Electric Kilns is a Cherry Heaven on-line shop for table-top kilns that can use regular single-phase 230V mains, such as the popular Paragon SC1, SC2, SC3, BlueBird, Caldera, FireFly, Fusion, Home Artist, KM, and Xpress, the Kitiki Mini-Kiln, and the UltraLite. Most have a digital programmer: a ramp-hold or a ramp-hold cone-fire, a 3-key, 4-key, or 12-key.

They're suitable for Art Clay, Bronze Clay, Copper Clay, and PMC metal clays, annealing beads, casting, china painting, firing ceramics, enamelling, dichroic glasses, glass fusing, heat treating, knife-making, laboratory testing, lampwork, making mixed-media jewellery, melting silver, porcelain, pottery, raku, sagging, slumping, stained glass, and stoneware.

They're ideal for your home, college, school, university, course venue, craft centre, jewellery studio, pottery business, ceramics cafe, engineering facilty, medical laboratory, research unit, or technical workshop.

Cherry Heaven TV has made a short on-line slideshow featuring these popular kilns: click the Cherry Heaven TV player above. To learn more, use the links below the menu bar near the top of the page.

You can shop here now: on line or by phone with a card, or by post with a cheque. Kiln prices include the recommended shelf kit, the legally-necessary lid or door safety switch where appropriate, UK VAT and duty, and insured door-to-door UK-mainland delivery: there are no other charges. For other destinations, mail or call.

This comprehensive internet resource lets you research and compare kilns in your own time. But, to make it easier, there are two broad groups: smaller kilns for jewellery, enamelling, fusing, and keepsakes, and larger kilns for ceramics, glass, and heat treating.

For smaller plug-in table-top kilns, such as the Paragon SC-1, SC-2, SC-3, BlueBird, Caldera, FireFly, Fusion, Home Artist, KM, and Xpress, the Kitiki MiniKiln, and the UltraLite, stay here at Electric Kilns and use the links below the menu bar near the top of the page.

For larger wired-in floor-standing kilns, such as the Paragon Fusion, GL, Ovation, and Pearl for glass, the KM for knife making, and the Dragon, Iguana, Janus, SNF, TNF, Viking, and Vulcan for ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, transfer now to Paragon Kilns using the Paragon Kilns link above the menu bar near the top of the page.

Most people buy their first kiln for the material or process they currently want to work with. After a few successes, and failures, they soon become interested in something, or everything, else. So, before buying a kiln, think about it's wider future use. If you want help choosing a kiln, mail or call an engineer at Cherry Heaven.

Electric Kilns combine the best mix of ease-of-use, practical features, robust construction, and low door-to-door prices. When comparing them to similar kilns from other manufacturers or resellers, there are important considerations:

They're frequently used at course venues, and in craft centres, jewellery studios, and engineering workshops, and are referred to on line and in books: so there's lots of useful user-based help and support.

Apart from the UltraLite, the manual Caldera-S and FireFly-S, and the semi-automatic Kitiki Mini-Kiln, they all have built-in digital programmers, not separate controller boxes with extra cables.
You can set up, and re-use, sequences: mixes of heating, holding, and cooling segments that run automatically and then stop. The Paragon Sentry digital programmer doesn't have any restrictive pre-set features such as single-sequence use or material-specific programmes.

They use single-phase 230V mains, so work in the EU and most other countries. The elements are either embedded in ceramic fibre, or the kiln has a door or lid switch: an important safety feature.

It's widely believed that glass viewing-windows will cloud permanently or crack by about 925°C. The glass used in the Paragon Caldera, FireFly, SC, and Xpress series kilns has been time-tested at 1260°C.

Paragon Kilns have been re-engineered and comprehensively tested for the UK and Europe. They meet the demanding UL 499 standard in the US, and are CE Marked for the EU.

In the unlikely event that your kiln develops a fault, it's reassuring to know that home repairs are easy and need little more than a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. If you need help, there are on-line repair videos or an engineer can guide you on the phone. Alternatively, kilns can be repaired at Cherry Heaven.

Finally, prices. For a chosen firing-chamber volume and maximum temperature, US-made kilns cost less than kilns made in the UK, Western Europe, and Japan.

