There is nothing like spending your weekend with your mates in your backyard. How about having a small pizza party? Freshly grilled pizza on your very own portable outdoor pizza oven is something we all crave at the end of a busy week.
Open fire parties are always intriguing. The light and steady breeze and a soothing aroma of grilled charcoal create a wonderful atmosphere. No wonder backyard parties are so much fun.
PIzzas are great. They are easy to make, and you can serve several people at once, which is no short of a blessing. However, your pizza needs to be perfect, and it depends a lot on your pizza oven.
Today, we will talk about some of the best outdoor wood-fired pizza ovens for the year 2024. There are some fantastic new models you can choose from.
As we don’t buy pizza ovens too often, you must know the basics about these products. Therefore, we will also discuss some of the key elements to help you buy the best outdoor pizza oven that will easily fit your needs and budget.
If you are into DIY, we will also share a guide on building your very own wood-fired pizza oven. So let’s get started.
Page Contents
- 1 The 5 Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens for 2024 Reviews
- 2 Editor’s Pick: The Portable Best Outdoor Pizza Oven for 2024
- 3 How to Choose a Best Outdoor Pizza Oven?
- 4 DIY Outdoor Pizza Oven – How to Build an Outdoor Pizza Oven Step by Step?
- 5 Conclusion
The 5 Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens for 2024 Reviews
It’s time to look at the best outdoor pizza oven kits available in the market this year.
1. ROCCBOX by Gozney Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven
First, in our list is the ROCCBOX Outdoor Pizza Oven. It comes from Gozney, a renowned oven manufacturer. From the design to portability and heat retention, there is so much to like about this product.
This model has a built-in temperature gauge to provide accurate readings. It can reach up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Your pizza cooks quicker because of such high temperature, and it will have a perfectly puffed up dough and a crusty top.
It’s a portable oven. All you need is to retract the legs, and it will be good to go. Because of its lightweight, you can set it up anywhere, and it will be ready to cook within a minute.
There are two heating options as it works with gas and wood both. There is a gas burner inside. Also, you can add the optional wood burner. The wood burner is detachable, so it’s easier to clean.
There is proper insulation to ensure that there are no accidents. It makes cooking more convenient, especially for hobbyists who turn up at the oven once a week. Even though it has a full-metal body, proper insulation guarantees no skin burns.
Because of the user-friendly features and dual fueling options, it is regarded as the best outdoor pizza oven for home.
Pros:
- High temperatures let you cook meals such as steaks
- Easy to assemble, and retractable legs make it easier to store
- Stainless steel body makes it easier to clean
Cons:
- Ideal for wood fire, but the propane regulator occasionally ceases to flow fuel.
2. Camp Chef Italia Artisan Pizza Oven
If you’re looking for a compact design, the Camp Chef Italia Artisan Pizza Oven will be just the right model for you. It has a unique design with a perfectly insulated stainless steel body that allows easy portability and high-quality cooking.
For $411, it’s not at all pricey. There is good value for money because of proper heat retention. There is a double-layered ceiling that traps heat inside so that your pizza cooks faster. Essentially, it behaves like a brick oven. It’s only much lighter and portable.
This oven only weighs 47 pounds. The rated output is 17,000 BTU/hr, which is quite competitive than the other models in the same price range. There is proper ventilation in the structure that helps in more effective temperature management.
The oven also features a built-in burner. There are micro-adjust valves that allow you to control the temperature smoothly.
Easy to store and transport, the stainless steel body has a double-walled construction, ensuring high-quality insulation and letting you clean the oven without any hassle.
Pros:
- The compact design makes it easier to store and carry
- Performance is matchable with some more expensive models
- Suitable for commercial use because of excellent heat retention
Cons:
- slight difference between the oven temperature and the cooking base so that a temperature gun will be suitable for more accurate temperature setting
- Slightly congested inner space, so baking a 12-inch pizza can be a bit tricky
3. Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven
Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven is an excellent option if you want multiple fueling options. This oven can run on wood-fire, gas, and charcoal. Therefore, it gives versatile options for cooking, baking, and grilling.
It’s a portable burner and can bear up to 930 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas burner comes separately at an additional cost. You can add wood or charcoal in the form of pellets because of its compact size.
The burner also features a cordierite stone, pellet tray, and a scoop for wood chips or charcoal pellets. It’s compact and lightweight too. Thanks to its excellent insulation, you can place it on any surface and cook without worries.
Thanks to its deep interior and gas burner option, it becomes a useful portable burner for various foods such as vegetables, meat, and dessert pizzas.
Pros:
- A versatile oven as you can use both wood and charcoal pellets
- Excellent build quality that enhances the durability
Cons:
- Gas attachment comes separately, so you have to buy for an additional price
- Slightly tricky to turn the pizza because of its small size
4. Ooni Pro Outdoor Pizza Oven
Ooni Pro Outdoor Pizza Oven comes from Ooni. The company has a wide range of outdoor ovens. From the outset, it looks too large for a portable burner. However, it’s lightweight and has a user-friendly design.
It is a perfect model for outdoor cooking because of its high chimney and stainless steel body. The heat retention is excellent, allowing it to cook a pizza within a minute. It takes up to 20 minutes to reach a maximum of 932 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even though it can reach such high temperatures, it is adequately insulated to not feel the heat while cooking.
There are multiple fuel options, such as wood, charcoal pellets, and gas. The spacious design allows you to cook as large as a 16-inch pizza. Also, it can cook meals such as fish, meat, and veggies, etc.
Pros:
- The spacious interior allows you to cook up to 16-inch pizzas
- Cook multiple small pizzas at the same time
Cons:
- The tall chimney gives it a bulky look and also proves challenging to store
- Takes much longer to reach max temperature as compared to other models
5. KettlePizza Deluxe USA Pizza Oven Kit for Kettle Grills
It is a unique design among all of the ovens that we have discussed so far. KettlePizza Deluxe Oven comes with a carriage cart for easier portability.
