Plugging into a standard household outlet is the goal of many small kiln buyers as they can avoid the expensive cost of running a 240v wire to the desired location.

Tale of Two Small Kilns

    Let's take a look at two popular 120v kilns and determine their usages and limitations.

    Big differences between these two kilns.  One of the key points, which is part of the product name, is the 3" wall bricks for the Paragon Xpress 1193.  Those 3" bricks combined with a smaller interior volume and the maximum allowable wattage for a 120v circuit allows the Xpress 1193 to reach Cone 8.  Drop the power, increase the interior volume or use thinner bricks and the Xpress 1193 would suddenly be unable to reach Cone 8 and might not even reach Cone 04 if the changes are drastic enough.

    As mentioned above, the Xpress 1193 draws the maximum amount of current allowed on 120v circuits.  The kiln actually consumes 18 amps of power.  So the Xpress 1193 requires a dedicated outlet (5-20R) and really needs to be the only item operating on the circuit breaker while the kiln is being used.  The Paragon Fusion 7 on the other hand can be plugged into a regular 3 prong household outlet (5-15R).  As the Fusion 7 only draws 15 amps of power it might be possible to run a table lamp or maybe a small appliance on the same circuit breaker at the same time as the Fusion 7.

    Each of these was built for a very specific purpose.  The goal of the Fusion 7 was to achieve the largest volume glass fusing kiln that could be fired using a common household outlet.  The Fusion 7 meets that goal extremely well as increasing the chamber size is not possible unless more than 20 amps of power (not possible on 120v outlets) was available.  The Xpress 1193 was specifically designed to be the largest kiln possible to reach temperatures above Cone 6 while operating from a common household outlet.  The Xpress 1193 fails to reach part of the design goal in that the kiln requires a dedicated circuit breaker for proper operation.  Paragon could have designed the Xpress 1193 to work off a regular household outlet, but then either the max temperature requirement would not have been met, OR the kiln would have had to shrink in size.

    Dogwood Ceramic Supply looks at every small from a critical perspective.  When we evaluate each of these kilns we always remember that the kiln was designed for a very specific function and that some compromises, such as the dedicated electrical circuit for the Xpress 1193, may be required to meet the greater goals of the kiln.

High Temperature Small Kilns

    Paragon produces a wide range of small kilns.  Let's look at several different models that can reach a minimum of 2200°F:

    There are specific design goals with each of the kilns.  The Xpress-E-10A and Xpress-Q-11A are FRONT loading kilns that allows the user safer access to the hot kiln chamber during firing.  The Caldera's design goal was a kiln that did not need a dedicated 120v circuit breaker and could reach Cone 10 to test fire glaze samples for customers using large gas or wood fired kilns.  As previously mentioned, the Xpress 1193 was designed to be a high fire kiln with the largest possible chamber size.

    Obviously each kiln has design limitations and there are alternative kilns that may be better suited for the customer.  A customer choosing the Xpress 1193 specifically to fire glass would be well advised to purchase the previously mentioned (and larger width plus lower priced) Fusion 7 instead.  The Xpress-E-10A is a great kiln for customers that require a front loading kiln AND need a high temperature rating.  The Caldera may reach Cone 10, but the chamber is far too small to be used for all but the smallest wares.  The Xpress-Q-11A, like the Caldera, may reach Cone 10, but the chamber size is even smaller in volume than the Caldera and would normally be even less useful than the Caldera.  That said, the Xpress-Q-11A draws the least amount of power of the group of 4 kilns and could be a great option for a customer who is extremely limited on available power or needs a true high temperature kiln.

2000˚F Temperature Small Kilns

    Let's look at several different models that can reach a minimum of 2000°F and compare those kilns to the Xpress 1193.

    Like the Xpress-E-10A listed previously, the Xpress-E-9A and the SC-3 are front loading kilns.  Of these three kilns, the Xpress-E-9A seems to be the poorest value as the SC-3 has a similar width but a much taller chamber and costs about the same amount of money.  But looks can be deceiving.  The SC-3 is a great kiln, but it has a serious design limitation in that the kiln uses a ceramic fiber muffle with an embedded element rather than traditional IFB (insulating firebrick) with element grooves and easy to replace elements.  Ceramic fiber is light weight, but relatively expensive to maintain as the element muffle sells for $260.  The SC kilns are popular with silver clay artists that will seldom need to change the element, while the Xpress-E-9A is popular with artists that know they may need to eventually change elements.  For active customers needing to change elements on a regular basis the Xpress-E-9A is by far a better value than the SC-3 or the slightly smaller SC-2.

