Making pizza from scratch is possible at home. While you can cook pizza in a regular kitchen oven, it is not the same as cooking it in a pizza oven. There is something different and special when a pizza is cooked in a pizza oven.
There are different types of pizza ovens and they are used in both commercial and residential settings. A pizza oven works like a regular oven in that it circulates the heat in the cooking chamber to cook the pizza evenly. But, different types of pizza ovens can also have different operating systems in place.
This article will be talking about different pizza oven types and how a pizza oven works. We will also be talking about the advantages of using a pizza oven and some of the factors you should consider if you are planning on buying one.
What Is A Pizza Oven?
A pizza oven is specifically designed to cook pizzas. These types of ovens can reach high temperatures which is ideal if you want to achieve an authentic smokey flavor on the pizza. Pizza ovens are commonly used in pizzerias and restaurants but, some are also used in most households.
A pizza oven’s fuel source can either be gas, electric, or wood-fired. For a smokey and charred pizza flavor, wood-fired ovens are the best option. Aside from wood-fired ovens, there are other types of pizza ovens to make pizzas.
Types Of Pizza Ovens
There are different types of pizza ovens used for baking pizza. Most of these ovens are for commercial use but, there are also pizza ovens that are portable, compact, and perfect for home use. Let’s take a look at the different types of pizza ovens.
Traditional Pizza Ovens
A traditional pizza oven, or brick wood-fired pizza oven, uses wood or charcoal as its fuel source. A wood-fired pizza oven can reach high temperatures up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows the pizza to cook quickly but still produce a crispy and smokey crust.
Traditional pizza ovens are typically used in authentic Italian pizzerias. However, residential properties that have ample backyard space can also have their traditional pizza oven.
These types of ovens are typically made of fire bricks to be able to withstand high temperatures. Some brick pizza ovens also use bricks for the cooking chamber while some use clay tiles. Bricks and clay tiles can soak up heat for a long time which is why they are mostly used in traditional pizza ovens.
Deck Pizza Ovens
A deck pizza oven is a commercial oven used by pizzerias and restaurants producing high volumes of pizza daily. Deck pizza ovens have at least three decks stacked on top of each other, hence the name.
These types of ovens can also produce an authentic pizza flavor the way a wood-fired oven would. Deck pizza ovens are a good alternative to a traditional pizza oven. Each oven deck has a separate control system so you can have a variety of pizza flavors at the same time.
With gas deck ovens, you can only set one temperature setting for all decks. But, you can set different temperatures for each deck on an electric deck pizza oven. These types of ovens can reach a temperature of at least 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conveyor Pizza Ovens
As the name implies, a conveyor pizza oven uses a belt conveyor to move the pizza through the oven’s cooking chamber. A conveyor pizza oven is a commercial oven that is commonly used by some of the biggest pizza chains all over the world.
Conveyor pizza ovens run on either gas or electricity. These types of ovens don’t quite produce smokey and charred pizzas as they don’t use wood and stone surfaces. Restaurants and pizza chains that use conveyor ovens don’t often have to produce large amounts of pizzas daily.
Like deck pizza ovens, conveyor ovens can also have several decks stacked on top of each other. This makes it easier to produce multiple pizzas if needed. Conveyor pizza ovens can also reach a temperature of at least 400 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Convection Pizza Ovens
These types of ovens can be used in both commercial and residential settings. Convection pizza ovens run on electricity and are typically low-cost ovens. It is a popular choice for some pizza lovers who do not have any budget or space for traditional pizza ovens.
Convection pizza ovens also do not produce a smokey flavor. Using a pizza stone can help give the pizza more of a charred and smokey crust and is often used in convection ovens. These types of ovens typically reach a temperature of at least 300 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Does A Pizza Oven Work?
A pizza oven’s operation mechanism will depend on the type of oven. Using a traditional pizza oven needs extra precautions as wood or charcoal is used to cook the pizza. Generally, pizza ovens work the same as regular ovens. The heat is circulated to produce heat.
