Compare the Top 8 Pizza Ovens
Tips and FAQ
Who We Are and How We Tested
WIRED reviewer Adrienne So has tested many pizza ovens and made over a thousand pizzas in the last seven years. WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage is a seasoned food writer with over 15 years of experience writing about pizza across both coasts, from sausage slices in Portland to the tale of Mexican pizza in Philadelphia.
We evaluate each pizza oven over several weeks, using homemade dough (Adrienne favors Ooni’s classic pizza dough recipe), fresh dough from local pizzerias, store-bought fresh dough, and frozen pizzas. An infrared thermometer helps us ensure the cooking surface’s temperature is consistent and matches the built-in thermometer readings. When applicable, we also cross-check the built-in thermometers with our own ambient thermometers.
Pizza ovens are often more versatile than you might think. Throughout the years, Adrienne has utilized her pizza ovens to sear steaks, cook salmon quickly, and pan-fry broccoli. Matthew has even air-fried wings, grilled pork chops, charred asparagus, and blackened chicken.
Pizza Tips
It’s taken me years and countless pizzas to refine my pizza-making skills. Honestly, my Neapolitan-style pizzas don’t necessarily meet the standards set by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the world authority on Neapolitan pizzas. (The only pizza ovens we recommend, including the top-rated Karu 2, are those that the AVPN has also approved.) However, I’ve gathered a few tips for those who find making pizza somewhat awkward or daunting. If your dough has been in the fridge, let it reach room temperature first. Lightly sprinkle flour on the peel before stretching the dough and assembling your pizza to prevent sticking. Some people use cornmeal, but be cautious as it can burn and turn bitter in a hot oven. Take your time, stretching the dough from the inside out. And yes, I admit to occasionally using a small rolling pin ($10) to get my dough as thin as possible.
For an authentic Neapolitan pie, a few specific ingredients are essential. When making your own dough, opt for 00 flour, milled specifically for pizza and pasta. Fresh mozzarella can make your pizza soggy, so I generally use a mix of fresh and shredded low-moisture cheese for the creamiest, meltiest result. If you’re open to other styles, senior director Martin Cizmar and I enjoy a good Buffalo pie with Frank’s Red Hot and pickles. Recently, I tried Brightland’s Pizza Oil; it’s great as a finishing drizzle, but you could easily make your own by combining olive oil and herbs in a squeeze bottle.
Besides pizza, I use my oven for everything from salmon to steak to chicken thighs by preheating a cast-iron pan and placing the food in. For more ideas, Ooni has a cookbook, and chef Francis Mallmann’s books are also full of inspiration.
Grill and Smoker Options
If your patio is already taken up by a giant Traeger, your grill or smoker likely has a pizza attachment available for less than the cost of a new oven. Cizmar’s favorite is the Yoder Smoker wood-fired oven attachment ($499), which has saved him from many nights of pellet fire flare-ups. This unit sits under the smoker’s hood atop a steel sheet covering the firebox; the sheet serves as a diffuser, featuring holes that increase in size as you move away from the flame, allowing for a consistent temperature throughout the oven. The farthest corners still reach around 650 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can also transform your regular indoor oven into a pizza oven. While most reach a maximum of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, you can enhance the cooking heat by preheating a baking surface with high thermal mass, which maintains temperature stability and directly transfers heat energy. A cast-iron pan or baking steel is a simple solution. A classic Lloyd pan is a great option for Detroit- or Sicilian-style pan pizza, working well in conventional ovens.
Many of our favorite grill and pizza oven brands, like Kamado and Weber, produce ceramic pizza stones, which you can check out in our guide to the Best Portable Grills and Grill Accessories.
Honorable Mentions
We’ve tested a wide variety of pizza ovens. Here are a few favorites that didn’t quite make our top recommendations.
Solo Stove Pi Prime for $450: The Solo Stove Pi Prime gives serious competition for our top gas oven pick. Known for its smokeless, stainless steel fire pits, the company’s transition to high-heat pizza ovens was seamless. Featuring a compact propane pizza oven design, it allows enough room for a large Lodge cast-iron pan. While the Koda 2 is preferred by us for bigger 14-inch pies and easier launching, the Pi Prime offers better wind protection if you’re in a breezy area.
