Whether you’re an aspiring pizzeria owner or an avid home cook… Pizza is something we all can’t get enough of.
For us, Friday pizza night simply won’t satisfy our growing demand for mouthwatering, cheesy pies.
You want more.
You’ve come to the conclusion that anything less than pizza oven ownership won’t make the cut… Hence, why you’re after the details on pizza oven cost.
So how much does a pizza oven cost, anyway?
That’s exactly what we’re about to cut into.
We partner with two highly-rated pizza oven manufacturers for our outdoor kitchens… And through this experience, we have our finger on the pulse of price expectations.
So without further ado, let’s get started.
General Factors that Affect Pizza Oven Cost
Depending on your pizza baking needs, an outdoor pizza oven can set you back anywhere from $150 for a budget portable oven… All the way up to $50,000 for a commercial variety.
It’s an insanely huge range, we know.
We’ll get to the bottom of why there’s such a huge price discrepancy across the board… And narrow your focus down to the range that makes the most sense for your needs.
But first… We must discuss overall factors that affect pizza oven cost.
The Skinny on Fuel Source
You may be surprised to hear that pizza ovens can be fueled with far more than just wood!
Available fuel types have increased over the years… With wood, natural gas, propane, or electric pizza ovens all being encompassed in this category.
Since wood ovens are the most simple to produce… A plain ol’ wood burning pizza oven won’t add much to the bottom line.
Gas fired and electric ovens tend to be the next step up in price. You have several extra components and hookups to account for… As well as having a slightly more complex construction.
And for the biggest price jump… You have hybrid ovens.
As you can imagine, it’s a tricky feat to get an oven that can burn wood as well as gas. So to compensate for the added complexity and cost of materials… Hybrid ovens tend to be the most expensive fuel type.
But of course, fuel is only one part of the equation.
When it Comes to Price... Size Matters
While it may not be the whole story… Pizza oven size goes a long way to explain the huge price range we mentioned earlier.
Take residential pizza ovens, for example. You can find smaller residential pizza ovens for as low as $150… While the larger models extend beyond $6,000.
Most residential or DIY pizza ovens are sized in the following manner:
Small pizza ovens are 26” wide.
Medium pizza ovens are 27-33” wide.
Large pizza ovens are 34-42” wide.
XL pizza ovens are 43” and up.
The larger the oven, the more material is being used… Hence, the higher the price.
But we can’t just look at pizza oven size in a vacuum. Material quality is another key category to investigate.
How Materials Impact Backyard Pizza Oven Cost
Usually, the cheaper the pizza oven… The cheaper the quality.
Again, this one may seem obvious, but it’s important to bear in mind as you shop around.
Small, budget friendly models are often made with an unspecified grade of stainless steel… And many don’t even include insulation.
Down the road, low quality steel leads to rust and corrosion… But that lack of high quality insulation (or any at all) also leads to lackluster performance.
Heat retention between bakes will be poor, and you may even encounter hot spots in your oven.
So, what does a high quality outdoor pizza oven look like?
For the exterior materials, we like to see 304 stainless steel for countertop models. That said, brick, stone, and clay are all incredible options when constructed properly.
As for the price difference, 304 stainless steel ovens tend to be much less expensive than masonry materials. This is simply because masonry ovens are far more laborious to produce… And their immense weight makes them difficult to ship across the country.
In terms of insulation… There isn’t much of a price difference between ceramic fiber (most common), perlite, or rock wool.
But of course… The more insulation that’s used, the more that will bump up the cost of your oven.
All in all, material price is a mixed bag.
General factors aside… Let’s narrow down on exactly the type of pizza oven you need.
Got some extra change to spare?
What Type of Pizza Oven Do You Need?
Are you planning for a full-blown pizzeria that cranks out Neapolitan style pizza all day long?
Are you looking for an outdoor oven that works for Chicago or New York style pizza alike?
Or what if you just want to make great pizza… With an oven that was made by your own hands?
Let’s take a look at your options.
Commercial Pizza Oven Cost
Restaurant quality pizza can only be made possible with the right equipment.
Broad strokes, you can expect to pay anywhere from $10,000 – $50,000 on a commercial pizza oven.
No doubt, it’s a significant investment.
Believe it or not, there’s actually 4 different options just in the commercial category. So depending on what your dream pizzeria looks like… You can narrow your search down to the single best version for your needs.
