I know you're overflowing with good advice, but let me put in one plug for my Skutt GM10F. It's a firebrick kiln, the quartz elements are shielded behind a wall so I don't accidentally poke a mandrel into them, and it's got a 9" cubic firebox.
Here's a link:
http://www.skutt.com/glass/products/beadkiln.php
Good luck!
Nolly