I’ve written about baking polymer clay before (go here if this is new to you) and I even have a nifty short course on baking polymer clay. In those articles and my course, you’ll learn that temperature control is essential for properly cured polymer clay projects. You’ll also learn that most ovens lie. Yes, they’re inaccurate. But we need to bake our polymer clay! So, when it comes right down to it, which polymer clay oven should you choose?
Polymer Clay Ovens Lie
One of the first things a newbie learns is that the temperature you set on the dial is merely seen as a general recommendation by most ovens. Some bake too hot, some too cool, and some ignore your wishes completely. This is because tabletop ovens are not precision instruments. They’re made for warming up pizza, toasting bagels, or making cheese toasties. Precise temperatures are not crucial for yummy, bubbly cheese.
We don’t want brown or bubbly polymer clay, of course! You will need a thermometer so you can mess with the dial to compensate. Ultimately, the lack of precision for this type of oven comes down to the kind of temperature control they have.
The Type of Heat Controller Matters
Most inexpensive tabletop ovens used for baking polymer clay have a non-specific temperature control. Even if the readout is digital, most of these ovens have a simple “spring switch” mechanism. There is no temperature sensor! Instead, the relatively primitive switch turns “all-on” when the dial’s setting is reached or “all-off” until it cools down enough to turn on again. It’s a heavy-handed approach. The sensitivity and accuracy also vary significantly by model, oven age, room temperature, or even if you have moved the oven recently.
There is another type of heat controller, however. A PID temperature controller is used in applications requiring precise temperature control (such as industrially). This stands for Proportional Integrative Derivative and is a fancy way of saying that it uses a proportional response and feedback mechanism to keep the temperature relatively constant. Like cruise control in your car. It turns the element on just enough to bring the temperature to the correct point. But it doesn’t “floor it” like your regular oven does (which, of course, leads to browning).
Oddly enough, consumer-level ovens with a PID temperature controller are quite unusual.
If you know someone super handy with electronics, a regular tabletop oven can be modified to use a PID heat controller. This is not a DIY job, however. But if you have one of these rare folks in your life…lucky you. Show them this article and set them off running. Finding an oven with a PID is the solution for the rest of us.
Here’s My Polymer Clay Oven
The only consumer-level oven I could find with a PID heat controller is the Breville Smart Oven Pro. I have this one exactly (Affiliate Link – learn more here). It seems to be the medium size because there is a larger one here and a smaller one here.
I’ve used this oven for three years now and have no complaints. The temperature is not perfectly accurate, but it is very stable. I set the temp to 265°F (130°C) to achieve 275°F (135°C). You should always test any new oven to verify the actual temperature inside, however, because individual units will vary! The heating elements are shielded and do not toast my clay projects (though I do still cover my work).
I have recommended this oven to many of my Blue Bottle Insiders community members, and I’ve heard great feedback. It seems to be a good, solid, well-made, dependable oven. I recommend it, but as with every product, your mileage varies. My stamp of approval is not a guarantee! Make sure you can return it if you’re not happy with it.
You might notice this is also an air fryer. Well, it has an air fryer setting and a basket (that I don’t use). But I use it on the convection oven setting. (Convection just means there’s a fan blowing to circulate the heat better.) You could also use the regular bake setting.
What About Cheaper Ovens?
There’s no getting around it; that’s an expensive polymer clay oven. What about cheaper alternatives? As I mentioned earlier, the usual inexpensive ovens all have the old-fashioned “guess-the-temperature” type controls. Sometimes they work well. Sometimes they don’t. The Hamilton-Beach brand is often recommended on Facebook groups, but that’s just a brand name with dozens of variations or models. I had one; it was the worst oven I’d ever used. Others have great results, even with the same model. I suspect quality control isn’t very tightly controlled with these ovens.
There are some things you should look for in a polymer clay oven. It should have fine enough temperature control to achieve the correct temperature. It should have enough consistency to maintain the correct temperature for as long as you need. It should be large enough to hold the largest item you plan to cure. If you choose to buy one of the cheaper ovens, I recommend buying it from a source where you can return it if it does not work.
I also recommend that you do some tests to check the temperature and verify that it does remain stable. I also recommend that you don’t move it once you find a home for it in your studio.
When You’re Ready…
I always recommend that newbies use their home oven. There’s no sense in racking up expenses. And the cheapie tabletop ovens will work well enough if you spend the time adjusting and fussing with them. Or if you get lucky and have one that’s accurate and consistent. But if you’re ready to invest in a tool that does what it’s supposed to do, consider getting one of the Breville Smart Pro ovens. I’m glad I bought mine. Enjoy!
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