Traditional brick ovens are generally what we think of when we hear “pizzeria”… And for good reason.
They’re aesthetically pleasing, incredibly durable… And churn out some of the best pizza pies you could ever taste.
For commercial use, brick pizza oven cost starts at around $10,000 for a small model… And goes up from there.
Conveyor pizza ovens are another option at your disposal. These are much more like a “factory-style” approach… Cooking pizzas on a conveyor belt, continuously pumping out pies at a rapid pace.
These ovens are generally electric or gas fired… So you may lack some smoky flavor and crispy crust like what you get from a traditional, high heat oven.
But the volume of what you produce is as good as it gets. No question about it.
On average, a conveyor pizza oven will run you around $5,000 – $30,000.
Pizza deck ovens can be utilized as a balance between efficiency and quality. These are double or triple deck ovens that allow you to bake 2-3 pizzas at a time.
They’re often equipped with stone or ceramic decks for improved radiant heat.
These electric ovens won’t retain heat as well as brick… So you will need to allow for more heat recovery time between bakes.
These days, a pizza deck oven can go for $5,000 – $30,000 depending on the model.
Convection ovens are a familiar household appliance… So it’s no surprise you can get a commercial-grade version for your fledgling pizzeria.
These can be purchased as either a gas pizza oven or electric oven. As with conveyors and deck ovens… You will lose some heat retention.
However, convection ovens are known for cooking more evenly… Which can reduce some of the impact of dampened heat retention.
All said and done… A convection oven can be an affordable ticket to starting your pizzeria in earnest. Most models will fall somewhere between $1,000 – $10,000.
Now, what if you’re not an aspiring pizzeria owner?
Residential Pizza Oven Cost
For our purposes, when we refer to a residential pizza oven… What we really mean is a countertop pizza oven.
This is an outdoor oven that’s premanufactured and requires little to no assembly on your part.
And as a general rule… These pizza ovens tend to be made with stainless steel of varying grades. (Again, 304 is best!)
This category offers wood fired pizza ovens, gas fired, and hybrid models for those of us who are indecisive!
A small, portable pizza oven that can cook a single 12” pie can start as low as $150… And tends to cap out at around $1,300 for premium versions.
But beyond that, the sky’s the limit.
Countertop ovens that can accommodate 2-5 pizzas at a time will start around $1,400 bare minimum… And shoot up to $6,000 or more for the bigger, restaurant-quality models.
Is bigger always better?
Not necessarily. If you want the ability to bake artisan bread loaves, casseroles, or other dishes in your outdoor oven… A bigger size will be more conducive to this, and may be worth the higher cost.
Or if you do want homemade pizza on-the-go for camping or tailgating… A more modest, portable version may actually be preferable.
Either way, the world of residential pizza ovens gets bigger every day… And there’s no doubt you’ll find an option that works well for you.
But if you’d like a recommendation… Stick around a little longer for our top picks!
But for now, we have one last category to cover.
DIY Pizza Oven Cost
If some of the prices you’ve seen so far have made your eyes pop out of your head… You might be looking for a low cost pizza oven.
So it’s no surprise that your interest may be piqued by a DIY option.
You’re just paying for materials and saving money on labor… So it should be cheaper, right?
Well… The cost to build an outdoor pizza oven isn’t always easy on the wallet.
Why?
Well, the materials are expensive! You won’t exactly be able to build a stainless steel oven on your own… So that means your only option is to build with masonry materials.
Between the fire bricks, exterior bricks (or clay), and insulation… You’re already into the project to the tune of around $2,400.
And that’s not even taking into account any additional tools you would need to purchase… And the cost of your time to build it.
Generally, despite the slightly lower cost to build a brick pizza oven over buying one… We recommend against pursuing a DIY project.
The reason comes down to skill level. Unless you have an extensive masonry background… The lack of experience with these types of projects will strongly work against you.
The pros make it look easy. Unfortunately, it’s not at all easy to pull off a well-constructed, handmade pizza oven.
Even a pizza oven kit doesn’t do much to reduce your efforts… The only time it saves you is the research of gathering materials.
So for the sake of your sanity… In most cases, you’re better served turning your attention to a residential or commercial oven.
Let’s circle back on those residential ovens, shall we?
