Best outdoor pizza ovens and grills for entertaining at home
Summer is just around the corner and that means outdoor meals with friends and family. If you want to up your entertaining game this could be the answer.
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Ah, pizza: a universally liked meal, multiple food groups checked off in each bite, the perfect textural blend of crispy crusts, fluffy interiors and molten toppings. That’s amore.
But not all pizzas are created equal, and when you’re trying to recreate that dreamy margherita from your local Italian joint on a cosy night in, throwing a homemade attempt in the oven can never quite reach the same level of perfection.
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The good news is that you’re not to blame – rather, your oven is. A standard kitchen oven likely maxes out at around 250 degrees Celsius, but if you’re trying to achieve authentic results, you need to cook at temperatures of 400 to 500 degrees Celsius, which is why a pizza oven is essential.
BEST OUTDOOR PIZZA OVEN
With prices starting from the low hundreds and stretching to the thousands, there are plenty of at-home pizza ovens available for you to invest in – so we’ve taken out some of the hard work for you and rounded up our top picks.
BEST AFFORDABLE OUTDOOR PIZZA OVEN
3-in-1 Charcoal BBQ Grill Pizza Oven Smoker, Amazon Australia, $289.95
Unsure about investing in a pizza oven? This charcoal-fired option adds in BBQ grill and smoking capabilities, so you get three appliances for the price of one (and it’s a relatively low price, too). Built from high quality chrome-plated steel and porcelain, it’s durable and sturdy. An integrated thermometer allows you to keep track of the temperature, the exhaustion chimney channels smoke away, a removable ashtray makes cleaning easy, and it’s on wheels – so you can easily move it out of the way when not in use.
Charcoal Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven with Fireclay Stone, vidaXL, $299.99
Featuring a similar design and similarly-attractive price point, the vidaXL Pizza Oven can recreate that delicious charcoal-fired taste from your favourite pizzerias. It’s robust and durable with a powder-coated steel construction, and the fire tray is removable for quick and easy cleaning. A built-in thermometer clearly displays the internal cooking temperature, the two wheels make it easy to move around, and the included pizza stone will help you get the perfect crisp on your crust.
BEST PREMIUM OUTDOOR PIZZA OVEN
Fontana Margherita Pizza Oven, Catch, $3,499 (RRP$4,349.90)
If you’re serious about your pizzas, the Fontana Margherita Pizza Oven is a serious investment – but, according to reviewers, it’s definitely worthwhile. It heats up to 400°C in 30 minutes, while consuming five times less wood than a traditional ceramic pizza oven, making it a more efficient choice. The unique cooking chamber ensures uniform heat distribution, and the durable design is made in Italy by skilled artisans using premium quality materials, so it’ll last you years to come.
“This is honestly one of the most satisfying purchases I have ever made … It performs flawlessly,” wrote one of many five-star reviewers. “This product is, hands down, worth every penny. Just a few more notes – there is more than enough room to bake casseroles, desserts and even roast chicken. I am very pleased.”
Masport Woodfire Pizza Oven with Cover, Harvey Norman, $2,499
The Masport Woodfire Pizza Oven can be used not only for cooking pizza, but also for baking breads and roasting meals, all with delicious wood-fired flavour. Two temperature gauges allow you to monitor the interior heat, and a built-in storage area makes it easy to keep logs close by. It has a durable stainless steel construction and powder-coated finish.
BEST PORTABLE OUTDOOR PIZZA OVEN
Ooni Fyra, Amazon Australia, $712.70
Ooni is one of the most popular outdoor pizza oven brands on the market, thanks to their high-quality, modern and portable designs. The Fyra is one of their least expensive models, and is renowned for its ability to run on energy-efficient wood pellets to give your pizza that authentic wood-fired flavour with minimal effort or clean-up. Firing it up takes just 10 minutes, and you can cook each pizza in as little as 60 seconds, so you don’t have to wait to tuck in.
On the brand website, the Fyra has a 4.7-star average rating from over 2,500 reviews, with one buyer leaving a five-star rating and writing, “Best thing I’ve bought in a long time! Pizzas are spot on and only take between 60 – 90 seconds to cook, makes a nice change to BBQs, the whole family love it, if you like pizzas this is a must buy”.
