Skutt KM 818 Kiln 5/8 Inch Thick Furniture Kit Review (2026)

What comes in the kit

This furniture kit is built for the Skutt KM 818 and 822 kilns and includes 2 full shelves and 3 half shelves, all 5/8 inch thick, along with posts in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 inch heights, 3 of each size, plus an 8 ounce bag of kiln wash to coat the shelves before first use. The full shelves measure 15 by 16 inches and the half shelves measure 8 by 15 inches, dimensions matched to fill the round chamber of the KM 818 efficiently rather than leaving unused gaps at the edges. The whole kit ships at roughly 50 pounds given the weight of multiple ceramic shelves and posts.

Why matching shelves to a specific kiln model matters

Kiln shelves that are slightly the wrong size either leave wasted space in a firing chamber or, worse, sit too close to the kiln wall where they can interfere with even heat distribution around the elements. Because this kit is engineered specifically for the KM 818 and 822 models, the full and half shelf combination is designed to fill the chamber's circular footprint with minimal gaps, which lets a potter load more ware per firing than mismatched shelves would allow. Buying a kit matched to the kiln model also avoids the trial and error of ordering individual shelves and posts separately and discovering after the fact that a size does not fit well.

How 5/8 inch shelves hold up over time

At 5/8 inch thick, these shelves are on the lighter end of the shelf thickness range Skutt offers for this kiln size, which keeps them easier to lift in and out between firings compared to a full 1 inch shelf, while still being substantial enough to resist warping across many firing cycles under typical bisque and glaze loads. Potters firing very heavy stoneware or repeatedly loading shelves near their weight limit may eventually consider the thicker 1 inch option for extra rigidity, but for standard studio use across bisque and mid-range glaze firings, 5/8 inch shelves are the more common choice for this kiln size specifically because of the easier handling.

The trade-off of a kiln-specific kit

The clear limitation of this kit is that it only fits the KM 818 and 822 kilns, so it has no resale or repurposing value for a potter who upgrades to a different kiln model or already owns a different Skutt size. The product listing also does not spell out every individual item by count in its title, so buyers relying only on the product name rather than checking the full description could be surprised by what exactly ships in the box, even though the standard kit composition across retailers of 2 full shelves, 3 half shelves, 18 posts, and kiln wash appears consistent.

Bottom line for KM 818 owners

This kit makes sense for anyone who owns or is setting up a Skutt KM 818 or 822 kiln and needs a complete, correctly sized set of shelves and posts in one purchase rather than assembling pieces individually. It is not a fit for any other kiln model, so double-checking kiln compatibility before buying is essential. For KM 818 owners specifically, the matched sizing and included kiln wash make it a straightforward way to get a kiln fully outfitted. Buying the full kit at once also avoids the common mistake of under-ordering posts, since a kiln loaded with multiple shelf levels needs enough posts on hand to support every layer being fired at once.

Frequently asked questions