Best Home Pizza Ovens: Our Top Pick for Every Style

Introduction: What is the best pizza oven for home use?

Home pizza ovens are built very similarly to the ones you would find in your favorite pizzeria. The primary difference is that, since they don’t need to withstand heavy daily use, they tend to be smaller and constructed of more affordable materials. Despite these differences, a home pizza oven can deliver the same great cooking results at a fraction of the price. But what is the best pizza oven for home use?

There are many different types of home pizza ovens to chose from so to help decide the best for you, we broke it down into three primary categories;

1. Fuel type (wood or gas),
2. Size (compact vs portable), and
3. Material (stainless steel, brick, clay, etc.)

For each of these categories, we highlighted our favorite and why. But with so many amazing ovens to choose from, picking just one was not an easy task. For this reason, included are some honorable mentions for each. Remember, just because they weren’t chosen as our top pick doesn’t mean they can’t be yours! By the end of this article you should have a deeper understanding of what to look for in selecting the best home pizza oven and have an idea of what ovens are right for you.

 

1. Best Home Pizza Ovens by Fuel Type

When it comes to finding the best outdoor home pizza oven, deciding on a fuel type is the first major decision. A wood-fired home pizza oven can give your cooking a classic smoky flavor often associated with Neapolitan-style pizzas, but they  require a bit more maintenance and they take a bit longer to heat up. On the flipside, a gas pizza oven for home can be a quick and convenient solution. These ovens ignite with the flip of a switch and heat up very quickly but lack the flavor and depth that a wood-fired pizza oven can deliver. 

If you’re having trouble deciding on a fuel type, you can always opt for a hybrid home pizza oven and get the best of both worlds. Hybrid pizza ovens are wood-fired pizza ovens that incorporate an additional gas burner. With these ovens you can switch between fuel types or even use both at the same time. However, these pizza ovens typically come at a higher price point. 

Finally the least common but still notable fuel type to choose from is electricity. Electric pizza ovens for home lack the depth and flavor of direct flame cooking, but these offer significant convenience as they are plug-and-play and can be used indoors without the need for expensive ventilation.

 

Best Home Wood-Fired Pizza Oven

It's no secret that if you want the best quality pizza from your home pizza oven, nothing beats wood-fired. Wood cooking is the best way, arguably the only way, to achieve the classic smoky flavor typically associated with authentic Neapolitan-style pizza. But, there is a caveat. Wood-fired pizza ovens require a bit more maintenance than their gas counterparts and it can take a bit longer to fully warm up simply due to the nature of getting a wood fire started and kindled. Nevertheless, if you have the patience for these minor drawbacks, a wood-fired home pizza oven might be the best choice for you!

 

Our top pick: Authentic Pizza Ovens Pizzaioli Premium

Most people tend to think of wood-fired as being synonymous with “brick-oven” and Authentic Pizza Ovens is the simple solution to achieving the cozy brick-oven feel without the need for complicated masonry. We picked the Authentic Pizza Ovens Pizzaioli as the best wood pizza oven for home because it is hand-assembled in Portugal so it is ready to fire up the moment it reaches your door and all authentic Pizza Ovens are triple insulated meaning the outside will stay cool to the touch. They are free from any zinc or galvanized coatings and unlike similar ovens, made from real firebrick. Simply put, Authentic Pizza Ovens are as authentic as it gets!

Price: $2595.00

Dimensions: 39" W x 26" H x 39" D

Cooking Surface: 30”

Weight: 1250lbs

 

Best Home Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens Honorable Mentions:

Best Home Gas Pizza Oven

The next choice in fuel is, of course, gas. Gas pizza ovens most commonly use the same liquid propane as a grill would but many come with a natural gas option as well. If you’re like me, when you are hungry you are impatient. That’s where gas home pizza ovens shine. Unlike wood-fired pizza ovens, a gas pizza oven is quick to heat up and even quicker to ignite. Simply turn a dial or push a button and in 15-30 minutes it’s ready to go! However, the obvious drawback to gas pizza cooking is that it will lack the authentic smoky flavor you might seek. So, if you don’t mind paying the price of a subtle flavor loss for enhanced convenience, gas might be just what you need to fuel your home pizza oven!

 

Our top pick: Ooni Koda 2 Max

Ooni has earned its reputation in the pizza oven industry and their latest Koda 2 Max is no exception. The Koda 2 Max has an enormous 24” cooking surface that can cook multiple pizzas at once or one extra large for the whole family. As if its size and sleek design weren’t enough, what really makes the Koda 2 Max the best gas pizza oven for home is its Ooni Connect mobile app integration notifying you when your oven is up to temperature. 

