Making pizza at home is no longer the notoriously tricky endeavour it used to be. One of the most versatile foods around, pizza offers huge scope for personalisation, depending on taste and dietary requirements. With a pizza oven, you can compete with restaurants that have trained dough slingers and powerful ovens.

You don't necessarily need a garden either – indoor pizza ovens are now widely available for use on kitchen countertops. Many brands also offer pre-made dough and ingredients that you can order for delivery to your door. You'll even find gluten-free dough options available.

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The oven includes a pizza peel and carry cover as standard, which means you can start cooking great pizza straight out of the box. The Woody Oven is also multi-fuel, so you can cook with wood or gas depending on your preference.

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So, how do you cut through the noise to find the best pizza oven for you? Discover our tried-and-tested picks of the best pizza ovens below. You can read our guides to the best pizza oven accessories, best pizza stones and best pizza cutters, plus the best Ooni pizza ovens and best Ooni accessories.

Best pizza ovens at a glance

  • Best multi-fuel pizza oven: Ooni Karu 2 Pro, £699
  • Best large pizza oven: Ooni Koda 2 Max, £799
  • Best gas pizza oven: Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven, £699
  • Best pizza oven with rotating stone: Morsø Forno Spin, £465
  • Best blowout pizza oven: Gozney Dome S1, £1,119.99
  • Best pizza oven for small gardens: Lakeland gas pizza oven, £149.99
  • Best pizza oven for versatility: Solo Stove Pi Prime, £289.99
  • Best value pizza oven: Gozney Arc, £539.99
  • Best pizza oven for fast cooking: Revolve pizza oven, £549
  • Best portable pizza oven: Ooni Karu 12G, £379
  • Best indoor pizza oven: Sage the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo, £629.95
  • Best electric pizza oven: Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven, £329.99
  • Best affordable multi-fuel pizza oven: Woody oven, £219.99
  • Best mess-free pizza oven: Ooni Volt 12, £799

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Best pizza ovens to buy in 2024

Ooni Karu 2 Pro pizza oven

Ooni Karu 2 Pro pizza oven

Best multi-fuel pizza oven

Pros:

  • Flexible fuel options
  • Quick cooking
  • Large capacity with fold-in legs
  • Includes a temperature probe for cooking meats
  • Five-year warranty when you register with Ooni

Cons:

  • Some non-recyclable packaging
  • Essential extras need to be bought separately

Star rating: 5/5

The Karu 2 Pro is undoubtedly an investment purchase, but could be worth the money if you plan to make the most of it. It's a considerable upgrade of the Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven, with new extras like a food probe for roasting meats, a larger glass door to keep an eye on pizza as it cooks, and remote temperature monitoring when you pair it with the Ooni app.

Like the Karu 16, the Karu 2 Pro can also be operated using either wood, charcoal or gas (although the gas burner needs to be bought separately), offering flexibility and the potential to cook more than just pizza. Assembling and operating it is a breeze, and the digital thermometer – which attaches to the front – is brightly lit and comes with batteries included.

In test, it took just 1 minute, 45 seconds to produce a 16-inch pizza with a mottled crust, bubbling mozzarella, and crisp toppings – truly pizzeria-worthy results. Necessities like a pizza peel aren't included in the price, but Ooni does offer a Karu 2 Pro bundle, which includes essential items like a peel, an all-weather cover, and a gas burner, as well as an ultimate bundle with extra accessories.

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Ooni Koda 2 Max

Ooni Koda 2 Max pizza oven

Best large pizza oven

Pros:

  • 24-inch cooking area
  • Clear digital temperature display
  • Fully recyclable packaging
  • Quick to set up and use

Cons:

  • Legs don't fold in for storage

Star rating: 5/5

Ooni's newest gas-powered model is a serious piece of kit for pizza enthusiasts. Sporting a super-sized 24-inch cooking area, it can handle up to three 10-inch pizzas at the same time or, if you're feeling up to it, one 20-inch pizza – a challenge we rose to (and succeeded with) during our test.

