The 6 Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens, According to Experts

What’s better than a backyard barbecue? A backyard pizza party!

Looking to spice up your barbecues and weekends hanging in the backyard? Dedicated outdoor pizza ovens are a fun way to make crispy, craveable pizzas that will taste better than your local slice shop. With a few brands making high-quality countertop or tabletop ovens, it’s never been easier or more affordable to become an aspiring pizzaiolo.

Though there are a limited number of manufacturers, outdoor pizza ovens vary considerably in size, price point, and fuel type, all of which impact what kind of pizza you can make. And while pizza is their signature dish, you can also use them to prepare other types of delicious, smoky meals, from roasts to homemade bread. Whether you’re looking to buy the ultimate gift for the ‘za lover in your life, or you’re curious about making pizza as a hobby, we’ve talked to some experts to help you bring home the best outdoor pizza oven for your backyard.

The Experts

Steven T. Wright: I’m a lifelong nerd and tech writer with a decade of experience at publications like Popular Mechanics and Ars Technica. In putting this guide together, I interviewed two pizza-cooking experts who have put dozens of hours into using a variety of these devices firsthand to create the ideal home pizza setup for their family and friends to enjoy. I also relied on reviews from both product enthusiasts and everyday users, as well as a number of online tutorials.

Bradley Ford: As a test editor at Popular Mechanics, Brad Ford has tested all kinds of backyard cooking equipment, including grills, smokers and, of course, outdoor pizza ovens. For the past 5 years, he’s cooked a whole lot of pie after pie, perfecting his craft and gaining an expansive knowledge of what makes a great oven. He’s also conferred with countless manufacturers to learn about new product developments and features as new ovens hit the market.

Derek Gaughan: Derek Gaughan is the owner of Pala Pizza, a publication dedicated specifically to reviewing pizza ovens. A trained pizzaiolo, he’s tested dozens of ovens first-hand and shared expert reviews through his site and YouTube channel. He’s been featured in PMQ Magazine, The Washington Post, and Home & Gardens.

What to Consider in an Outdoor Pizza Oven

LOCATION

Though setting up an outdoor pizza oven in your backyard is easier than ever, it’s still important to plan out your setup before you bring one home. Many of the ovens from trendy brands like Ooni and Gozney are made to sit on a table or outdoor kitchen island, but there are high-end models that take up just as much space as your average grill. Make sure to take a moment and consider where you plan to use your oven, as well as how you plan to store it.

If you don’t have a kitchen island for your stove away from your outdoor dining table, you should also look for a stand. Many of our favorite pizza oven brands sell model-specific stands for their ovens. That said, you can always go a different way and invest in a prep table or moveable cart. If you go this route, Pala Pizza oven reviewer Derek Gaughan recommends looking for a table with a stainless steel surface, which is relatively cheap, easy to find, and well-suited to handle the high heat that comes off the oven.

FUEL SOURCE

The type of fuel you use impacts how you operate your pizza oven, how long it takes to heat up and, to a degree, how your pizza tastes. Gas pizza ovens–which may use either propane or hook up directly to a natural gas line–are the most common option and, we think, the most convenient. They get hot fast, maintain a consistent temperature without tending a fire, and are easy to clean.

That said, you can also find hardwood, wood pellet and charcoal-fueled ovens, all of which require you to stoke and maintain your flame to some degree as you bake. Purists insist that wood-fire ovens produce a better flavor and texture. Others will tell you that charcoal imparts a smokey flavor similar to what you’d get from a classic brick pizza oven. Our experts disagree: Both Ford and Gaughan said that, with these home ovens, taste varies very little from fuel to fuel, so you should choose a fuel type that you feel comfortable using.

If you’re a first-time pizza maker (or you’re shopping for one), we recommend starting with a gas oven to ensure that you can make a great pizza from day one. If you buy a wood or charcoal oven, you’ll want to invest in a pair of fire-resistant gloves and tools to safely maintain your fire, such as a copper brush, a rake to move coals, and perhaps even a nice set of tongs.

SIZE AND TEMPERATURE

There is a direct correlation between the maximum temperature of your pizza oven, and the quality of the pizza it will be able to make. According to Brad Ford, test editor at Popular Mechanics, your oven needs to get really hot to properly bake a pizza.

“You want to get the pizza stone and oven temperatures somewhere between 750 F and 900 F,” Ford says. “Less expensive ovens may have a hard time reaching those temperatures.”

In addition to a high maximum temperature, you should also pay attention to how your oven cooks.

