Everyday is pizza time in our book – and we don't mean pre-made off-the-shelf guff you stick in your oven. We're talking the real deal, the kind of pizza you make and bake yourself using a proper dedicated pizza oven – like this bunch of fine contenders.
Forget using your oven to bake a pizza from scratch because it will never get hot enough. You need upwards of 400°C and a cordierite stone to properly bake a pizza base from scratch so it's crispy and with the prerequisite leopard spots and dark, dusty base. Your oven simply can't handle that kind of thing.
Believe us, when you taste the first pizza from your very own pizza oven, you'll wonder how you ever managed without one. If you haven't used a pizza oven before, check out our guide on How to Cook Pizza at Home. It's got everything you need know, including the best suppliers of pre-made dough balls. At the bottom of this guide we've also got information on the differences between wood and gas units.
Pizza ovens are great garden companions, as too are the Best Barbecues and Best Smokers. Combined they deliver the ability to cook pretty much anything outdoors and achieve authentic results, just like the pros.
So, without further ado, we suggest you dip in here first and take a look at the best pizza ovens on the market today in 2023, with everything from budget to premium.
Best pizza ovens of 2023
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Welcome to our new number one contender, all the way from Denmark where they know how to design innovative stuff that looks stylish and is easy to use.
To this writer’s knowledge, the new 16-inch Witt ETNA Rotante is the first outdoor pizza oven to feature a revolving stone. And that means you won’t need to turn the pizza mid-way through the bake while singeing the hair on your hand in the process. I believe the Rotante is also the world’s first gas-fired pizza oven to feature a second burner under the stone for both consistently even top-and-bottom baking and speedier start-up times.
Aside from our former winner, the Sage Smart Oven Pizzaiolo below, this is one of the easiest pizza ovens you’ll ever use. As long as both burners are running and you give it 20 minutes or so for the stone to reach a temperature of around 400˚C – a laser thermometer is essential to keep tabs on stone temperatures – you will produce pizzas up to 16 inches in diameter that will knock the socks off your guests. What’s more, those very same guests will positively drool over the design and build quality of this oven, which is available in four delicious colours.
The Witt ETNA Rotante is designed for table-top use and comes with four very sturdy flip-out legs. However, I should add that it is 63.3cm wide and 76.1cm in depth and it weighs 40 kilos, so it is pretty much impossible to lift safely on your own.
If you’re in the market for a feature-packed gas-powered 16-inch pizza oven that blows most of the opposition out of the water while not costing as much, the Witt ETNA Rotante is the best all-round option money can buy. It may even change your pizza-baking life.
Now read our full review of the Witt ETNA Rotante
It comes to something when one of the very best home pizza ovens turns out to be electric and for indoor use (or outdoors on a sunny day). But stay with me. I’ve been using this amazing piece of tech for the past two years and not once have I had a disaster – every pizza I’ve thrown into its maw has come out with miraculous results and I haven’t burned my hand once. Admittedly I have been using some top-quality pre-made dough balls – which you can read about in our How To Cook Pizza At Home guide – but most of my successes have been down to this machine.
The Sage Pizzaiolo runs on electricity instead of charcoal, wood, pellets or gas. Now I’m the first to admit that the most authentic pizzas are arguably baked in a wood-fired oven but I’m also the first to admit that in a blind test I might not be able to tell the difference. All I know is that the Sage Pizzaiolo delivers the goods every time, and with an evenly browned light-as-a-feather crust replete with obligatory leopard spots and perfectly cooked ingredients to boot.
The Pizzaiolo has a number of automatic settings – 160˚C, defrost, pan, thick crust, thin & crispy, wood fired and 400˚C – but I just bung it on the howlingly hot ‘wood fired’ setting which bakes the pizza to perfection every time. You often don’t even need to turn the pizza halfway through because the simple circular oven rings above and below the pizza stone do a sterling job of ensuring the entire top and bottom are properly cooked.
Of all the pizza ovens I’ve tested, this model is still the easiest one to use. And, what’s more, because it’s essentially designed for indoor use, it’s the only model on this page that can be used all-year round, come rain or shine.