Ooni Karu, Amazon Australia, $950.56
The Karu has multiple fuel options for cooking flexibility – fire it up with wood, charcoal, or even gas if you purchase the separate gas burner. Reaching 500°C in just 15 minutes, it can cook fresh pizzas in as little as 60 seconds. The custom-designed fuel tray maximises airflow and heat without creating excess ash, as a bonus.
It has a 4.9-star average rating from more than 2,800 reviews on the brand website. “Love it,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “Really robust quality build and looks great. That would only take it so far were it not for the fact it cooks so well. As well as the usual pizza offerings I have cooked fish, chicken and steaks.”
Ooni Koda 12”, Dick Smith, $589
Okay, this is the last Ooni pick, we swear – but it’s a good one. The Ooni Koda 12” is the lightest and most compact of the brand’s offerings, weighing just 9.25 kilograms. Right out of the box, all you need to do is flip open the folding legs, insert the stone baking board, connect to a gas tank and in 15 minutes you’re ready to cook – with each` pizza taking just 60 seconds to reach crispy, melty perfection. Being fuel-powered, there’s no need to clean up ash or charcoals, and you can easily control the heat using the dial.
The Koda 12” boasts a 4.7-star average rating from over 2,600 reviews, with one happy customer writing, “Already fell in love with this even after only one use! So compact and no set up. First attempt at pizza and they were delicious!”.
BEST INDOOR PIZZA OVEN
MasterPro Ultimate Pizza Oven, Myer, $109 (RRP$169)
Running low on outdoor space? Head indoors with the MasterPro Ultimate Pizza Oven, which you can score for under $100. It features dual cooking elements and a built-in timer for evenly cooked pizzas every time, and also works well for reheating pastries, pies, and more. The chic design will look good on your benchtop (it comes in black or red) and it takes just five minutes to cook up perfect pizzas.
“The pizza oven does an awesome job at cooking tasty pizzas in minutes. Easy to take on picnics and holidays you just need an available power point to use,” wrote one five-star reviewer.
Breville the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo, The Good Guys, $1,249
Another great countertop option, the Breville Pizzaiolo offers brick oven performance at a fraction of the cost. It replicates the three types of heat generated by a brick oven and the Element iQ system uses clever sensors and temperature control to adjust heating elements to cook each unique pizza to perfection. Preset options like frozen, thick crust, thin & crispy or wood fired allow you to customise the cook with ease.
One of many five-star reviewers raved, “I was set to buy a proper wood fired pizza oven for home but had second thoughts when I saw the time and work involved to get them up to operating temperature, not to mention the cost of firewood, and the clean up. I then started looking for alternatives and found the Breville Pizzaiolo … It is compact, quick to heat up, easy to clean and it makes amazing authentic Neapolitan style pizzas in two minutes … I spent years tinkering with standard ovens and barbecues, pizza stones and steels, but never got close to what this oven can do. You will not be disappointed.”
DOES A PIZZA OVEN MAKE BETTER PIZZA?
If you’re after restaurant-quality pizza at home, a pizza oven is essential. At a pinch, a pizza stone in your regular oven can produce decent results, but a standard oven can’t reach the scorching temperatures of a pizza oven, which are essential for creating the puff, crunch, and oozing cheese stretch of a perfect pizza. Plus, a wood-fired pizza oven allows you to get that authentic wood-fired flavour that your average oven can’t dream to match.
ARE OUTDOOR PIZZA OVENS WORTH IT?
If you find yourself regularly ordering takeaway pizza but find yourself underwhelmed by your homemade attempts, a pizza oven is worth the investment. It’ll help you save on those authentic Italian restaurant prices, plus provide much tastier results than your oven in far less time.
WHAT CAN I COOK IN A PIZZA OVEN BESIDES PIZZA?
Uncertain about spending hundreds (or thousands) on an appliance just for pizza? Worry not – pizza ovens are actually super versatile. They’re perfect for baking delicious homemade bread, as well as baked or grilled fish, slow cooked or flame-grilled meats, roasted vegetables, stews and casseroles, and even hot desserts. You can really be adventurous with your pizza oven – you might as well put your investment to good use!
Looking for more home appliances to make cooking easier? Check out our guides to the best air fryers, best slow cookers, and best bread makers.
Plus, get the best deal on every purchase by visiting news.com.au Coupons, where you’ll find discounts on top brands from Bing Lee to Harvey Norman.
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