Pizza Ovens

[illini40]

Hello

Been awhile so please direct me if I’m posting in the wrong area.

I’m very interested in an outdoor pizza oven.

Where do you suggest I even begin? Is there any real flavor differences in pellet versus gas? I assume Ooni is the most popular brand to consider, but do I need to research other brands?

Context:
- looking for fun pizza cooking on the patio with our family and friends
- have four sons so wanting 16”
- I would prefer gas for ease of cooking and that I already have several propane tanks on hand at all times but if pellets are somehow that much better I may consider
- not interested in wood burning
- willing to pay for quality, ease of use, and supported accessories/equipment

Thank you!

 

[KBFlyer]

I have a very first Ooni. I hated it big time. They have improved very much but with that the price tag went up also.
Waiting to see what others suggest as I am also looking for something outdoor cooking.

 

[illini40]

I have a very first Ooni. I hated it big time. They have improved very much but with that the price tag went up also.
Waiting to see what others suggest as I am also looking for something outdoor cooking.

What didn’t you like about? How do you feel they have improved?

 

[chopsaw]

My Son has the Solo stove Pi-pizza 12 " oven . His was a wood burning , but he bought the propane attachment for it . Only way to go in my opinion . They've since made on that's propane only .

looking for fun pizza cooking on the patio with our family and friends

Then I would say you want a propane fired oven .

have four sons so wanting 16”

I was put off at first with the 12 " size of this one , but quality over quantity soon took over .
I never thought just a cheese pizza could be so good . Plus , they cook so fast the size concern for me went away .
From when he first got it . There's a learning curve for sure .


Some recent pizza .




Some of the best he does is just cheese .

A lot of great pizza ovens out there . Just showing what we use .
I will also say , it spoils you after you get it figured out .

 

[02ebz06]

A lot depends on how much you want to spend, or if you want to deal with wood, gas, or both.

Last oven I had was a big wood fired oven.
The dome was between 4-6 inches thick.
I'd spend 3-4 hours feeding wood to get the temp up and saturate the walls.
Then 60-90 seconds to make the pizza.

Now I have a propane one (soon to be natural gas) I got from Italy.
Turn it on and come back it 30-45 minutes and make your pizza. A couple minutes.

Not trying to chase you away, but I would suggest you go to the PizzaMaking forum.
They have a whole section on ovens.
If you create an account, you can ask questions.
You will have a bigger variety of people that use the different ovens there, than here.

 

[hondabbq]

I have the OG Blackstone pizza oven. Its perfect. Heats up in 10 mins and 2 minute pizza cook and turn it off. The new ones are alot more expensive but id buy one again when the OG dies.

 

[KBFlyer]

What didn’t you like about? How do you feel they have improved?

The first addition ones that I have only burnt wood pellots. Hard to keep a steady temp. They never had a pizza stone only metal bottom. They were smaller and the opening was a pain to turn a pizza so it did not burn. The newer ones have more options for heat. Larger in size and seem a lot better but the cost is pretty large.

 

[Flatrate]

I too have an OG Blackstone pizza oven. Based on my experience with it I would not hesitate getting the new gen oven.

Dave

 

[LoadToad1A7]

I bought a Piezello pizza oven it has the ability to cook with wood or it has a propane burner attachment if you want to use gas. I have only used the wood. I like it, it cooks pizza quick but you have to feed it a lot of wood to keep the temps up. Price is decent and bought it to see if I liked it and how much I would use it.

 

[.204]

Have had great luck with the Halo Versa 16. It has a rotating stone that makes the cook real simple.

Versa 16 Pizza Oven with Rotating Stone | Halo Products Group

With a rotating stone & dual burner, our 16-inch gas pizza oven makes achieving the ultimate pizza easy. Shop the Halo Versa 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven!

halo-pg.com

 

[Fueling Around]

Do you have any fabricating skills?
My brother made one from 2 washing machine inner tubs. Basically an elongated Weber kettle with a lot of holes.

 

[KBFlyer]

Dug my ooni out of storage and had to try and figure out how to light the darn thing again as its been so long since I used it. Hard to believe you cannot even find a manual on the internet for it anymore as its so old. Figured it out and got it going to burn the cob webs out of it. got it up to 900 degrees in about 8 minutes. Not a pizza oven you want kids around as they tend to want to touch things.

 

[mdboatbum]

I got a Vevor 13" gas pizza oven recently. (They also make a 16" for about $100 more) Works amazingly well for the under $150 price tag. Gets over 900° and if you remember to turn it down right before launching the pizza, cooks a perfect pizza in under 2 minutes. If you don't turn it down, it burns the crust almost instantly. You do have to turn the pizza every 20 seconds or so to avoid scorching.

 

[KBFlyer]

I got a Vevor 13" gas pizza oven recently. (They also make a 16" for about $100 more) Works amazingly well for the under $150 price tag. Gets over 900° and if you remember to turn it down right before launching the pizza, cooks a perfect pizza in under 2 minutes. If you don't turn it down, it burns the crust almost instantly. You do have to turn the pizza every 20 seconds or so to avoid scorching.

Pretty much what I ran into with the unit above. You don't want to leave it in there and not tend to it thats for sure. I do wish it had a glass front like the newer ones to make it easier to see whats going on. Also a little taller so I could bake bread in it.

 

[uncle eddie]

Reviving a somewhat older thread. I have been looking at outdoor pizza ovens thanks to my wife seeing the BBQ Battle post where pizza ovens were being discussed. There are a TON out there. Since pizzas cook so fast, I am thinking 12-inch is fine.

Questions:

• Does wood fired taste better than gas fired?
• Should I get a dual fuel, wood and propane (or nat-gas)?
• Pellets over wood or vice versa?
• I have a natural-gas quick-connect hookup on my deck...will this work for the pizza oven or am I stuck with propane?

 

[02ebz06]

Two previous ovens I had were wood-fired. Got tired of having to deal with the wood so got a propane this time.
I "had" a natural gas quick disconnect.
Didn't feel comfortable with it for gas since the one on my air compressor leaks.
So, removed it and made it a direct connect. Does have a shutoff valve in the line though.
I currently have a Pizza Party oven from Italy, and recently ordered the whole natural gas assembly and converted from propane.

How fast they cook can vary from oven to oven and how long you heat it up.
Previous oven I had was a big one with thick walls and I would put wood in it all morning to get the floor and walls saturated with heat.

Small ones will have fairly thin walls (usually double wall metal) with a thin floor.
It you plan on doing multiple pizzas you will need a recovery time between pizzas to allow floor to get back to temp.

 

[chopsaw]

I am thinking 12-inch is fine.

In my opinion it's fine . At first I thought it was to small . but that's really what you want for this style of pizza .
We've never tried using the wood in this one , but I can't even imagine what a pain that would be . Natural gas or propane is the way to go . Get it heated up , keep it heated up , and shut it down when you're done .

Eric , it's worth having one if you make your own pizza .

 

[uncle eddie]

Small ones will have fairly thin walls (usually double wall metal) with a thin floor.
It you plan on doing multiple pizzas you will need a recovery time between pizzas to allow floor to get back to temp.

02ebz06 thanks for this . Definitely something to remember.