I have the tiny Ooni. Yes, it takes practice, but it works wonderfully. This summer, I am even going to double down and invest in some of their cast-iron cookware for quick-cooking proteins. That said, if you have the space, budget, and are building an outdoor kitchen, the neck-tattoo version sounds great, just make sure to do your research on wood-burning regulations in Ojai. Here in LA County there are many "no burn days," for wood fires. They are too big of a risk when thins are dry. I would hate to see you go all-in on one fuel and then be very restricted in when you can use it.
“No burn” days are also enforced for air quality reasons - when wildfire smoke from other places affects your area, or fossil fuel emissions make the air unhealthy - regardless of any actual fire danger where you are. I imagine we’ll be seeing more and more of that in the future.
I saw that you’re planning to put the oven on your patio. I don’t know how large the patio is, or how close to the house, but you might want to keep in mind that pizza ovens get extremely hot on the outside too, heating the air around them and creating the risk of injury if near a traffic pattern. That may explain why you often see them out in people’s yards , away from their houses, decks, and patios. It may also be helpful to assess prevailing local wind patterns, as smoke can also be an issue. Winds of course also increase wildfire risk.
Speaking of smoke, I agree with the others who’ve recommended a Big Green Egg. They’re so versatile, attaining high temperatures very quickly when you use a chimney. I smoke at least two spatchcocked turkeys in mine every holiday season, putting most of it in our small chest freezer to use in soups and stews throughout the winter. It’s so easy, giving a tremendous ROI of time and effort. We’ve also used it for pizza but frankly, our big Wolf oven produces fantastic pizza, and is much easier, given how often we make it, usually on weeknights.
Great topic idea for a post -- thank you! I do like the Jim Lahey pizza dough but I plan on trying out a bunch once I get an oven. Will write about it then! xx
I have the Ooni 16 and it it works great. It is both gas and accepts wood, so that's a good option depending on how much time I have. The biggest challenge has not been the oven itself, but the speed at which it cooks my pizzas, it's 1-2 minutes or it burns. So if you want to cook for a group of people, it's a challenge to prep 4-5 pizzas and then not have them stick. You really have to make them on the spot, so that means a prep area near the oven.
The dough is tricky, I haven't quite mastered it yet. Considering how much pizza I have eaten in NYC without thinking twice about the expertise it takes to get the crust right, I have a whole new level of respect for all NYC pizza shops.
Especially Sal & Carmine on 101st and Broadway! I love my pizza oven, but I'm fine driving an hour into NYC to get their slices. Can't beat it.
Hi A, I've tried various. I like thin crust NYC style, so I started with a 2-day cold fermentation recipe but that was kind of a pain to plan ahead and I didnt really see the difference -- I recently made some same day and it came out just as good. I think the flour is more important to get right, I use pizza flour that has worked well, regular flour was bit too doughy. You really have to experiment, I was amazed that there were so many variables (yeast, water, fermentation time, salt, oven temperature, ....) that all make a big difference. Sure, in the end everyone says it's great, but you know, I am very picky about my pizza, I'm not there yet.
Sauce I got down, super simple - chop and heat up some onions in olive oil, can of marzano tomatoes, garlic, s&p, smash up and simmer, and then fresh basil at the end. No oregano! (that always reminds me of bad frozen pizza).
Connie, thanks for suggesting this. Until you and others left comments, I didn't know you could make pizza in a Big Green Egg. I may still go with a pizza oven but I'm going to look into the BGE! Thank you!
Loved reading about all of the recommended ovens. I totally get the visual piece being important. One day I will also want the neck tattoo of pizza ovens, and when that day comes, I will come back here to re-read the options — so many beauties!
I also want to second Brian's tip for anyone that has a Gozney Dome: the Nu2U wind blocker and door are so helpful both for blocking wind and for heat retention.
Does Ojai have any restrictions on wood-burning outdoors? We have lots of days here (in Oregon) where any kind of burning is restricted due to winds, high temps and/or tinder-dry conditions. We mostly use charcoal for grilling and there are days during the summer / fall that we just can't even use it; for that reason alone, I've thought about getting a gas grill for back up.
