Let’s open this up with a simple question.
Who loves pizza?
The answer is… Everyone. Absolutely everyone loves pizza.
So it’s no mystery that outdoor pizza ovens have surged in popularity!
The prospect of having fresh, wood-fired homemade pizza… Whenever you want?
Some would say that’s a slice of heaven on Earth.
But before you sink your teeth into bubbling cheese and a crispy crust with that oh-so-delicious, authentic Neapolitan pizza taste…
You have to decide which outdoor pizza oven you want.
Lucky for you… You’re in the right place.
Today, we’ll be reviewing the best outdoor pizza ovens out there. By the end, you’ll have a better idea of which pizza oven is best for you!
Let’s begin.
Quick Links:
What Makes an Outdoor Pizza Oven “Good?”
Before we get to any specific brands… It’s important to know what actually makes a good quality pizza oven.
There are quite a few considerations to keep in mind!
Let’s start off with the most crucial…
Material Quality
If you want your outdoor pizza oven to last for the long haul… Material quality should be top of mind!
There are two primary points to consider when it comes to great pizza ovens…
What are they?
Want to bring your idea to life?
Interior and Exterior Materials
High quality outdoor pizza ovens will feature full, heavy gauge stainless steel construction.
304 stainless steel in particular is the absolute best choice… This is extremely durable, and will provide superior rust and corrosion-resistance!
And since stainless steel is such a low maintenance material… You’ll get years of pizza-making enjoyment, without worry.
pibus leo.
Insulation Materials
There’s also outdoor pizza oven insulation to contend with.
While some brands don’t make use of insulation at all (more on this shortly)… For the brands that do use insulation, this will most often be made with ceramic fiber.
Though ceramic fiber is certainly the common choice for most outdoor pizza ovens… Some companies have created their own types of insulation altogether.
But either way… A heavily insulated pizza oven is a good thing to look for!
Outdoor Pizza Oven Performance
There are a few important considerations regarding pizza oven performance.
You want it to reach scorching hot, very high temperatures…
You want it to retain heat well…
And you want it to happen quickly.
How well your pizza oven accomplishes these speaks volumes about its overall quality.
So… Let’s break down each.
Pizza Oven Temperature
If you’re a fan of Neapolitan style pizza… You know exactly why searing hot temps are essential.
That’s what gives you the beautifully puffed, nicely charred crust you crave.
High heat allows for a perfectly cooked pizza dough… Without overcooking the rest of your pizza.
So, to achieve this… You’ll want to look for pizza ovens with a maximum temperature around 900-950 degrees Fahrenheit!
Heat Retention
When it comes to performance, heat retention should also be accounted for.
If you’re making personal pies for everyone at your pizza party… You don’t want to constantly re-fire your oven.
Efficient heat retention solves this problem. Good insulation will prevent internal temps from quickly dropping… So you can make pie after pie without a worry!
Outdoor Cooking Efficiency
Finally, there’s speed.
When you cook pizza… You want it done quickly!
Therefore, you’ll want a pizza oven that can reach those high heats, fast.
The faster the pizza is served, the happier everyone is. So, look for ovens that can preheat in about 15 – 30 minutes!
Customer Service
While often overlooked… Great customer service should be top of mind when selecting an outdoor pizza oven brand.
The brand you’re considering may check off every box… But if they have subpar customer service?
You’ll simply be left with a sour taste in your mouth.
You want to know you’ll be taken care of if something goes wrong.
So before you hit “Pay Now…” Look into this!
But let’s say you’ve found a good brand.
How do you choose a pizza oven?
Choosing The Perfect Pizza Oven
Once you’ve vetted brands… It’s time to pick out your pizza oven!
Here’s what you’ll want to consider.
Fuel Source
When it comes to outdoor pizza ovens, the primary fuel types are natural gas, propane gas, and wood. (Some brands also offer dual fuel source ovens!)
Let’s go over some advantages and disadvantages for each option.
