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Pizza ovens can be a daunting purchase. With so many different types and sizes, each with its benefits and disadvantages, what’s the right one for you? This article should help you figure out which kind of pizza oven is best for your needs.
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What is a pizza oven, and what can it do for you?
A pizza oven is a masonry structure that uses fire to create radiant heat. The result is food cooked in the “perfect” environment. Pizza is cooked quickly, crusts are crunchy, and toppings go slightly browned & bubbly at the edges while staying moist underneath.
Any food can be cooked in a pizza oven. Still, it’s not uncommon to hear people call specific structures (particularly ones with more than one level of fire or where the temperature is exceptionally high) simply “pizza ovens.”
>> Read more: Best home pizza oven reviews in 2023
Benefits of having a pizza oven
The benefits of having a pizza oven are many:
You can cook several pizzas at once instead of only one or two on a stovetop or in an electric oven. You can bake bread and other baked goods as well as roast meats. In the case of wood-burning outdoor ranges, you’ll have a self-contained cooking environment that doesn’t require any work beyond getting it going.
Other appliances won’t heat your kitchen nearly as much as an indoor oven would. You can host a fun pitcher & pizza party! If you enjoy cooking, then spending time by the fire is a lot less tedious than standing over a hot stove for hours.
Although they’re watertight, so you don’t have to run all over your house with trays full of water to prevent your home from burning down when you cook. My favorite reason? There are two categories of pizza ovens: wood-fired and grill-style.
Wood-fired ranges are more difficult to master but produce pizzas with a better crust, flavor, & cooking characteristics. Grill-style ovens are easier to use but deliver inferior quality pizzas. Of course, the most significant benefit is that you can make great pizza at home.
How much is a pizza oven?
A wood-fired oven is typically the most expensive of the three types of pizza ovens. The price range starts at under $1,000 for a 6 or 7 ring monster that can cook 6 or 7 pizzas at once. There are also portable ovens available that only need to be hooked up to propane tanks to use them.
Prices vary on these mobile units, but they can usually be found for around $500-$900. A masonry unit will cost the buyer anywhere from $3,000- to USD 7,000+ depending on how big it is and what materials were used to build it.
These prices mainly cover new products, so expect some good deals on older models if you’re looking into purchasing one of these ovens.
Electric Ovens are usually the most affordable of the three types of ovens, but they aren’t portable. These units are similar to a regular oven in that they plug into standard household electrical sockets. Prices range from $100 for small tabletop models to $1,000+ for bigger convection or infrared ovens meant for commercial use.
Most people purchase one of these ovens to use it on their home grill, so keep this in mind if you’re looking to buy one and want it to be transported often like a mobile wood-fired oven would be used.
What materials do pizza ovens come made out of?
Wood Fired Pizza Ovens
Wood-fired pizza ovens can come made out of stone, ceramic brick, refractory material, or metal. Stone ovens are the most common and generally the cheapest, but they also take up more space than other ovens.
Ceramic brick pizza ovens offer an excellent middle ground between price and performance and can be built that helps retain heat and cook pizzas faster. These models also come in a wide range of sizes, so most people who choose to create one can find a suitable fit for their lifestyle and cooking needs.
Refractory ovens like this model from BakingStone OvenWorks cost about $15-$20+ per square foot (depending on the size) when buying materials in bulk. They’re typically made out of castable refractory cement, silica sand, and perlite.
This type of oven can also be built to close tolerances which make the baking chamber air-tight. Finally, metal wood-fired pizza ovens are usually either made out of steel or fiberglass.
The only benefit they offer over other types is their low price point; if you’re looking for raw power, though, these units won’t get the job done like the others mentioned above.
Electric Pizza Ovens
Electric units can come made out of stainless steel, aluminum (or aluminized steel), cast iron, or refractory materials, depending on what was used in its construction. The lightest material option is most often aluminum due to its cost and weight distribution properties, so most brands use it for their ovens.
Other materials are typically used when necessary, though, as this “Spider Stone” unit from PizzaQue is made out of primarily stainless steel and has a sizeable cast-iron burner at its core.
Types of Pizza Ovens
Before you go out and buy a pizza oven, try to determine what type you want so that you can purchase a suitable unit. Factors like price, size, portability, and how often it’ll be used will be all factor into which type is best for each customer. These are some of the different types of ovens available:
Wood Fired Pizza Ovens
These models have been around since pizza started being served in homes and restaurants across the world. The most common way these wood-fired home ovens are built is by using a ceramic brick shell lined with a layer of refractory material on the inside.
The main advantage of this type of oven is its ability to retain heat well while also cooking pizzas fast due to its high temperatures.
Ceramic brick ovens can also be built with an optional insulation kit which helps the cooking chamber retain even more heat and cook pizzas faster than they already would. Expensive refractory ovens like this model from BakingStone OvenWorks have a very high thermal mass and can go over 1,000°F.
This type of oven is ideal for restaurants that want a wood-fired option but don’t have much available space in their kitchen for another appliance.
Electric Pizza Ovens
These models can come either built into a table or put on top of one so that the customer’s making the pizza have everything at their disposal during the cooking process. Most electric units will use heating elements to
super-heat the air inside the cooking chamber, which then cooks pizzas very quickly.
Make sure to choose a unit with good reviews on sites like Amazon or eBay before purchasing one of these ovens for your home.