Second that question about no burn days, which can be because of fire risk or air quality (inversions in the winter in some regions of CA). Your air quality management district and/or fire department can tell you. Extends to fire places indoors…
I’m here for the pizza oven nerding out and there’s nothing like making an expensive, bold choice aligned to your gut to show you what you’re currently made of, and I hope (and kinda guess) it will be exactly what you want 😍
Did you consider a green egg? It has a wedge that turns it into a pizza oven, but you can bbq, smoke, bake and most importantly, make paella on it. ;);)
We have a Forna Brava and have had it for 12 years. We built a wood shed of sorts underneath it, to store wood (keep it accessible and dry). Stay away from sticky woods with Sap as it leaves a bad film. We are in Northern California and in the wine business. One oven is for personal use and we use Manzanita wood. We have made everything in our oven, pizzas, roasted meats such as turkey, leg of lamb, beef filet strip/tenderloin and more. The versatility of the oven and the size is perfect for just the 4 of us and for dinner parties. The oven has made it through earthquakes and storms as well as fires in the area. It is incredible and we highly recommend it.
Amanda!! I have been waiting so long for this, haha! Thank you for such an organized, thorough breakdown of all things pizza oven. Who knew--and you, truly, thought of everything. Even the pizza cutter--the best one I have ever found is an OXO too. But would love a p.s. on this for dough recipe and BEST pizza cutters, as I struggle to find any good ones that really cut all the way through the pizza.
This is an intel geek's dream. I like that you included some smaller, simpler options too (Woodfryed and Breville).
We have an "Ilve" (ilve in case the uppercase didn't make sense) kitchen oven range and because it is Italian, it of course has a "pizza" setting on the range dial. One other option for you/folks to consider.
Plus, am with you--it is a non-negotiable for it to be an appealing design. This goes for pizza ovens and everything else.
**I have been so pleased that manufacturers over the past decade or so have finally started to put thought into the design of every day items; dog beds are finally stylish, electric cords are finally modern and cute, dog food storage containers are lovely, storage containers in general are so lovely you could use them as home decor...and one of my all time favorites that someone finally thought of: the toilet scrubber and containers on Food52.
Finally! We have functionality AND style/design coming together!! Now, if we could just design vacuums that are cute.
A pizza oven is on my someday wish list and this extremely thorough research is appreciated and will be bookmarked. (I had a nice moment of nostalgia with the “cute as button” description. My now 91 yo Texan FIL used the expression within earshot of a NJ shopkeeper unfamiliar with the phrase and found it completely delightful!)
We got the Bread Stone Oven and have been using it for almost two years. We had it built into our kitchen remodel. This is my second oven. The last oven we had for 15 years. My Brother-in-Law has the Ooni. My advice is know who you are and who you want to become with wood fired cooking. If you are only going to do pizza and only occasionally then one of the portable ovens will be fine, but I will say my Brother in Law outgrew his Ooni and doesn't really like it anymore. After having my first oven for 15 years, my regrets were about oven heat retention. I knew I also wanted to bake bread in the oven as well as other foods... meat etc. I did very deep dives into all the ovens listed. For me... The Bread Stone Oven was the only one that offered long extended retained heat. If you think you might become obsessed with wood fired cooking you will want an oven that can cook for days after a night of Pizza where you get the temps up to 700 to 900 degrees. Their customer service is outstanding and I cook pizza on Friday, bread and baguettes on Saturday morning, Tarts, casseroles, etc on Saturday afternoon, and do long overnight braises or stock on Saturday night. We can still heat up food on Sunday or other low temp cooking. However with just a few small logs we can raise the heat quickly and cook steaks, rotisserie chicken etc on Sunday. Then Monday we are usually still at 350 or so. If you want to cook like that... the only option is Bread Stone or have a professional make you one with great thermal mass. So... all the choices are ok if they fit your goals. Even the Ooni will be right for someone that cooks occasionally and doesn't have the space for a built in.
Loved this: "know who you are and who you want to become with wood fired cooking." Thanks, also, for telling us about what it's like to use a Bread Stone Oven -- super helpful!
Not enough votes for the Forno Bravo! Have had the Medio 28 (“portable” stainless steel option) for several years and very functional. Process is same as Sam describes for pre heating.
Good to get your feedback on it -- a pizza oven is no small purchase so it's helpful to hear from people who have direct experience. Thanks for sharing!
I have the tiny Ooni. Yes, it takes practice, but it works wonderfully. This summer, I am even going to double down and invest in some of their cast-iron cookware for quick-cooking proteins. That said, if you have the space, budget, and are building an outdoor kitchen, the neck-tattoo version sounds great, just make sure to do your research on wood-burning regulations in Ojai. Here in LA County there are many "no burn days," for wood fires. They are too big of a risk when thins are dry. I would hate to see you go all-in on one fuel and then be very restricted in when you can use it.
Great point -- I didn't know about this. Thank you!
