There aren’t a lot of Friday nights around the world that don’t spark the idea to order a pizza. After that you turn to your preferred method of acquiring that beautiful circle of cheese and calories, pour your favorite beverage, and then you’re off to the races. What if you could make your own restaurant-quality pizza at home? You’ll have to invest in one of the best pizza ovens on the market to get started!
Some may not want to make it even easier to engage in eating unhealthy foods. But, actually, a recent study shows people can eat much more pizza than what normally makes them feel “full” without causing health problems. That’s the perfect excuse to start creating your own personal pizzas whenever you have the urge.
Also, what’s more romantic than a make-your-own-pizza date night? Who doesn’t like pizza? According to a new study, when it comes to the “safest” date night meals, Americans go with pizza (24%). Additionally, more than four in 10 (43%) are so into food they say being a good cook is a turn-on when it comes to finding a suitor. So, combine the perfect date meal with appealing to your date and showing off your pizza oven at home is a win-win.
To impress people and improve your pizza craft, a pizza oven is the first purchase to make. You need a state-of-the-art model, so StudyFinds set out to do the research for you, visiting 10 expert websites. We put together this list of the best pizza ovens of the year. If you’ve got your own suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!
The List: Best Pizza Ovens, According To Experts
1. Ooni Koda 12
You don’t need to look far to find the clear number one among experts. The Ooni Koda 12 gas-powered pizza oven sits firmly at the top of the majority of lists.
A portable and fashionable design makes it easy to like. “This is an attractive oven with a sleek design, no chimney, and three legs that keep it stable on any surface. The body is powder-coated, cold-rolled steel with stainless steel accents. Our testers found that it was easy to transport, weighing just under 30 pounds,” say the writers at The Spruce Eats.
It’s almost mistake-proof when it comes to making pizza. “The gas-fueled Ooni Koda had the most even heat distribution of the gas ovens we tested, making for fuss-free operation and perfectly charred and blistered artisanal pizza crust,” adds CNN.
“Does fiddling about with different attachments, chimneys, and griddles sound stressful and off-putting? This is another one from Ooni that might be for you … At around 21 pounds, it’s light and portable. The thin, powder-coated steel shell insulates well enough that it remains cool to the touch, even when the fire is burning,” mentions Wired.
2. Ooni Karu 16
The folks down at Ooni know how to make a pizza oven because they also own the number two spot with their Karu 16 model!
“The door has a unique hinge feature which makes it easy to pivot your pizzas as they’re cooking. It’s got a see-through panel too, which means you can keep an eye on your pizza as it cooks. However, this did get a little smoky during cooking,” say the pizza lovers at Home & Gardens.
The writers at the Food Network were just as pleased with the machine: “It’s a breeze to put together right out of the box and easy for anyone to use. We use ours for at-home pizza parties every Saturday, and the kids love to get in there and make their own pizzas.”
The idea of avoiding a mistake when it comes to pizza is an important factor when trying to figure out which oven you want. “The door window lets you see what’s going on without leaking heat, but once you open it, you get a considerable amount of space to pull that pie out. It makes the whole experience a lot easier, avoiding any first-time mistakes,” writes Esquire.
3. Breville Pizzaiolo Smart Pizza Oven
This countertop pizza legend is perfect for the home cook who wants to bake a perfect pie while inside their kitchen. The Breville Smart Oven is your ticket here.
The big draw of outdoor ovens is being able to achieve that crispy and light crust. “If you’re looking for a pizza oven that can produce crispy pizzas right from your countertop, Breville’s Smart Pizza Oven is a fantastic indoor option. Indoor pizza ovens can’t reach the same temperatures as outdoor ovens can, but this oven yielded crispy, golden brown pizzas regardless,” reassures the experts at Food & Wine.
Good Housekeeping backed up that statement: “The wood-fired setting produced tender and bubbly pizza with some char like you would get in a restaurant.”
“What’s so smart about the Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo? The Element IQ® system focuses the heat just where it needs to be for the best cooking performance. Using smart sensors and temperature-control technology, the oven adjusts its heat based on whatever pizza you’re making,” raves People.
4. Solo Stove Solo Pi
This dual-fire outdoor oven is sure to churn out some great pizzas for that party you’re looking to host. Quick and easy pies are name of the game here.
“Solo Stove’s Solo Pi looks a lot like the company’s fire pit, and works just as well; we were able to cook up pizzas in minutes. We liked the Solo Pi’s wide mouth, which made it easy to see and turn pizzas, and its stainless steel exterior was not only attractive but easy to clean,” says Tom’s Guide.
Despite the size of the oven, it produces a quick heat source. “The firebox is fairly small, needing frequent additions of small pieces of wood, but our tester found that it quickly heated the oven and made for a nice smoky char on the crust,” writes The Spruce Eats.
Homes & Gardens likes the ease of use presented with this oven: “The whole thing is quite large but very lightweight. There is also next-to-no assembly needed, which means you can get going as soon as it’s out of the box.”
5. Gozney Dome
Okay, we’re getting hungry so let’s end the list today with our last pick the Gozney Dome! This very large oven weighs 128 pounds, so if you’ve got the room, this is the pick for you!
The speed of cooking due to the heat produced by the Dome is incredible as Wired put it, “The Dome will pump out pizzas almost as fast as you can slam them inside it. The hybrid fuel system means you can also cheat, relying on the convenience of gas but the added ability to shove in a couple of mini logs and, bingo, you’ve got that wood-fired taste.”
Pizzas aren’t the only thing this sucker can churn out. “This one has some added versatility with an easy-read thermostat, and the ability to function as a regular outdoor oven. So you could, hypothetically, drop the temp way down and cook a pork shoulder low-and-slow,” notes Esquire.
Lastly, Food & Wine adds, “Despite its size, our testers found this oven to be very easy to use and assemble. Though it takes a long time to heat up, it easily retains a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process.”
Sources:
- The Spruce Eats
- CNN
- Wired
- Homes & Gardens
- Food Network
- Esquire
- Food & Wine
- Good Housekeeping
- People
- Tom’s Guide
You might also be interested in:
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