The look and feel of the Koda 2 Max is very familiar and in line with the rest of Ooni's pizza oven range, though its enormous size means you'll need at least two people to unbox and assemble it. Inside the oven there are two pizza stones and two burners on each side, so you can cook two different dishes at different heat levels simultaneously.

We put it into practice by searing a ribeye steak in a cast-iron pan on the right and a 12-inch pizza on the left. The steak required a very hot temperature to get a golden sear, but was impressively tender. Make sure you have a good pair of protective oven gloves or BBQ gauntlets for handling skillets once-preheated.

Perhaps the only downside of the Koda 2 Max is that the legs don't fold inwards, which might make it more difficult to store, but we're really splitting hairs here. It was a joy to cook with, and making multiple pizzas at once without any complications felt like a huge win.

Read our full Ooni Koda 2 Max review.

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Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven

Witt ETNA Rotante pizza oven in orange against a white background

Best gas pizza oven

Pros:

  • Unique rotating pizza stone
  • Fantastic results
  • Spacious
  • Booster burner

Cons:

  • Large and heavy
  • Short warranty
  • No temperature gauge

Star rating: 5/5

Featuring an innovative rotating pizza stone, this is without doubt the easiest pizza oven to use that we've ever tested. It's a large unit that requires space to use and store, boasting a sleek design that's available in four colours.

Assembly is simple with two people. Once connected to the gas (butane), it lights like a gas hob – simply press and hold the flame and ignition buttons together. The lack of a temperature gauge is a glaring omission to this model, but the instructions are clear and accurate.

Our 16-inch pizza cooked in just under 2 minutes (despite the brand's claims that it can be done in 60 seconds), which is very quick. We yielded the best results when launching into a 500C oven, then turning the flames down to medium-low. The results were near-perfect, with a risen, mottled crust and oozy, slightly browned toppings.

The price point is bumped up by the hidden essentials of gas and batteries, plus a pizza peel. However, if you have the budget and your heart set on a gas-fired model, this is an excellent choice for fail-safe homemade pizzas every time.

Read the full Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven review.

Morsø Forno Spin gas pizza oven

Morso Forno Spin pizza oven

Best pizza oven with rotating stone

Pros:

  • Quick to assemble and ignite
  • Excellent results
  • Compact build
  • Comes with a rotating stone

Cons:

  • Some unnecessary plastic packaging

Star rating: 5/5

Much like the Witt model above, this gas pizza oven comes with a rotating stone to ensure fast, even cooking around the crust and base, without needing to turn by hand. It's made by Danish brand Morsø, and is a sturdy, stylish piece of outdoor kit that feels built to last. We were also fans of its unique egg-like shape and large opening, which allowed us to slot our pizza inside with ease.

Setting it up was almost as effortless, and once we had inserted the stone, plugged in the rotating base (you'll need an outdoor power source for this) and attached the gas hose, the oven was ready to be lit.

We left the Forno Spin to preheat for 15-25 minutes as advised in the manual, and it got to work quickly – hitting 400C in just under 10 minutes. The gauge on the front allowed us to track the heat levels, and we found it responded quickly to changes in temperature, too.

After two-and-a-half minutes, our 12-inch pizza was hot and bubbling with gooey cheese and lightly browned toppings. The dough was also evenly cooked, and while the crust lacked that mottled look you often see with restaurant pizza, we were still pleased with the quality.

There are accessories available to buy on the Morsø website, though it's inconvenient that important tools like a pizza peel aren't included as standard. That said, the enjoyment we got from using the Forno Spin, and the speed at which we were able to create delicious pizza does make it feel like a worthwhile purchase.

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Gozney Dome S1 pizza oven

Gozney Dome S1 pizza oven

Best blowout pizza oven

Pros:

  • Attractive
  • Cooks in under three minutes
  • Spacious interior
  • Intuitive and clear controls
  • Quick to light
  • Minimal assembly needed

Cons:

  • Pizza needs frequent turning
  • Stone needs curing before first use
  • Expensive

Star rating: 5/5

This gas-powered model from Gozney is capable of hitting highs of 500C, and like the original wood-fired Dome oven, its large size means you'll need a dedicated space in your garden to store it. Accessories like a turning peel, protective cover and a wooden stand are also available to purchase separately.