“No burn” days are also enforced for air quality reasons - when wildfire smoke from other places affects your area, or fossil fuel emissions make the air unhealthy - regardless of any actual fire danger where you are. I imagine we’ll be seeing more and more of that in the future.
I saw that you’re planning to put the oven on your patio. I don’t know how large the patio is, or how close to the house, but you might want to keep in mind that pizza ovens get extremely hot on the outside too, heating the air around them and creating the risk of injury if near a traffic pattern. That may explain why you often see them out in people’s yards , away from their houses, decks, and patios. It may also be helpful to assess prevailing local wind patterns, as smoke can also be an issue. Winds of course also increase wildfire risk.
Speaking of smoke, I agree with the others who’ve recommended a Big Green Egg. They’re so versatile, attaining high temperatures very quickly when you use a chimney. I smoke at least two spatchcocked turkeys in mine every holiday season, putting most of it in our small chest freezer to use in soups and stews throughout the winter. It’s so easy, giving a tremendous ROI of time and effort. We’ve also used it for pizza but frankly, our big Wolf oven produces fantastic pizza, and is much easier, given how often we make it, usually on weeknights.
Would love to know your fave dough recipe! xx
Great topic idea for a post -- thank you! I do like the Jim Lahey pizza dough but I plan on trying out a bunch once I get an oven. Will write about it then! xx
Yes! I would also love to know fave dough recipe!
I have the Ooni 16 and it it works great. It is both gas and accepts wood, so that's a good option depending on how much time I have. The biggest challenge has not been the oven itself, but the speed at which it cooks my pizzas, it's 1-2 minutes or it burns. So if you want to cook for a group of people, it's a challenge to prep 4-5 pizzas and then not have them stick. You really have to make them on the spot, so that means a prep area near the oven.
The dough is tricky, I haven't quite mastered it yet. Considering how much pizza I have eaten in NYC without thinking twice about the expertise it takes to get the crust right, I have a whole new level of respect for all NYC pizza shops.
Especially Sal & Carmine on 101st and Broadway! I love my pizza oven, but I'm fine driving an hour into NYC to get their slices. Can't beat it.
Hi Alain -- great to hear your experience. What pizza dough recipe do you use?
Hi A, I've tried various. I like thin crust NYC style, so I started with a 2-day cold fermentation recipe but that was kind of a pain to plan ahead and I didnt really see the difference -- I recently made some same day and it came out just as good. I think the flour is more important to get right, I use pizza flour that has worked well, regular flour was bit too doughy. You really have to experiment, I was amazed that there were so many variables (yeast, water, fermentation time, salt, oven temperature, ....) that all make a big difference. Sure, in the end everyone says it's great, but you know, I am very picky about my pizza, I'm not there yet.
Sauce I got down, super simple - chop and heat up some onions in olive oil, can of marzano tomatoes, garlic, s&p, smash up and simmer, and then fresh basil at the end. No oregano! (that always reminds me of bad frozen pizza).
Enjoy!
What about the Big Green Egg? You can make pizza and many more things with it. Also is smoker.
Connie, thanks for suggesting this. Until you and others left comments, I didn't know you could make pizza in a Big Green Egg. I may still go with a pizza oven but I'm going to look into the BGE! Thank you!
The nice thing about the Big Green Egg is that it also is a smoker. Good luck with whatever you get.🩷
Loved reading about all of the recommended ovens. I totally get the visual piece being important. One day I will also want the neck tattoo of pizza ovens, and when that day comes, I will come back here to re-read the options — so many beauties!
I also want to second Brian's tip for anyone that has a Gozney Dome: the Nu2U wind blocker and door are so helpful both for blocking wind and for heat retention.
Ali -- thank you so much for sharing your deep wisdom about pizza making with all of us!
I second the Big Green Egg suggestion! It makes amazing pizzas and I think sounds much easier by comparison! Plus it’s an awesome smoker.
Thanks, Jill -- there's momentum growing around the Big Green Egg here!
Does Ojai have any restrictions on wood-burning outdoors? We have lots of days here (in Oregon) where any kind of burning is restricted due to winds, high temps and/or tinder-dry conditions. We mostly use charcoal for grilling and there are days during the summer / fall that we just can't even use it; for that reason alone, I've thought about getting a gas grill for back up.
I need to find this out!
Second that question about no burn days, which can be because of fire risk or air quality (inversions in the winter in some regions of CA). Your air quality management district and/or fire department can tell you. Extends to fire places indoors…
I’m here for the pizza oven nerding out and there’s nothing like making an expensive, bold choice aligned to your gut to show you what you’re currently made of, and I hope (and kinda guess) it will be exactly what you want 😍
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
I have my son-in-law. He makes the best pizza on his outdoor oven. Lucky me!