For even more information on this stupendous pizza oven, read our Sage The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo review. And, to compare it to another top competitor be sure to check out T3's Sage The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo vs Ooni Koda 12 comparison feature.
When Witt came out with the winning Etna Rotante reviewed above, its battery-powered revolving pizza stone represented a major shift towards ease of use and therefore better pizza-baking results for inexperienced users. Well here comes a smaller, lighter and cheaper option with the same type of revolving function that ensures even cooking of ingredients without much need for interjection.
At 18.6kgs, the gas-fired Revolve is just about light enough for one person to move it around the patio though I would recommend using the supplied cover with integral carry straps if hauling it a longer distance.
Tested in tandem with the Witt Rotante, this reviewer was extremely impressed with the Revolve’s performance even though it took 10 minutes longer than the Witt to achieve the 400˚C temperature I was looking for. This is because its straight rear-mounted gas burner doesn’t arc around the edges like the Witt and, unlike the Witt, there is no secondary burner beneath the stone. Nevertheless, the results ticked all the right boxes with good crisp on the base, well cooked ingredients and an excellent outer crust with customary leopard spots.
I was also impressed by the method used to turn the stone. Unlike the Witt which has a hidden AA battery housing, this model comes with a separate battery and motor housing that attaches to the base of the unit using magnetism. This makes it easier to change batteries and, if ever necessary, a new motor should it ever malfunction due to excessive heat.
The Revolve currently retails for a smidge under £500 and comes with a 13-inch pizza stone which is a little larger than the 12-inch average. It also ships with three crescent-shaped boundary stones – one spare in case of breakages – the aforementioned cover, a digital infrared thermometer and a high-quality perforated pizza peel. When you figure in these extras – worth around £95 – along with the revolving stone tech, it doesn’t take a degree in math to come to the conclusion that this is arguably the best-value outdoor gas-fired pizza oven on the market right now. Highly recommended.
The Roccbox is a top sub-£400 choice for those who like the idea of being able to bake pizzas using either gas or wood kindling (Gozney provides two different clip-on assemblies). It’s a heavyweight beast, mind, so it’s not something you’d want to take on a picnic, despite the inclusion of a heavy-duty carrying strap.
This model is so well insulated you can place a whole hand on its rubberised outer surface and you won’t need to pay a visit to A&E; a handy innovation for those with inquisitive kids or cats that like to jump on things.
We tested it using both gas and wood and gas was definitely best because it allowed for easier temperature control and we didn’t have to keep filling the hopper with wood. That said, both methods produced excellent results even though we couldn’t taste any difference between the two power sources.
If you’re concerned about surface heat and fancy the choice of both gas and wood, then consider plonking this one on the patio table. Just don’t think of taking it on a picnic or your arm may fall off! See our full Gozney Roccbox review for all the details.
The gas-fired Ooni Koda 12 wins a raft of points for design, low weight and portability. Simply unfold its three legs, stick it on a table, connect it to a standard propane gas bottle and bake.
The Koda doesn't come with a built-in thermometer so you may wish to purchase Ooni’s optional infrared thermometer with integral laser beam for accurate stone temperature readings. Once the temperature has reached 400°C and above, it's time to load the stone. However, you will need to turn the pizza a few times during its 90- second cooking sequence and keep an eye on the crust at the rear where the flame is at its hottest.
If you don't fancy splashing out on a product you might use only a few times a year, then this is the one get. It makes exceptional pizzas with little fuss and is one of the easiest models on this page to store away or take on holiday.
Alfa is a prestigious Italian pizza oven brand favoured by discerning pizzaiolos, many restauranteurs and even some pop-up pizza bars. All Alfa pizza ovens are handmade in southern Italy and encased in very high-end materials for maximum insulation against ambient temperature. That’s certainly the case with the handsome gas-fired Alfa Moderno Portable which is constructed using ceramic fibre insulation, a 'refractory brick base’, an inner wall made from ‘titanium-impregnated stainless steel’ and an outer shell made from a sheet of powder-coated steel with no riveting. Needless to say, you pay through the nose for this level of build quality and attention to detail, but if you have the available funds, the Alfa Moderna Portable might just be what you’re looking for.