Controlling the heat is done via the dial on the left-hand side, while on the right there's a brightly lit digital thermometer that responded quickly to temperature changes. The oven also has a wide opening so we could slide our pizza in with ease, though because the flame is positioned on the left, our dough required frequent spinning with a turning peel to ensure even cooking. The effort felt worth it, though, and after two minutes and 40 seconds of cooking, our pizza had bubbling melted cheese and a well-mottled crust.

As with the original Dome model, the S1 is a big investment (with or without the five-year warranty), but if your budget allows for it, what this pizza oven is capable of is truly impressive.

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Lakeland gas pizza oven

Lakeland pizza oven

Best pizza oven for small gardens

Pros:

  • Compact
  • Quality design
  • Easy to transport
  • Heats up and cools down quickly

Cons:

  • No temperature gauge
  • Regulator and gas hose came unattached
  • Some non-recyclable packaging
  • No accessories included

Star rating: 4.5/5

Lightweight and compact, this Lakeland pizza oven is ideal for households with limited outdoor space. It's one of the more affordable gas models on this list, but bear in mind that it doesn't come with any accessories (including essentials like a pizza peel), which can bump up the overall price.

Setting up the oven was a breeze – simply fold down the legs, insert the pizza stone, and hook it up to the gas. We needed to attach the regulator to the gas hose ourselves, which felt like a misstep by Lakeland as it places a lot of responsibility on the user to attach it safely and correctly.

The controls are intuitive, and we had no issues launching our 12-inch pizzas inside the oven to cook. There was no way of us monitoring how hot the interior was without a thermometer or temperature gun (available for an additional £34.99), but we were pleased to see our pizzas were mottled and bubbling in just 2 minutes, 45 seconds.

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Solo Stove Pi Prime Pizza Oven

Solo Stove Pi Prime pizza oven

Best pizza oven for versatility

Pros:

  • Accessories are included
  • Wide opening
  • Excellent mottled crust on pizzas
  • Lifetime warranty on manufacturer defects

Cons:

  • Gas hose and regulator require self-assembly
  • Non-recyclable packaging

Star rating: 4.5/5

Sleek yet sturdy, this pizza oven has a wide enough opening for cooking more than just pizzas – its roomy interior would be sufficient for a spatchcock chicken, a loaf of sourdough or roasting tray full of veggies. A peel and protective cover are thrown in as standard, but you can also buy an infrared temperature gun, bamboo board and heatproof mat separately.

Readying the oven for use was a straightforward process, though we had to attach the gas hose to the regulator ourselves. It felt needlessly unsafe that we were responsible for this part of the set-up and found there wasn't much information in the manual either.

Once we'd fired up the oven, we cured the stone for half an hour before sliding our 13-inch pizzas inside. The heat could easily be adjusted using the dial on the front, and we were impressed that the base of the oven's exterior stayed cool to the touch, even when the internal temperature had reached heights of 450C. Our pizzas were perfectly crisp in just 90 seconds.

Available from:

Gozney Arc

Gozney Arc pizza oven

Best value pizza oven

Pros:

  • Attractive design
  • Easy to set-up
  • Roomy interior
  • Bright digital display
  • Precise temperature controls
  • Five-year warranty

Cons:

  • A little slow to heat up
  • A lot of plastic packaging
  • No pizza peel included

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Gozney Arc has a similar design to the Dome and Dome S1, while being more lightweight and slightly more affordable. Its exterior is also more compact than the brand's other ovens, without compromising too much on the amount of cooking space you have to work with. An XL version is available too, with room for a 16-inch pizza.

