The Paragon Janus series kilns are suitable for medium to large-scale ceramic and glass work. You can fire ceramics, clays, earthenware, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware; anneal, cast, fuse, sag, and slump glass; and work with many other materials and processes. For glass, use the top and middle-side elements; for pottery, use all the side elements.

The Paragon Janus series kilns are ideal for ceramic cafes, craft centes, colleges and universities, glass workshops, glass-art studios, and potteries, as they can fire glass and pottery.

The Paragon Janus series kilns come in five versions, as the cylindrical top-opening Janus 1613, Janus 23, and Janus 27, the rectangular front-opening Janus 24, and the oval top-opening Janus Ovation. They're all 1290°C, cone 10, firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, eighteen-segment ramp-hold or cone-fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmers.

The Paragon Janus series kilns are suitable for BronzClay metal clay, china painting, heat treating, lost-wax casting, glass fusing, sagging, and slumping, firing ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, melting silver and gold, and raku.

The Paragon Janus series kilns are sometimes called bronzclay kilns, bisque kilns, bisqueware kilns, ceramics kilns, clay kilns, earthenware kilns, greenware kilns, mixed-media kilns, porcelain kilns, pottery kilns, raku kilns, or stoneware kilns.

The most popular choices for ceramic work are the Paragon Janus kilns, and the smaller Caldera and FireFly series kilns, although you can use any kiln that heats to 1230°C. Before looking at the Janus series in detail, here's a brief introduction to clays:

Clay is formed naturally over millions of years as rocks break up into minute particles. It consists of hydrous aluminium silicates, and other compounds such as iron oxides, quartz, mica, and feldspar.

Clay is often divided into three main categories: earthenware, porcelain, and stoneware. Generally, it needs to be fired for several hours, although impurities affect the time, temperature, colour, and shrinkage.

Earthenware is normally red, beige, or white. It has the lowest firing temperature of the three, usually about 1150°C. It's slightly porous, and stains and chips easily, so it's often glazed to protect the surface. Its porosity means it's good for making planters and oven steamers, but not good for pitchers or vases.

Porcelain is composed of kaolin, known as china clay. Kaolin doesn't melt until 1800°C, so other compounds are usually added so it can be fired between 1250°C and 1400°C. For example, bone china is made by adding bone ash to the clay. It's known for its whiteness, hardness, smoothness, durability, and translucency. When tapped, it makes a distinctive ping: or ming.

Stoneware is normally red-brown, beige, or grey. It's usually fired between 1150°C and 1300°C. It's hard, durable, and resists thermal shock. Glazes bond well, so it can be made waterproof.

Polymer clay is a man-made material: tiny particles of polyvinyl chloride mixed with plasticizers and pigments. When it's baked, at around 125°C, the particles fuse and the clay hardens.

Raku was originally a Japanese technique, but it's now become an internationally popular way to make decorative ware. Basically, you start with a bisque piece fired to about 950°C, and then glaze it. It's removed from the kiln when red-hot, and put straight into a container of combustible material.

The flames, reducing atmosphere, and mix of chemicals stain the clay. When the piece is removed and quenched in cold water, interesting colours and shades remain: often unpredictable.

This page is about the Paragon Janus Series kilns. To learn more about all the other Paragon kilns, including the larger floor-standing wired-in kilns, use the kilns link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose from the new menu.

However, to simplify your research, I've separated some of the popular kilns, from all the manufacturers, into one group:

To learn more about table-top kilns that can use a regular mains socket, such as the Paragon BlueBird, Caldera, FireFly, Fusion 6, Fusion 7, Home Artist, SC2, SC3, and Xpress kilns, Efco Kilns, the Kitiki Mini-Kiln, and the UltraLite Kiln, transfer to Electric Kilns using the Electric Kilns link below the menu bar near the top of the page.

All the kilns described on this page have two diagrams: front and side views. To look at larger photos, hold your mouse over the zoom buttons below. The photos are 480px x 360px and about 30KB so, if you're not on a fast internet connection, they'll take a short while to download.

The Paragon Janus 1613.

The Paragon Janus 23.

The Paragon Janus 24.

The Paragon Janus 27.

The Paragon Janus Ovation.

Whilst comparing kilns, there are important considerations: the kiln's versatility, the overall size and weight, the power supply, the maximum temperature, the firing chamber floor area and height, the firing chamber material, and the price. Although they're decisions that only you can make, mail or call if you need help.

A kiln is not designed to be run full-on all the time. So, if you need to fire at 900°C often, and for a long time, buy a 1000°C or higher kiln, not a 925°C kiln.

The Janus series and the TNF series look similar. However, TNF kilns usually have a higher power rating than the broadly equivalent sized Janus kilns: so heat up more quickly. But they're not as versatile as, without top elements, they're not suited to glass work.

The prices include the recommended shelf kit and the legally-necessary lid or door safety switch, where appropriate, and UK mainland delivery. To look at the prices, use the shop link below the menu bar near the top of the page.