“I’ve tested pizza ovens that reach 900 F but had no overhead heat,” says Gaughan. “The result is a burned bottom every time. … These oven[s] need to have the perfect balance of overhead heat to match the stone temperature. It’s one of the most important things I test for.”

Generally, almost all of the pizza ovens on our list aim for a max temperature of around 950 F, which is considered ideal for Neapolitan pizza. Larger pizza ovens will take longer to reach their top temperatures, though they are often better holding that temperature for an extended period of time because they tend to be better-insulated and more efficient.

While there is a correlation between size and temperature, pizza oven size matters most because it dictates the size of pizza that you can and should make. Smaller ovens generally make 10- to 12-inch pizzas, which should feed two to three people, while larger ovens make 16-inch pies that more closely resemble what you’d order from your local pizzeria. Some massive ovens can even do multiple pizzas at once.

While bigger might look better at a glance, keep in mind that pizza cooks very quickly at a very high temperature. As a result, it is generally easier (and safer) to cook multiple small pizzas, one at a time, in a small oven.

How We Selected and Tested

We called in and tested more than 12 popular outdoor pizza ovens, based on in-depth research and analysis of their specs, surveyed customer reviews, and solicited recommendations from our experts, as well as other reviewers from publications like Good Housekeeping and Gear Patrol, among others. We made sure to test models with many different shapes, sizes and fuel-types, to cultivate a wide range of recommendations.

We tested each outdoor pizza oven by making at least a half-dozen pies over the course of several days. We meticulously examined their construction, made note of the size of their stones, and paid close attention to the size and shape of the oven mouth, which affects your ability to insert or “launch” a pizza into the oven, and rotate it mid-bake.

As we cooked, we assessed the pizza ovens on a number of key factors, including temperature performance, heating time, crust crispiness, and ease-of-use. We also gave extra credit to ovens that were easy to clean, or just looked cool.

In subsequent updates, we solicited more expert advice, both from editors who we’d worked with before, like Ford, and new faces like Gaughan. We also checked online guides, enthusiast forums, and reviews from both professional critics and consumers. No matter what kind of outdoor pizza oven you’re looking for, we have you covered.

PROS	CONS
Has a built-in digital thermometer	Not as portable as Ooni’s other ovens
Has a viewing window to check doneness levels	Gas burner is sold seperately
Supports wood, charcoal, natural gas, and propane as fuel sources
Comes almost fully assembled
Roomy enough to accommodate large-sized pies

The Ooni Karu 16 is one of the most versatile outdoor pizza ovens yet. It can run off of gas, pellets, charcoal, or wood, and cooks anything from pizza to bread, meat, and veggies. I was blown away by its performance. The oven reached peak temperatures quickly thanks to a glass-hinged door that offers improved insulation and helps it maintain consistent temperatures.

Its wood and charcoal holder didn’t require as frequent refillings as other ovens, and this one will cook fresh pies in as little as 60 seconds. We found that the Karu delivered efficient airflow for evenly cooking pies (you can close the ceiling vent and open the chimney baffle to slow the heat escape if need be). The oven even has a large digital thermometer to help keep track of the temperature, and thanks to its wide opening, you can bake large 16-inch pies and easily pivot them as they’re cooking.

It’s worth mentioning that although this Ooni oven supports the option of using charcoal or wood pellets as a heating source, the gas burner is sold separately. One more thing: this sleek-looking oven is the first and only pizza oven “Recommended for Domestic Use” by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the international authority on true Neapolitan pizza. So you can ensure you’ll churn out consistently delicious pizzas with this oven almost any time. Really its only fault is that it’s heavy and awkward to move around.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	16 in.
Fuel	Charcoal, wood pellets, and gas (gas burner sold separately)
Maximum Temperature	Up to 950°F
Weight	62 lb

PROS	CONS
Very portable	Wood burning takes some getting used to
Deals well with wind
Supports three fuel types

Little brother of our best overall pick, the Ooni Karu 12G is a heavy hitter in a pint-sized package. At only 34 pounds, it’s about as portable as a pizza oven gets. Ooni even makes a “carry cover” with convenient handles.

While small, Gaughan contends that the Karu 12G brings the heat to make delicious Neapolitan pizzas with little fuss. Its ergonomics and design work well even in the cold and high winds, which may matter a little more if you bring it out to a tailgate.

