A thorny question that raised a lot of questions for me! Electric or gas? What capacity? The cost? My use? How to choose?
I’m a beginner so I’m learning. First option I go to a workshop to learn and my pieces are fired on site. This is what I did for a few months, but it didn’t work for me because it’s too slow for me in terms of cooking times. You have to wait too long to see the finished result. The solution: my own workshop and oven. And do specific training courses for my apprenticeship. Once an autodidact, always an autodidact…
But which kiln to choose when you’re new to ceramics?
The simplest type, i.e. electric, just plug in and go! I had more trouble finding the right capacity for my needs. I couldn’t see what the volume 60l 80l 100l etc corresponded to. How many pieces? Questions with few answers… After a thorough search on the net, the 60 l was too small and the 100 l possibly too big. I split the difference in 2 and chose an 80l because I think it’s important to see the finished result quickly. It’s motivating. And you need motivation in ceramics, apparently…
The brand? There are 2 brands with a monopoly: Rohde and Nabertherm. After my little investigation, the technical level is just as good. There are just a few convinced Rohde or Nabertherm proponents. So how did I choose? In general terms, the Rhode is stockier, rounder and the other longer, deeper, and as I have a sensitive back, the Rohde seemed more suitable.
Price level? Rhode is a little more expensive than Nabertherm.
Low or high temperature? The more the better, so choosing a high-temperature kiln for porcelain and earthenware seems the wisest choice.
Vertical or horizontal furnace? Horizontal ovens are obviously a must, but given the much higher prices for vertical ovens, which are already not cheap, the choice was quickly made!
Finally, make sure your oven’s power supply is compatible with your home or workshop, because ovens are either single-phase or three-phase, which when you don’t know anything about them = Chinese! So be sure to ask the seller about this, and preferably a seller who really knows electricity, i.e. who can tell you the amperage required and the size of the electrical cable – in short, a real pro. I say this because I contacted 3 salesmen and only one had the right answer! I also recommend David Clairaud of Ceraterre, a super pro who’s super nice and delivers to you himself.
Here is my final choice = Rohde 80l ecotop electric oven . Go, go!
