Your Guide to Choosing the Best Outdoor Pizza Oven

How To Choose the Right Pizza Oven for Your Needs

In recent years, the allure of outdoor pizza ovens has soared, captivating both seasoned chefs and casual cooks alike. These ovens have become increasingly accessible, with a wide range of models available to suit various budgets and preferences. Beyond simply cooking food, pizza ovens cultivate a communal atmosphere and reignite the timeless tradition of pizza making in social settings. Furthermore, many pizza ovens are versatile cooking tools, capable of turning out a variety of dishes such as casseroles, baked bread, and even desserts.

With so many options on the market, we want to help you narrow in on what pizza oven best suits your cooking style and outdoor space. We’ve cooked well over 1,000 pizzas on a variety of ovens over our years in the barbecue business. So when we say we know pizza and pizza equipment, we mean business! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the main fuel types, explore various factors to consider when choosing an oven, and cover some of the basic use and maintenance tips to be prepared for.

Scroll down for a handy TL;DR chart!

FUEL TYPES

Outdoor pizza ovens come in four main fuel types: wood, gas, pellet, and electric. Choosing the right one for you will take some consideration.
Traditional wood-fired pizza ovens will require more time and effort to maintain the fire. However, the flavor of true wood-fired pizza is hard to beat.

• Pros: authentic flavor, high heat, great for traditional pizza
• Cons: requires more maintenance and fire-tending
• Tips: look for good insulation, high-quality fire bricks, and good chimney design for heat retention and easier fire maintenance

If you’re looking for an experience that requires a little less manual fire tending, consider a gas-powered pizza oven.

• Pros: convenient, easy to use, quick heat-up, precise temperature control
• Cons: may lack authentic smoky flavor
• Tips: look for a “hybrid” gas/wood option to allow for wood fired flavor with gas convenience

Pellet-fired pizza ovens offer a unique blend of convenience and wood-fired flavor.

• Pros: convenient, wood-fired flavor, environmentally friendly
• Cons: longer heat-up time, may need pellets added frequently depending on model
• Tips: perfect for home use due to their compact size and easy storage

Electric pizza ovens are another versatile option available.

• Pros: precise temperature control, easy to use, minimal setup
• Cons: lacks classic wood-fired flavor
• Tips: ideal for indoor use and small spaces

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

You’ll want to consider more than just fuel type when choosing an outdoor pizza oven. Size, budget, versatility, and manufacturer warranty should be considered as well.

Honing in on the size of the pizza oven you need is a crucial step in narrowing down your choices, as it helps ensure the oven fits your available space and meets your cooking capacity requirements. True wood-fired ovens tend to be the largest in terms of footprint. Gas pizza ovens come in many sizes while pellet-fired and electric ovens are typically on the smaller side. It’s helpful to consider how many pizzas you want to cook at once to ensure a pizza oven meets your needs. Manufacturers often provide the oven floor dimensions and sometimes even specify how many pizzas can be cooked simultaneously, helping you make an informed decision. Opt for something larger if you’ll routinely be cooking for large groups.

Picking an outdoor pizza oven within your budget involves balancing cost with desired features and quality. Start with a clear budget range and prioritize the features that matter most to you, such as fuel type and cooking capacity. Researching and comparing different models can help you find the best value without compromising on essential functions. Remember to consider long-term costs like fuel and maintenance to ensure the oven remains affordable over time. A quality pizza oven with solid components will typically start in the $250-$300 range and can soar up to $9,000+ for large units with more complex setups.

Another thing to consider when selecting a pizza oven to purchase is the manufacturer’s warranty. If an oven has more moving parts (e.g., gas-fired or electric models), there's a higher potential for mechanical issues over time. A good warranty provides peace of mind, ensuring that any defects or malfunctions will be addressed without incurring additional costs. This not only protects your investment but also reflects the manufacturer’s confidence in the product's durability and quality. Picking an oven from a brand with a solid reputation and confidence-inspiring warranty will serve you for years to come.

MAINTENANCE AND CARE

When shopping for a pizza oven for your outdoor space, make sure to take some time to consider the potential maintenance and care that will be needed. Different types of ovens will need different levels of attention. Wood-fired ovens, for instance, need regular ash removal, chimney cleaning, and inspections for cracks. Gas ovens require burner cleaning, gas line inspections, and thermostat calibration. Pellet ovens need frequent ash and hopper cleaning and may also need burner maintenance. Electric ovens, on the other hand, require checking the heating elements, cleaning vents, and ensuring the controls function properly. Understanding these maintenance needs will help you pick the right pizza oven for you and keep it in optimal condition.

CONCLUSION

So, what oven would we, the pizza enthusiasts of All Things Barbecue, pick? That just depends on several factors. If you’re a weekend warrior just starting to dip your toe into this world, you may want something simple to use and easy to store. If you’ve been in the pizza game for a long time, build a wood-fired oven into your current outdoor kitchen setup. The beauty of the variety of choices available today is that there really is something for everyone.

Use this guide to start narrowing down which oven style may be the best fit for you. Whether it’s gas or wood-fired, compact or built for large quantities, an outdoor pizza oven will bring versatility and excitement to your outdoor cooking toolset. We’ve covered the basics above, but our team is on hand to answer any more specific questions that may come up as you research. Reach out to us any time and don’t forget to check out the large selection of pizza recipes available on our blog!