After testing pizza ovens for seven years—we're talking since the Ooni brand spelled its name "Uuni"—Donna Currie knows the ins and outs of owning and using a pizza oven long-term. Here's what she's learned: 1. There’s more than one way to cook pizza:Gas, wood, charcoal, and electric are all legit. However, dual- or multi-fuel options mean that you...

Maximum Temperature

When it comes to baking pizza, hotter is almost always better. Authentic Neapolitan pizza is traditionally cooked in a wood-fired oven at a minimum of 800 degrees Fahrenheit for just 60 to 90 seconds in order to yield puffy, crispy, just short-of-burnt crust and beautifully melted cheese. That's much hotter than a regular oven, which is why you need a specialized pizza oven for great pizza. Outdoor models designed to burn wood are capable of reaching temps of up to 900 degrees, while indoor e...

Portability

Smaller pizza oven models have collapsible legs and detachable parts for when you want to make pizzas or barbecue at the park, on a camping trip, or at a friend’s backyard cookout. Portable pizza ovens are designed to quickly assemble and disassemble and usually come with a carrying bag to keep everything together. While the oven you choose may be portable, keep in mind that it might not necessarily be light. Some weigh as little as 25 pounds, while others top the scale at over 50 pounds. Lar...

How does a pizza oven work?

Pizza ovens are built differently than conventional home and restaurant ovens. They are typically compact, with a stone base and domed roof. The stone base retains heat to help cook the bottom of the pizza easily, while the tight domed roof conducts heat over and around the top of the pizza to promote even cooking. The design of a pizza oven is meant to optimize heating and retain as much heat as possible, which makes it cook at temperatures much hotter than conventional ovens. While some piz...

What can you cook in a pizza oven besides pizza?

Pizza ovens are obviously made for cooking pizzas at very high temperatures, but they’re more versatile than you might expect. Most pizza ovens come with temperature controls, making it possible to cook other foods at high temperatures without scorching them. This can be ideal for anyone interested in baking breads that do well baked fast and hot, like sourdough, fluffy focaccia, or small pastries. High-temperature ovens are also great for quickly roasting vegetables, as well as meats includi...

How do you clean a pizza oven?