Electric units can be regulated by turning them off and on, so they’ll save money on energy bills too if it’s used frequently enough. Some models can even heat up fully in under twenty minutes, so there isn’t any wasted time when baking pizzas with it.
Cast Iron Pizza Ovens
These units are usually made out of cast iron, but some companies also use aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or stone to construct their products. The main advantage of this type is their ability to retain heat well and similarly cook pizzas to how ceramic brick ovens do.
The downside is that these units can be cumbersome, take up a lot of space and use more fuel than other types because cast iron doesn’t conduct heat equally as aluminum does. Electric or gas models made out of this material will also cost more when compared to other types, which makes them impractical for many customers.
Gas Pizza Ovens
These ovens come in both sealed and open flame versions, but their cooking chamber design is the only real difference between them. Gas-powered ovens can reach high temperatures (900°F) quickly because they’re able to feed combustible gasses into their burners at a consistent rate.
The downside to this type of oven is its inability to retain heat well, so it’ll have to be turned up higher than ceramic brick or cast iron models for pizzas to cook correctly.
Built-in Pizza Ovens
Many homeowners will choose this version if their kitchen doesn’t have any space available for a free-standing unit or want everything built into one appliance.
It’s not the best option for commercial kitchens since these models won’t have the capacity necessary to cook large quantities of pizzas at once, but they’re great for those who only need to make them often enough at home.
Many brands like Enchantment and Wolf also offer full outdoor versions, which can be used year-round if the insulation kit is installed and working correctly.
Cost and Maintenance of a Pizza Oven
The price you pay for one will mainly depend on its size, material, and brand quality since all models will cook pizzas equally well if they’re maintained properly, according to the manual.
Ceramic brick ovens tend to be more expensive than cast iron and other types like electric ones, but they also retain heat better, which allows them to cook pizzas faster. You’ll need to make sure that your oven has been built with high-quality materials if you want it looking new for years to come.
Poor construction can cause the cooking chamber’s exterior or insulation kit to warp or crack, allowing heat and smoke inside them too quickly. This causes the metal to burn and produce smoke which will then deposit soot on the surrounding walls and ceiling depending on where it’s installed in your home.
You also want to ensure that the cooking chamber is lined with a high-grade stone coating before using it and checking for cracks periodically to ensure safety when baking pizzas.
Cleaning these units won’t be challenging compared to other appliances since the heat produced during the cooking prevents moisture from forming inside them.
You’ll need to wipe down its surfaces after removing pizzas from it, but you might occasionally have to use vinegar or scouring pads if there are stains caused by spilled sauce or grease.
If this isn’t done correctly, all of your hard work can be ruined because bacteria will form quickly once the oven is turned off.
How much does it cost to build your pizza oven?
Building your oven may cost anywhere between $3,000 to $5,000 for concrete units, while others made out of brick or cinderblocks can be cheaper. You’ll have to factor in the cost of any materials being used, which will also depend on their brand quality and size.
The installation costs should be minimal if you’re an experienced contractor, while it could get pricey if you hire a professional company to do them for you.
How much is a pizza oven for home?
A standard oven that can cook up to two pizzas at once will cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000, depending on its brand and size. The costs can rise if you want a commercial-grade unit with features like infrared burners or one that has been built using high-quality materials.
How much is an outdoor pizza oven?
Outdoor ovens that can cook up to 2 pizzas at once are less than your standard home units and usually cost between $500 and $1,000. How much they’ll set you back will depend on the brand as well as any additional features, which might include a rotisserie burner or stainless steel burners.
How much is a commercial pizza oven?
Commercial grade ovens that can cook up to 4 pizzas at once usually cost between $2,000 and $3,500 if they’re cast iron or small brick units. They could be more expensive if they’ve been constructed out of high-quality materials like firebrick and have a stainless steel exterior as well as burners.
How much is an Ooni pizza oven?
An Ooni Pro oven made out of stainless steel and can cook one pizza at a time will cost around $1,000, while a larger one that can cook up to 3 pizzas at once usually costs between $2,300 and $3,900.
What should you know before buying a pizza oven?
Before purchasing one for your home or business, there are several factors you’ll need to take into consideration, including the size of your family or staff. If you plan to cook more pizzas in one go, it would be better to get a commercial grade model that can handle them easily without any issues arising during the process.
You also have to ensure that each unit has been built with high-quality materials if you want it to last for years without any problems arising. It should also have a warranty in case there are issues with it when you first open the box and use them to get a replacement or refund, depending on what’s offered by the manufacturer.
Is it possible to build your pizza oven?
Yes, but it will depend on how experienced you are when building things out of concrete or brick. The costs involved in this process may be higher than buying a pre-built unit since you’ll have to source all of the materials yourself and hire contractors to install them into your backyard or business premises.
If you’re not prepared for such work, hiring someone who specializes in this field is recommended and will cost you less money.
Where to buy the best pizza ovens?
Depending on what’s available and best suited for you, you can buy one online or at a local appliance store. You might also want to check out the prices of different models before purchasing so that you don’t spend too much money on an oven that doesn’t meet your requirements.
Final thoughts on how much is a pizza oven?
Pizza ovens can cost anywhere between $500 and $10,000 depending on their size and strength. You should factor in the costs of any materials you want to use before making a purchase, although this shouldn’t be too much if you only get the basic unit with no additional features.
It’s also essential to get a warranty or one that has been built using high-quality materials so that it doesn’t break down after being used for several months. If you consider these factors, it should help you find an oven within your price range.
