Ceramic Kilns For Home Use — The Best Options & Where To Buy
Starting and developing your ceramic practice at home or in your private studio is a challenging and increasingly-necessary reality that many experienced, and aspiring, ceramicists have to face. Knowing which kiln is right for you is one of these challenges.
The best place to start is to seek advice in-person or online from a local ceramics teacher or studio. Not only will their experience provide a more tailored recommendation of the tools/materials/machinery that will best serve you at the current stage of your ceramic journey, but more importantly, by supporting them financially you will also be helping your community have continued access to invaluable clay-related resources in your area.
For those of you who don’t have access to teachers or studios locally, getting advice from a community of ceramic experts online can be a great way to find the information you need. And that’s where we come in! We asked the Pottery For All audience, the largest ceramic-related community on Instagram, who they consider makes the best ceramic kilns to buy online and here’s what they said:
The Best Ceramic Kilns To Buy Online:
Over 250 ceramic experts and enthusiasts recommended Skutt, Rohde, L&L, Bailey, and Cone Art as their favorite kiln makers.
When asked to rank them based on who they considered was the best kiln maker to buy online, here’s how they voted:
1. Skutt
With 47% of the votes, Skutt was voted the maker of the best ceramic kilns to buy online.
When asked why, here’s what some members of the community had to say:
Here are the comments from members of the community who disagreed:
More resources: If you’re interested in learning more about Skutt kilns, here are some resources that might help you along the way:
- A great article on their website that’ll teach you all of the basics you need to know regarding their kilns.
- For those of you who are video-inclined, here’s an in-depth YouTube video from Earth Nation Ceramics that speaks more about kiln options for home use that might come in handy:
Where to purchase: You can only purchase Skutt kilns from their authorized distributors. You can find one in your area through their distributor search tool.
- Best entry-level option for for home use: The KM818 Skutt Kiln is often regarded as the best-value, low-priced option for home use. It’s available on Amazon but I encourage you to purchase it through The Ceramic Shop or the The Clay King where you will not only be supporting small businesses, but you’ll also get a lower price as they are starting at around $1,500 vs. $1,990 listing price available through Amazon.
2. Rohde
With 24% of the votes, Rohde was voted the second best ceramic kiln maker to buy online.
More resources: If you’re interested in learning more about Rohde kilns, please make sure to do your own research. Here are some resources that might help you along the way:
- This is an informative and simple Reddit thread comparing Skutt vs. Rohde kilns.
- This is also a good YouTube video from someone who recently bought a Rohde kiln for home use:
Where to purchase: If you’re interested in buying one, you can find your local Rohde specialist here.
3. L&L
With 20% of the votes, L&L was voted the third best ceramic kiln maker to buy online.
More resources: If you’re considering buying a L&L kiln, here are some resources that might help you along the way:
- A great article comparing an L&L vs. Skutt vs. Cone Art kilns.
- This is also a good YouTube video of what makes L&L kilns unique:
4. Others
With 9% of the votes, “other” kiln makers like Bailey, Cone Art and others came in 4th behind Skutt, Rohde, and L&L.
Tell us who YOU think should be included and why!
Now that you’ve read about how a group of ceramicists voted, if you think we missed a great maker or valuable information, you can share your opinion by leaving a comment in this article or by DMing us at @potteryforall on Instagram.
We hope this article is helpful. Best of luck on your search!