The Paragon Janus series kilns come in five versions, as the cylindrical top-opening Janus 1613, Janus 23, and Janus 27, the rectangular front-opening Janus 24, and the oval top-opening Janus Ovation. They're 1290°C cone 10 firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, eighteen-segment ramp-hold or cone-fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmers.

The Paragon Janus series kilns can fire glass and pottery: for glass, use the top and middle-side elements; for pottery, use all the side elements.

The Paragon Janus series kilns are popular with ceramic cafes, commercial studios, and pottery workshops as 1290°C is the highest temperature rating for regular kilns: above that, the materials and construction have to change, leading to much higher costs.

Paragon US uses kiln model numbers inconsistently: they could be version numbers, internal dimensions, the thickness of the firebricks, or the number of sides. For the Janus series, it represents the internal size: the 1613 is approximately 16in diameter x 13in high, the 23 is approximately 23in diameter, the 24 is approximately 24in square, and the 27 is approximately 27in diameter.

The kilns use Orton Sentry digital programmers. You can set up multiple sequences, each one with multiple heating, holding, or cooling segments: so you can choose the heating and cooling rates, target temperatures, and hold times, save the sequences, and then re-use them. There are no restrictive features such as single-sequence use or pre-set programmes.

Pre-set programmes might seem to be an advantage. However, having experimented and diversified, many people fire materials, or combinations of materials, at different temperatures and for different times than are recommended.

Kilns made outside the UK have been re-engineered and comprehensively tested for the UK and Europe. They work on a regular, single-phase, 230V supply. 230V is the EU standard, although there are minor local and national variations.

They're CE Marked and comply with EU safety standards. The heating elements are either embedded in ceramic fibre, or the kiln is fitted with a door or lid switch: an important safety feature.

230V EU elements replace the 110V US elements. Although the maximum temperature remains unchanged, the EU kilns generally heat up faster: useful if you want to repeat firings.

All programmable kilns work in the same way: the thermocouple checks the internal temperature regularly and tells the programmer to switch the elements on or off to control the heating or cooling.

When the target temperature is reached, the elements are switched off. However, residual heat in the firing chamber allows the internal temperature to overshoot the target temperature briefly before starting to fall back.

This is more noticeable at low temperatures than at high temperatures. For example: 300°C will probably overshoot to 320°C whereas 800°C will probably only overshoot to 810°C before starting to fall back. Take this into account if you're working with temperature-critical materials or processes.

During the hold-time, with the elements still off, the internal temperature falls. Although the programmer will soon switch the elements back on, the firing chamber will initially absorb some of the new heat before the temperature recovers. The continual switching of the elements on and off causes the internal temperature to cycle around the target temperature.

The actual temperature of your work will be affected, slightly, by its position on the kiln shelf, the vertical spacing of any stacked shelves, and its nearness to the elements, a lid, a door, a bead door, a window, or a peephole.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

Kiln doors and lids are not meant to be a perfect fit otherwise, at high temperatures, there'd be no room for expansion and the door could stick and the ceramic-fibre or firebricks could crack.

Eventually, with normal use, kilns discolour slightly, inside and outside, and some firebricks might develop hairline cracks. Remember, your kiln is a robust, versatile, red-hot tool: not an ornament.

Working successfully with a kiln involves careful research, planned experiment, and repeated testing. It's important to learn how to creatively use unexpected effects, as things that work for your friends or teachers might not work in the same way for you. So, keep a firing log:

Buy a durable notebook. Using a new page for every firing, draw diagrams of the shelves, their vertical spacing, and the position of your work on the shelves. Put a few scraps at different places on the shelves to learn how things react. Describe the material, the shape of your work, the firing cycle, and the end result.

A kiln log is vital if you're experimenting with temperature-sensitive materials, or working with coloured dichroic glasses, enamels, or glazes, and a skilled artist will use the log to advantage to re-create effects.

The Paragon Janus 1613 is suitable for BronzClay, ceramics, clays, glass casting, fusing, sagging, slumping, porcelain, raku, pottery, and stoneware.

It's a 1290°C cone 10, eight-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold or cone fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 4800W, so needs a separate 30A circuit. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space, as it weighs about 90Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a stay-open support, and there's a wide-view peephole in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 648mm x 724mm x 508mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 229mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 419mm x 337mm internally, and heats from the top and sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks. Fire glass using the top and middle-side elements: fire pottery using all the side elements.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of two round 381mm x 15mm cordierite shelves, one half shelf, six sets of assorted shelf posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, up to six shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

An extra kit consists of one round 381mm x 15mm shelf, one half shelf, and eight 25mm x 25mm x 50mm posts. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Janus 1613, Fusion 8, and TNF 1613, look similar. However, the 925°C 4800W Fusion 8 glass kiln isn't hot enough for ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware.
The 1290°C 6400W TNF 1613 ceramics kiln isn't usually used for glass as there are no top elements. However, as it has 1.33 times the available power, it heats up more quickly than the Janus 1613.
The versatile 1290°C 4800W Janus 1613 can fire glass and pottery: for glass, use the top and middle-side elements; for pottery, use all the side elements.