Despite highlighting it for portability, its most distinctive feature is that it supports three types of fuel–hardwood, charcoal, and gas. Moreover, it’s one of the most affordable multi-fuel options. That said, we found that its charcoal-burning mode is better for deeper-dish or New York-style pies. That versatility, though, is just one more reason why the Karu 12G is the oven you want if you’re planning to take your pizza show on the road.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	12 in.
Fuel	Gas, charcoal, or wood
Maximum Temperature	950°F
Weight	34 lb

PROS	CONS
Highly portable	Not as versatile as multi-fuel models
Easy to use
Beginner-friendly

The Solo Stove Pi Prime is a compact, but intuitive pizza oven that punches well above its price tag. Gaughan specifically recommends the Pi Prime as one of the best performance-per-cost pizza ovens around, claiming that the pies he got out of this model were just as good as ones from ovens that cost nearly twice as much.

The Pi Prime has an aesthetically-pleasing round dome design that stands out in the pizza oven space–it looks like something out of an Art Deco painting. According to Gaughan, it can heat up in around 25 minutes and cooks a 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizza in around 2 minutes. It has no problem sustaining its top temperature for sequential cooks. It can hold a lower temperature for New York-style pizza, though that isn’t its forté.

Naturally, its small size and weight make it perfect for those with limited space. Conversely, it may be too small for families who want to make large pies, and/or advanced pizza-makers who want more precise control. In the end, though, you won’t find a better deal on an oven than the Pi Prime.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	12 in.
Fuel	Propane (gas)
Maximum Temperature	950°F
Weight	30 lb

PROS	CONS
Great for New York-style pizza	Low max temp isn’t hot enough for true Neapolitan-style pizza
Relatively Portable
Auto-rotating pizza stone

The Halo Versa 16 is a bit different from other pizza ovens on our list. According to Gaughan, it excels at making New York-style pies like you’d find at your local pizza joint. The Versa’s 16-inch pizzas come out chewier than the Neapolitan-style pies you’ll get from most of our picks.

The oven also has an auto-rotating pizza stone that makes it easier to use than its entry-level competitors, particularly if you don’t have a pizza peel. (You should still get one, though.)

Its New York state of mind doesn’t come without drawbacks, though. Since its max temperature is around 800 F, it doesn’t get hot enough to make a Neapolitan-style pizza sing: It’ll still come out tasty, but the dough will be softer than you traditionally look for, and it won’t get the delicious char that you get from a scorching hot oven. As such, we highly recommend leaning into the Versa 16’s strengths, and focusing on New York-style pizza.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	16 in.
Fuel	Propane
Maximum Temperature	800°F
Weight	52.9 lb

PROS	CONS
Easy to use	Heavy, not that portable
Heats faster than comparable models
Good insulation, so you won’t burn yourself

The Roccbox is a 44-pound propane-powered pizza oven with a small footprint and retractable legs. While we’re a little skeptical about bona fides as a “portable” pizza ovens–44 pounds is pretty heavy–we found that it’s a really accessible pizza oven, and a good pick for first-time pizza-makers. Both of our experts agreed, noting its relatively low price and outstanding performance.

Making 10-inch mini pies, the Roccbox comes with a propane burner, but you buy an attachable wood burner if you prefer the classic wood-fired approach. During our tests, it took just 15 minutes to reach a temperature of 900 F. It retains heat well and the oven body stays cool to the touch, even at high heat, so new pizza-makers (and their kids) are less likely to burn themselves.

Our biggest complaint about the Roccbox is that its pizza stone is attached, so if you accidentally drop it there isn’t a way to easily replace it in the event it breaks. Our experts noted that it doesn’t work so well for cooking New York-style pies, so stick to classic Neapolitan.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	12 in.
Fuel	Gas or wood
Maximum Temperature	Up to 950°F
Weight	44 lb

PROS	CONS
Heats up quick	Tricky to rotate pizzas
Cooks pizza in just 60 seconds	Propane only
Lightweight

A smaller and more affordable version of our top pick, the Ooni Koda 12 specializes in making smaller, 10- to 12-inch pies. For comparison’s sake, a large Pizza Hut pizza is 14 inches in diameter with around 12 slices. It only takes 15 minutes to heat up, and can cook a small pizza in just 60 seconds.

While we generally prefer the Koda 16, the 12 has two advantages: It’s cheaper and it’s lighter, which makes it easier to store. That said, it does not offer buyers the option of purchasing a converter that lets you hook the pizza oven up to a natural gas line. You can’t use wood as a fuel source, either.

It’s definitely made for beginners, but don’t hold that against it. It’s one of the quickest, easiest ovens we tried.

Key Specs

Maximum Pizza Size	12 in.
Fuel	Propane
Maximum Temperature	950°F
Weight	20 lb