Best pizza ovens to buy for summer 2024, tried and tested by experts

A pizza oven is the ultimate piece of kit for hosting this summer, whether you’re planning garden gatherings or camping trips to remember

By Imogen Hope

Published: Wednesday, 12 June 2024 at 08:37 AM

For a long time pizzas were something to be enjoyed out at your favourite Italian restaurant with a large, wood-fired oven churning out multiple pies at a time, and an expert dough slinger wielding a pizza peel with ease.

But advances in technology in recent years now mean that whether it’s for special occasions, hosting pizza parties or just making the most of a summer evening, you can enjoy a delicious pizza in your own home.

Pizza ovens now have the heating and insulation technology to be able to achieve temperatures exceeding 450C which is how you get perfectly melted toppings and a mottled, slightly charred crust. These temperatures can’t be reached by normal domestic ovens.

You don’t necessarily need a large garden either. Many pizza ovens are compact so are perfect for balconies or smaller courtyard gardens, while others are electric models that can be used indoors. Read on for the best pizza ovens to enjoy this summer, tried and tested by our experts.

Looking for more pizza inspiration? Check out our guide to Gozney vs Ooni and check out our best pizza recipes.

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Best pizza ovens at a glance

Best pizza ovens to buy in 2024

Gozney Dome S1
Gozney Dome S1

Best blowout pizza oven

Star rating: 5/5

The updated model of the iconic Gozney Dome, the S1 is a more streamlined, gas-fuelled version of the original with a slightly lower price point. At just under £1,300 though this is certainly still an investment and would be perfect if you’re planning on dedicating an area of your garden to outdoor cooking and dining to be enjoyed all summer long, and potentially all year round.

The look of this model is sleek and up-market with a contrast of cream and black, a dial to control the flame and digital screen which automatically tells you the internal temperature. Flames come from one side of the oven which easily reached 450C. This means you definitely need to keep an eye on your pizza, turning it regularly to ensure even cooking, and we found that we could only cook one at a time. The final result was a delicious pizza with a nicely mottled crust.

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Witt Etna Rotante

Witt Etna Rotante

Best rotating pizza oven

Star rating: 5/5

This large pizza oven is one of the easiest we’ve ever had to use, thanks in large part to the rotating pizza stone which ensures even cooking and means you don’t have to worry about manually spinning your pizza. The sleek design features four legs which fold out from the base of the unit and is available in four eye-catching colours.

On test the gas-powered oven came to temperature in 15 minutes, and while the oven would have benefitted from a temperature gauge, we were able to find out the temperature ourselves by using an infrared temperature thermometer.  Our pizza cooked in just two minutes and boasted a risen crust and oozing toppings. If you’re looking to invest in a fail-safe pizza oven without the maximum price tag, this model could be a brilliant option.

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Morsø Forno Spin

Morsø Forno Spin

Best gas pizza oven

Star rating: 5/5

This is the second model in our list to feature a rotating pizza stone which works effectively to ensure even cooking. Once you’ve loaded your pizza simply flip the switch to begin the spinning motion, although it’s worth noting that this electrical element means you’ll need the pizza oven to be close to a power source as well as your gas bottle.

As we’d expect from Danish stove brand Morsø, the design is pared-back and elegant with a manual temperature gauge and two buttons to control the flame and stone rotation. Our 12-inch pizza was ready after two and a half minutes of cooking, with gooey toppings and an evenly cooked crust.

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Gozney Arc

Gozney Arc

Best value pizza oven

Star rating: 4.5/5

From Gozney, this pizza oven boasts all the features and design aesthetics of its hero oven the Dome, but at about half the price. The Arc and the Dome both only fit a single pizza at a time, despite the Dome being larger. So if you’re more limited on space or budget but still want to invest in a premium brand, the Arc model could be a brilliant option.

We cured the pizza oven for the recommended 30 minutes and as it was a cold, windy day when we were testing, the oven took longer than expected to come up to temperature. Once it reached the desired 450C, our pizzas cooked in an impressive 90 seconds, and although there’s a knack to the regular spinning which is needed to achieve an even cook our pizzas had a nice base with well cooked toppings.

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Ooni Karu 16

Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven

Best multi-fuel pizza oven

Star rating: 4.5/5

With impressive versatility, this model can be fuelled by wood, charcoal or gas (although you will need to purchase a gas burner separately). This means you choose between the ease of gas fuel or opt for the more hands-on wood or charcoal methods which impart a classic smoky flavour.

Although compact, the model has a large enough interior to accommodate a 16-inch pizza. It’s easy to assemble and operate, with a digital thermometer to indicate the internal temperature and glass door which allows you to check the progress of your pizza without opening the oven. Our pizzas were delicious and they were ready in under a minute.

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Ooni Koda 16

Ooni Koda 16

Best compact pizza oven

Star rating: 4.5/5

With the look distinctive to pizza oven giant Ooni, this gas-fuelled oven is sleek with folding legs that make it portable so you can take it camping or to the beach. That being said, at 18kg it’s fairly weighty which is worth bearing in mind.

