Why you (probably) shouldn't buy a kiln

I got very tired of driving my pieces to the studio an hour away, and then waiting weeks for them to be fired, so I started saving $50/wk until I had enough for my own kiln install last summer. it takes me a while to make enough pieces to run a bisque firing, but I'm having a lot of fun. no regrets. I think if I had done financing or paid through a credit card, I'd feel pressure to make and sell and pay it off/justify the purchase, but since I slowly saved up and thought about it for a few years before I finally bought it, I feel more comfortable slowly making at my own pace.

I bought a broken kiln ( broken bricks, broken elements, no control unit ), I repaired it, made my own ( bigger ) elements ( from 2400W to 6000W ), bought a control unit. Now I have a 60L kiln that cost me 500€ total.

My husband built me a primitive kiln last year and we've fired it three times. But this is TOO ironic, I was given two kilns for free to just come pick them up yesterday. A small one and a huge one. The big one needs an element and the small one is fine. I'll have to learn how to use them properly. Thankfully we have an enormous woodshop to put them in away from the house and my husband is also an electrician.

Lol! My mom and I bought a wheel, and my partner wants to be supportive so he offered to buy a kiln but we hadn't even had our first pots from our home wheel fired at the community studio! Your video helped me feel much better about telling him no, that we're not ready for a kiln yet!

As someone who literally just bought my kiln today is was worried for a second, but I know this is the best time as I move from a hobby to an artist. I have been doing ceramic for 2+years and I just want to do more. Thank you for your advice and I will be watching the rest of your videos when my kiln arrives

I've been doing ceramics for 10 years now, and I still don't have a kiln,😂😅 not only because of the price and my shared studio space with non-artist friends but also because a ceramics school is approximately 10 minutes walking from the studio, and the boss is super sweet and rents me the kiln when I need it. Thank you for the video!

I'm from Uruguay and pottery supplies are in general very expensive, so buying a kiln for me wasn't an option because of the price but also because for me, pottery it's a hobbie... So, I made my own gas kiln with an oil drum and ceramic fiber. They are usually used for raku but I use it as a regular kiln and works just fine. And the whole process of making it was really fun and educational! I learned a lot :)

I made my own gas fired kiln which I only use outside. It's implied that both the size and number of pieces are limited. So my long haul isn't all that long, being in my 70s. And it keeps me busy and alert as a retired manufacturer. You stop, you die. True to my past performance, I try to add useful information based on my experience. And who knows, I may make a dime every now and again. I'm not overly vested in the craft. Thanks again! ❤

This is so helpful! A kiln of my own I’d definitely a bucket list item, but I have to say the studio where I take lessons and get studio time is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom!

Community is so important in the creative world. Totally agree! I bought a small kiln (Skutt 714) for home as I don't like to wait in line at the studio when I want to make a gifts or things, but for the large pieces, and creating in general, there is SO MUCH benefit to joining community spaces. Great video!

Always so informative Mia. Thank you. Yep I’m a community studio potter for all those reasons! Very fortunate.

Thank you, Mia, for this really helpful summary of things to be considered! And hey, I'm in the video twice ;-)) What an honor. I miss you and your studio here in Berlin! And Peanuts of course ;)

I recently got a kiln from someone who is getting a bit older and does do pottery anymore. I feel pretty lucky that I was able to get one at no cost to me. Very grateful! I already had the circuit in the garage for it!

Thank you for the information and the kiln share! I have found two places in my area.

I got a little 110 kiln a couple years before I retired as a ceramics teacher and a wheel I already had a kick wheel so I guess I was already set up Been working with clay since 1976 😜

Ty. Subscribed. You are so fun to watch, like hanging out with my best buddy from college or something. You try stuff and hang it out there for us.

Was stationed in Illesheim from 87-89. Actually married a German gal, and I must say, I was rather impressed when you busted out that German! Sounded pretty good, there!....lol! You have a great channel. Wishing you much success!

I bought my 2nd hand kiln from a ceramist who was moving back to her home country and she didn't want to carry the kiln with her back to Austria. But eh, that worked great for me and now I have a in-mint-condition 20 year old front loading Nabertherm Kiln with like 10 shelves and a million props for 2000eur. I am lucky enough that where I'm renting I have an extra room on a separate building meant as a "Hobby Raum", where I installed the three-phase electric system needed. Now, that + the counter cost me 800eur (that one actually hurt me more than the price for the kiln, haha). Great advices and I think this is gonna be a very useful video to many people!

Such a useful video, thgank you. You answered some questions I've had a for a long time. Moved to France and haven't been sure if I should take a leap with regard to buying a kiln.

Thanks for the video! I bought a kiln a few months ago and I love it so much, I personally don't regret it at all!