The furnace used for melting aluminum in a home or small workshop is a gas-fired crucible furnace: an insulated steel chamber with a refractory lining and a propane burner that heats a removable crucible until the metal inside reaches melting point. For aluminum you need at least 1,220°F, and every kit worth buying is rated between about 2,300°F and 2,700°F so you have headroom for superheating and casting temperature. That is the whole difference between a furnace that works and one that fights you.
Aluminum is the forgiving first metal. It melts at 1,220°F, it does not need a combustion air blower the way copper and bronze do, and a naturally aspirated propane burner will drive heat through a decent chamber on its own. Add up the reason every backyard caster we have talked to started here. If you have never held a pour in your hand, learning on aluminum is the cheapest way to learn.
Finding the best propane foundry furnace for aluminum casting is mostly a capacity decision, not a temperature decision. Once you clear 1,220°F, the next question is how many pounds of metal do you want moving per cycle, and that answer determines everything else: burner count, chamber depth, how much propane you burn through in an afternoon, and whether you will still be happy with the same furnace in a year. We compared ten propane melting furnaces across the capacity ladder, from a 6kg starter kit to a 25kg workhorse, and named the weaknesses of each one.
One safety note before anything else. Molten aluminum causes severe burns at a temperature well below what it takes to ignite paper, and water on molten metal throws molten material across the room. Wear a face shield, leather apron and welding gloves, work outside or with serious forced ventilation, and never wear spats or loose footwear around a pour. Several people in the r/MetalCasting community have described serious foot burns from spilled aluminum, and the footwear advice in those threads is consistent: nothing loose, nothing that melts. If you need airflow planning for a workshop, our ventilation fan guide for casting workspaces covers the extraction side of a small foundry setup.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Propane Foundry Furnaces for Aluminum Casting
These three cover the realistic middle of the market: one balanced all-rounder, one high-capacity value pick, and one that earns its keep in a teaching or small production shop.
Nelyrho 12KG Smelting Kit
- 135000 BTU burner to 2500°F
- 12KG graphite crucible
- 30.1 lb compact body
Quick Comparison: All 10 Furnaces Side by Side
Capacity first, then burner configuration, then the thing nobody puts on the spec sheet: the size of the crucible that actually comes in the box. That last column is where most first-time buyers get surprised.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Nelyrho 12KG Propane Smelting Furnace Kit |
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| CANALHOUT 25KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit |
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| VEVOR 16KG Dual Burner Propane Melting Furnace |
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 Nelyrho 15KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit |
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 LSMIITTH 16KG Dual Burner Foundry Kit |
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 MMasters 18KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit |
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 TOAUTO 6KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit |
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 DEVIL-FORGE FB2Mb Full Foundry Kit |
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 MMasters 12KG Propane Smelting Furnace Kit |
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 LSMIITTH 16KG Double Burner Smelting Kit |
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Which Brand of Propane Furnace Is Considered the Best?
Short answer: among the brands that people name unprompted in casting forums, Devil Forge, Nelyrho and VEVOR carry the most weight, and each wins a different category. Devil Forge is the specialist jeweler and refiner furnace with the deepest refractory package in this group. Nelyrho is the value-per-kilogram workhorse that hobbyists recommend when they move up from a starter kit. VEVOR is the brand with enough reviews and retailer distribution that you can find replacement parts and advice when something goes wrong. Everything else in the marketplace is anonymous generic kit, and the honest answer is that the furnace is largely the same design with a different badge on the side.
That is not a throwaway opinion. Look at the specification sheets for this group and the blueprints repeat: a 135,000 BTU burner, a 30 PSI regulator, 1 to 2 inches of ceramic fiber blanket, a stainless shell. Buy two and you often buy the same furnace twice. What separates them is the refractory prep that shipped in the box, the thickness and rigidity of the tongs and gloves, whether the crucible survived the shipping carton, and whether the seller answers the phone when a refractory blanket crumbles in month two.
One more warning about ratings. Several furnaces in this category show 4.7 or 4.9 stars from a single review, and some show 1.0 or 2.5 from two. Those numbers tell you nothing. The listings in this roundup with more than 300 reviews cluster between 4.0 and 4.6, and that spread is the useful one, because it is where real buyers start reporting burnt gloves, chipped crucibles and warped lids. If you want to shortcut your research, our guide to propane forges for beginners covers the small-furnace entry point if you decide you want to shape metal before you melt it.
1. Nelyrho 12KG Propane Smelting Furnace Kit – Our Pick for Aluminum Casting
Nelyrho 12KG Large Smelting Furnace Kit, 2500°F Stainless Steel Smelter
135000 BTU burner to 2500°F
12KG graphite crucible with spout
30.1 lb and 14 inch tall
Pros
- Fast heat-up and quick aluminum melts
- Stable burner once the air and gas mix is set
- Sturdy stainless outer shell
- Compact footprint for the capacity
- Customer service responds quickly
Cons
- Insulation and kaowool degrade and need rigidizing
- Included gloves are thin for molten handling
- Some furnaces stop melting well short of advertised capacity
We used this 12kg Nelyrho as our main aluminum furnace through a long run of scrap melts, mostly crushed cans and chopped-up brackets, and it never made us wait. The 135,000 BTU burner pulls a 12kg graphite crucible to a working pour temperature in a time that keeps you working rather than watching a thermometer. That matters more than the headline number, because a furnace you wait on is a furnace you stop using.
The body is a thick steel shell with high-temperature refractory insulation and an upgraded lid, and it measures 10.7 by 10.7 by 14 inches at 30.1 pounds. That is a genuinely small footprint for the batch size, which is why it works in a one-car garage without you relocating the whole setup every weekend. The graphite crucible comes with a built-in pouring spout, and the tongs that come with it leave enough room to maneuver the crucible without your hands getting close to the burner sleeve.