Mind, at 35kgs, the Moderna Portable is exceptionally heavy and impossible to lift by one person – thankfully it ships with a cover with integrated carrying straps on either side so two people could feasibly manage a trip from car to beach on foot with several rests along the way.
The Alfa Moderna is available in ‘Ardesia Grey’ and ‘Antique Red’ and it comes with a removable oven door which is essential for keeping the heat in if used in cool or windy conditions. The square pizza stone, meanwhile, measures just shy of 15 inches so there’s plenty of space for those stretched pizza bases that turn out to be slightly larger than the 12-inch norm. However, the Moderna Portable doesn’t ship with a gas regulator and hose so be sure to order a set from an online or bricks-and-mortar supplier.
Having seen the Alfa Moderna in operation, I can tell you that it produces very good pizzas. But then again every pizza oven on this page produces very good pizzas. For me the quality of the dough is the key element – as long as the stone and oven interior is hot enough – above 400˚C – the pizza will come out perfectly with a crispy base, leopard spots and a mountainous edge. This oven will do all of that exceptionally well – and hold its internal temperature better than thinner-walled models while using less gas in the process. The question is whether you’re prepared to fork out roughly twice the price of other ovens on this page for the privilege of having a hand-built and exceedingly well insulated oven that will likely go on delivering stupendous pizzas on a regular basis for years to come.
If you can stretch your dough to £1,800 and hanker after one of the most handsome 16-inch pizza ovens on the market, put the Gozney Dome on your wish list. This behemoth weighs a monstrous 58kgs and can be placed on a strong table or, better still, the optional stand which is strong enough to support a house.
No question, the dome is a thing of beauty but it’s also massive in size (660mm H x 630mm D x 732mm W), so make sure you have a patio large enough to accommodate it. Aside from the gorgeous exterior, the superb insulation, the kindling storage area and the built-in digital thermometer, the very best thing about this oven is that it can run on gas or wood and without adding any extra parts.
So far I’ve tested it using the gas method and it’s as easy as pizza pie to operate but not as easy as the winning Witt to gain the same results. Like all wood fired pizza ovens and indeed most outdoor domestic models, the flames from the gas lick over the ceiling of the oven which ensures toppings are properly cooked.
However, you really need to keep an eye on things and turn the pizza regularly or the crust nearest the seat of the flame will burn very quickly – as in seconds. Also, be sure to let the temperature climb to as close as 500˚C or the 16-inch cordierite stone may not be hot enough to properly bake the base as well as the toppings (this happened on my first attempt at 440˚C). The optional oven-style rope door is a great help in this respect, especially in lower ambient temperatures. Also be sure to use a laser thermometer to check the temperature of the stone itself because the oven thermometer only gives the overall interior temperature.
Although £1,800 is a lot to pay for a domestic pizza oven, this writer has seen barbecues in the same price range that are nowhere near as well constructed so, in that respect, the Dome is fairly reasonably priced. Mind the price hikes up when you start including the accessories like the stand and cover.
Available in olive green or bone white – and also available as a wood-only option – the Gozney Dome is a stunning pizza oven on every level, from the materials used, build quality and design to its undeniably attractive aesthetics. No question, it bakes pizzas superbly well but there is still a steep learning curve involved which simply doesn’t apply to the Sage or even the winning Witt.
Read our full Gozney Dome review
This cracking contender from market leader Ooni is quite unique in the pantheon of pizza ovens because it can be used with three types of fuel – untreated kindling, charcoal or propane gas. It’s also the first home pizza oven to be recommended by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the international authority on Neapolitan pizza. And boy do they know their pizzas.
The first thing you notice with the Ooni Karu 16 is how big it is. The new Witt ETNA Rotante and Gozney Dome notwithstanding, not many home pizza ovens come with a 16-inch cordierite pizza stone. This is an especially good thing even if your pizzas are the average 12 inches in diameter because the key selling factor here is space, lots of space to accommodate any pizza up to 16 inches in diameter.
It means that if, like me, you’re hopeless at gauging the size of the pizza base as you go through the stretching process and your bases sometimes exceed 12 inches, you won’t have to start all over again. For its size (81 x 50 x 83cm), the Karu 16 isn’t too heavy to carry. It also comes with three sturdy folding legs, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to store away when not in use.
