can anyone suggest a good but cost effective kiln to buy for a pottery newbie?

[meghan lempa]

i am considering investing in a small electric kiln i can use at home. It seems too pricey to take firing classes for several hundred dollars a pop at the pottery place near me, so I'd rather just buy a small kiln to use at home.

I've seen places online that sell them for $400-600 dollar range.

I need to know if any of these smaller cheaper kilns are any good or are they just a waste of $....If you do happen to have experience with any of these kilns and have specific brand/model suggestions that would be great!

I'm looking for user friendly (being a newbie), and want it to be be able to handle clay/ceramics not just glass or ceramic glazing.

thank you!

 

[plainrsc]

I will suggest that you look at all your options

Some places wil fire pieces for you for a fee - if you fit guidelines
They want to control what they fire and they sell supplies The only way to find out is to go in talk with people or leave a letter in case you don't come when the person that makes decisions is there
Look for Ceramics - painting pots - pottery in a local search

Some people buy second hand kilns from Crag's List or EBAY
You need to know more what you are doing for this option

I don't know where you live and location determines a lot of your options

I took the path of joining a pottery club. It may have helped that one of my teachers was a founder of the club

If you want to research just buying a kiln I would look for a local dealer to come and install the kiln
Here is one company- http://www.baileypottery.com/kilns/baileyL-Leleckilns.htm
- Again you do not give a location to reference I prefer somebody local if possible

Be sure to check the size of pieces you plan to fire and the temperature you plan to fire
You don't say if it is 3 inches x 3 inches x 3 inches or if your pieces are larger
You wrote about small kilns - they may bee too small but here is a link you can read
http://www.baileypottery.com/kilns/testkilns.htm
This would be too small for me

I wish you well