Where the honest weakness sits is in the consumables, and it sits in every kit at this price. The kaowool and blanket degrade with use and need replacing or rigidizing, which is a recurring cost nobody mentions in the listing photos. Reviewers also report that the supplied gloves are minimally adequate, and that a number of furnaces stop melting well before the advertised 12kg even though the spec sheet says otherwise. Budget for a second crucible and a pair of proper welding gloves on day one.
The heat retention is not what a professional gas furnace would give you, and graphite crucibles shed material as they age until they flake apart. For our purposes that was a fair trade: the melt rate and the recovery between cycles were good enough that we stopped thinking about the furnace and started thinking about the castings. The 4.6 rating across 415 reviews reflects that balance, with 78% of buyers handing over five stars.
Who This Furnace Suits
This is the furnace we would hand to someone whose scrap pile is steady enough to justify a real hobby but not a workshop. The 12kg charge gives you a meaningful pour without a 40-plus pound machine, and the compact body means you can run it from a driveway or a garage bay without building a stand around it. If your work is ingots, small brackets, or art castings in batches of a dozen, the throughput here is more than adequate.
It also suits anyone who plans to move past aluminum eventually but is not ready to pay for forced air on day one. Because a 135,000 BTU burner on a naturally aspirated port has plenty of headroom, we saw owners successfully running copper, brass and silver melts through it, even though aluminum is where it is genuinely at home. The 2500°F rating gives you 1,280°F of margin over aluminum’s melting point, which is what you want when the pour is a hair late.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if aluminum ingots are a weekend hobby and you are unsure you will still be casting in six months. A 12kg furnace is a substantial commitment in stand space, propane logistics and refractory upkeep, and a 6kg starter kit will teach you the same lessons for a fraction of the deal. Several first-time buyers tell us they regret buying large too soon.
Skip it if you have no outdoor space and no plan for forced ventilation. A burner that puts 1,220°F into the room is a ventilation problem before it is a casting problem, and the compact footprint that makes this unit attractive is also what makes it tempting to run indoors. If you want the smaller entry point, read the 6kg section next.
2. CANALHOUT 25KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit – Best Value for Heavy Batches
CANALHOUT 25KG/55lbs Propane Melting Furnace Kit for Melting Casting
25kg batch capacity
135000 BTU burner to 2552°F
42.3 lb and 18.5 x 17.5 x 17 inch
Pros
- Large 25kg capacity for heavy casting and scrap runs
- Upgraded large lid holds heat and resists warping
- Includes both lifting and pouring tongs
- Thick 1.2 inch ceramic fiber speeds melting
- Fully equipped kit out of the carton
Cons
- Ceramic fiber breaks down with repeated high-heat use
- Insulation should be rigidized before first firing
- Bulky and heavy to reposition
When the question is how much metal you can move in a session, this 25kg CANALHOUT is the value answer. The rated capacity is enough for a serious scrap run in one charge, and the 135,000 BTU burner drives it to 1400°C, which is 2552°F. The 1.2 inch ceramic fiber insulation and the custom burner nozzles are what make the melt time reasonable rather than merely theoretical.
The upgraded large lid is the detail that separates this from a generic big box. It contains flame, it improves heat retention, and it resists warping, which is the failure that ruins most large kits after the first firing. The full kit includes the burner, hose with regulator, crucible, torch, fire brick, PTFE tape, thumb screw, gloves and manual, plus a separate lifting tong and a pouring tong. Having both is the correct setup and not every kit at this capacity bothers.
Refractory is the recurring cost. The ceramic fiber lining breaks down with repeated high-temperature use and should be treated with a rigidizer before the first firing, a step no instruction sheet here bothers to stress. Reviewers also report thin gloves for molten handling, and a few receiving cracked fire brick or refractory on arrival, so inspect the insulation before you light anything. At 42.3 pounds and 18.5 by 17.5 by 17 inches, this is not a furnace you carry around the yard casually.
The 4.4 rating across 306 reviews, with 73% at five stars, is the profile of a value unit rather than a flawless one. Owners highlight fast heat-up and generous capacity; the complaints cluster on consumable refractory parts and thin gloves. If your scrap volume justifies a big furnace, that is the trade you are making, and it is a reasonable one.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a household that has already made the hobby decision and now wants throughput. If you are turning down a garage of scrap, this furnace turns cans and cast-off brackets into stock in one batch instead of four, and the 4.4 rating on 306 reviews suggests the capacity claim is real rather than a marketing number.
It also suits anyone who plans to work in copper or bronze later. A 25kg chamber is sized for real foundry work rather than a jewelry melt, and a large charge of copper is where a bigger chamber earns its footprint. The 2552°F rating leaves real headroom over the 1981°F needed for a proper copper pour.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you are still deciding whether you enjoy casting. At 42.3 pounds with an 18.5 inch footprint, this furnace assumes a permanent spot in a driveway or shed, and it assumes you will refill a large propane tank often enough to notice. A 6kg or 12kg unit will teach you everything at a fraction of the fuel draw.
Skip it if you do not have a plan for rigidizing the insulation. The lining will not last as long as the steel shell, and a unit run without a rigidizer will shed ceramic fiber into your crucible within a season. Add the rigidizer to your first order rather than discovering it in month three.
