Suppose you are trying to make your own jewelry and need to fuse some glass together but do not have the money to buy a full-size kiln or do not have the extra space. There is no need to worry because there is a fantastic solution to this problem.
You can buy a microwave kiln for a whole lot less than a full-size kiln, and a microwave kiln is super easy to store due to its compact size. All you need is a microwave to use this product, but the microwave needs to be at least 1,000-watts to ensure you get the best results.
All microwave kilns are made with the same material and look identical, but each of these kiln kits comes with different supplies, and a few of the kilns are different sizes. We will be reviewing four microwave kilns to determine which kiln is the best for your project. So, without further ado, let's dive in.
Fuseworks FW849 Beginner's Microwave Kiln
The Fuseworks microwave kiln only comes with the kiln and an instruction booklet. The biggest downside of this product is that it does not come with any extra supplies you need to begin fusing glass.
Another downside of this product is, it does not come with a kiln shelf, so you will have to find another place to put your kiln while it cools. Since this microwave kiln does not come with a kiln shelf, you can use fiberboard, ceramic tile, or a trivet.
There is one great upside to this microwave kiln, though; it seems to be more reliable than most other brands of microwave kilns. With regular use, this brand of microwave kiln can last up to two years!
This kiln does not heat up very evenly, but that is to be expected when using a microwave. Almost all microwave kilns heat a bit unevenly, so you will have to experiment with your kiln to find the perfect balance to complete your projects.
With this kiln, you can only make small jewelry or glass projects because the kiln is relatively small. Due to the kiln's small size, it can fuse glass in as little as three minutes!
Large Microwave Kiln with Accessories
This microwave kiln kit comes with a few more items than the previous kiln kit. It comes with one large kiln, one pair of cotton gloves, and ten kiln paper sheets. You would need to buy glass and other supplies for your kiln before using it for its intended purpose.
It takes around six to sixteen minutes to fuse glass in this kiln, which is a lot longer than the Fuseworks kiln. It takes a long time to fuse the glass due to the inside of this kiln being bigger than the Fuseworks kiln, meaning it takes longer to heat up.
It appears that this kiln does not come with a kiln shelf for cooling either, meaning you will have to find somewhere to cool your microwave kiln. As mentioned before, there are three materials you can use in place of a kiln shelf like fiberboard, ceramic tile, or a trivet.
Professional Large Microwave Kiln Kit
This microwave kiln comes with a lot of great supplies to help you start making jewelry directly after you receive the kit. It comes with a few different types of glass, a glass cutter, kiln paper, gloves, earring and pendant bails, a file, a kiln shelf, and of course, a kiln.
The size of this kiln is the same size as the previous kiln, but unlike the previous kit, this one comes with many supplies. The kiln shelf is a great feature, so you would not need to buy separate materials to set your kiln on after it has been heated.
With this microwave kiln kit, you should not need to buy extra supplies for quite a while. You can make all kinds of things with the supplies included in this kit, like jewelry, small sun catchers, or even ornaments for your Christmas tree.
DIY Jewelry Glass Fusing Microwave Kiln
This kiln kit and the previous kiln kit are practically identical, except the kiln in this kit is smaller than the previous one. Even though this kiln is smaller than the professional large kiln, it is still slightly bigger than the Fuseworks kiln.
This is the perfect kit to use if you decide to make earrings, bracelets, rings, or necklaces. It comes with everything you need to begin your projects, and it is the perfect size to create small jewelry.
Even if you are not quite ready to start creating your own jewelry, the glass that comes with this kit is great to practice with. This kit comes with more than enough glass to practice with, and there should even be enough left over to start making jewelry whenever you are ready.
Buying Guide - How to find the best microwave kiln for your needs
When choosing what microwave kiln kit is right for your project, you must consider if it comes with any extra supplies and how big the kiln itself is. If you need a bigger kiln with all the extra supplies, the professional large microwave kiln kit is a great option.
If you already have a lot of glass and other supplies for your projects, then you could buy the Fuseworks microwave kiln since it contains just the kiln. Or if you still need supplies, but do not need a large kiln, then the 14-piece professional microwave kiln kit is the perfect option.
The prices for microwave kilns are exceptionally low, ranging from $102 for the more expensive kiln kit and $43 for the less expensive kiln kit. Keep in mind though you will need to buy more supplies whenever you run out.
Now that we have gone through the four different microwave kiln kits, you can decide which one would work best for whatever you need it for.
