Kittec kiln lines explained

line	Design & Shape	Typical use	Electricity / Energy	Strengths at a glance
CB Classic-Line	Electric top loader, round	Beginners, hobbyists, small educational spaces	usually 230 V, up to 1320 °C	Plug & Play, compact, solid all-rounders for beginners
CBN Classic-Line	Electric top-loading washing machine, rectangular	Panels, series, efficiently usable area	230/400 V (model dependent), up to 1320 °C	More surface area per liter, ideal for plates and display pieces.
SQ Squadro	Electric top-loading washing machine, square	Studios, schools, courses with lots of glaze firing	230/400 V (model dependent), up to 1320 °C	Very homogeneous burns, compact external dimensions, easy to handle.
CT Classic-Line	Electric front loader, rectangular (CT-3 / CT-5)	Studios, workshops, educational institutions	400 V, up to 1320 °C	Ergonomic, professional, strong homogeneity – especially with CT-5
X Professional-Line	Electric front loader, reinforced construction	Professional studios, universities, manufacturers	400 V, up to 1320 °C	Maximum uniformity, continuous operation, highest demands on glaze firing
CBR Classic-Line	Gas top loader	Raku, reduction firing, experimental surfaces	Gas (propane/butane)	Shockproof, portable, ideal for Raku and workshops
CBG	Gas-powered front loader, large volume	Large studios, sculpture, training	Gas (multi-burner systems)	Large chambers, controlled gas combustion, robust door mechanism

In the next step, we'll take a detailed look at the lines – each with typical application examples, so you can relate to them.

CB Classic-Line – the compact round oven for beginners and small workshops

The CB Classic line is the first kiln for many. It's round, compact, and many models can be operated with 230V. This makes CB particularly attractive for anyone starting out with ceramics in a hobby room, basement, or rented apartment who doesn't want to install three-phase power.

In practice, it works like this: You throw or build bowls, cups, small vases, and figurines, put them in the kiln, do a bisque firing, and then a glaze firing – done. As long as you're working on this scale and frequency, a CB kiln will reliably deliver good results.

The round shape has two advantages: it's space-saving and intuitive, but it does waste some counter space. As soon as you start firing wider platters, longer records, or larger batches, you'll realize you're playing a lot of "Tetris" to fit everything in.

If you see yourself in any of these images, CB is usually a good choice:

• You burn once or twice a week.
• Your pieces are more compact than expansive.
• You want to start off solidly without immediately going into the professional class.
• You don't have a 400V setup and you don't want any work done on the electrical system.

The technical basis – ceramic fiber-free lining, protected heating coils in grooved bricks and proven TC controls – ensures that CB furnaces do their job unobtrusively in many workshops for years.

CBN Classic-Line – rectangular top-loading washing machines, for when you finally need more storage space.

The round shape of a kiln reveals its limitations at the latest when you start baking plates, platters, or wider bowls. You turn, push, tilt – and still feel like you're wasting space. This is precisely where the CBN Classic line comes in: rectangular firing chambers designed to fit the shape of your workpieces.

A CBN kiln feels significantly "larger" in everyday use than its volume would suggest. You can arrange supports in neat rows, utilize firing plates efficiently, and pack batches so you don't have to reinvent the layout for every firing. Anyone who has ever neatly set up multiple layers of plates in a CBN kiln will be reluctant to go back to a round kiln.

Typical situations where CBN takes a lot of stress out of your everyday work:

• You regularly make plates, serving platters, or large series of cups.
• You are using multi-level burning kits and want to organize them in a structured way.
• You realize that your round oven is "full", even though it feels like there's still room.

CBN is therefore one of the most sensible lines for anyone who works seriously but wants to stick with a top-loading washing machine. The rectangular chamber brings order, efficiency, and calm to the loading process – without the jump to the price range of a front-loading machine.

SQ Squadro – square firing chambers for even glaze firing

The SQ Squadro line is something of a hidden gem in the KITTEC range. Square combustion chambers are an excellent answer to the question of how to achieve a harmonious balance between homogeneity, space utilization, and external dimensions. Neither rounded nor extremely rectangular – but rather a compact, easily loadable interior.