The Paragon Janus 23 is suitable for BronzClay, ceramics, clays, glass casting, fusing, sagging, slumping, porcelain, raku, pottery, and stoneware.

It's a 1290°C cone 10, ten-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold or cone fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 9600W, so needs a separate 45A circuit. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space, as it weighs about 167Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a spring-balanced lid for easy opening and a stay-open support, and there are two wide-view peepholes in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 775mm x 1118mm x 825mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 229mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 572mm x 514mm internally, and heats from the top and sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks. Fire glass using the top and middle-side elements: fire pottery using all the side elements.

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of six half-round 508mm x 18mm cordierite shelves, six sets of assorted shelf posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, six shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

An extra kit consists of two half-round 508mm x 18mm shelves and twelve 25mm x 25mm x 50mm posts. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Paragon Janus 24, the only square kiln in the Janus series, is suitable for BronzClay, ceramics, clays, glass casting, fusing, sagging, slumping, porcelain, raku, pottery, and stoneware.

It's a 1290°C cone 10, four-sided, square, firebrick, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold or cone fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 11520W, so needs a separate 60A circuit. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the door is opened. It needs a strong table, as it weighs about 185Kg.

The outer steel case measures 1029mm x 813mm x 749mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware. The door is hinged on the right but can be hinged on the left if you ask when ordering.

The firing chamber measures 610mm x 572mm x 381mm internally, and heats from the top, both sides, and the door, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of two 559mm x 559mm x 25mm cordierite shelves, one half shelf, six sets of assorted shelf posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, four shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

An extra kit consists of one 559mm x 559mm x 25mm shelf, one half shelf, and twelve 25mm x 25mm x 50mm posts. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Janus 24 and the GL24-ADTSD look similar. However, the 925°C 10 800W GL24-ADTSD glass kiln isn't hot enough for ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware.

The Paragon Janus 27, the largest round kiln of the Janus series, is suitable for BronzClay, ceramics, clays, glass casting, fusing, sagging, slumping, porcelain, raku, pottery, and stoneware.

It's a 1290°C cone 10, twelve-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold or cone fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 11520W, so needs a separate 60A circuit. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space, as it weighs about 245Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a spring-balanced lid for easy opening and a stay-open support, and there are two wide-view peepholes in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 922mm x 1265mm x 787mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 229mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 711mm x 565mm internally, and heats from the top and sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks. Fire glass using the top and middle-side elements: fire pottery using all the side elements.

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of six half-round 660mm x 18mm cordierite shelves, six sets of assorted shelf posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, up to six shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

An extra kit consists of two half-round 660mm x 18mm shelves and twelve 25mm x 25mm x 50mm posts. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Paragon Janus Ovation, the largest kiln of the Janus series, is suitable for BronzClay, ceramics, clays, glass casting, fusing, sagging, slumping, porcelain, raku, pottery, and stoneware.

It's a 1290°C cone 10, ten-sided, oval, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold or cone fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 16000W, so needs a separate 75A power supply. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space, as it weighs about 304Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on eight legs, the top has a spring-balanced lid for easy opening and a stay-open support, and there are two wide-view peepholes in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 1448mm x 991mm x 1143mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 229mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 1041mm x 572mm x 572mm high internally, and heats from the top and sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks. Fire glass using the top and middle-side elements: fire pottery using all the side elements.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of six half-oval 533mm x 394mm x 18mm cordierite shelves, forty-eight assorted posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, eight shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

An extra kit consists of two half-oval 533mm x 394mm x 18mm cordierite shelves, and twelve 25mm x 25mm x 50mm posts. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the start link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

This kiln is ideal for ceramic cafes, glass studios, and pottery workshops, as the large oval firing chamber allows differently sized pieces to be fired together efficiently and economically: not so easy with round or square kilns.

To learn more about table-top kilns that can use a regular mains socket, such as the Paragon BlueBird, Caldera, FireFly, Fusion 6, Fusion 7, Home Artist, SC2, SC3, and Xpress kilns, Efco Kilns, the Kitiki Mini-Kiln, and the UltraLite Kiln, transfer to Electric Kilns using the Electric Kilns link above the menu bar near the top of the page.

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

The on-line shop includes Paragon Kilns, BullsEye ThinFire kiln paper, ceramic blocks, ceramic cloths, digital pyrometers, reminder-timers, fire extinguishers, glare-resistant glasses, heat-resistant gloves, kiln shelves, kiln tables, and other tools and accessories. Alternatively, visit the Cherry Heaven Shop in Corfe Castle village.

Cherry Heaven is an EU distributor for Paragon Kilns made in the US, 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 and BronzClay made in the US, and an EU distributor for AccentGold For Silver paint and Metal Clay Veneer, both made in the US.