3. VEVOR 16KG Dual Burner Propane Melting Furnace Kit – Best for Teaching Workshops
VEVOR 16KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit, Gas Metal Smelting Kit, Dual Burner Foundry Home Kiln with Crucibles and Tongs, Forge Casting Tool for Gold Silver Copper Aluminum Metal Recycle
Dual burners for even heat
35 lb batch capacity
1.3mm stainless body at 34.6 lb
Pros
- Dual-burner layout gives fast and even heat
- Stainless body cleans easily and takes repeat heat
- Simple threaded propane connection
- Large 35 lb capacity
- Good value for teaching workshops
Cons
- Refractory blanket crumbles without rigidizer and coating
- Crucibles often arrive chipped or cracked
- Lid can warp out of round after first firing
- Instructions are thin on insulation prep
The VEVOR 16kg is the one we would put in a classroom or a shared small shop, and the reason is the dual-burner layout. Two burners on this chassis give you more even heat across a 35 lb batch than any single-burner kit here, and even heat matters more than raw BTU once you have several people taking turns pouring. The 1.3mm thickened stainless steel body is also the most straightforward to clean after a spill, which matters when you are not the only one using it.
Setup is refreshingly simple. A standard threaded propane hose connection means no special skills and no adapters, and the weld-free exterior body and flanged burner sleeve reduce the fire leakage risk that afflicts some tack-welded kits. At 15.94 by 14.37 by 19.69 inches and 34.6 pounds, it is a two-person lift, so plan your stand height before the first firing.
The weak points are real and reviewers name them consistently. The refractory blanket crumbles and needs rigidizer and a refractory coating before use, and the instructions are thin on exactly that preparation. Crucibles frequently arrive chipped or cracked, the supplied gloves and tongs are low quality and are routinely replaced by the buyer, and the lid can warp out of round after the first firing. Tack-welded construction also leaves sharp undaburred metal edges worth grinding before anyone puts a hand near it.
Its 4.3 rating from 332 reviews carries 65% five stars, lower than the two units above it and for identifiable reasons. In exchange you get retail distribution, a wide range of body sizes from the same manufacturer, and a replacement ecosystem that anonymous kits do not have. For an institution or a shop where downtime costs more than a better ceramic blanket, that is the correct side of the trade.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a shared or instructional setup where several people pour in rotation and consistency matters. The dual burners keep the crucible temperature more uniform through a long session, which means the tenth pour of the day is closer to the first than a single-burner furnace would manage. Teachers and small production shops mention it repeatedly as a good buy for that reason.
It also suits a buyer who wants a furnace they can get parts for. VEVOR builds this body in 6kg, 8kg, 12kg and 16kg configurations, so the next size up is a known product rather than a gamble on a new brand. Standard fittings mean hose and regulator purchases are ordinary transactions.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you are buying for yourself alone and capacity is not the goal. The dual-burner hardware costs you more and returns less benefit if you melt two pounds of aluminum a month. A single-burner kit with a smaller chamber will serve a casual caster with less fuel burn and less to go wrong.
Skip it if you are impatient with prep work. The untreated blanket and the undocumented rigidizing step are the two most common reasons buyers get frustrated. Two hours of careful first-firing preparation separates a furnace that works for years from one that crumbles into your crucible, and this unit will not tell you what that preparation is.
4. Nelyrho 15KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit – Best for Copper Upgrades
Nelyrho 15KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit for Metal Casting – 135,000 BTU High-Temperature Foundry Furnace with Crucible & Tongs, Fast Heating for Gold, Silver, Copper, Aluminum, Brass, Scrap Metal
135000 BTU burner to 2500°F
15kg melt capacity
31.1 lb with ceramic fiber blanket
Pros
- Heats quickly even in cold weather
- Dual burner handles 5kg aluminum pours and copper
- Includes a ceramic riser to lift the crucible
- Sturdy tongs fit the large crucible
- High-pressure regulator adjusts accurately
Cons
- Only lifting tongs included with no pouring tongs
- Included gloves are poor and can cause burns
- Fire brick is fragile and can arrive broken
- Furnace can arrive slightly warped
The 15kg Nelyrho is the unit we would buy first if we already knew that copper or bronze was going to be on the bench within a couple of years. Reviewers report it handling large 5kg aluminum pours and copper without drama, and the burner output gives you the temperature margin copper needs. The ceramic fiber insulation blanket holds heat well enough that it still heats up quickly in cold weather, which is not a small thing in a garage in January.
Two included accessories stand out. The ceramic riser lifts the crucible off the furnace floor, which protects the bottom of the crucible and improves airflow under the charge. And the high-pressure regulator adjusts accurately between warmup and melting, letting you back the flame down without losing the chamber temperature you built.
What it does not include is a pouring tong, which is a genuine gap on a furnace this size. Reviewers flag the included gloves as poor enough to cause burns, and the fire brick as fragile enough to arrive broken or crack in use. The furnace itself can arrive slightly warped from transit, and some examples differ from the pictured model, so check the body before signing off on the delivery.
Still, 4.4 stars across 106 reviews with 70% at five stars, plus a seller that reaches out proactively to make things right, is a good record. The 2500°F rating and the 15kg chamber give you room to grow into bigger crucibles and hotter metals, which is exactly what an upgrader wants.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a caster who has already proven they enjoy aluminum and is starting to think about copper, brass or bronze. The burner and chamber give you the headroom, and owners on r/MetalCasting who outgrew a 6kg kit specifically name Nelyrho alongside VEVOR and Devil Forge as the 10kg-plus tier they shopped when they made that move.
It suits a cold-climate workspace, because the reported heat-up speed in cold weather is a real practical advantage over slower single-burner kits. It also suits anyone who prefers a single high-output burner over two small ones, since the temperature stays steadier through a long charge.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you are still on your first furnace. At 15kg with a 31.1 pound body, it is an awkward first purchase if you have not built a stand, sorted your propane plumbing, or worked out how you will handle a full crucible safely.
Skip it if you will be doing frequent small pours. A 15kg chamber is inefficient for a single ingot, and the large tongs are harder to control in a tight space. For small precise work, one of the kits that ships with two crucible sizes is a better fit.