    The Caldera that was previously listed is back again.  This time a blank collar has been added to the kiln.  The depth becomes more usable than before but the maximum temperature drops from 2350°F to 2000°F.  In a manner of speaking the blank collar is just flogging a dead horse as the collar really adds very little to the kiln and for $35 more (retail price) the Xpress 1193 has greater volume and is capable of reaching Cone 8.

1700˚F Temperature Small Kilns

    The Paragon Fusion 7 is the standard by which all low temperature kilns should be measured, so lets look at several different models that can reach a minimum of 1700°F and compare those kilns to the Fusion 7.

   The F-120 is another front loading kiln, but unlike the other front loading kilns previously mention, the F-120 has a very specific purpose in life.  The door design is unique and uses a spring loaded vertical drop down door to allow frequent access to the hot kiln chamber.  Overall the F-120 kiln was designed for glass figurines, annealing and is popular with glass blowers.  While the F-120 is not inexpensive in price, the kiln is a great value for those who need the unique front loading design operating on an 120v circuit.

    Large size is the objective of the TnF-J-14-1.  At 0.88 cubic feet, the TnF-J-14-1 is the largest volume 120v kiln manufactured by Paragon.  The J-14 is also the most expensive.  The kiln was specifically designed for larger enamel projects and uses the rather expensive one-piece ceramic fiber shell (muffle) with embedded elements to minimize the weight of the kiln.

   Please note, the large size of the TnF-J-14-1 can be an issue because the kiln is pulling 20 Amps on a 20 Amp circuit breaker.  Basically this means the kiln is running as hard and fast as possible... all the time.  Unfortunately the household circuits typically used to power this kiln may not be up to the task.  For this reason the TnF-J-14-2 is also sold.  The -2 model requires 240v to operate.  When comparing the -1 (120v) with the -2 (240v), think of the issue this way... the -1 is basically an underpowered performer that will chew thru the expensive muffle elements while the -2 is a screaming overpowered beast.  Obviously the -2 will cost more to install (because of the dedicated 240v circuit) but will be cheaper to operate and maintain in the long term.  The -2 version is priced the same as the -1 version.  If you can install the 240v circuits it is always advisable to purchase the -2 version.

The Perfect Kiln?

   Is there a perfect kiln?  For glass artists wanting a kiln for glass fusing and small slumping projects the Paragon Fusion 7 is without any doubt the perfect small kiln.  The Fusion 7 kiln is the largest glass kiln that can plug into a regular household receptacle and is 40% larger (for only 3% more expensive) than the Fusion 6.

   The Front Loading kilns serve specialty and diverse markets quite well.  But, with the exception of the SC series, the front loading kilns are much more expensive than their top loading counterparts so purchasing a Front Loading kiln should be made only by customers truly needing the front loading design.

    For clay artists the question of the perfect kiln is more difficult to answer.  Size, temperature rating and electrical service are all factors to consider.  The Paragon Xpress 1193 may be the closest to the perfect small ceramic kiln.  But the Xpress 1193 requires a dedicated electrical service and the chamber size really isn't all that big, in fact the chamber may not be big enough to handle a basic dinner plate.  The alternatives to the Xpress 1193 are either significantly smaller (a bad, bad thing) or more expensive and not capable of firing to 2000°F or 2250°F as required by ceramic and stoneware glazes.

   Theoretically building an 120v clay kiln larger than the Xpress 1193 is possible, but not practical.  The 1193 is nearly maxed out on the electrical draw and as demonstrated by the previously mentioned TnF-J-14-1, even bumping up the electrical draw to the maximum allowed will not allow the chamber size to increase by very much.

Dogwood's Conclusion

    Most glass and jewelry artists and are usually quite happy with their purchase of a small kiln.  At the same time, with rare exceptions, few customers working with clay will be happy with a small kiln.

    Dogwood Ceramic Supply is quite experienced with small kilns.  We have owned a kiln that identical in size to the Xpress 1193 since the 1980's.  The kiln is great.  For what it can do.  We have used the kiln in our business as an overflow kiln or to handle firings of a single piece at oddball temperatures.  The kiln really meets our needs. One of our local customers has used the Xpress 1193 to fire ornaments for her Sunday School class to paint.  The Xpress 1193 can be a great kiln for some people.  While there are some people who are happy with their small kiln purchase, Dogwood Ceramic Supply meets way too many people that regret purchasing a small kiln for use with clay.

    If you are considering the purchase of a small kiln take a deep breath and consider all the factors. Always remember: an informed customer can be a happy customer.

Copyright 2008, updated 2009-2012.
Dogwood Ceramic Supply

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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

    Paragon and every other kiln company manufactures a variety of small kilns.  Many of these kilns were designed to serve a specific market or usage, such as glass, clay, ceramics or precious metal clay.  And while the kilns may be sold to any consumer without any restriction, not all of these kilns are a good value or the best kiln for the customer's particular situation