See that photo above? That's me, testing out one of the best pizza ovens. As the U.S. editor-in-chief for Tom's Guide, I spend way too much time looking at spreadsheets and dealing with the minutiae of running one of the biggest tech sites around. But, I do get to do some pretty cool stuff, like reviewing pizza ovens.
Typically, I'll make at least a dozen pizzas in an oven to see how quick it is to get ready, how fast it returns to temperature, and how well it bakes a pie. But many of the best pizza ovens cost a lot of dough, so if you're in the market, the week after Cyber Monday is still a good time to pick one up at a discount.
For instance, the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven is now $299 from $399 — that's a $100 saving.
But if that deal is too rich for your blood — much like an extra helping of that pepperoni-and-sausage slice — here are some other great deals on pizza ovens to whet your appetite.
Quick links
- Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven: was $349 now $244 @ Amazon
- Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven: $299 @ Amazon
- Solo Pi Prime: $299 @ Solo Stove
- Ooni Koda 16: $479 @ Best Buy
- Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo: $799 @ Amazon
Cyber Week pizza oven deals
What to look for when buying a pizza oven
If you're new to the world of outdoor pizza ovens, there are a few things you need to consider before buying one.
Fuel source
This is how the oven heats up. There are four main types of fuel used with most pizza ovens: Wood, wood pellets, propane, and electricity.
Of these, propane and electricity are the easiest to use — just plug in the oven to an outlet or hook it up to a gas tank, and you're ready to go. Wood pellets are probably the next easiest. Once they get started, they burn at a consistent temperature; you just have to remember to keep feeding them into your oven. Last, some pizza ovens can burn chunks of wood; this can add a nice flavor to your pizzas, but it's the hardest to maintain, as you have to keep an eye on the wood to make sure it's burning at a consistent temperature.
Oven size
The majority of pizza ovens will come in one of two sizes: 12 or 16 inches. Not surprisingly, the larger the oven, the more it will cost, but the more you'll be able to feed people in one go. (A pizza oven will require a few minutes between each pie so that the pizza stone can get back up to temperature).
Other equipment
In order to complete your pizza-making setup, you'll need some extra gear. Here are four items that I think are essential to making great pizza at home.
- Pizza peel: To get the pies in and out of the oven; this New Star Foodservice Restaurant-Grade Wooden Pizza Peel currently costs $24 at Amazon.
- Digital scale: Making good pizza dough requires precise measurements. The OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display is $55 at Amazon and worth every penny.
- Laser thermometer: You'll need one of these to measure the internal temperature of the oven. The Etekcity Infrared Thermometer can record temps up to 1,130 degrees F and costs $19 at Amazon.
- Stand mixer: If you're making your own dough, you'll need a quality mixer. I own the KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, which is great for big batches of dough, and it's on sale for $499 at Amazon.
