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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

What is the Best Home Pizza Oven

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Up your pizza game with a home pizza oven!
Up your pizza game with a home pizza oven.

Everyone likes a grilled pizza at a party or get-together. However, a pizza oven in your very own home can take your pies to an entirely new level.

It might sound a little intimidating, but there are quite a few options for baking restaurant-quality pizzas right in your own home! Here’s my favorite oven at Amazon.

From sleek countertop models that won’t clutter up your apartment, to custom-built backyard units that can churn out enough food for even the largest families, there is a pizza oven suitable for any living situation and budget!

Which Type of Pizza Oven is Best for Me?

Which pizza oven is best for you depends largely on your budget and space requirements. For those individuals who are content baking their pies on the grill—or in a traditional convection oven—there is the simple, but effective, pizza stone.

Weber Gourmet BBQ System Pizza Stone with Carry Rack

The best pizza stone on the web comes from Weber. It adds a perfectly smoky flavor to your pizza while its stone material effectively absorbs any excess moisture from your pie. But what really makes this particular pizza stone stand out are its carrying handles. These ease so much of the pressure of transferring and serving the pizza, and eliminate the need to buy a separate peel.

See the Weber Gourmet BBQ System Pizza Stone with Carry Rack at Amazon.

Meanwhile, someone living in a small apartment (or a house with a small yard) might prefer a countertop unit. And, for those pizza fanatics with time and space to spare, there is the option of building your own custom outdoor oven.

Stovetop and Countertop Pizza Ovens

If you’re in the market for a dedicated pizza oven, but want something small enough to fit comfortably in your kitchen, consider a stove or countertop model. These will give you superior pizzas without taking up a whole lot of room.

The Pizzacraft Pizzeria Pronto Stovetop Pizza Oven is designed for gas stoves. It preheats quickly and has an interior temperature that can exceed that of traditional ovens, meaning your Italian sausage and pesto pie will be ready-to-eat within minutes.

See the Pizzacraft Pizzeria Pronto Stovetop Pizza Oven at Amazon

The Presto Pizzazz Rotating Oven is another top choice for a home unit. This model has a rotating tray with separately-controlled heating elements and a removable non-stick baking pan. You can bake a pizza on it, or just use the tray to keep food warm. It also features a timer that can automatically turn off the heating elements, meaning that this model is extremely energy-efficient.

See the Presto Pizzazz Rotating Oven at Amazon

Outdoor Pizza Ovens

The pizza is ready. Are you?
The pizza is ready. Are you?

Deco Chef Outdoor Pizza Oven

There are several great pizza ovens intended for outdoor use. You might want to consider the Deco Chef Outdoor Pizza Oven. This model is a lump charcoal or pellet-fueled unit that houses a pizza stone (included). Also included are a pizza peel, a safe handle oven door, a safe handle removable fuel tray, a stainless steel dough scraper, a stainless steel scoop, and a removable stainless steel slotted grill with drip tray. This unit will quickly give you that oven-baked pizza experience no matter where you are! And, as a bonus, it cooks much more than pizza–meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, and more!

See the Deco Chef Outdoor Pizza Oven at Amazon

Tierra Firme Genoa Talavera Wood-Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven

Tierra Firme HTN-011-N Genoa Talavera Wood-Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven, Beige

If you want a legitimate clay, wood-burning, brick oven pizza, look no further than Tierra Firme’s Genoa Talavera Wood-Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven. It’s made out of hand crafted terracotta clay, and has a beautiful brown finish.

This model uses sand to heat the pizza giving it an even distribution and crispy taste.

Check out the Tierra Firme Pizza Oven listed at Amazon.

Cuisinart CPO-700 Alfrescamore Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven

Cuisinart CPO-700 Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit, Black & Aluminum

For a high performance model that’s convenient and effective, check out Cuisinart’s portable outdoor pizza oven. This model is designed to sit inside your gas grill, and gives your pizza that perfect golden finish. It’s also larger than the other models, so you can make one pie for the whole crowd.

It assembles quickly with a compact design. It’s easy for anyone to maneuver, set up, and get to cooking! The purchase of this oven also comes with a 12 inch pizza peel and a pizza making guide as well.

Cuisinart CPO-700 Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit, Black & Aluminum

See Cuisinart’s CPO-700 Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven listed at Amazon.

If you have a backyard, building an outdoor pizza oven can be a fun home improvement project. The great thing about these is that you can do a lot more with them than just baking pizza. Slow roasting meats and even baking your own bread are all within the realm of possibility.

How to Build Your Own Pizza Oven

Are you ready to get serious about pizza? Then it’s time to pick up some supplies! You don’t necessarily need to get a building contractor for this, but some experience in construction will be helpful.

You will need the following: refractory bricks (for the dome and the cooking floor), refractory mortar, a ceramic fiber blanket (for the dome insulation), calcium silicate (to insulate the floor), and Litefill perlite (to render a layer between the insulation and the bricks that will make up the structure itself).

While it is possible to build a movable oven on a pallet, it’s better to choose a permanent location, lay down a solid foundation, and build from there. A couple of layers of brick on top of the reinforced concrete base will not only look great, but will provide an even cooking temperature for your pizzas.

All pizza is made better on a pizza stone. Here’s a guide on how to use one.

Setting out the dimensions for the arch is of the utmost importance. Taking time and care at this stage should ensure you won’t have problems later on. As the old saying goes, “measure twice and cut once.” You can use an exercise ball as a base for the dome, or cut some plywood to serve as a solid base for a semi-circular opening. The gaps between the bricks should be kept open by wooden wedges, then filled with the refractory mortar, one brick at a time.

Build up the rest of the oven in whatever way you see fit. Many prefer a domed style, but you can go for a simpler cuboid. What you want is a strong, heat-retaining structure that will ensure even cooking. Looks are important, but durability should be your #1 priority.

When it does come to the time to fire up your oven, it’s a good idea to give it a hot “once over” before guests come over. A few hours of heat will allow all the moisture to evaporate from the bricks and mortar.

You can use any charcoal you like, but some nice hardwood is best. Cherry is ideal, but hickory will also serve you well.

Now that you have your pizza oven, here’s my guide to the perfect pizza on a pizza stone pan.

Easy as (Pizza) Pie!

Now that you have an oven, it’s party time! Invite your neighbors over and offer them a selection of chopped vegetables, meats, cheeses, and bases. Everyone can make their own pizza and have a great time doing it!

We have an excellent cast iron skillet pizza recipe!