Sounds like the best solution all around!
Did you consider a green egg? It has a wedge that turns it into a pizza oven, but you can bbq, smoke, bake and most importantly, make paella on it. ;);)
I didn't but I have a plan for a grill that will be good for paella!
We have a Forna Brava and have had it for 12 years. We built a wood shed of sorts underneath it, to store wood (keep it accessible and dry). Stay away from sticky woods with Sap as it leaves a bad film. We are in Northern California and in the wine business. One oven is for personal use and we use Manzanita wood. We have made everything in our oven, pizzas, roasted meats such as turkey, leg of lamb, beef filet strip/tenderloin and more. The versatility of the oven and the size is perfect for just the 4 of us and for dinner parties. The oven has made it through earthquakes and storms as well as fires in the area. It is incredible and we highly recommend it.
Love all this detail — thank you. And appreciate the tip regarding the wood!
This is so helpful! Thank you.
Amanda!! I have been waiting so long for this, haha! Thank you for such an organized, thorough breakdown of all things pizza oven. Who knew--and you, truly, thought of everything. Even the pizza cutter--the best one I have ever found is an OXO too. But would love a p.s. on this for dough recipe and BEST pizza cutters, as I struggle to find any good ones that really cut all the way through the pizza.
This is an intel geek's dream. I like that you included some smaller, simpler options too (Woodfryed and Breville).
We have an "Ilve" (ilve in case the uppercase didn't make sense) kitchen oven range and because it is Italian, it of course has a "pizza" setting on the range dial. One other option for you/folks to consider.
Plus, am with you--it is a non-negotiable for it to be an appealing design. This goes for pizza ovens and everything else.
**I have been so pleased that manufacturers over the past decade or so have finally started to put thought into the design of every day items; dog beds are finally stylish, electric cords are finally modern and cute, dog food storage containers are lovely, storage containers in general are so lovely you could use them as home decor...and one of my all time favorites that someone finally thought of: the toilet scrubber and containers on Food52.
Finally! We have functionality AND style/design coming together!! Now, if we could just design vacuums that are cute.
Couldn't agree more about functionality and design -- it's something we focused a lot of energy on at Food52!
A pizza oven is on my someday wish list and this extremely thorough research is appreciated and will be bookmarked. (I had a nice moment of nostalgia with the “cute as button” description. My now 91 yo Texan FIL used the expression within earshot of a NJ shopkeeper unfamiliar with the phrase and found it completely delightful!)
Thanks, Pamela!
We got the Bread Stone Oven and have been using it for almost two years. We had it built into our kitchen remodel. This is my second oven. The last oven we had for 15 years. My Brother-in-Law has the Ooni. My advice is know who you are and who you want to become with wood fired cooking. If you are only going to do pizza and only occasionally then one of the portable ovens will be fine, but I will say my Brother in Law outgrew his Ooni and doesn't really like it anymore. After having my first oven for 15 years, my regrets were about oven heat retention. I knew I also wanted to bake bread in the oven as well as other foods... meat etc. I did very deep dives into all the ovens listed. For me... The Bread Stone Oven was the only one that offered long extended retained heat. If you think you might become obsessed with wood fired cooking you will want an oven that can cook for days after a night of Pizza where you get the temps up to 700 to 900 degrees. Their customer service is outstanding and I cook pizza on Friday, bread and baguettes on Saturday morning, Tarts, casseroles, etc on Saturday afternoon, and do long overnight braises or stock on Saturday night. We can still heat up food on Sunday or other low temp cooking. However with just a few small logs we can raise the heat quickly and cook steaks, rotisserie chicken etc on Sunday. Then Monday we are usually still at 350 or so. If you want to cook like that... the only option is Bread Stone or have a professional make you one with great thermal mass. So... all the choices are ok if they fit your goals. Even the Ooni will be right for someone that cooks occasionally and doesn't have the space for a built in.
Loved this: "know who you are and who you want to become with wood fired cooking." Thanks, also, for telling us about what it's like to use a Bread Stone Oven -- super helpful!
Not enough votes for the Forno Bravo! Have had the Medio 28 (“portable” stainless steel option) for several years and very functional. Process is same as Sam describes for pre heating.
Good to get your feedback on it -- a pizza oven is no small purchase so it's helpful to hear from people who have direct experience. Thanks for sharing!