Price: $1199.00

Dimensions: 31”L x 28”W x 17”H

Cooking Surface: 24”

Weight: 95lbs

 

Best Gas Pizza Oven for Home Honorable Mentions

Best Hybrid-Fuel pizza oven for home

Now that you know a bit about the pros and cons of each fuel option, have you made up your mind on one or the other? Not an easy choice is it? Fortunately, you CAN have your pizza and eat it too! That’s where hybrid pizza ovens come in. These home pizza ovens offer the choice to cook with whichever fuel suits you at the moment. If quick and easy pizza is what you’re after you can use the gas burner this time. But if you have the time to take things slow for the sake of a perfect pie, maybe you want to use wood. Or you can even meet somewhere in the middle by preheating the oven with the gas burner then adding some wood just before cooking. Does all this sound too good to be true? The catch is that hybrid-pizza ovens tend to be the most expensive due to their additional parts and complexity. But, if you want the best of the best for your home pizza oven, and your budget allows, a hybrid pizza oven may be a no-brainer for you.

 

Our top pick: WPPO Infinity 50

 

The Infinity is the latest pizza oven in the WPPO lineup. We chose the Infinity as the best hybrid pizza oven for home use due to its unique visual appeal. It’s rounded dome shape and vibrant color choices make the Infinity truly stand out from other pizza ovens. This by no means implies any lacking in performance however. The WPPO Infinity’s monoblock dome shape allows for optimal heat distribution and their patented Micro Knitting Technology refractory material is built to stand the test of time. 

Price: $5499.00

Dimensions: 26.25”L x 28.13”W x 38”H

Cooking Surface: 19.5” x 23”

Weight: 194lbs

 

Best Home Hybrid-Fuel Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

 

Best Electric Home Pizza Oven

When you think of an electric pizza oven, you are probably picturing the small stainless steel ovens commonly found in small taverns who don’t have a full kitchen. These are affordable and convenient but they are really only designed to cook frozen pizzas and typically do not exceed 500-550°F. We can do better than that! If you want to mimic the cooking results of direct flame ovens indoors without the need for expensive ventilation, you’ll need an electric oven capable of reaching higher temperatures. The best electric pizza oven for home is one that can reach 600°F or more and has ample space for a pizza stone (ideally 2 racks). 

Our top pick: Ooni Volt 12

It’s no surprise that our choice for the best electric pizza oven for home would be an Ooni. Ooni is by far the most well known brand in pizza ovens so when they introduced their eclectic oven it was sure to be a game changer. Most home electric pizza ovens more closely resemble a standard toaster oven but with a higher emphasis on pizza. The Ooni Volt 12 is the opposite. The Volt is a pizza oven first so you know it will deliver the best results an electric oven can. But does this mean it only cooks pizza? Of course not! The Ooni Volt is perfectly capable of cooking just about anything a standard oven can cook, but when it comes to pizza, it is the best of the best!

 

Price: $899.00

Power: 1600W/120V

Max Temp: 850°F

Dimensions: 24.2” x 20.8” x 10.9”H

Cooking Surface: 12”

Weight: 39.2lbs

 

Best Home Electric Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

 

2. Best Pizza Oven for Home by Size/Portability

The next major decision in finding the best home pizza oven will be the size. Most of the pizza ovens mentioned so far are full-sized meaning they are heavy and take up a lot of space. But what if you have limited patio space or simply want the flexibility of something more portable? There are many home pizza ovens that are compact and lightweight and even portable ovens that can be taken with for camping, tailgating, and anywhere else you might find pizza calling. Deciding which size is right for you depends on your patio space and how often you plan on moving the oven. 

Best Portable Pizza Oven for Home

Starting with the smallest of home pizza ovens are the portable ovens. These, as the name suggests, are lightweight and compact making them the best home pizza ovens for apartments or those who have minimal outdoor space. A portable pizza oven is limited in its capacity and often only cooks pizzas up to 12in or less. However, despite this limitation, portable pizza ovens have the advantage of travel as they can be taken with you for camping, tailgating, and more. 

 

Our top pick: Ooni Koda 2

Ooni is the most well known brand in pizza ovens, and for good reason. We chose the Ooni Koda 2 as the best portable pizza oven for home use, as well as for traveling, because of its larger cooking surface. Unlike other portable pizza ovens, the Ooni Koda 2 can cook pizzas up to 14 inches in diameter, the standard large size in most restaurants, making it capable of feeding the entire family without taking up too much space.

Price: $449.00

Fuel Type: Gas (Liquid Propane)

Pizza Size: 14”

Dimensions: 21.5” x28.4” x 13.1”

Weight: 35.27lbs

 

Best Home Portable Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

 

Best Compact and Countertop Pizza Oven for Home 

Moving up on our list are the compact and countertop pizza ovens. These pizza ovens have a sleek and modern aesthetic. They are a bit heavier and bulkier than portable pizza ovens but still retain a small lightweight size. A countertop pizza oven is the best residential pizza oven for someone who prefers the ability to move their oven with ease while still keeping it in a relatively permanent location. A compact pizza oven can be easily kept in a garage or shed when not in use protecting it from harsh environments.

 

Our top pick: Gozney Dome

The Gozney Dome has a cult-like following among enthusiasts. We picked the Dome as the best countertop pizza oven for home because it combines an elegant aesthetic with outstanding performance. The Gozney Dome offers dual-fuel capabilities so you can cook with wood for flavor or gas when it is more convenient. The Dome can cook pizzas up to 16in in diameter and for those on a budget, there is a gas-only variant called the Dome S1 for only $1199.99.

