Bummed out about baking/ovens

I've always baked PC in the big kitch oven (gas oven) and have never burnt
clay or had it darken. I didn't do anything special, just what the label
said. I've done everything from little eyeballs, beads, covered objects and
biggish figures.

Now - because i want to start doing ALOT of clay baking DH and I decided I
need alternate for baking. I found a cheap convection oven (on sale from $70
to $40) and I have burnt 2 batches of test-pieces and the temp doesn't hold
consistently. I even *melted* polyfil!! wtf!!! I had a oven therm ometer in
there and it seems to hold steady for 10 min then increase 10 degrees, etc.

I am going to return it and there is this cheap toaster oven I am going to
try but I am feeling defeated because I like to bake assembled figures so I
need the space, sometimes I just sculpt the whole thing and bake fully in
one go. I read on glassattic about people wrapping in damp towels, tenting,
heat sinks, all kinds of dancing and manipulations to try to get the clay to
bake, not burn or darken and all in a teeny tiny little space

I am going to look for a 2nd hand electric oven to put in the basement. Are
there other options? My family is not comfortable with daily PC baking in
the same oven I prepare food in. I don't have a studio and I am not yet able
to fund my indulgences with PC earnings LOL

What's a gal to do??? I am an artist coming from a production background so
this is really holding me back. I wanna get cooking!!!