Pros and Cons of Gas Pizza Ovens
There’s no doubt that gas outdoor pizza ovens are convenient.
They’re incredibly easy to use, they preheat quickly, and they’re low maintenance.
The disadvantage here? You’ll be sacrificing flavor.
A gas burner just can’t give you the same deep, smoky flavor that you get from pizza baked with wood!
Also note that propane pizza ovens will need a propane tank…
And natural gas fired pizza ovens will require gas lines… Which may be an (unexpected) added expense!
Pros and Cons of Wood Fired Pizza Ovens
The pros and cons of wood pizza makers are inverse to gas…
Outdoor wood fired ovens have simply unmatched flavor.
But, they require more effort to use.
You’ll have to monitor heat, throw in wood, and there’s more cleaning involved.
If you want an authentic pizzeria experience… An outdoor wood pizza oven is more than worth it!
But ultimately, one fuel source isn’t better than the other. The type you choose comes down to your personal wants and needs!
Pizza Oven Size
Next, consider what size your outdoor pizza oven should be.
The size you choose depends on what (and who) you’ll be using it for!
Will you be cooking personal pies for yourself?
Or, are you going to be hosting many large parties?
Do you want to cook just pizzas?
Or, do you want more versatility?
If you fit in the former scenarios… A smaller pizza oven may suffice!
But if you fall in the latter category… Spring for a larger oven!
If you have a larger oven (with a large opening)… You can also make casseroles, bake breads, roast meats, and even cook veggies!
Still unsure?
You probably won’t regret sizing up.
Now, there’s only one consideration left…
Design and Configuration
Mont Alpi Freestanding Pizza Oven
Fire Magic Built In Countertop Pizza Oven
Alfresco Built In Pizza Oven
Before you buy a pizza oven… Consider configuration!
This’ll play a huge role in aesthetics… As well as functionality.
If the classic, brick oven style appeals… Consider a built-in pizza oven!
Though there are plenty of options (including DIY pizza oven kits) to achieve this traditional style… These methods are usually pretty involved (and quite costly)!
For a more contemporary design… Freestanding, countertop pizza ovens are more readily available and cost-effective.
Or, if you’re looking to take your pizza party tailgating or on a camping trip… You may prefer a portable outdoor pizza oven!
Alright. With these considerations in mind… Let’s take a look at some brands!
The Best Outdoor Pizza Oven Brands of 2023
There are tons of outdoor pizza oven brands out there…
But today, we’ll be reviewing only the best outdoor pizza ovens!
Let’s dive in.
Ooni
Product Highlights
Price: $299.00 – $999.00
Materials: Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Propane
Warranty: One year
First up, Ooni outdoor pizza ovens!
Ooni offers a number of portable outdoor pizza ovens, large enough for making either 12 or 16 inch pies.
Ooni ovens also come in a variety of fuel types!
The Ooni Koda 12 and Ooni Koda 16 are fueled by propane gas…
The Ooni Fyra 12 fires up with wood pellets…
And their newest model, the Ooni Volt, runs on electricity!
They also offer multi-fuel models (The Ooni Karu 12, 12G and Ooni Karu 16)… Which allows you to use charcoal, wood, or gas… All in one unit!
While the wood, electric, and duel fuel oven models all have a heat-retaining glass door… The Ooni Koda gas ovens do not have an oven door. So, you may lose some heat!
To make up for this… The Ooni Koda ovens are the only models with insulation. These use ceramic fiber to trap in as much heat as possible.
Across all models… Ooni makes use of a built-in cordierite pizza stone, which should effectively speed up cook time and improve heat retention.
And it appears that all Ooni ovens top out at a max temp of 950 degrees… With total preheat time around 20 minutes!
To easily keep track of temp… Ooni ovens also come with a built-in thermometer.
As far as materials go… Ooni utilizes stainless steel construction throughout, with a powder coated steel exterior.
Ooni doesn’t specify what grade of stainless steel they use, so it’s worth checking with them to see if it’s 304!