Setting up the Arc was a breeze – we inserted the flame guard inside, then cured the stone for 30 minutes. Our test took place on a cold, windy day so the pizza oven took some time to heat up, but we could keep a close eye on the temperature thanks to the brightly lit digital thermometer on the front. A screw driver (to attach it to the stand), matchstick holder, and stone adjustment tool are included, but tools like a pizza peel need to be bought separately.

We loved the cooking performance of this oven, and our pizzas had mottled crusts and oozing toppings in just 90 seconds. We were also impressed by how it maintained such high temperatures in breezy weather.

Available from:

Revolve pizza oven

Revolve pizza oven

Best pizza oven for fast cooking

Pros:

  • Cooks pizza in 60 seconds
  • Comes with a rotating pizza stone
  • Protective cover, IR temperature gun and peel are included
  • Easy to store

Cons:

  • Excessive non-recyclable packaging
  • Controls are tricky to reach

Star rating: 4.5/5

Sporting a battery-powered rotating pizza stone, this impressively speedy oven produced pizzeria-worthy results in just 60 seconds. It would make a great addition to a small garden or courtyard, and its three legs fold away for easy transportation.

Despite the disappointing amount of plastic and polystyrene packaging, we had no issues unboxing the oven and setting it up. We cured the stone for 25 minutes before first use (as advised in the manual) and found the controls intuitive and responsive – though frustratingly they're positioned at the back so can be a little awkward to reach.

It comes with handy accessories like a pizza peel, protective cover, and infrared-thermometer gun, while extras like a cast-iron pan and dough scraper are available to buy online. If you want to use your oven to cook alternative dishes like a spatchcock chicken, you'd struggle with this model as the cavity is so compact – a small, shallow roasting tray should fit comfortably inside at most.

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Ooni Karu 12G pizza oven

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Ooni Karu 12G pizza oven

Best portable pizza oven

Pros:

  • Fully recyclable packaging
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Compact and portable
  • Cooks quickly and well

Cons:

  • Takes time to heat and needs regular refuelling
  • Takes specific types of wood and charcoal
  • No accessories included

Star rating: 4.5/5

This updated version of the Karu 12 pizza oven from Ooni boasts a ‘clear view’ glass door, a larger fuel basket and better fuel efficiency. It’s compact and reasonably light, weighing only 12kg and once built just needs the legs folding and the chimney storing inside the body of the oven and it’s packed neatly away.

For fuel you have the choice of wood sticks or lumpwood charcoal for that flame-cooked taste, or gas, although this is only possible if you buy the Ooni gas burner for an additional cost. We tested it with both wood and charcoal and it’s easy to load with fuel and light, although it does take a good 30 minutes to reach a temperature high enough for cooking.

There’s a temperature gauge on the side, so you can keep an eye on the heat, plus a handy baffle in the chimney that helps you control the draw of air through the oven for faster or slower cooking. A stay-clear glass door allows you to see exactly when your dough is ready, and in our test this took just 90 seconds with near-perfect results.

This is an impressive oven for its size and versatility and is ideal for packing up and taking camping or down to the beach. However, its price is bumped up by the fact that you have to buy every single accessory or extra separately, including a pizza peel, a necessity to ensure safe and simple cooking of your pizza, and the handy carry bag, which is a must to make this compact oven truly portable.

Available from:

Sage the Smart Pizzaiolo

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Sage the Smart Pizzaiolo

Best indoor pizza oven

Pros:

  • Quick-cooking
  • Great if you don't have outdoor space
  • Pizza peel and pan included

Cons:

  • Large footprint
  • Difficult to clean

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Sage Smart Oven Pizzaiolo is an indoor bench-top pizza oven, claiming to provide ‘brick oven performance at a fraction of the cost’. The sleek metal oven looks like an oversized microwave and sits happily on a countertop or kitchen island to be plugged in to the mains – no outdoor space required.

The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo reaches 400C, enabling you to cook pizza in just 2 minutes. There are seven preset modes for all styles of pizza (from New York to deep dish or even frozen), plus a manual mode to choose your own cooking method, where you can customise the temperature, timings and even the direction of heat.

