What to Consider when Buying your First Pizza Oven

It might seem like a strange time of year for us to be writing an article giving advice to people considering buying their first pizza oven. But bear with us… With Black Friday just around the corner, and – dare we say it – Christmas coming up, for many people now is the time they look to finally take the leap of faith and go for that dream purchase. And, with it being out of season for outdoor cooking and garden-related products, there are bargains to be had. So, if that sounds like you, read on, as we look at the key considerations you should make before you buy your first pizza oven.

Think About How You’ll Use It (Most of the Time!)

The main thing to consider when buying a pizza oven is how you’ll use it most of the time. Most of the time being the key phrase is here! If you’re only going to be cooking for a couple of people at any one time, you’ll likely not need a larger pizza oven that’s capable of baking three pizzas at once. Similarly, if you plan to take the pizza oven with you on your travels, for example, on camping holidays or to the beach, a portable pizza oven is going to be more up your street. On the flip side of that, don’t buy a portable pizza oven if you just feel it would be“nice to have the option” to take it with you. The reason? Size matters! Smaller ovens are great and certainly have their place, but if you’re cooking for a group of people and can envisage hosting pizza parties, we’d always recommend sizing up. Again, this doesn’t mean you necessarily need a pizza oven that’s capable of cooking multiple pizzas at once, but choosing an oven that’s able to cook pizza after pizza without needing time to reheat between bakes is key.

One thing that’s worth considering if you opt for a tabletop pizza oven is storage. They’re heavier and tend to be more of a permanent feature in your garden. They can, though, make an impressive focal point in your garden or outdoor kitchen.

Choose Your Fuel Type

When you’re choosing a pizza oven, you’ll come across two main fuels: wood and gas. However, there are a couple of outliers, such as the brand new Gozney Dome Gen 2, which can also be fuelled by charcoal, as well as wood or gas, and is officially classed as a hybrid pizza oven. Also, there’s the Ooni Volt 2 and Clementi Crosti ovens, which are both electric pizza ovens.

Lots of people fall for the romance and theatre of wood fire, and there’s no denying that an authentic wood-fired pizza is a thing of beauty both visually and in taste. Gas, though, offers the convenience factor of a ‘plug and play’ oven, and is often considered easier for people with no experience of cooking with live fire. That’s not to say a total beginner can’t learn how to use a wood-fired pizza oven easily enough, but they do require more skill to maintain the right temperature, whereas gas-powered ovens provide more consistent heat and are easier to control.

Electric pizza ovens are brilliant if you envisage cooking pizza all year round, as they can be used indoors as well as outdoors, but still reach the intense temperatures of 450°C+ needed to achieve an authentic Neapolitan pizza.

Build Quality, Materials, and Ease of Use

Build quality from the main players in the market, such as Ooni, Gozney, Igneus, Clementi, Inferno, and DeliVita, is always high. The performance, heat retention and longevity of a pizza oven largely depend on the quality of the materials used to make it, as well as its construction. It could be quite easy to think that all pizza ovens are made equal and base your decision of which oven to buy purely on price. That would be a mistake. Although there are cheap pizza ovens available to buy anywhere from the likes of Temu and mainstream supermarkets, the quality of these ovens is often somewhat questionable. 

When it comes to ease of use, look for ovens that have wide openings to make launching and turning the pizzas as easy as possible. Also, stable temperature controls make it easier to manage pizzas while cooking. 

If you plan to leave your oven outdoors, weather resistance is key. A well-built, insulated oven with a sturdy cover will withstand the elements and continue performing at a high levelyear after year.

Final Thoughts

Buying your first pizza oven is an exciting decision, and doing your research before making your final decision will pay off for years to come. Whether you’re drawn to the authenticity of wood-fired cooking, the ease of gas, or want the option of both, the key is to choose an oven that fits your lifestyle for the long term. What we mean by this is don’t just think about what suits you now, think about the future too. All too often, we see people coming back after buying a smaller oven initially, only to find they’ve fallen in love with the art if making pizza at home and then want to explore larger models that better suit their needs.

Also, it’s important not to be swayed by the cheapest options; invest in quality and you’ll enjoy better performance, durability, and results too.

If you want any help choosing your first pizza oven, you can reach out to us on our socials, by calling us on 01423 608648, or send us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have.