SQ kilns are a common sight in many schools, workshops, and studios because they deliver a reliable, consistent firing pattern – regardless of who is firing. Glaze tones repeat, edges run cleanly, and there are fewer surprises between the top and bottom layers.

SQ is a particularly good fit if:

• If you frequently perform glaze firings and value consistent results,
• you want a usable floor space despite limited space,
• Several people in your area work with the oven (courses, community workshop).

While CBN offers maximum floor space, SQ is the line that provides a very balanced ratio of homogeneity, usable area, and compactness. If you do a lot of glazing and want "well-behaved" fire behavior, SQ is often the right choice.

CT Classic-Line – Front loader, when ceramics are part of your everyday work

The transition from a top-loading to a front-loading oven is less of an upgrade and more of a change in category. With a CT oven, you completely transform your workflow: you load at eye level, can precisely adjust levels, place heavy items without contortions, and gain entirely new control over the interior.

CT kilns are designed for continuous use in studios, workshops, and educational institutions. The three-layer, ceramic fiber-free insulation, mortarless lining, and robust door mechanism are engineered for long service life. The firing patterns are significantly more homogeneous than with many top-loading kilns – especially in larger volumes.

Within the CT line, there are two important variants:

• CT-3 : Heating via sides and back wall. Very good homogeneity for bisque and glaze firing, ideal for mixed use with many standard tasks.
• CT-5 : Heating via sides, back wall, bottom and door. Maximum uniformity throughout the firing chamber, particularly interesting for demanding glazes, thicker pieces and users who require highly reproducible results.

If you fire regularly, give courses, sell, or work with more complex glazes, CT is the line at which a kiln no longer feels like "a device" but like a reliable production base.

X Professional-Line – when maximum homogeneity is the top priority

The X Professional line is designed for users who push the boundaries of reproducibility and controllability during glaze firing. Its construction, mass, and heating are even more rigorously optimized for stability and uniformity than those of the CT line.

X-ovens are often found where:

• It is burned daily.
• high quantities or large objects are involved
• Glazes are developed or reproduced at a high level,
• Training takes place at a professional standard (art colleges, technical schools).

If glaze firing quality, reproducibility and continuous operation are key issues for you, then X is the most consistent line in KITTEC's electric segment.

CBR Classic-Line – Gas, Raku and vibrant surfaces

Electric kilns are ideal for controlled, oxidizing firings. However, for raku, reduction firing, and intentionally "living" surfaces, you need gas. The CBR Classic line is designed precisely for this: shock-resistant lining, robust burner technology, and an open design that allows for rapid temperature changes.

Typical use cases include:

• Outdoor Raku workshops,
• Reduction fires with targeted flame guidance,
• experimental surfaces and special glazes.

CBR complements electric kiln lines like CB, CBN, SQ, CT, or X – it does not replace them. Many workshops have an electric kiln for bisque and glaze firing and, in addition, a CBR for raku and experimental techniques.

CBG – Gas front loader for large formats and ambitious studios

CBG is the gas-fired answer for large ceramic projects: front loader, large firing chambers, multiple burners, and a stable, robust construction. This line is used where large sculptures, installations, or series need to be fired under gas conditions – often in training facilities, large studios, or specialized workshops.

If gas firing is a central part of your artistic language and you want to fire not just small Raku pieces, but large works, then CBG is the logical choice.

Conclusion: The line determines your everyday life, the model only determines the size.

KITTEC doesn't simply offer "many oven models," but rather clearly defined lines designed for different working methods. The key takeaway is: once you've found the right line, choosing the model is simply a matter of volume.

Round CB kilns are perfect for beginners and small spaces. Rectangular CBN top-loaders bring order and space to your firing routine. SQ kilns offer square firing chambers with high homogeneity. CT front-loaders bring you into the professional, ergonomic world of firing. X kilns are built for the highest demands on reproducibility. Finally, CBR and CBG kilns open the door to the world of gas and raku firing.

If you're unsure which line best suits your work, your space, and your budget, a short, honest consultation is worthwhile. Simply describe your current firing process, the pieces you create, and how you envision your studio developing in the coming years – and together we can narrow down which KITTEC line will take your ceramics to the next level.