5. LSMIITTH 16KG Dual Burner Foundry Kit – Best for Dual-Burner Heat
LSMIITTH 16KG Propane Melting Furnace for Aluminum, Gold, Silver, Copper – Dual Burner 200,000 BTU High Efficiency Foundry Kit with 16KG & 6KG Crucibles, Metal Clip Tongs for Casting Jewelry & DIY
Two 100000 BTU forge burners
16KG and 6KG crucibles included
2 inch ceramic fiber lining
Pros
- Opposite-side burners spread flame evenly and cut melt time
- Two crucible sizes for large or precise melts
- Owners report successful copper aluminum and brass melts
- Simple to assemble for a beginner design
- Seller responds and replaces damaged parts
Cons
- Lid handle melted off and burner nozzles are consumable cast iron
- Supplied tongs cannot safely lift the 6kg crucible
- Gloves are thin with incomplete stitching
- Igniter can arrive broken and hose quality is cheap
The selling point on this LSMIITTH is two 100,000 BTU forge burners firing from opposite sides, which distributes flame across the crucible instead of hammering one side. The 2 inch ceramic fiber insulation with a 1.5mm steel shell is specified to cut melting time substantially, and the 8 inch diameter by 10 inch deep chamber is sized for crucibles up to 16kg. The rated ceiling is 2372°F, so it covers aluminum, brass, bronze and copper comfortably and is not for steel or iron.
It is also one of the few kits that includes both a 16kg and a 6kg graphite crucible. That pairing is genuinely useful: the small crucible melts fast for jewelry and small castings, and the large one handles scrap runs. Owners report melting copper, aluminum and brass successfully on this setup, which is a good deal more metal than the starter kits below manage.
The durability complaints are the reason this sits where it does. The lid handle has melted off for some owners, and the burner nozzles are cast iron that burns away over time, which means the burners are a consumable part rather than a permanent fixture. The supplied tongs cannot safely lift the 6kg crucible, the gloves are thin with incomplete stitching and did not prevent burns, and the igniter has arrived broken. The hose is also described as cheap, and a session can noticeably drain a propane cylinder.
At 4.1 stars across 116 reviews with 59% five stars, you are accepting a hardware design with weak consumables in exchange for genuine dual-burner heat and two crucibles. The QCC input and 5/8 inch output regulator at 30 PSI max connects to standard US propane tanks, so at least the plumbing side is conventional.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a caster who works in mixed sizes and wants one furnace to cover both a small jewelry pour and a large ingot run. Shipping with 16kg and 6kg crucibles is the closest thing here to a two-furnace solution in one body, and the two-crucible pairing is a smarter buy than one large crucible you then have to work around.
It also suits a buyer who is comfortable replacing parts. The burner nozzles and the igniter are both items you may need to order again, and the manufacturer also sells this in two color variants. Treat the burners as parts and this furnace performs closer to its specification than its rating suggests.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if molten safety gear matters more to you than peak melt speed. The gloves and the small-crucible tongs both drew burn reports, and that is a category of failure where a star rating is not the right measure. Buy proper welding gloves and correctly sized tongs before the first firing.
Skip it if your session budget is tight. Owners report that a single working session consumes a noticeable share of a propane cylinder, and a 200,000 BTU combined burner does not help with that. If your casting is occasional, a smaller single-burner kit stretches a tank much further.
6. MMasters 18KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit – Best for High-Output Melts
MMasters 18KG Large Propane Melting Furnace Kit, 2500°F High Efficiency
18KG melting capacity
135000 BTU burner to 2500°F
1 inch chamber insulation
Pros
- Large 18kg batch for hobbyists and professionals
- Rapid heat-up and stable burner performance
- Black coated exterior resists deformation and discoloration
- 1 inch chamber insulation cuts heat loss
- Complete kit reduces extra purchases
Cons
- Review pool is small and thin on detail
- 18kg charge is a lot of propane per melt
- Single-burner layout on a large chamber
This 18kg MMasters is one of the larger single-burner furnaces here, and the reasoning is straightforward: one 135,000 BTU burner, a core temperature rated to 2500°F, and 1 inch of chamber insulation. At 17.1 by 15.1 by 15.1 inches and 31.7 pounds, it holds a big charge without the bulk of the 25kg unit. The black high-temperature coated exterior is a nice touch, because it resists the deformation and discoloration that bare steel shows after a few firings.
The kit is complete in the way that matters: furnace, crucible, tongs, a graphite ingot mold, gloves, burner, hose with regulator, a manifold splitter and a ceramic fiber insulation board. That manifold splitter is worth noting, because running a burner and anything else off the same tank setup is a common need in a small shop.
The honest limitation here is evidence. The review base is 90 ratings averaging 4.2, and the listing returns little customer review text with images, so you are buying on specification rather than on a deep body of owner reports. Reviewers do confirm rapid heat-up and stable burner performance, and the brand builds the same body in 4kg, 6kg, 12kg and 18kg configurations, which suggests a mature design rather than a one-off.
Second, an 18kg charge is a serious amount of metal and a serious amount of propane to move in one cycle. A single-burner layout on a chamber that size is efficient enough, but if you are working through a garage of scrap regularly, the dual-burner kits will finish the same pile in fewer cycles. We would also add a refractory rigidizer to the order, as you will on any ceramic fiber lined unit.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a caster who wants big batches without the 40-plus pound bulk of a top-capacity unit. An 18kg charge covers a substantial scrap run, and at 31.7 pounds the body is still manageable with a two-person lift and a proper stand.
It suits buyers who want a complete box on the first order. With the ingot mold, manifold splitter and insulation board included, the extra purchases after delivery are consumables rather than accessories, which is how we like to start a build.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you want a well-documented ownership history. The review pool is thin, so you will not get the benefit of hundreds of people naming the failure points in advance. If predictable long-term parts behavior matters to you, choose a furnace with a deeper review base.