For traditional pizza ovens, wood or charcoal is burned inside the cooking chamber to generate heat. This heat is circulated inside the oven to cook the pizza. Traditional pizza ovens also have chimneys to carry the smoke out of the oven. This helps the fire to burn efficiently, which in turn produces a perfectly cooked pizza.
As we said earlier, wood-fired ovens either have bricks or stone surfaces which helps retain the heat inside the oven. This also helps in producing a crispy crust in a short period. Pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven are rotated frequently during the cooking process to make sure they cook evenly.
A pizza oven, whether gas, electric, or wood-fired, needs to be preheated so it can reach the desired temperature before placing the pizza inside. Once the oven is preheated, the pizza can be cooked.
For wood or charcoal-fired ovens, you may need to add more wood or charcoal to maintain the oven’s temperature. Gas ovens and electric ovens have temperature controls so you do not have to adjust the temperature settings.
The pizza’s cooking time will also depend on the oven’s type and the kind of pizza you will cook. For traditional pizza ovens, pizzas typically cook within 90 to 120 seconds.
Neapolitan pizzas are typically cooked in a wood-fired oven to achieve a charred crust. Thick-crust pizzas usually take a little longer to cook than thin-crust pizzas. A pizza oven’s heating mechanism typically circulates the heat inside the cooking chamber to ensure an evenly cooked pizza.
What Are The Advantages Of Using A Pizza Oven?
If you are planning on starting a pizza business, having a pizza oven is a must. Pizza ovens can reach a higher temperature compared to a normal kitchen oven. Pizza ovens such as wood-fired and deck pizza ovens can also produce a smokey and crispy pizza crust.
For pizza lovers who like to make pizza at home, having a pizza oven will help you replicate a nicely charred pizza crust, especially if you like Neapolitan-style pizzas. If you want to make the best pizzas, investing in a pizza oven is a great idea.
For those who like to make pizza from scratch at home, there are portable pizza ovens that can be placed on a countertop if you do not have the space for a traditional pizza oven. Ooni, a well-known pizza oven brand, manufactures portable and compact wood-fired pizza ovens. You can definitely achieve Neapolitan-style pizzas without having to build a brick oven. There are also gas and electric-powered pizza ovens in the market so you can have a lot of options to choose from.
Factors To Consider Before Buying A Pizza Oven
If you are planning on buying a pizza oven, you first have to consider its use. If you are investing in one for a pizzeria, you should buy a commercial pizza oven to accommodate the number of pizzas that needed to be produced daily. Commercial pizza ovens are more powerful and are specifically designed for pizza establishments. If you have a pizzeria, consider your expected production output before buying a pizza oven. Most restaurants use deck ovens as they are efficient in cooking multiple pizzas at once.
For those who like to make pizza at home, a compact pizza oven is enough. You can also opt to have a traditional pizza oven built in your backyard if you have the budget and space for it.
Another factor to consider is the oven’s fuel source. If you want to achieve a charred pizza crust, a wood-fired or deck pizza oven is the best option.
Which is Better: Wood-fired Oven Vs Conventional Oven
There is a lot of debate about which is better: wood-fired oven vs normal oven. For an authentic pizza flavor, a wood-fired oven is better. While you can make a pizza in a normal oven, it won’t be able to reach the high temperatures needed for a charred pizza crust. If a wood-fired pizza oven is out of the question, you can use a pizza stone to give the pizza more of a smokey flavor.
Conclusion
Pizza ovens are great if you like to make pizza from scratch. These types of ovens can produce a smokey and flavorful pizza in the comfort of your home. A pizza oven is also a must-have in pizzerias and most restaurants.
Pizza ovens circulate the heat generated from their fuel source to cook the pizza. There are different types of pizza ovens and they also have different heat sources.
We hope this article helped give you the information you need for cooking pizza the best way. If you have any questions, let us know how we can help!