Halo Versa 16 for $499: At first glance, the Halo Versa 16 seems to match the All-Clad gas pizza oven specs but at half the price. It has a rotating pizza stone and space for a 16-inch pie, plus a little heater beneath the stone. However, the built-in thermometer is inaccurate, and the insulation could be better, leading to a hot exterior. While it can heat the stone to about 800 degrees, it struggles to reach its advertised 950 degrees, so it’s better suited for New York-style pizzas at an affordable price.
Gozney Roccbox for $499: Adrienne praised the Gozney Roccbox for its speedy recovery time when she first reviewed it. This rapid recovery makes it popular among pizza pop-up chefs. Despite its weight (44 pounds), which can be more cumbersome compared to others, Matthew has had a positive experience with the propane option, enjoying its stable temperature, even if the woodbox can be challenging to use.
Ooni Karu, First Edition for $349: Ooni continues to sell the previous generation of our top pick, the Karu 2, at a lower price. The OG Karu is lightweight, portable, and easy to clean. However, the updated Karu 2 heats more evenly and holds fuel better than its predecessor.
Ooni Koda 12 for $399: Weighing only 21 pounds, the original Ooni Koda 12 is the lightest option in the Koda lineup. Its powder-coated steel shell insulates well enough to keep it cool to the touch during cooking. Just insert the baking stone, attach the propane tank, and you’re good to go. However, be careful not to store it outside.
Breville Pizzaiolo for $800: Previously our top electric pick, the Breville Pizzaiolo combines ease of use with impressive technology, featuring three heating elements and two sensors to ensure every part of your pie is cooked to perfection. While the first-generation Ooni Volt surpassed it in insulation and versatility, the Pizzaiolo remains a solid choice.
Cuisinart 3-in-1 Propel Pizza Oven and Grill for $600: This versatile unit combines a stand-up grill, griddle, and pizza oven in one. While clever, it’s a little clattery, and the burner knobs can be annoying. It can heat the stone above 900 degrees Fahrenheit but doesn’t reliably maintain ambient baking temps above 750 degrees, so there’s a learning curve to finding the right balance between heating options.
Ninja Wood-Fired Oven for $300: This sturdy outdoor oven can reach a top temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit. While the door sticks a bit, making high-heat baking tricky, it’s versatile enough to handle everything from smoking pork to baking muffins.
The Piezano for $100: This popular TikTok oven is compact, affordable, and surprisingly effective, reaching 800 degrees Fahrenheit in about 15 minutes. However, due to its top heating element not covering the entire surface, you’ll need to rotate your pizzas frequently.
Also Tested
Current Backyard Model P for $699: Endorsed by food personality Alton Brown, this 1,750-watt electric oven can reach 850 degrees Fahrenheit via a standard outlet. Although it heats evenly and reaches top temperature in around 30 minutes, its preset cooking settings can be finicky, and the discrepancy between displayed and actual temperature is inconsistent. Despite its quirks, you can make a great pizza indoors using this oven.
Pizzacraft Pizzaque for $130: This charming and budget-friendly oven allows you to cook a nice pizza while relaxing outside. However, it doesn’t get as hot or cook as evenly as better-insulated options.
The Best Accessories
Many pizza ovens come with their own accessories, but we’ve found some extras really helpful:
- A handheld infrared thermometer for $11: Even with a built-in thermometer, this handy tool helps check the temperature at different spots on the pizza stone, ensuring it has time to reheat after each pizza.
- A wooden pizza peel for $34: Having multiple peels allows you to prepare one pizza while another is baking. Wooden peels are great to prevent sticking, especially if you sprinkle some semolina or flour on before using.
- A cast-iron skillet for $25: Perfect for searing steaks or pan-roasting veggies, Lodge’s cast-iron pans offer great value.
- Heat-resistant gloves for $20: Essential for handling hot cast-iron pans. These mitts can last only so long, so keep a spot nearby to set your hot pan down.
- Fire starters for $20: If you find cooking with wood intimidating, these make it a breeze. Just light one end, drop it in the fuel tray, and place a few oak sticks on top. Ensure your wood stays dry to avoid smoke problems in your backyard.
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