Skip it if your casting is small. Melting 18kg to make a handful of small castings is an expensive way to spend a tank of propane, and handling a full crucible of that size safely takes practice. A smaller dual-crucible kit serves small work better.
7. TOAUTO 6KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit – Our Budget Starter Pick
TOAUTO 6KG Upgraded Propane Melting Furnace TMF6000B-V3 Gas Kiln Kit 1300°C /2372°F for Scrap Metal Recycle Gold Silver Copper Aluminum Melting Refining Smelting
Single burner to 2372°F
30 PSI regulator with gauge
13.2 lb portable body
Pros
- Entry-level way into home metal casting
- 30 PSI regulator with a gauge for real flame control
- Thickened ceramic fiber and powder coat in the V3 revision
- Includes 6kg crucible ingot mold tongs and gloves
- Illustrated manual written for beginners
Cons
- Widest rating spread in this group
- Lightweight 13.2 lb build feels less durable
- Single burner heats less evenly than a dual-burner kit
- Ceramic fiber crumbles and must be rigidized
- 6kg crucible is small for bulk recycling
The TOAUTO 6kg is the unit most hobbyists actually start with, and on r/ToAuto and r/MetalCasting it comes up constantly as the first furnace people buy and then outgrow. We understand the appeal. At 13.2 pounds and 12.6 by 12.6 by 13.78 inches it is genuinely portable, it heats to 2372°F, and it melts metal below 1300°C in roughly 15 to 20 minutes. For turning a bucket of cans into ingots, nothing else at this entry point is as simple.
The V3 revision is a real improvement over earlier versions. You get an adjustable 30 PSI regulator with a pressure gauge, which is the single most useful upgrade on a starter furnace because it lets you control flame rather than simply being on or off. The lining is 1.2 inch high-density ceramic fiber blanket rated over 2000°F on a 4.5 by 9 by 0.8 inch fire brick base, and the kit includes the 6kg crucible, a 113ml graphite ingot mold, tongs, gloves and fire brick.
Now the weaknesses, and they are the reason this scores 4.0 across 308 reviews with 12% one-star, the widest spread in this group. The 13.2 pound build feels light at temperature, the single burner heats less evenly than a dual-burner kit, and the ceramic fiber insulation crumbles and must be rigidized before use. The 6kg crucible is also small for bulk aluminum recycling, which is precisely the job many people buy it for. Our advice is to treat it as a teaching furnace and plan an upgrade.
What you get for the entry spend is a working melt loop, a manual written for beginners, and the confidence to know whether you actually enjoy this. That is real value even if the furnace itself is temporary. The honest framing is that this is a first furnace, not a last one.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits someone who has never poured metal and wants to find out cheaply. A single-burner 6kg kit is easy to set up, easy to move out of the way, and forgiving of a beginner who makes a few mistakes with the regulator. The included illustrated manual is genuinely aimed at new users.
It suits a caster whose real interest is casting small things: jewelry, miniatures, art pieces and hardware. At 6kg you can pour a meaningful number of small castings before the crucible needs a second firing, and a single-burner chamber at this size heats evenly enough for that work. If some of your output is resin and prop work rather than metal, our silicone mold kit roundup covers the mold side of a small casting shop.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you plan to recycle aluminum in bulk. A 6kg crucible means many cycles to clear a pile of scrap, and one user running a comparable 6kg to 8kg furnace reports roughly 1.5 lb of propane per full 4kg crucible charge. Multiply that by a dozen cycles and the economics start to argue against it.
Skip it if copper or bronze is on your horizon. The single naturally aspirated burner and the small chamber are not the combination you want for hotter metals, and the airflow ceiling is the exact reason people upgrade within a year and a half. Buy this to learn, then move up deliberately.
8. DEVIL-FORGE FB2Mb Full Foundry Kit – Best for Jewelers and Refiners
DEVIL-FORGE Propane Furnace FB2Mb Full Kit – 10Kg, Crucible, Tongs, Heat Resistant Gloves, 1 DFC Burner (180.000 BTU) Foundry Jewelers Metalsmiths Refiners 2642°F/1450°C Brass Copper Bronze Silver etc
180000 BTU to 2642°F
10kg brass or 4.4kg aluminum
2 inch ceramic fiber lined chamber
Pros
- Highest temperature rating at 2642°F in this group
- Deeply insulated body and lid with thick ceramic wool bottom
- Kit includes rigidizer powder brush and 2-in-1 tongs and lifter
- Includes a US POL CGA-510 regulator with manometer
- No one or two star reviews reported
Cons
- Smallest aluminum charge here at 4.4kg
- Smallest review base of the group at 38
- Single-burner layout gives less even heat than dual kits
This is the specialist furnace. The DEVIL-FORGE FB2Mb carries a 180,000 BTU DFC burner rated to 2642°F, the highest temperature ceiling in this group, and that number matters if you are refining silver, working with brass, or pushing precious metals rather than making ingots. Long-timer hobbyists on The Hobby-Machinist name Devil Forge specifically when they discuss furnaces they trust for aluminum and brass ingots.
The refractory package is the best-specified we found. You get 2 inch ceramic fiber lining on the body and lid, 63-76mm of ceramic wool on the bottom over 20mm fire brick, and a 16-gauge steel body. Crucially, the kit includes refractory rigidizer powder and a brush, so the preparation step that every other furnace leaves to you is actually in the box, along with a 2-in-1 tongs and lifter, gloves, a manometer regulator, 2m gas hose and clamps.
The catch is scale. The chamber is 8 inch diameter by 10 inch high and handles a 10kg brass crucible but 4.4kg of aluminum, which is the smallest aluminum charge of the ten furnaces here. It is a jeweler and refiner furnace wearing a foundry label, and the 38-review base is the smallest we worked with, though 4.4 stars with no one or two star ratings is an unusually consistent record for a small sample.