While all Ooni pizza ovens come with a standard one year warranty… You can opt to extend the warranty up to five years for the Karu, Koda, and Fyra models, or up to two years for the Ooni Volt.
At the time of writing, Ooni pizza ovens cost between $299.00 and $999.00.
Sole Gourmet
Product Highlights
Price: $3,075.00 – $4,480.00
Materials: Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Wood
Warranty: 4 Years
Sole Gourmet makes one type of pizza oven… And they make it well!
Their Italia wood fired oven is available in two sizes (24” x 24” or 24” x 32”)… As well as two configurations: freestanding or built-in to a countertop.
These ovens utilize rock-spun wool insulation and a radiant pizza stone cooking surface for improved heat retention. The remainder of construction is stainless steel… Though in some areas, Sole Gourmet uses Corten steel.
Corten steel is designed to oxidize over time to prevent rust at a deeper level… But it’ll also turn brown over time, so be aware of this!
As for other special features, these pizza ovens feature a damper for accurate temperature control…
And with a preheat time of about 15 – 20 minutes… You won’t be waiting long to enjoy delicious pies!
Did we mention that these pizza ovens are Italian handcrafted? It doesn’t get much more authentic than that!
Sole Gourmet offers a four year warranty on their oven’s dome, with two years of coverage on all other parts.
Now, these are definitely a bit more expensive than the Ooni ovens! At the time of writing, MSRP is set between $3,075.00 and $4,480.00.
Chicago Brick Ovens
Product Highlights
Price: $2,199.00 – $11,699.00
Materials: Powder Coated Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Wood or hybrid fuel
Warranty: 1 Year
Chicago Brick Ovens has no shortage of options!
Not only can you choose from wood fired or hybrid fuel for the heat source… You can also pick between a tailgater oven, countertop or freestanding models, or a built-in DIY kit!
Though we won’t get into the details here… This kit allows you to build your own brick or stone pizza oven!
As well as this… Chicago Brick Ovens are also available in a wide range of sizes, with options from 27” x 22” all the way up to 38” x 28.”
Like our other contenders… Chicago Brick Ovens are reasonably well built. They feature powder coated steel construction with reinforced refractory cement insulation. (They’re also made in the USA for those who prefer to buy local!)
Chicago Brick Ovens take about 45 minutes to reach high temperatures (with a max around 1,000 degrees). So, you will be waiting a bit longer!
Aesthetics are another note to consider. Particularly with the hybrid model… Chicago Brick Ovens are rather blocky.
While there’s nothing wrong with this… Some homeowners may prefer a more streamlined look, so keep this in mind!
All Chicago Brick Ovens are covered under a limited one year warranty…
And at the time of writing, you can expect to pay between $2,199.00 and $11,699.00.
Tuscan Chef
Product Highlights
Price: $2,799.00 – $4,299.00
Materials: 304 Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Wood
Warranty: 2 Year
The wood burning pizza oven is Tuscan Chef’s specialty.
In fact… They offer seven wood burning models in a variety of different sizes, including built-in models for that traditional aesthetic.
The brick oven look would be great alongside a rustic stone outdoor kitchen with pizza oven…
But we digress.
With a max temp of 950 degrees… There’s plenty of heat for your perfect pizza!
Wondering about materials?
Tuscan Chef utilizes 304 stainless steel construction! That’s great!
There’s no indication of insulation… But if you decide to build in your oven with brick or stone, you can incorporate it yourself.
As for warranty… You’ll get two years of coverage with a Tuscan Chef pizza oven.
And regarding price, expect to pay between $2,799.00 and $4,499.00.
Lynx
Product Highlights
Price: $5,949.00
Materials: 304 Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Wood
Warranty: 2 Year
Well known for their griddles and other appliances… Lynx is a mainstay in the outdoor cooking industry.
As for their pizza ovens?
Lynx’s Napoli outdoor ovens are quite a unique design. They are actually presented as multipurpose ovens… So, they are not just for cooking pizzas!