Cherry Heaven TV has made some on-line programmes and interactive demos about making and working with kilns. To look at these, use the more link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose radio, tv, or interactive.

However, before moving on, three table-top kilns are worth a preview:

The Kitiki MiniKiln is a small, low-cost, jewellery kiln, ideal for your home or studio. It's a 1000°C, four sided, rectangular, ceramic-fibre, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, 4-key digital controller.

It's suitable for Art Clay, bronze clay, copper clay, and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Image Transfer Solution, Metal Clay Veneer, decals, dichroic glass, enamelling, glass bead annealing, heat treating, glass fusing, and mixed-media jewellery.

The Kitiki Mini-Kiln is probably the most popular home jewellery kiln in the UK: so it's a good choice. However, it's very important to understand that it has a controller, not a programmer. A controller does not offer automatic sequences with user-defined segments: it heats to a set temperature and stays there until you turn it off or reset the controller.

There are limitations, although you may be perfectly happy with what it can do rather than unhappy with what it can't. It helps if you buy a small digital timer to remind you that time's up. You can buy a digital timer in the on-line shop.

To learn more about the Kitiki Mini-Kiln, use the mini-kiln link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then scroll down.

The Paragon SC2 is a low-cost jewellery kiln, ideal for your home, studio, workshop, or course centre. It's a 1095°C, four sided, square, ceramic-fibre, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

It's suitable for Art Clay, BronzClay, CopprClay, and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Image Transfer Solution, Metal Clay Veneer, china paints, glass-bead annealing, applying decals, dichroic glasses, enamelling, jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, glass fusing, and small-scale glass sagging and slumping.

The Paragon SC-2 comes in four versions: the SC-2 with a plain door, the SC-2B with a bead-annealing door, the SC-2W with a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, and the SC-2BW with a bead-annealing door and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window. The SC3, SC3B, SC3W, and SC3BW are similar, but 50mm taller inside.

The SC2 is probably the most popular home-business jewellery kiln in the UK: so it's a good choice. Remember that BronzClay and CopprClay need to be fired in a stainless steel charcoal-filled container: a one litre.

To learn more about the Paragon SC-2, use the sc-2 link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then scroll down.

The Paragon Xpress E12A, made for Cherry Heaven, is a high-temperature mixed-media kiln, ideal for your home, studio, or workshop. It's a 1230°C, four-sided, rectangular, firebrick, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

It's suitable for Art Clay, BronzClay, CopprClay, and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Image Transfer Solution, Metal Clay Veneer, glass bead annealing, china paints, dichroic glass, enamelling, heat treating, jewellery, lost-wax casting, glass fusing, sagging and slumping, and medium-scale ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware.

The Paragon Xpress E-12A comes in four versions: the E-12A with a plain door, the E-12AB with a bead-annealing door, the E-12AW with a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, and the E-12ABW with a bead-annealing door and a heat resistant glass viewing-window

The E12A is perfect for materials and processes that need a long, high-temperature, firing sequence. Remember that BronzClay and CopprClay need to be fired in a stainless steel charcoal-filled container: a one litre or a three litre.

The E12A made for Cherry Heaven is 77mm taller inside than the US E12A, and gets 193°C hotter than the 1037°C US E12T, making it more versatile. It's large enough to do glass or ceramic tiles, plates, and bowls, and batch firings of all the metal clays.

To learn more about the Paragon Xpress E-12A, use the xpress link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then scroll down.

US-made kilns often have live heating elements that are exposed whenever the door or lid is open. To comply with EU safety regulations, an additional switch, included in the price, is fitted to cut off the power whenever the kiln is opened. Exposed live elements are very dangerous, and illegal in the UK.

There are two makes of silver clay: Art Clay made by Aida, and PMC made by Mitsubishi. Although we chose to sell and distribute Art Clay, both fire in a similar way. So any kiln suitable for Art Clay will be just as good for PMC.

Art Clay, sometimes called silver clay, gold clay, metal clay, or precious-metal clay, is made by Aida Chemical Industries in Japan: it's a clay-like material, made of fine silver or gold powder and a harmless water-based organic binder.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid 999 silver or 22 carat gold: real metal, not something that just looks like metal.

To learn more about ArtClay, and related products, use the more link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose Art Clay.

