Best Pyrometric Cones for Accurate, Repeatable Kiln Firings
Updated How we research
A digital controller tells you the temperature inside your kiln. A pyrometric cone tells you what actually happened to your clay, because cones measure heatwork, the combination of temperature and time that matures a glaze. Experienced potters run witness cones in every glaze firing, and kiln manufacturers ask for cone evidence before honoring element warranties. This guide covers the cone brands and formats worth buying, when self-supporting cones justify their higher price over standard cones, and which numbers to keep on hand for bisque and glaze work. We also explain reading a bent cone correctly, placing cones across shelves to map hot spots, and building a simple firing log around them.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.7 to 9.1 out of 10.
- Best overall:Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.1/10.
- Also great value:Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Solid build:Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 05, 50 Pack. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Feature-rich:Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This does not change our picks. Affiliate disclosure
Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 6, 1 Pkg/50, the go-to witness cone for mid fire stoneware firings.
Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 06, 1 Pkg/50, for monitoring low fire bisque and glaze kiln firings.
- 1.Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack9.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 05, 50 Pack8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Orton BRB O6 Pyrometric Bar Cones7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Orton Pyrometric SRB017 Cones, Cone 017, 50 Box7.5/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Orton Small Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack6.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Orton Small Pyrometric Bars, Cone 046.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
| # | Product | Our score | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack | 9.1/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 2 | Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack | 8.8/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 3 | Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 05, 50 Pack | 8.4/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 4 | Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack | 8.4/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 5 | Orton BRB O6 Pyrometric Bar Cones | 7.7/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 6 | Orton Pyrometric SRB017 Cones, Cone 017, 50 Box | 7.5/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 7 | Orton Small Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack | 6.9/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
| 8 | Orton Small Pyrometric Bars, Cone 04 | 6.7/10 | See on Amazon | Check price |
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 6, 1 Pkg/50, the go-to witness cone for mid fire stoneware firings.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Cone 6 is the most popular mid fire target for home potters
- + Shows whether your kiln controller is reading accurately
- + Orton cones behave consistently from box to box
- - Mid fire only, so low fire potters need a different number
- - Best used with guide cones on either side, bought separately
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 06, 1 Pkg/50, for monitoring low fire bisque and glaze kiln firings.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Cone 06 is a common bisque and low fire glaze target
- + Orton is the industry standard for pyrometric cones
- + Pack of 50 lasts through many bisque and glaze firings
- - Cone 06 only suits low fire, so stoneware potters need other cones
- - Large cones need cone packs or holders to stand correctly
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 05, 1 Pkg/50, for checking low fire and slightly hotter glaze firings.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Cone 05 helps confirm low fire glazes matured properly
- + Witness cones show heat work, not just a thermocouple reading
- + 50 cones in a pack keep you supplied for a long time
- - Only useful if your clay or glaze targets Cone 05
- - Needs to be set in a cone pack at the correct angle
Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 04, 1 Pkg/50, for monitoring hotter bisque and low fire glaze firings.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Cone 04 is a common hotter bisque firing target
- + Helps diagnose underfired or overfired low fire loads
- + Pack of 50 is economical for regular firings
- - Narrow use if you do not bisque or glaze at Cone 04
- - Cones must be stored dry to stay accurate
Orton BRB O6 pyrometric bar cones for kiln sitters on ceramic kilns firing to the low fire range.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Bar cones fit the kiln sitter on manual kilns to shut them off
- + Orton quality gives reliable shutoff at the target heat work
- + Handy replacement for kilns that use sitter bars
- - Only for kilns with a kiln sitter, not digital-only models
- - Check the pack count covers your firing schedule needs
Orton SRB017 small cones, Cone 017, 50/Box, for accurate decal, luster and overglaze firings.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cone 017 matches common decal and luster firing targets
- + 50/Box gives lots of cones for repeat decoration firings
- + Usable in industrial, pottery and hobby kilns
- - Too low a cone for bisque and regular glaze firings
- - Only useful for potters who add decals or lusters
Orton small pyrometric cones for the Kiln Sitter, cone 04, a box of 50 for bisque firing monitoring.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Box of 50 per the listing, enough cones for many firings.
- + Orton brand cones are widely used for kiln sitter work, and cone 04 is the standard bisque target for low fire clay.
- + Under $20 for a box of 50, which is a low cost per firing.
- - The product page gives only the cone number and pack size, with no firing temperature or usage notes.
- - This is cone 04, not 06, so it suits bisque rather than low fire glaze firings, and it is for Kiln Sitter use only.
Orton small pyrometric bars for the Kiln Sitter, cone 04, used to shut off the kiln at the bisque firing temperature for low fire clay.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Orton is a well-known name in pyrometric cones, and the listing identifies these as small bars for the Kiln Sitter.
- + Cone 04 is listed for bisquing low fire clay, a common first firing step for many studios.
- + Pack of bars gives you spares for repeated bisque firings.
- - Listing text is very short and gives no pack count, so check the quantity on the page before ordering.
- - Only fits a Kiln Sitter style shutoff, and cone 04 will not suit a glaze firing at mid or high temperatures.
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Mid fire only, so low fire potters need a different number (Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack)
- Cone 06 only suits low fire, so stoneware potters need other cones (Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack)
- Only useful if your clay or glaze targets Cone 05 (Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 05, 50 Pack)
- Narrow use if you do not bisque or glaze at Cone 04 (Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 04, 50 Pack)
- Only for kilns with a kiln sitter, not digital-only models (Orton BRB O6 Pyrometric Bar Cones)
- Too low a cone for bisque and regular glaze firings (Orton Pyrometric SRB017 Cones, Cone 017, 50 Box)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among pyrometric cones for accurate, repeatable kiln firings?
Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 6, 50 Pack is our top overall pick. Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 6, 1 Pkg/50, the go-to witness cone for mid fire stoneware firings. It earns our score of 9.1/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Orton Pyrometric Cones, Cone 06, 50 Pack is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Orton pyrometric cones, Cone 06, 1 Pkg/50, for monitoring low fire bisque and glaze kiln firings.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Pottery Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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