What’s the best pizza oven for 2023?
The 5 Best Pizza Ovens for 2023, Tested and Reviewed – CNET
Other pizza ovens we tested
Solo Pi Pizza Oven: Another solid pizza oven that’s sturdily built and fast to cook, but more expensive than the Ooni Koda.
Ooni Karu: Ooni’s multifuel pizza runs on wood, charcoal or gas via an adapter, making it a good option if you plan to regularly use more than one fuel source to cook pizzas.
The Ooni Koda 12 is the best overall pizza oven for the price.
How we evaluated pizza ovens
We hand-tested all of the ovens on this list over the course of several months, assessing build quality and how easy they were to set up and connect to a fuel source.
A picturesque pie pulled from the hot chamber of the Alpha Nano.
We cooked a minimum of three pizzas in each, following the manufacturers’ guidance on time, temperature and technique. Ovens were scored on their ability to produce crispy crust and toppings that were fully cooked and cheese that was evenly melted. We also took notes on how long each oven took to cook a pizza. Spoiler alert: None of these ovens take more than five minutes to bake even a large pie.
We also evaluated the ease with which the ovens attached to their fuel source and how intuitive the dials and controls were. Finally, we looked out for any ovens that were particularly difficult to break down or clean after use.
Top pizza ovens compared
This depends on the size of the pizza and how hot you have your oven turned up to. But most modern at-home pizza ovens cook pizzas in less than five minutes, often as quickly as two or three.
You can make much more than pizza in an at-home pizza oven. Because the ovens get so hot, they’ll sear steaks and burgers without overcooking the inside. You can also make crispy potatoes, roasted chicken, vegetables and fish in about half the time it would take in a standard oven.
Pizza ovens have become one of the buzziest home kitchen appliances for a reason. They work extremely well, are easy to use and turn out pizzeria-quality pies with just a little practice. A good pizza oven can also be had for as little as $250, making them a worthy investment for a pizza lover.
Most pizza ovens crank up to a scorching 900 degrees F. That heat allows the pizza to cook, crisping the bottom and crust and melting the toppings without drying out the inside.
The pizza stone is likely the part of the oven that will need cleaning regularly. Because most pizza ovens have stones that are attached, you’ll have to wait until the oven cools and wipe the inside of the cooking chamber and pizza stone surface with a wet rag. Avoid the use of soap since any residual could affect the flavor of future food. For stubborn bits, Ooni makes a pizza oven grill brush for $30, but your existing grill brush will also do the trick. If the stone can be removed, wait for it to cool and run it under hot water and scrub it with soap, as needed.