There are two makes of bronze clay: Prometheus Bronze Clay made by Odak, and BronzClay made by Metal Adventures. They're clay-like materials made from fine bronze powder and a harmless water-based organic binder.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid bronze: an alloy of 89% copper and 11% tin: real metal, not something that just looks like metal.

To learn more about Bronze Clay, and related products, use the more link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose BronzClay.

There are three makes of copper clay: Art Clay Copper made by Aida, Prometheus Copper Clay made by Odak, and CopprClay made by Metal Adventures. They're clay-like materials made from fine copper powder and a harmless water-based organic binder.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid copper: real metal, not something that just looks like metal.

To learn more about CopprClay, and related products, use the more link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose CopprClay.

BronzClay and CopprClay need to be fired in a stainless steel container, embedded in activated charcoal granules, and covered with a lid.

You can buy Art Clay, bronzeclay, BronzClay, copperclay, CopprClay, extra shelf kits, and related products in the on-line shop.

This is a Cherry Heaven on-line shop and an EU distributor, sales, support, spares, and repair centre for kilns: it's not a bead, ceramics, crafts, glass, or metal-clay shop, selling a few kilns to a market niche.

This internet resource belongs to Cherry Heaven, a shop in Corfe Castle village near the National Trust Estate. Cherry Heaven sells a diverse selection of exclusive essentials and luxuries. To look at Cherry Heaven, use the Cherry Heaven link above the menu bar near the top of the page.

Cherry Heaven is an EU distributor for Paragon Kilns made in Texas USA, Advance Kilns made in Canada, Efco Kilns made in Germany, Kitiki Mini-Kilns made in Turkey, and UltraLite Kilns made in the US.

Cherry Heaven is a UK distributor for Art Clay made by Aida Chemical Industries in Japan, BronzClay and CopprClay, both made by Metal Adventures in the US, and GlasClay made by ClayMania in the US, and an EU distributor for AccentGold For Silver paint and Metal Clay Veneer, both made in the US.

Cherry Heaven has been commended for an outstanding performance as one of Paragon's top-selling distributors over 2007 to : a pleasing outcome since the UK is one third the area of Texas and one fortieth the area of the US.

Founded as a family business in 1948, Paragon Industries is now the world's leading manufacturer of electric kilns and furnaces, and has built over 380 000. The 4 830 square metre site, in Mesquite, Texas, employs over 70 full-time staff.

Paragon continually monitors design and manufacture, leading to versatile, practical, safe kilns. Every kiln goes through a fifteen-step quality check, with a technician following the build, and is inspected before shipping. Paragon kilns are thoughtfully and robustly engineered, so you're buying a kiln with a future.

Paragon kilns conform to the demanding UL 499 standard in the US, and are CE Marked for the EU. Paragon is Greek for Model Of Perfection.

The kiln prices include the recommended shelf kit, and the legally-necessary lid or door safety switch where appropriate.

The smaller kilns are usually in stock, ready for next-day delivery to any address you nominate. The larger kilns are only made to order, take about ten working days to build, and will arrive in a crate or on a palette.

Paragon in the US doesn't have a warehouse full of ready-to-go kilns, and it's not feasible to showcase the extensive range at the Cherry Heaven shop in the UK, especially as most kilns are protectively packed for shipping.

The on-line shop link is below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy kilns, kiln shelves, shelf paper, metal clays, ceramic blocks and cloths, reminder timers, glare-resistant glasses, heat-resistant gloves, digital pyrometers, fire extinguishers, kiln tables, tools, spare parts, and accessories. Alternatively, visit Cherry Heaven in Corfe Castle village.

Unlike most internet shops, you won't have to register, log on, remember a password, or complete all your personal and debit card details to discover that, at the last moment, the total is more than you expected because the VAT and a delivery charge were obscured.

. The names Cherry Heaven, Kitiki, Mini-Kiln, Paragon, UltraLite, Efco, KilnCare, Odak, Prometheus, Uhlig, BullsEye, Orton, Sentry, ThinFire, Aida, Art Clay, BronzClay, CopprClay, PMC, SilverClay, Accent Gold, Image Transfer, Metal Clay Veneer, and Lindstrom are registered trademarks.