The oven also comes with a heavy round pizza stone that you slot inside the oven to bake the pizzas directly on, plus a long-handled metal pizza peel and a round metal tin to make a deep-dish pizza. The oven takes around 20 minutes to heat up once plugged in and can cook one pizza at a time.

On the 'wood-fired' method, we were seriously impressed with the results of our pizza – cooked at 400C, the pizza was ready in just two minutes and had a crisp leopard-spotted crust and perfectly melted cheese.

This model is certainly an investment oven, but ideal if you're a homemade pizza fan lacking outdoor space. Read our full Sage the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo review.

Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven

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Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven

Best electric pizza oven

Pros:

  • Wide range of functions
  • Easy to use
  • Brightly lit, intuitive controls
  • Large capacity

Cons:

  • Large footprint
  • Lots of non-recyclable packaging
  • Pizza lacked mottled crust

Star rating: 4/5

This versatile electric model from Ninja is a little different from the other pizza ovens on this list. Doubling up as an electric BBQ, it features an in-built smoker box that burns wood pellets, helping you to achieve a smoky flavour without using any open flames, charcoal or gas. It has a relatively large footprint and is quite boxy, but the quality of the build is excellent.

You can use it to cook all manner of dishes, but pizza is the main focus. There are six different pizza presets to select, including artisan, thin, pan, New York, frozen, and a custom setting. We opted for 'thin', which was programmed to cook for five minutes.

Without the open flame element, we found our pizzas lacked the leopard-spotted crust you usually get from a traditional pizza oven, but they still looked and tasted great. We also roasted a whole chicken using the smoker, cooking for 1 hour 30 minutes at 140C as advised in the manual. The smoky flavour was good, but far more subtle than we achieved with the Ninja electric BBQ grill and smoker.

Available from:

Woody oven

Woody Oven pizza oven

Best affordable multi-fuel pizza oven

Pros:

  • Three-year warranty
  • Large, long-handled pizza peel included
  • Chimney has a protective outer case – great for when it gets sooty
  • Thermometer included

Cons:

  • Fiddly and time consuming to put together
  • Pizza stone has to be cured at top temperature for 30 minutes before use

Star rating: 4/5

Woody Oven launched its pizza oven kits a few years ago and this model is its latest update. It’s a wood-fired pizza oven as standard, but if you enjoy the predictability of gas, then a gas attachment can be added for an additional £70. This model comes with everything you need to get started (if cooking with wood) – it includes a long-handled pizza peel and carry bag. Our kit also came with pellets and kindling.

We found the assembly pretty fiddly and time consuming, though we were very happy to see an improvement to the assembly guide. There is now a QR code that takes you through to a four-part user guide on everything from assembly and ignition, through to cooking pizzas and essential maintenance.

The Woody pizza oven took around 20 minutes to heat up using wood and the pellets were simple to light and top up. We were only able to get the oven to heat up to 250 degrees though. With gas, we were able to achieve much higher temperatures.

We made a pizza in just 60 seconds when cooking with gas, though with the lower temperatures when cooking with wood, our pizza took a minute and forty seconds. But, we were very happy with both pizzas; the crust was well sealed, with evenly cooked, melty toppings. Like almost all of the ovens we’ve tested, we had to give the pizzas a quick spin midway through to ensure an even bake.

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Ooni Volt 12 pizza oven

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Ooni Volt 12 pizza oven against a white background

Best mess-free pizza oven

Pros:

  • Minimal plastic packaging
  • Intuitive
  • Easy to set up
  • Can be used as a standard oven

Cons:

  • Large and heavy
  • Condensation gathered in temperature dials
  • Smoky to use indoors

Star rating: 4/5

This pizza oven is another first of its kind – it can reach 450C internally without being fuelled by wood or gas. It's also Ooni's first indoor-suitable oven. It plugs into the mains, meaning you dodge any risk of running out of fuel mid-bake, plus the mess and expense of it.