The oven uses an L-shaped flame along the walls of the oven which is effective, but you need to make sure you keep an eye on your pizza and we found they cook very quickly.

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Lakeland gas pizza oven

Lakeland gas pizza oven

Best affordable pizza oven

Star rating: 4.5/5

If you’re limited on outdoor space, or want a pizza oven that’s easy to transport around, this lightweight model from Lakeland could fit the bill. It’s easy to assemble with legs that fold out from the base and connect easily to a gas canister. The most difficult aspect of setting up the oven was attaching the regulator to the gas hose ourselves, which seemed like a misstep as it places a lot of onus onto the user to make sure the connection is safe.

Although it doesn’t have a temperature gauge, the oven heated up quickly and we were able to use an infrared thermometer to effectively check the temperature. We had no issue launching our 12-inch pizza into the oven, and our pizza cooked in just under three minutes with a leopard-spotted base.

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Sage the Smart Pizzaiolo

Sage the Smart Pizzaiolo

Best indoor pizza oven

Star rating: 4.5/5

An outdoor pizza oven isn’t the right fit for everyone, and whether you’re limited on garden space or want to be able to cook pizzas in all weathers, an indoor bench-top oven could be a good fit for you. This model from Sage has a sleek, metallic finish and has a footprint approximately the same as a large microwave.

There are seven different settings to choose from which include New York, deep dish and frozen, plus a manual mode that allows you to customise cooking temperature and timing. On test we used the wood-fired pre-setting which cooked our pizza in two minutes and had a crisp crust and melted, oozing cheese.

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Solo Stove Pi Primi pizza oven

best pizza ovens

Best pizza oven for versatility

Star rating: 4.5/5

With a roomy opening and large interior, this robust pizza oven can be used not only for cooking pizzas but for a tray of vegetables, fish or even a spatchcocked chicken. Assembly was a bit tricky and we had to put together the gas hose and regulator ourselves which was fiddly and left room for user error.

Once assembled, we cured the oven for 30 minutes at 450C and were impressed that the outside of the oven remained cool to touch. We also liked that a pizza peel is included with the oven, which is a crucial piece of kit for launching and removing your pizza (but many brands require you to buy them separately). Our pizzas cooked in just 90 seconds and were delicious with oozing toppings.

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Gozney Roccbox

Gozney Roccbox pizza oven

Best portable pizza oven

Star rating: 4/5

This is the only portable model from industry giant Gozney and has the attractive look and high quality design that we have come to expect from the brand. It has a dual-fuel capacity and can be used with wood or gas which gives a level of versatility.

Even for beginners, we think this pizza oven would be easy enough to use. The entrance is large enough to easily launch your pizza and we found they cooked really quickly in the high temperature. Each time our pizzas were ready in two minutes and were cooked to perfection with a beautiful crust.

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What to look for in a pizza oven

There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing a pizza oven:

Budget: These appliances can vary wildly in cost, with models in our selection ranging from £339 to £1399. With £1000 difference from our cheapest to most expensive model, having an idea on budget before you buy is key.

Location: Are you looking for a permanent installation in your garden to use alongside your barbecue? Or are you hoping to add a gourmet element to your adventures and make pizzas on the go? Some ovens are portable while others are too heavy to carry, so this is important to think through.

Size: consider the space you want to dedicate to your pizza oven. If you’re keeping it in your garden, consider the power sources you’ll need and check dimensions before you buy. If you want an indoor model, ensure you have enough safe counter space, plus space to store it when not in use.

Cooking preference: pizza ovens vary between gas, wood or charcoal power. Consider if you have a preference on what you like to use, what you feel safest with and what style of pizza you like the most.

Versatility: do you want to use your oven for more than just pizza? Some have space to cook veg, fish or chicken, or even a couple of pizzas at once, while others have space for just one pizza at a time.

Is a wood or gas pizza oven better?

When choosing which fuel type to opt for in your pizza oven there are a couple of factors which might give you a good steer. Ultimately it’s worth bearing in mind that no fuel type is necessarily better than the other, its just dependent on how you’re planning on using your pizza oven and what you want from it.

Gas ovens are quick to heat and provide a reliable and even heat source. If you’re planning on hosting pizza parties and cooking for a crowd this could be a good option as it’ll let you maintain a high heat for cooking lots of pizzas in a short amount of time.

Wood or charcoal is a slower heating process and is great if you like to be hands-on. It also provides a smoky flavour that you might associate with pizzerias.

How we test pizza ovens

Our team of reviews experts test pizza ovens outside (and in all weathers) to see how they perform. We test for a number of criteria including versatility, ease of use, sustainability and safety.

After following the instructions to set up a new pizza oven we always test it with a number of pizzas, focusing around a classic margarita. We look for how well the toppings are cooked, how long the pizza takes to cook and whether you need to turn it while cooking.

We also keep and eye out for that tell-tale mottled crust which is the hallmark of a good pizza oven and comes from the base of the pizza having contact with the hot pizza stone.

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