The Best “Bang for Your Buck” Ovens
If you really get down to it… Most likely, you want your pizza oven to exemplify the following traits:
- High quality & durable
- Can reach super high temperatures for Neapolitan pizza
- Retains heat well between bakes for day-long pizza parties
- Impressive warranty for peace of mind
When we put it that way… It’s really not much to ask for, is it?
Thankfully, we know a brand or two that checks every box.
Coyote Pizza Oven Cost
Coyote Outdoor Living is a brand we proudly partner with for our outdoor kitchen appliances… And that’s because we truly are raving fans of their products!
Recently, Coyote released their very first outdoor pizza oven.
And we have to say… It’s an impressive debut into the pizza oven scene.
The Coyote DUOMO is a wood fired pizza oven that can cook up to 4 pizzas at a time.
With this large capacity, you can also bake bread or other dishes with ease.
It’s got a maximum temperature of an insanely-hot 1,000° Fahrenheit, and takes about 25-45 minutes to fully preheat the pizza stone.
In addition to 304 stainless steel construction… The Coyote DUOMO features ceramic fiber insulation throughout the dome, and even the chimney. (No other outdoor pizza oven has an insulated chimney!)
What this means for you is superior heat retention between bakes, more efficient fuel usage… And an oven that stays hot enough to use for far longer than usual.
Currently, this pizza oven is only able to run on wood as a heat source. Wood fired it is!
Coyote warrants this 40” pizza oven for a year… And is currently priced at $2,799.00.
Alfa Pizza Oven Cost
Italian-made ovens are an absolute powerhouse… And they’re offered in a wide range of sizes, depending on your needs.
Alfa provides 3 different pizza oven lines: Classico, Moderno, and Futuro. There are slight differences in performance and aesthetics across the board… But they all feature the same high quality construction.
Every Alfa oven is constructed with 304 stainless steel, their unique DoubleDown Ceramic Superwool®, and HeatKeeper™ Firebricks.
They’ve spent a lot of time engineering these ovens to utter perfection… So you can get a taste of Italy right in your own backyard.
As for fuel types and sizes… Depending on the line you choose, Alfa offers wood-fired, gas-fired, and hybrid ovens.
Sizes range from a portable oven that can cook a single pizza… All the way up to a gargantuan, 5 pizza capacity oven.
Alfa ovens take around 20 minutes or so to reach their peak temperature of 950°F.
These home pizza ovens are covered by a two year warranty… And prices will range from $888.00, all the way up to $6,300+.
So now that you’ve seen the average cost of outdoor pizza ovens across all categories… How do you take things to the next level?
Take Your Pizza Oven Journey One Step Further
The costs have been calculated… The tabulations have been made… By now, you should have a good idea of what your dream pizza oven might cost.
Now, you also have to think one step ahead.
Where are you going to put your brand-new pizza oven?
Sure, it could go on a simple stand… But where are you going to work on your pizza dough? And where’s your pizza peel going to go?
While there’s nothing wrong with prepping your pizza inside and bringing it outdoors… That’s a lot of extra hassle and mess that could be easily avoided.
With what?
Your beautiful pizza oven can sit on your outdoor kitchen… While leaving ample counter space for working on your dough, flipping it around, applying toppings, and launching it into the oven.
Everything is right there when you need it… And you can react quickly when a pizza is done. (They only take 90 seconds to cook, after all!)
Not to mention, an outdoor kitchen lets you keep all that mess outside. Clouds of flour, bits of cheese, crumbs of crust… None of it will have to be swept up from the floor or wiped down off your cabinets.
Keep the mess and fun outside… And enjoy pizza night like you never have before.
If your curiosity has been piqued, check out our free online design tool. It’s the easiest way to design an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven… And we’ll pick up the details from there.
Happy designing!
Need Help With Your Plans?
FAQ
The cost of building an outdoor pizza oven doesn’t really have an upper limit! If you’re choosing to build the oven yourself… On average, you can expect to pay at least $2,400 just in materials for a kit. This doesn’t include tools, or any other materials that may be required. If you are hiring a contractor to build a pizza oven for you, the cost will jump even more significantly from there.
When it comes to the cost of a wood fired pizza oven… The cost depends heavily on the size, material quality, and how they are constructed. A budget wood-fired portable oven can cost as little as $150… But a handmade, restaurant-grade brick pizza oven could cost $10,000 or more.
