Bartlett KilnAid

I love the app for keeping an eye on kiln progress, but I would love more functional help tracking during status over time. Thanks for keeping this app up to date! 🫶

So easy to use!!

I love the consistency that the Genesis controller brings to our ceramic process. Potters have enough other issues especially with glaze recipes and application that can cause variation as well as failure, so having the kiln controller allows more precision during firing. With consistent firing schedules using your controller, I am more certain that the issues I do encounter are not due to inconsistent firing, and I can look for other reasons for my glazing issues. I like that we can program the kiln to ramp up slower through portions of the heating cycle where the structure of the clay body rearranges on a molecular level. This likely prevents flaws from forming, which can't be accomplished with a manual kiln. The controller's built-in programs work well, and I like being able to add programs based on other potter's experiences. Programming the Genesis is easy, and the YouTube videos Bartlett has made are outstanding. They are always right to the point, showing how to install and how to use various features of the controller. I appreciate the occasional emails saying Bartlett Instruments Co. will be closed over a holiday, but if we need help, we can check out their online manuals and extensive collection of YouTube videos, all of which are available 24/7! I love that the company cares enough to highlight this, and I'm sure it helps to remind people how they can be more self-sufficient. And again, having support if we need it, is really awesome. Prompt customer service from Real Humans is rare these days, but this family-owned business has always been responsive when I needed help troubleshooting. The Genesis controller keeps the last 10 firing logs that I have been able to download locally and see the actual data that the thermocouples recorded. The KilnAid app for mobile devices has been a game changer for me! I love being able to monitor the kiln temperature from anywhere I have internet access. Seeing the graph of my program and watching the progress is so very helpful and instructive as well. It's nice to be able to save notes on the firing from my iPhone or iPad, or even my computer. Recent additions to the software allowing for a kiln to be stopped remotely will surely be significant for those who can't be onsite continuously during a firing. Another new feature for uploading (and downloading) kiln programs to the kiln from a computer will also be helpful for those who have multiple programs and make changes often. Those who do glass fusing use many different firing schedules and would really benefit from this new feature! The free features are great, but the notifications and advanced monitoring features are well worth the annual subscription fee. Many kilns now come with the Genesis controller as standard equipment, and I have recommended to others who are contemplating a purchase that they make sure their new kiln has a Bartlett Genesis 2 controller.