Ooni products are reliably sleek and sturdy in design, and the Volt 12 is no exception, with a matte shell, tempered glass door and well-engineered controls that are responsive to change. It also offers user-friendly extras, like an interior light to help take the guesswork out of pizza-making.

The size means this model won't sit on a standard kitchen countertop, so a dedicated space would be required to ensure a safe perimeter around the oven. However, there's ample space in the cavity, meaning it can be used like a standard oven for cooking joints of meat and vegetables.

It took 20 minutes to heat, and once we'd nailed the temperatures, our pizza took 2 minutes 30 seconds to cook, resulting in a brilliantly puffy crust, well-cooked base and nicely browned toppings. But, this model gets very smoky, as excess flour and wayward toppings burn off the stone.

You really need to have the right ventilation for using this pizza oven to avoid fire alarms being set off in your kitchen. However, for year-round, delicious homemade pizza, this is a great one to consider. And, it's excellent for outdoor use, provided there's not risk of rain!

Read our full Ooni Volt 12 review.

Available from:

Making pizza for pizza oven test

Other pizza ovens tested and rated

How we tested pizza ovens

We tested a range of portable, freestanding and barbecue-top pizza ovens. We included gas- and wood-fired pizza ovens, plus outdoor cooking gadgets that double up as pizza ovens, including wood burners and stoves.

We used our basic pizza dough recipe to test the ovens and used manufacturers instructions around fuel. We received boxed pizza ovens and built them using instruction manuals. We also checked the size of the pizza oven cavity to see if there was any extra space for addition pieces of cookware or food, like roasting tins and cast iron skillets.

Our reviews experts tested multiple pizza ovens across budget, mid-range and luxury brands to bring you this list of the ones we'd buy ourselves. Each model was scored against standardised criteria and marked out of five on the following core aspects: overall build quality, performance and cooking results, ease of build, use, safety and value for money. These scores determined the overall star rating of each pizza oven.

  • Overall build quality: Pizza ovens are investment purchases and therefore should be built to last. They also need to be able to hold and maintain the high temperatures required for cooking pizza.
  • Cooking results: the ultimate criteria – we scored the finished pizzas out of 10.
  • Ease of build and use: We timed how long it took to build the oven and rated the instruction manual. We then assessed how easy it was to use the oven.
  • Safety: Pizzas require incredibly high temperatures to cook so we looked for excellent insulation and safety features to make using the pizza oven easy to use.
  • Value for money: If the price didn't feel right, it didn't make it into our best list.

We also made notes on the following criteria:

  • Fuel source and ease of use: How easy is it to get cooking? Is the fuel source easy to add and efficient? We looked for ovens that were intuitive to use, scoring accessories, too.
  • Storage and handling: How easy is it to move ovens claiming to be portable? How quickly do the ovens cool down and are they safe to handle?

You'll notice some of the pizza ovens in this list feature tried-and-tested badges and some don't. Only our top picks tested qualify for tried-and-tested badges, but this doesn't mean we recommend the other models any less. In fact, those models held their own against some of the newest models now available on the market.

Making pizza for pizza oven test 002

What to look for in a pizza oven

Budget

Start by setting your budget – but know that more money does not always mean a better pizza. If you're looking to spend a few hundred pounds, ignore large, built-in stone ovens as these complex products are very expensive, usually costing at least £500.

Storage

Consider the space you have available. The smallest pizza ovens we've tested are the BBQ-top models, which thanks to their small, boxy size, can easily be stored in a garage, shed or even inside somewhere.

A number of the models on this list have easy foldaway legs, meaning they too will take up very little room when not in use. Some of the larger models we've tested will need to be kept outside in all weathers, in this case, a cover is an absolute must.

Set-up

We took ease of set up into consideration when testing each of these pizza ovens. Whilst you should take this into consideration when buying, we also suggest working out the best place to put your pizza oven for use.

We spoke to the reviews experts at Gardeners' World who said, "it’s best to place your pizza oven wherever you’ve put your social areas, to save you carrying pizzas up and down the garden. They can look fantastic on modern garden tables and make an excellent focal point for entertaining."