Price: $1999.99

Fuel Type: Hybrid (wood or liquid propane)

Dimensions: 26" H x 24.8" D x 28.8" W

Cooking Surface: 16”

Weight: 128lbs

 

Best countertop and compact home pizza oven honorable mentions:

 

 

3. Best Home Pizza Ovens by Material Choice

The third and final point of consideration is the materials your pizza oven is built from. Home pizza ovens are typically constructed of either stainless steel or an earthen material such as clay or brick. Stainless steel pizza ovens are most common for home use due to their lightweight structure and maneuverability. These pizza ovens are ideal for renters or anyone who prefers the flexibility of rearranging their space frequently.

The other material choices are earthen materials. These are home pizza ovens made from brick, clay, or cement. These pizza ovens are more labor intensive to assemble but offer an unbeatable timeless aesthetic. They are often designed to be built-in home pizza ovens and retain a more permanent location, however they can also be built on a heavy-duty cart to give them some maneuverability similar to stainless steel ovens.

Best Stainless Steel Pizza Oven for Home

Stainless steel home pizza ovens are full-sized ovens. These can weigh anywhere from 200 to 400lbs, sometimes more. These pizza ovens can be part of a built-in outdoor kitchen or kept on a cart (often included) for easy maneuverability. Stainless steel pizza ovens can usually cook full large pizzas or multiple small pizzas simultaneously making them some of the best home pizza ovens for large families. 

Our top pick: Cru Champion

In this contest, the Cru Champion truly lives up to its name! The Champion reigns champion for the best stainless steel pizza oven for home use. We chose the Cru Champion because of its exceptionally large cooking surface size (24”x24”) compared to other ovens in its price range. This makes it ideal for large gatherings as you can cook pizzas up to a whopping 18 inches or even 3 smaller pizzas at once.

Price: $1750

Fuel Type: Wood-fired

Dimensions: L27" x W28" x H38"

Cooking Surface: 24”

Weight: 146lbs

 

Best Home Stainless Steel Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

Best Brick Pizza Ovens for Home

Next up is the old-age tradition of the brick pizza oven. These ovens are extremely heavy by nature making them a more permanent option. Brick ovens are the best pizza oven for homes seeking a cozy aesthetic who have sufficient outdoor space and don’t plan on moving the oven often. Although they are commonly built-in permanently to outdoor kitchens, brick ovens can also be built on top of a cart for easy maneuverability. 

Our top pick: Authentic Pizza Ovens Lisboa Premium

When it comes to prefabricated brick ovens, no one does it better than Authentic Pizza Ovens. Unlike most brick pizza ovens, Authentic Pizza Ovens are constructed from authentic firebrick rather than clay making them an excellent choice as the best home brick pizza oven. The Lisboa is handmade in Portugal, constructed of firebrick and insulated by their patented Rockwool insulation. What really sets this oven apart is its extra large opening. This not only gives a better view of the flames for a cozy feel, but offers functionality as well as it gives ample space for cooking just about anything, even rotisserie!

Price: $2595.00

Fuel Type: Wood-fired

Dimensions: 39”L x 39”W x31”H

Cooking Surface: 31”

Weight: 1300lbs

 

Best Home Brick Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

 

 

Best DIY Pizza Oven Kit for Home

DIY pizza oven kits are the best home pizza ovens for someone with a creative spirit who’s seeking a one-of-a-kind design. These pizza oven kits consist of a shell that outlines the standard dome shape and can be finished anyway you like. DIY ovens require a bit of skill to assemble but if you’re willing to take on the project, the assembly makes for a fun project for the whole family and a final product that is truly unique!  These kits are great if you are the hands-on type however, if that is not you, you can always hire a contractor to assemble it for you.

Our top pick: WPPO Tuscany DIY Kit

WPPO’s DIY pizza ovens require very little skill, making them a great choice as the best diy pizza oven for home. This kit includes everything you need except the mortar and their easy to read step-by-step instructions make these ovens easy to assemble in as little as 5 hours. You can even download a free pdf of the instructions before purchasing to decide if the project is right for you!

SKill level: Easy-moderate

Price: $1999.00-$4285.00

Fuel: Wood

Dimensions: 

AD70 - 38” x 37” x 23”

ADFUN - 50” x 39” x 25”

AD100 - 55” x 52” x 31”

AD120 - 71” x 60” x 32”

Cooking Surface: 26”-40”

Weight: 396-1522lbs

 

Best DIY Home Pizza Oven Honorable Mentions:

Conclusion: What is the best home pizza oven?

As you have probably come to realize by now, there are many different shapes, sizes, and styles of pizza ovens to choose from so there is no single best pizza oven that fits everyone’s needs. To decide which home pizza oven is best for you, you must first consider the fuel type, how much space you have, your budget, how permanent it will be, and even any aesthetic preferences you might have. In this article we chose our favorite residential pizza oven for each of these considerations. However choosing just one was not an easy task! So to compensate for this, we included three contenders as honorable mentions for each category in case one of these better suits your specific needs.

Bon Appetit!