With a large opening, this 400 square inch pizza oven can also roast non pizza items like meats and veggies, as well as bake bread and desserts!
The Lynx Napoli is powered via a gas attachment for easy temp control. There’s no wood burning option… So if you’re set on wood, keep this in mind!
As for the construction? We can’t complain.
The Lynx Napoli features 304 stainless steel construction, with a refractory cement interior.
This pizza oven is easy on the eyes, too. With illuminated control knobs and a sleek aesthetic, it’ll look great in any modern outdoor space!
The only downside here is temperature. The Napoli can only preheat up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit.
For true pizza connoisseurs… This is where Lynx may fall short.
If the lower temp output didn’t deter you… You can expect a lifetime of coverage on the stainless steel exterior and gas burners, with the valves and refractory dome covered for five years.
And at the time of writing, the Lynx Napoli costs $5,949.00.
Perfect spot for your outdoor pizza oven
Gozney
Product Highlights
Price: $499.00 – $1,999.00
Materials: 304 Stainless Steel
Fuel Type: Hybrid fuel
Warranty: 1 Year
With just one look at Gozney’s product line… You know you’re seeing something different.
This brand offers two outdoor pizza ovens… The Gozney Roccbox and Gozney Dome.
The Roccbox is their smaller, portable pizza oven. This is available with either gas or hybrid fuel type.
While it doesn’t look any larger than a mailbox… This little unit can still hit peak temps of 950 degrees!
The Roccbox has thick stone interior insulation, with a silicone-coated exterior. The remaining construction is 304 stainless steel.
The Gozney Dome is the Roccbox’s bigger, more versatile brother.
This model can be fueled with either wood, or as a hybrid with gas. It’ll reach the same peak heat as the Roccbox… But on a larger pizza cooking surface.
As far as materials go… We can’t 100% confirm them. However, we do know that the exterior is coated in ceramic, and there’s some insulation for better heat retention.
The Roccbox and Dome are covered under a one year standard warranty, with the option to add an extended warranty up to five years.
At the time of writing, these ovens cost between $499.00 and $1,999.00. This pricing also includes the cost of a professional-grade pizza peel!
Bertello
Product Highlights
Price: $587.99
Materials: N/A
Fuel Type: Wood, Gas, Charcoal, Pellet Hybrid Fuel
Warranty: 3 Year
Some of you may be familiar with this brand from ABC’s Shark Tank!
Bertello offers a 16,” outdoor wood, gas, charcoal, or pellet hybrid fuel portable pizza oven.
Like many of the other contenders… This pizza oven can hit a high temp around 900 degrees in less than 15 minutes.
Wondering about materials?
Unfortunately, we were unable to pin down any info! Bertello does mention insulation, but beyond that… We don’t have a clue! It’s worth reaching out to Bertello to check on this.
This pizza oven is covered under a three year warranty… And at the time of writing, it goes for $587.99.
The bottom line on Bertello?
If you’re looking for an option on the inexpensive side… This oven may speak to you!
Solo Stove
Product Highlights
Price: $439.99
Materials: 304 stainless steel
Fuel Type: Hybrid or wood only
Warranty: Lifetime
Some of you may be familiar with this brand from ABC’s Shark Tank!
Bertello offers a 16,” portable wood, gas, charcoal, or pellet hybrid fuel outdoor pizza oven.
Like many of the other contenders… This pizza oven can hit a high temp around 900 degrees in less than 15 minutes.
Wondering about materials?
Unfortunately, we were unable to pin down any info! Bertello does mention insulation, but beyond that… We don’t have a clue! It’s worth reaching out to Bertello to check on this.
This pizza oven is covered under a three year warranty… And at the time of writing, it goes for $587.99.
The bottom line on Bertello?
If you’re looking for an option on the inexpensive side… This oven may speak to you!
Alfa
Product Highlights
Price: $1,999.00 – $8,798.00
Materials: 304 stainless steel
Fuel Type: Wood, Propane, or Hybrid
Warranty: 2 Year
Some of you may be familiar with this brand from ABC’s Shark Tank!
