Kilns and pottery
A kiln is the machine that turns a pottery hobby into a home studio. Before you buy one, three questions matter more than the brand: will it run from your supply, what will each firing cost, and is there somewhere safe to put it?
Our tools answer those from your own figures and each maker's published specs. We haven't tested these kilns; we compare published specs and official guidance.
Tools
- Will this kiln run off a 13A plug?Type your kiln's power and see whether it's within a normal plug's rating or needs its own circuit, with who to ask next. No wiring advice, ever.
- Kiln firing cost calculatorWhat a bisque or glaze firing costs in electricity, per firing, per piece and per month, from your kiln's power, your firing schedule and your own tariff.
- Kiln size picker: what size kiln do I need?From how many pieces you make, how big they are and how often you'll fire, work out the chamber space and shelves you need, then compare kilns on the same terms.
Guides
- Pottery kiln for homeBuying a pottery kiln for home in the UK: will it run off your socket, what size you need, where it can go and what each firing costs. With free tools.
- How much does it cost to run a kiln?What a kiln firing costs in electricity in the UK, per firing and per piece, worked out from your kiln's power, your schedule and your tariff.
- Can a kiln plug into a normal socket?Whether a pottery kiln can run from a standard UK 13A plug or needs its own circuit, how to check from its power rating, and when to call an electrician.
- What size kiln do I need?Work out what size kiln you need from what you make and how often you fire, then compare kilns on chamber litres and internal height.