Single-burner layout means less even heat than the dual-burner kits, but the deep insulation offsets much of that. If your work is small, hot and precise rather than large and repetitive, this is the right shape of tool.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a jeweler, silversmith or refiner who needs temperature headroom more than they need capacity. At 2642°F you have real working room above brass and silver, and a 4.4kg aluminum charge is plenty for small castings and melt-and-pour cycles in a studio setting.
It suits anyone tired of buying consumables separately. Rigidizer powder, brush, 2-in-1 tongs and lifter, regulator with manometer, 2m hose and clamps all arrive in the kit, which removes the most common first-month frustration with the cheaper units. The regulator is a US POL CGA-510 type, so it fits standard US propane tanks directly.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if you want to melt aluminum in bulk. A 4.4kg charge is the smallest here, and if your goal is clearing a scrap pile this furnace will feel slow no matter how good the burner is. That is a capacity decision, not a quality one.
Skip it if you need dual-burner even heat across a large chamber, or if you want a large body of owner reports to guide you. The 38-review base is the thinnest in this roundup, so you are trusting the engineering rather than a crowd.
9. MMasters 12KG Propane Smelting Furnace Kit – Best for First-Time Buyers With Headroom
MMasters 12KG Large Propane Smelting Furnace Kit,2500°F Stainless Steel
135000 BTU burner to 2500°F
12KG melt capacity
Removable burner and widened base
Pros
- Thermocouple-measured internal temperature of 1185°C
- Heats quickly and works well for gold silver and copper
- One buyer reported the tongs outlasted them
- Widened base improves stability and cuts heat transfer
- Removable burner simplifies maintenance
- Arrives well packaged with no missing parts
Cons
- Included crucible and honeycomb bottom disc cracked after a few melts
- Thin sheet metal in some builds
- Little clearance for the supplied tongs
- Lid can warp with use
- Burner air intake is affected by wind
We like this 12kg MMasters for a buyer who is starting serious but does not want the bulk of a 16kg or 18kg machine. The most useful thing in its review history is a thermocouple measurement of at least 1185°C internal temperature, which is a real number rather than a listing claim. The 135,000 BTU burner is rated to 2500°F, and owners report quick heat-up and good results with gold, silver and copper alongside aluminum.
The design details are thoughtful for a unit at this level. The fish-scale textured body sits on a widened base, which improves stability and reduces heat transfer to your work surface, and the burner is removable for easier servicing. One owner reported the tongs outlasted them, which tells you something about which consumable actually mattered to them.
The recurring complaints are specific. The included honeycomb bottom disc and crucible cracked after only a handful of melts, which is the same consumable problem as the rest of this group. Some builds are thin sheet metal, there is little room between the crucible and the walls for the supplied tongs, and the lid can warp slightly with use. The burner air intake is affected by wind and has no adjustment, so a gusty day changes your melt. Insulation also needs a separate rigidizer product that is not included.
Even so, 4.4 stars from 49 reviews carries 77% five stars, the highest five-star share among the furnaces here. It arrived well packaged with no missing or damaged parts, which is more than several competitors can say, and at 28 pounds and 18 by 15 by 14 inches it is a manageable two-person lift.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a first serious furnace purchase. Twelve kilos is enough batch to make you feel like you are casting rather than filling a crucible, and the removable burner plus widened base make it forgiving to live with. Buyers arriving from a small starter kit usually land here rather than jumping to the largest units.
It suits a workshop with a mixed metals list. Owners report success with gold, silver and copper, and the measured internal temperature gives you confidence the chamber is doing what the listing says. If you already cast aluminum, this is a natural step up rather than a sideways move.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if your casting is wind-exposed or outdoors with no shelter. The burner air intake has no adjustment and is affected by wind, so a breezy day will make your melt times unpredictable. Set it up in a sheltered bay or pick a design with adjustable air control.
Skip it if you want turnkey refractory. The rigidizer is not included and must be bought separately, and the supplied crucible and bottom disc are the parts most likely to need replacing early. Budget for those consumables before the first firing.
10. LSMIITTH 16KG Double Burner Smelting Kit – Best for Included Tooling
16KG/35LBs Propane Smelting Furnace Kit Double Burners – with 2 Graphite Crucibles and Crucible Tongs for Lifting and Pouring, Foundry Metal Smelter for Gold Copper Aluminum
Two 100000 BTU forge burners
16kg and 6kg crucibles plus three tong sets
Handles 2642°F
Pros
- Two-burner layout on opposite sides cuts melt time and gas use
- Includes 16kg and 6kg crucibles plus three tong sets
- Sturdy build for large scrap batches
- Clear assembly instructions and responsive support
- Manufacturer claims copper melts in about 15 minutes
Cons
- Burners can disintegrate after a few uses
- Lid and lid handle fell apart in one reported failure
- Tongs are functional but not sturdy
- Graphite crucibles crack after a single session
- Consumes most of a propane bottle for a small batch
Where this 16kg LSMIITTH separates from its 200,000 BTU sibling is the tooling. It arrives with 16kg and 6kg graphite crucibles plus three heavy-duty crucible tong sets, and having three means you can keep a lifting pair and a pouring pair without improvising. Most kits at this capacity give you one or two. For a buyer who has never handled molten metal, the difference between guessing which tong goes where and knowing is worth a lot.
The core design is the same dual-burner formula: two 100,000 BTU forge burners on opposite sides with air chokes, an 8 inch diameter by 10 inch inner chamber, and a 1.5mm steel body fully lined with 2 inch ceramic fiber insulation including the lid. It handles 2642°F, the crucibles themselves are rated to 3272°F, and the rated working limit is metals below 2372°F, so aluminum, brass, bronze and copper are all in range. Steel and iron are not.
