Best L&L kilns for home use

[AssirStudio]

Hello all,

I am making the leap into starting my own studio after having worked in shared spaces for the past 10 years. I have decided that I want to buy an L&L; I feel that for all the time and effort we put into making pottery, the last thing I want is a mis firing. 

Ideally, I would like to find a mid sized L&L that I can use in my home. I have a breaker that is 50 amps that used to have a kiln attached to it before I moved in. I will be firing to cone 6; rarely ever fire higher than that. I am wondering what you all think would be the best model for me? I see this as an investment, and hope to keep my L&L for many years, and find something that is reliable, cost effective and will last a long time. 

[neilestrick]

With a 50 amp breaker, the largest kiln you'll be able to use is an e23S-3. It's 4.4 cubic feet, which may or may not be large enough for you. It all depends on how much work you make. If you need something taller, the e18T-3 is just a little bitter smaller at 3.9 cubic feet, but it's 9" taller. The 18" diameter is pretty limiting, though. Lots of wasted space if you're firing bowls, and you can barely fit a full size dinner plate on the shelf.

Have you had an electrician check out the wiring? Don't trust that the previous occupant did it correctly. At 50 amps you should have 6 gauge wire in there. If that's the case, then you can change out your breaker to 60 amps without running new wire, which will allow you to get a larger kiln. Check with the electrician that the service can handle it, though. The e23T-3, e28S-3, and e28T-3 all run on a 60 amp breaker. The e23T-3 is the most popular size kiln in the US, but lately I've been selling more e28S-3 kilns, which are the same volume, but wider and shorter. The wider the diameter gets, the less wasted space you'll have. So unless you need to fire things that are more than 16" tall, get the wider, shorter kiln. The e28T-3 is too big for most hobbyists, and on 240 volt single phase service (what you have in your home), it only goes to cone 8, which means you'll have to change out your elements a little more often.

Get the quad elements. They'll pay for themselves, and you won't have to change elements as often. Also get the Genesis controller.

[Mark C.]

Yes the 60 amp breaker with a number 6 wire is the way to go.

50 amp just not quite enough.

Neil said it all above.

[Roberta12]

hindsight is great, I do rather wish I had gone with the e28t but I have the e23t.  One of the biggest positives for me, in a remote rural area, over 200 miles from ANY kiln service whatsoever, is L&L's service.  I had questions from the onset and they assigned me a service rep and Rob has been my phone call/text/email support person for 7 years.  I am able to diagnose most of what happens (like the Err1 code I got on Wednesday, it was a relay) but it is wonderful to have someone to contact simply to say, "hey, start with the paper test and go from there!"   Perhaps Skutt and Paragon and other companies have the same arrangement, but since I have to do all of my own maintenance and repair, Customer service is without price! 

Roberta