🏺 Pottery · Strategy
Kiln firing economics: bisque + glaze cost per piece
What each piece actually costs to fire when you account for electricity, kiln depreciation, and packing density.
Image: Loading a pottery kiln
Most potters underestimate firing costs by 60-80%. They think "electric kiln, runs a few hours, can't cost much." Per kiln load, electric firing typically costs $8-22. Per piece, the cost depends entirely on packing density.
The bisque firing cost
| Item | Cost per bisque firing |
|---|---|
| Electricity (cone 06, ~10 hours) | $9-15 |
| Element wear (4-8% of $400 element set) | $1.50-3.00 |
| Brick degradation | $1.20 |
| Pyrometric cones | $0.40 |
| Total per bisque firing | $12-20 |
The glaze firing cost
| Item | Cost per glaze firing (cone 6) |
|---|---|
| Electricity (~10-12 hours) | $14-22 |
| Element wear (5-10%) | $2-4 |
| Kiln furniture (posts, shelves) depreciation | $1.50 |
| Cones | $0.40 |
| Total per glaze firing | $18-28 |
Per-piece firing cost
For a medium electric kiln (Skutt KM-1027 or equivalent), packing density typical:
| Piece type | Pieces per firing (both bisque + glaze) | Per-piece firing cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mugs (tightly packed) | 20-30 | $1.20-2.50 |
| Bowls | 12-20 | $2-4 |
| Plates | 15-25 | $1.50-3 |
| Tall vases | 4-8 | $5-12 |
| Large sculptural pieces | 1-3 | $12-30 |
The double-firing reality
Every piece is fired twice — bisque (cone 06) and glaze (cone 6 for stoneware). Total firing cost per piece is 2x the table above. A mug costs $2.40-5.00 to fire total. Over 100 mugs/month, that's $240-500 in firing electricity alone.
How to lower firing cost per piece
- Pack tightly. Use 6-8 levels of furniture instead of 4-5. Every piece you add to a firing reduces per-piece cost.
- Mix sizes. Combine large and small pieces in one firing. Big pieces fill the middle; small pieces tuck around them.
- Bisque-fire when full. Don't fire half-loaded kilns. Wait until you have 25+ pieces ready.
- Use programmable controllers. Manual firing wastes electricity in overshoot. Bartlett or Skutt programmable controllers save 8-12% per firing.
- Insulate your kiln room. A well-insulated kiln room loses less heat to ambient.
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