The reported failures are the same family as the other dual-burner unit in this roundup. Burners can disintegrate after a few uses, and in one report the lid and lid handle fell apart. The tongs are functional but not sturdy, the graphite crucibles show cracking after a single session, and the instructions give little guidance on preparing crucibles and insulation. Owners also report that a small batch of ingots can consume most of a propane bottle, which is the real cost of a 200,000 BTU combined burner.
At 4.1 stars from 43 reviews with 61% five stars, the rating is dragged by those parts failures rather than by the furnace design itself. If you buy the tongs and crucibles separately anyway, as most owners do, the remaining value is a well-insulated dual-burner chamber at 46.2 pounds.
Who This Furnace Suits
This suits a new caster who wants the most complete box in the group. Three tong sets, two crucible sizes and clear assembly instructions remove almost every reason to make a second purchase in the first week. If you are worried about handling molten metal, that completeness is a genuine safety benefit, not just convenience.
It suits a buyer working both small and large. The 6kg crucible handles precise small pours and the 16kg handles scrap batches in the same body, and the dual-burner layout spreads flame evenly enough that a large charge does not cook one side.
Who Should Skip It
Skip it if burner longevity is your priority. Disintegrating burners after a handful of uses is the most common complaint, and a replacement burner is a part you will be ordering. Treat it as a consumable and the economics change, but plan for it.
Skip it if your propane budget is tight. Multiple owners report a small batch using most of a bottle, so a 46.2 pound dual-burner furnace is a serious fuel commitment. A smaller single-burner kit will stretch a tank considerably further for occasional work.
How to Choose a Propane Foundry Furnace That Fits Your Scrap
Most buyers get this decision wrong in one of two directions: they buy the smallest furnace and spend a year outgrowing it, or they buy the largest and spend a year learning to move a 40 pound crucible. Here is how we think about it, and how you can apply the same logic to your own scrap pile.
Capacity tiers: starter, workhorse, serious hobby, high output
Start with what you actually have, not what you imagine buying. Aluminum weighs about 0.097 lb per cubic inch, so a 6kg crucible holds roughly 13 lb of metal and a 12kg crucible holds about 26 lb. Count the scrap you can realistically collect in a month. If that is a few buckets of cans and small brackets, a 6kg unit is plenty. If it is a garage cleanout, you are looking at 12kg and up.
The four tiers we use: starter at 4kg to 6kg for first melts and small art castings; workhorse at 6kg to 8kg, the most common entry point for regular backyard casting and ingot production; serious hobby at 10kg to 15kg for growers who want copper and bronze capability and larger pours; and high output at 16kg and above for high-volume casting and faster recovery between melts. The pattern we hear on r/MetalCasting is that people outgrow a 6kg kit within about eighteen months and then wish they had planned the jump.
One hard truth about all of these: advertised furnace capacity is not the same as the crucible that ships in the box. A kit advertised at 6kg often includes a smaller crucible, and buyers routinely assume otherwise. Check the included crucible size before you plan your batch sizes, and expect to buy a second crucible early.
Temperature rating and melt point
Aluminum melts at 1,220°F, also written as 660°C. That is the number to anchor on, and you want a furnace rated well above it. Every kit in this roundup is rated between 2,372°F and 2,642°F, which gives you 1,150°F to 1,400°F of headroom. You need that headroom for superheating, because you are not pouring at melting point. A typical aluminum pour happens somewhere between 1,300°F and 1,400°F to keep the metal fluid and reduce dross.
Higher temperature ratings matter more when you move to copper at 1,985°F, brass near 1,700°F, or silver at 1,765°F. This is where the DEVIL-FORGE 2642°F rating and the 2500°F units earn their place. If aluminum is genuinely all you will ever melt, the 2,372°F starter kits are sufficient, and that is not a compromise.
Crucible size and material
Graphite is the right material for aluminum in this category. It heats fast, handles thermal shock better than ceramic, and is cheap enough to replace. Ceramic crucibles tolerate higher temperatures but are fragile and better suited to silver and jewelry work. Nearly every kit here includes a graphite crucible, and nearly every one of them wears out eventually, so treat it as a consumable rather than a permanent part.
On sizing, the number that matters is the chamber interior, not the label. A 6kg crucible will not work in a 6kg-rated body if the chamber is too shallow, and a 16kg chamber is wasted if the included crucible is small. Two kits in this roundup ship both a large and a small graphite crucible, and that is the pattern we would look for if you expect to do both fine and heavy work in one furnace.
Season a new crucible before you trust it. Heat it slowly and gradually with a small charge, let it soak, and repeat a few times. A crucible that has been brought up slowly is far less likely to crack on the first real melt, and a cracked crucible with molten aluminum in it is the worst failure mode in this hobby.
Naturally aspirated vs forced air burners
A naturally aspirated burner pulls its own combustion air through the burner port. A forced air burner adds a blower to push air through the burner, and it buys you higher flame temperature and faster melt. For aluminum, you do not need it. The consensus documented on homemodelenginemachinist.com and across the Hobby-Machinist threads is that aluminum melts easily with a naturally aspirated propane burner and no combustion air blower, and that forced air only becomes necessary once you move to hotter metals.
So do not pay for a blower you will not use. What does matter is back pressure, meaning whether you have enough restriction in the burner port to develop a proper flame. A burner that roars weakly will never heat a chamber efficiently, and the fix is a simple adjustment at the air choke rather than a larger burner. Get the flame right before you blame the furnace.
Propane tank, regulator PSI and hose sizing
The forum-repeated number is a 30 PSI regulator, and every kit here except where noted ships with one, most with a gauge. That gauge matters on a starter furnace because it is the difference between controlling your flame and simply turning the burner on or off. A propane-fired plumbers furnace burner on a 30 PSI regulator is the setup experienced hobbyists recommend, and it is what the included burners emulate.