Bertello offers a 16,” portable wood, gas, charcoal, or pellet hybrid fuel outdoor pizza oven.
Like many of the other contenders… This pizza oven can hit a high temperature around 900 degrees in less than 15 minutes.
Wondering about materials?
Unfortunately, we were unable to pin down any info! Bertello does mention insulation, but beyond that… We don’t have a clue! It’s worth reaching out to Bertello to check on this.
This pizza oven is covered under a three year warranty… And at the time of writing, it goes for $587.99.
The bottom line on Bertello?
If you’re looking for an option on the inexpensive side… This oven may speak to you!
Alright.
At this point, we’ve reviewed a ton of pizza ovens!
Now, which are the best pizza ovens?
While there’s no true way to calculate an inherent best… We can give you some great recommendations!
The Best Economy Pizza Oven
Here’s the thing.
Not everyone wants a top-of-the-line pizza oven.
So, if you just want a simple, portable oven for home and travel use…
Solo Stove’s outdoor pizza oven is a great choice!
Why?
It’s no secret that Solo Stove has made waves in the outdoor living industry. Their fire pits and other products have gained a cult following!
Their excellent quality and unmatched innovation is also found in their Pi pizza oven.
For one, the price is hard to beat.
And the material quality is still fantastic!
Ultimately, we’re impressed with the value packed into such an affordable oven. There’s no doubt that this is one of the best outdoor pizza ovens for the price!
So, now that you’ve seen our recommendation for the best practical outdoor pizza oven…
What’s the best overall?
The Overall Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens
It’s tough to quantify what makes the overall best outdoor pizza ovens.
Ultimately… We all have different needs and tastes!
Yet, Alfa pizza ovens are truly great, for nearly everyone.
Full Disclosure: We do have a partnership with Alfa. However, there’s a reason we do! And it’s because we firmly believe they offer the best outdoor pizza ovens on the market.
Why are they our ultimate recommendation?
We could go on forever… But let’s just hit the high points.
Alfa pizza ovens are inspired by professional, restaurant-grade ovens. This means you’re getting all the benefits of a professional pizzeria, in a household footprint.
There are three aspects of Alfa’s technology that create this professional quality: the HeatKeeper™ Firebrick, the DoubleDown Ceramic Superwool®, and the Full Circulation Flue System®.
It’s easy to see that every aspect of an Alfa pizza oven has been perfectly optimized!
And though the price point is a bit higher… You truly get great, long-lasting value.
But at the end of the day, no matter what pizza oven you choose…
What’s the next step?
The Perfect Pairing For Your New Pizza Oven
While you could just have a standalone pizza oven in your backyard…
Why not go all the way?
Pairing your pizza oven with an outdoor kitchen will truly take your cooking to the next level.
You’ll have a fully equipped station for easy pizza prep… And with a full kitchen setup, you can also make whatever else you’d like!
The possibilities (and benefits!) truly are endless.
Firstly, the added countertop space is nothing to scoff at. When you’re cooking pizza outside… Why do most of your prep indoors?
And of course, an outdoor grill island brings more appliance variety. Built-in pellet, charcoal, or gas grills, burners, sinks, refrigerators… You name it, you can add it!
Perhaps you’ll even consider a bar island so your guests can enjoy their slice, together outdoors.
An outdoor BBQ island with a pizza oven is a whole new world!
Curious on how to get started?
Aside from our Learning Hub being a treasure trove of information… You may have questions best served with a phone call.
If so, why not schedule a call with one of our Design Experts?
Or, give our free online design tool a whirl to get started on your custom outdoor kitchen.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Need Help With Your Plans?
FAQ
Well… Do you enjoy making pizza?
Do you enjoy baking other foods outdoors?
If yes… Then its worth investing in an outdoor pizza oven. You’ll get years of use and incredible food… it’s a no-brainer! What more could you ask for?
Outdoor pizza ovens can vary widely in cost. A premium oven will generally run $1,300 or more.