"Pizza ovens are safest on stone or concrete patios, but with some heat-proof material underneath they should be perfectly safe on wooden decks too. Site your pizza ovens a few metres away from fire hazards like fences and low-hanging branches. Make sure there’s open space above your oven for smoke to escape and you’re good to go".

You should also consider an area that best allows for smooth launching of your pizzas, plus plenty of surface space to both build your pizzas and plate them up once cooked.

Accessories

Take a look at which accessories your chosen pizza oven comes with. In our eyes, a pizza peel is an essential, but some brands don't provide these as standard, and this will be an additional cost.

Fuel type

Some will be gas-fuelled, others need wood, or it may be a multi-fuel. Indoor pizza ovens plug into the mains so don't need any other means of generating heat.

Gas pizza oven vs wood-fired pizza oven

Gas or wood-fired, which do you choose? There's no definite answer to this question as its simply a matter of preference. That being said, the two fuel-types do make for very different cooking and eating experiences. So it really is down to you to work out what you want from your new pizza oven. And don't forget, electric and indoor pizza ovens are also available.

Gas

Gas-fired pizza ovens are generally cleaner to use as there is no need to sweep up any ash after use. They're also quicker to heat up than their wood-fired counterparts. Gas-fired pizza ovens work similarly to a gas hob and have a dial to control the flame, which not only gives you greater control over the cook of the pizza, but also means you're able to use the oven for other items too.

However, you of course need to buy gas and, if you don't have a bottle already, the initial payment for the bottle can push the price up further.

Wood-fired

If you're after an authentic flavour, a wood-fired pizza oven is the only choice. The burning wood pellets impart a delicious smoky flavour that simply can't be achieved by cooking with gas.

Another plus for wood-fired pizza ovens is the fact that you don't need to buy a gas canister as wood pellets can be picked up pretty easily from supermarkets or online. Wood-fired models do require some practice though as they can be a little more difficult to handle when it comes to controlling the temperature.

Multi-fuel

If you can't make up your mind or you like the sound of what both fuel-types offer, then opt for a multi-fuel model. Whilst you won't be able to cook with gas and wood at the same time, we feel the two fuel-types are ideal for different situations.

Cook with gas when you're entertaining and want to churn out consistently tasty pizzas for a crowd. For chilled out evenings with your nearest and dearest, use wood and take your time.

Making pizza for pizza oven test 003

How to choose the best pizza oven

Portable pizza ovens

If you have a small garden and don't plan to cook pizza that often, a portable pizza oven would suit your needs. Brands including Gozney, Ooni and Firepod dominate this market and have some impressive ovens in their ranges.

These pint-sized pizza gadgets can often reach high temperatures to rival larger ovens, they can be stored indoors or in a shed, offer excellent cooking results and are very easy to use.

Freestanding pizza ovens

If you think you'll be making pizza regularly and have the garden to accommodate one, a larger pizza oven might be the best option for you. These large ovens don't have to be built-in (this is where costs really start to mount up).

You can buy freestanding, large pizza ovens that can be moved around but have ample capacity to cook more than one pizza at a time. These usually have protective covers so you can leave them out all summer, although you'll probably have to shell out for the cover separately.

Hybrid pizza ovens

Hybrid pizza ovens double up as a barbecue, or in some cases vice versa. Generally speaking, we found gadgets that are specifically designed for making pizzas alone produce the best cooking results for the task at hand.

Barbecue pizza accessories

On the subject of barbecues, one affordable way to make pizzas at home in your garden is to buy a barbecue accessory, such as a pizza stone or box that sits on top of your gas or charcoal barbecue. They too can reach impressive temperatures to achieve the desired stone-baked flavour and finish.

These barbecue-top products win on the storage front but can't always be classed as pizza ovens in the strictest sense. However, to demonstrate the range of DIY pizza tools available for a wide range of budgets, we've included our favourites in this list.

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This guide was last updated in November 2024. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

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