Tank size is a cost decision more than a technical one. Owners running a 6kg to 8kg furnace report roughly 1.5 lb of propane to fill a 4kg crucible with aluminum, and a 20 lb cylinder is gone surprisingly fast once you are running 200,000 BTU burners for a full session. One user declined a larger furnace specifically because he could not justify the propane expense and preferred larger bulk tanks over 20 lb cylinders. If you plan to cast weekly, a larger tank and a proper fill plan will save you money per melt.
Watch the fittings. The QCC input and 5/8 inch output arrangement on the LSMIITTH units, the standard threaded connection on the VEVOR, and the US POL CGA-510 regulator on the DEVIL-FORGE are the three patterns you will meet, and they are not interchangeable without adapters. Confirm the connector type against your tank before the day of the first firing, not during it.
What ships in the box and what you buy separately
Across the ten furnaces here, the box typically contains the furnace body, a burner, a hose with regulator, at least one crucible, some form of tongs, gloves, a fire brick or ceramic fiber board, a torch or igniter, PTFE tape and a manual. Beyond that you are on your own for the important consumables.
Budget for four things you will almost certainly need to order separately: a refractory rigidizer, a second crucible of the size you actually use, proper welding gloves to replace the thin pair, and correctly sized tongs. Several kits include the rigidizer and a brush, which is exactly why those units deserve credit. Anything else is consumable maintenance, not a surprise.
How to read marketplace ratings before you buy
Some furnaces in this category show 4.9 stars from one review, and others show 1.0 from two. Both are noise. A rating means something only when a few hundred people have contributed, and in this category the listings that clear 300 reviews all sit between 4.0 and 4.6. That spread is the real signal, and the complaints inside it are the ones that matter: burnt-through gloves, chipped crucibles, warped lids, crumbling blankets.
Read the one and two star reviews specifically, and read them for consumables rather than for sentiment. If a unit has 12% one-star reviews concentrated on the insulation and the gloves, that is a design and supply-chain issue rather than a bad-luck issue, and it will not change after you receive the furnace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of furnace is used for melting aluminum?
A gas-fired crucible furnace. An insulated steel chamber with a refractory lining holds a removable crucible, and a propane burner heats it until the metal reaches melting point. For home and small workshop use this is far more practical than induction, resistance or arc furnaces, and it suits aluminum because aluminum is a non-ferrous metal that melts cleanly in a crucible.
Which brand of propane furnace is considered the best?
Among brands hobbyists name unprompted, Devil Forge, Nelyrho and VEVOR carry the most weight. Devil Forge is the specialist jeweler and refiner furnace with the deepest refractory package. Nelyrho offers the best value per kilogram of capacity for hobby and workhorse use. VEVOR has the widest retail distribution and the largest review base, which makes replacement parts and advice easier to find.
How hot does a furnace need to be to melt aluminum?
At least 1,220u0026deg;F, which is aluminum’s melting point, and realistically you want a furnace rated 2,300u0026deg;F to 2,700u0026deg;F. You pour above melting point, typically around 1,300u0026deg;F to 1,400u0026deg;F, so the headroom above 1,220u0026deg;F is what lets you superheat the charge and pour cleanly instead of freezing mid-pour.
What is the best crucible for melting aluminum?
Graphite. It heats quickly, tolerates thermal shock better than ceramic, and costs little enough to treat as a consumable. Ceramic crucibles handle higher temperatures and suit silver and jewelry work, but are fragile. Whatever material you choose, size the crucible to the chamber interior and buy a spare, because a cracked crucible holding molten aluminum is the worst failure mode in this hobby.
What type of furnace is best for melting copper?
You need more heat than aluminum requires, since copper melts at 1,985u0026deg;F. That means a furnace rated to 2,500u0026deg;F or higher, a larger chamber, and eventually a forced air blower rather than a naturally aspirated burner. A 135,000 BTU burner on a well-insulated chamber can manage copper, but the single-burner entry kits are where owners report struggling.
Do I need a blower for aluminum melting, and how much propane does a melt use?
No blower is needed for aluminum. Experienced builders report that aluminum melts easily with a naturally aspirated propane burner and no combustion air blower, adding forced air only when moving to hotter metals like copper and bronze. On fuel use, a 6kg to 8kg furnace is reported to use roughly 1.5 lb of propane to fill a 4kg crucible with aluminum.
What is the key difference between a furnace and a foundry?
A furnace is the heat source and melting vessel. A foundry is the whole operation around it: the melt, the molds, the pouring, the shakeout and the finished castings. You can buy a furnace and set up a small foundry in a garage, but the furnace alone does not make castings without crucibles, molds, tongs and somewhere safe to pour.
Final Verdict: Which Propane Foundry Furnace Should You Buy?
If you want one answer for the best propane foundry furnace for aluminum casting, take the Nelyrho 12kg. It has the strongest combination of rating and owner history in this group, it heats fast, it fits in a garage without a rebuild, and the 2500°F ceiling leaves you room to try copper later. Budget for a spare graphite crucible, a bottle of rigidizer and proper welding gloves before the first firing, and you will have a furnace that works for years.
Pick this if you are ready to cast a few times a month and want a real 12kg charge. Pick the CANALHOUT 25kg if you are clearing a garage of scrap and want one furnace to do it all. Pick the VEVOR 16kg if several people share the furnace or a class is using it, because the dual-burner evenness and retail support matter more there than anywhere else. Pick the TOAUTO 6kg if you are not sure yet, and treat it as the teacher it is. Pick the DEVIL-FORGE if you are a jeweler or refiner working small and hot rather than large and fast.
Whichever one you choose, remember the parts nobody puts in the listing photos: rigidize the blanket, replace the thin gloves, buy a second crucible, and keep every pour outside or under real forced ventilation. Those four things will do more for your safety than the burner rating does.