One of the advantages of being the U.S. Editor-in-chief for Tom's Guide is that I get to test some pretty cool stuff, like some of the best pizza ovens. My family and my neighbors all look forward to me baking a number of pies to see how well these ovens perform. But, pizza ovens aren't cheap, which is why it's worth waiting for a deal like this one.
Currently, you can get the Solo Stove Pi Prime for $279 on Amazon, a savings of $70 off its regular price. This is the lowest price we've seen for an outdoor oven that's both easy to use and makes great pizzas.
In my Solo Stove Pi Prime review, I really liked how easy it was to set up and control the oven. Since it runs off propane, all you need to do is hook up a tank. A knob on the front is used to both light the oven and control the temperature, and because the oven has an open mouth, it's really easy to see the level of the flames.
As with all pizza ovens I've tested, the Pi Prime needs a good 20 minutes to really heat up its corderite base, but after that, it can make pizzas in as little as 2 minutes. You really have to pay attention, as it'll burn your pie easily.
The Pi Prime can fit pizzas up to 12 inches in size, which isn't as large as some other pizza ovens, but is otherwise fairly standard.
Other equipment you might need
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 don't necessarily need one of these to measure the internal temperature of the oven, but it helps to know when the pizza stone is ready to go. 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 $549 at Amazon — $50 off its regular price.