One of its selling points is the ability to transform its kettle grills into pizza ovens. The grill size could be 18.5” or 22.5”. You don’t need to open the lid to access food, so there is excellent heat retention.
The oven has a stainless steel body, and it’s highly insulated. It works with charcoal and hardwood fuel.
Additional accessories include a thermometer, 15” cordierite stone, aluminum pizza peel, aluminum pan, and stainless sleeve handles.
Pros:
- Lightweight, even with the grate and stone.
- Ultrathin aluminum peel makes it easier to take out pizza.
Pros:
- Heat retention can be much better
- There is uneven heat distribution, so the crust becomes crispy even before the cheese melts.
Editor’s Pick: The Portable Best Outdoor Pizza Oven for 2024
How to Choose a Best Outdoor Pizza Oven?
As we just mentioned, you’re likely to buy an outdoor pizza oven once in a while. Therefore, it requires a decent investment. Typically, suitable outdoor pizza oven kits range between $1000 to $2000, but of course, there are cheaper and more expensive options available.
Moreover, regardless of how much money you are willing to spend, you must ensure the following points:
- Check the material quality. Do not settle for anything less than high-quality material. If your pizza oven has a decent material, it will last longer.
- Make sure that the range is well insulated. Hence, it will affect the time for heat retention.
- The best pizza oven outdoor should easily reach a minimum of 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The goodness of pizza lies in proper baking, which depends on the evenness of the cooking surface.
Outdoor Pizza Oven Buying Guide
There are hundreds of outdoor pizza oven kits out there. To buy the most suited model, here are some areas to focus:
Budget
The budget is the first consideration. As mentioned before, you can get a basic oven for as low as $380. Another good option is to check for an outdoor pizza oven for sale.
You might save some precious bucks that you can spend on equally important oven accessories.
Pre-heating Time
Pre-heating time is often overlooked, but we believe that it’s a critical feature. Especially if you have a standing brick oven, it will take much longer to heat up than metal-based portable ovens.
However, brick ovens have much longer heat retention time as compared to portable ovens. It mainly boils down to two things i.e.
- How long can you wait before you start cooking?
- Do you want to move your oven around?
Portability
Ask yourself whether you want a portable or a standing pizza oven. If you’re a go-to friend when it comes to pizza parties, you might want to carry your pizza oven too. Hence, a portable oven would be perfect.
On the other hand, if you love having people come over to your backyard, a standing oven is just what you need.
We prefer a portable pizza oven because you can easily carry and store it. For portable ovens, also look for a carrying cart that fits perfectly.
Some Additional Wood Fire Oven Tools
Although optional, pizza oven tools can make your life much more comfortable. If your budget allows, you must buy the following tools. Usually, they aren’t too expensive. We suggest you include these tools in the first place.
- Pizza peel
- Cleaning brush
- Heat resistant gloves
- Temperature gun
DIY Outdoor Pizza Oven – How to Build an Outdoor Pizza Oven Step by Step?
Now that you have seen some great wood-fire pizza models, you must be itching to choose one. However, if you want, you can make an outdoor pizza oven of your own. A DIY outdoor pizza oven is trending these days, and it isn’t too hard to build.
This section will try to share how to build an outdoor pizza oven step by step. It will be a stationary or standing oven. So let’s see how to do it.
Identify Space
For a permanent oven, first, identify the space. Usually, it will be your backyard. Ensure that the area has adequate ventilation, so it’s easier to breathe while the burner is running. Allocate at least 1.5m by 1.5m space on the ground.
Prepare Base
Usually, the base is quite thick. It’s a good idea to use a concrete slab of at least 100 mm in width. While laying the slab, ensure that it is at least 50mm above the ground level.
You will need about 50kg of sand to fill up the base area. Prepare a frame with wooden planks and compact that with a stamper.
Concrete Layering
Once the sand base is leveled, add concrete and level the surface. Smoothen the top surface with the help of a plank or masonry tool. Once finished, leave the concrete surface to dry for at least 24 hours.
Burner Walls
Once the base has dried, you can start building walls around the area. For this purpose, face bricks are best because they are lighter and much cheaper. Build the walls on three sides. Each wall must have two layers for better heat retention. Build up to 9 blocks high.
Concrete Lintels
After the walls, you can now add concrete lintels. It will serve as the base for your pizza pan. Keep the size of lintels such that they cover the inner layers of the walls on either side. Once laid, plaster the entire lintel floor with concrete and leave it to dry for a day.
Upper Body Walls
Continue the upper body walls the same way as the lower ones. Only this time, keep the height as much as three bricks.
Build A Doorway
On the upper body, it’s time to add a doorway. It will be a door-like structure, big enough to allow your pizza-pan to pass through easily. If you want to add more sophistication to your design, you can shape it like a dome.
Add a Chimney
Just above your doorway, leave a small open space for the chimney. Once again, you can either decorate it and give it a proper shape, but it’s just an option.
Finish the Upper Floor
Once the upper structure is complete, make sure to replaster the upper floor. It increases the ability to absorb heat so the furnace can reach higher temperatures.
Inspect for Leakages
Make sure that the bricks in the walls are appropriately attached. There must be no open space or airways because it reduces heat retention.
Conclusion
Outdoor pizza ovens are trending these days. Now that you have the necessary information about these products, it should be easier to buy one for yourself.
However, if you are a DIY enthusiast, you might want to try a DIY oven too. If you were to take my opinion, use portable wood-fired pizza ovens. They are cheap, easy to maintain, and offer good value for money.