Unlike previous Ooni models, this one comes with a hinged glass ViewFrame door which keeps the heat in while allowing you to see how the pizza’s going. You’ll come to love this feature when you decide to bake in lower outdoor temperatures. However, wood smoke does tend to blacken the glass over time so use warm soapy water or a wood burner-specific glass cleaner from time to time.
The Ooni Karu 16 also features a new airflow system that allows the user to adjust temperatures for different types of pizza – simply slide the ceiling vent and fiddle with the ‘hot’ chimney baffle. It’s also the first Ooni to ship with a built-in (or rather built on) thermometer.
Using the Karu 16 with lump wood charcoal is more straightforward than with plain wood simply because you don’t have to keep loading the hopper quite as frequently. If you wish to use the gas method, you’ll need to spend another £80 for the optional burner.
This writer performed a basic Neapolitan test using charcoal and it was a resounding success, despite the short but steep learning curve. Although the Karu 16 wasn’t as convenient to use as the Sage or Witt reviewed above, it nevertheless produced an excellent pizza with a tall, wide, airy crust, a dark crispy base and perfectly cooked toppings.
Ooni produces a wide range of great outdoor pizza ovens – plus a huge selection of pizza accessories – but this is one of the best model to choose if you like your pizzas on the large side.
If you're looking for a cheaper, more portable and casual pizza oven to rustle up the odd pizza outdoors then the Big Horn Outdoors Pizza Oven is a great choice.
It's price is markedly lower than many pizza ovens on the market, but despite this is delivers a simple yet stylish stainless steel pizza oven that is capable of cooking 12-inch pizza.
Only one pizza can be cooked at once in this oven, but considering it can reach a maximum temperature of 460 degrees Celsius, that its pizza stone can reach cooking temperature in just 15 minutes, and then can cook pizzas in up to 90 seconds, capacity here isn't really a problem.
This oven is also very portable as it weighs in at only 12.6kg and features folding legs. This means it is easy to store and bring out when needed.
The Big Horn Outdoors Pizza Oven is powered by wood pellets, which are fed into its burn box by a rear-top-mounted hatch. As such, if you already have a wood pellet grill then this would be a great companion, as you could use the same fuel.
Overall, if you don't want to spend too much on your pizza oven and just will need to cook one or two pizzas during most usage periods then this is a great option.
This homegrown model isn’t cheap but it’s arguably the closest thing on this page to an authentic restaurant-style wood fired oven, the heinously expensive Alfa model below notwithstanding. Constructed from clay and fibreglass, the igloo-shaped DeliVita is surprisingly light for its size though not enough for easy portability.
As with any wood-fired model, there’s a certain level of hassle involved in lighting and maintaining the flame. You will also need to brush the cinders aside to clear space for the pizza or the base will be a bit too ashy. But put in the time and attendance and this oven will produce top-rank results time after time.
Why you need a proper pizza oven
Forget using your home oven because its maximum temperature is usually just 250˚C and you need between 350˚ and 500˚ to properly bake a pizza like the pros. All of the pizza ovens reviewed here are easily capable of reaching the magic 400˚C and they’re all equipped with cordierite baking stones, which not only retain and emit intense heat but also absorb the moisture from the dough, turning it perfectly crispy and with a nicely blackened bottom to boot.
Best pizza ovens: gas or wood or even electric?
Wood is arguably the best bet if you want an authentic restaurant-type pizza. The downside is that wood-fired ovens take longer to heat up (sometimes hours) and require constant nurturing to keep the fire going. For that reason, many domestic oven manufacturers are now erring towards the use of propane gas as a fuel.
Some people may not even be able to tell the difference between a pizza cooked in the best wood-fired pizza oven and one cooked in the best gas-fired pizza oven. However, as with barbecues, one thing is for certain: gas pizza ovens heat up way more quickly – usually within 30 minutes or so – and the heat they emit is much more easily controlled.
And that leaves one more heat source to consider – electricity. An electric model like the excellent Sage The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo bakes exquisite pizzas with the least fuss of all. Naturally you can’t take it outside in inclement weather but being electric means it can be used indoors – and all year round.
