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The best pizza ovens let you make delicious pies in minutes, right from the comfort of your backyard. Just like you'll find in a pizzeria, these ovens can reach temperatures of over 900 degrees Fahrenheit, so you get crispy crusts with chewy insides, and nice, bubbling cheese and tomato sauce in less time than it takes to order takeout.
After testing more than a dozen ovens over several years — and eating way too much pizza — I think the best model overall is the Ooni Karu 16. This gas-only oven is easy to set up and, thanks to a unique L-shaped burner, can cook pizzas more evenly and with less fuss, which is handy for those less experienced. If you're looking for something less expensive, the Solo Stove Pi Prime is the outdoor pizza oven to get. It's smaller and less suited to hosting, but it costs less than $350.
Interested in tossing some dough at an outdoor pizza oven? Let’s slice and dice through the best models that we've tested.
The best pizza oven
Of all the outdoor pizza ovens we tested, we think the Ooni Koda 16 is the best overall. We loved its ease of setup, relatively lightweight construction, no-fuss functionality and large cooking space, which features a powerful L-shaped flame. While it's propane-only, it’s the most versatile, family-friendly model for cooks who might want to experiment with different pie sizes, as well as cooking other non-pizza items in the oven.
Because of the L-shaped heat source, pizzas cooked near the back left corner of the oven took only a couple of minutes to come out perfectly charred and bubbly. And unlike other ovens with a singular flame or radiant heat, you really only need a turn or two of a pie to get an evenly cooked crust. A control knob on the side of the oven made it easy for us to adjust the Koda 16's temperature, so we could go from Neapolitan to New York in no time. About the only thing missing was a built-in thermometer, like you can find on some newer ovens, like the Gozney Arc.
The Koda 16 is the larger of Ooni's two propane-powered Koda models — with a 16-inch cooking area vs. the Koda 12’s 12-inch cooking area — so you may want to opt for the smaller one if you have a more limited budget, or a smaller appetite. The Koda 16 has been our top pick for a number of years now, but if you're in the market for an even larger model, take a look at the newer Ooni Koda 2 Max, which features a digital thermometer display and space to cook two pizzas at once.
Read our full Ooni Koda 16 review.
Best budget pizza oven
If you're new to making your own pizzas, you want an oven that's easy to use and doesn't cost too much; that's why we think the Solo Stove Pi Prime is the best pizza oven for beginners. At $349, it's one of the cheaper ovens around, and it's incredibly simple to set up and operate. Simply place the stone inside the oven and connect a propane tank, and you're ready to go.
We liked that its gas control knob was on the front, so you could adjust the flame without fuss. It gets really hot — we found it could bake a pizza in as little as 90 seconds — yet you can dial the temperature down enough to sear steaks so that they're perfectly charred on the outside, with a nice medium rare finish on the inside. There's not a lot of insulation around the exterior of this stainless steel oven, so you need to be a little cautious if you have little ones around.
While more advanced pizzaiolos may prefer the versatility of ovens that can use wood and charcoal, such as the Ooni Koda, those just starting on their journey will appreciate the Pi Prime's simplicity, as we did.
Read our full Solo Stove Pi Prime review.
Best compact pizza oven
Looking for a compact pizza oven that will slot onto any balcony? We found the Gozney Arc Lite’s size isn’t just for the spec sheet, it’s a real-world advantage. Our reviewer lifted the oven out of storage by the built-in handles and set it straight onto a patio table without breaking a sweat or clearing much space. It’s as at home on a tiny balcony as it is on a campsite picnic table, making impromptu pizza nights actually feel impromptu.
Despite its light build, the Arc Lite doesn’t skimp on performance. In our testing, the oven’s stone hit 420°F in just 15 minutes, and it can reach a scorching 930°F for Neapolitan-style bakes. That means you won’t be waiting ages to get your first pie in, and you can still achieve the crispy-bottom, airy-crust results you’d expect from a much bulkier oven.
Compared to the Ooni Koda 16, the Arc Lite is notably more portable—significantly lighter and smaller—though you do give up the Koda’s larger cooking surface and slightly hotter maximum temp. Meanwhile, pricier options like the Gozney Dome offer more room inside, but you’ll pay for those perks. The Arc Lite sticks to propane only, but that’s what keeps it so light and straightforward.
There are a couple of trade-offs to keep in mind: the Arc Lite fits a 12-inch pizza (no XL party pies here), and there’s no built-in temperature display, so keep an infrared thermometer handy. But if you want restaurant-level pizza without wrestling a heavy oven into your trunk, this is the model we’d recommend. It’s the best blend of true portability, quick setup, and solid results for cooks on the move.
Read our full Gozney Arc Lite review
Best electric oven
Looking for a pizza oven that's easy as pie to use? The Ninja Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven preheats to a legit 700°F in about 18 to 20 minutes, so you’re not left waiting around for the oven gods to smile before dinner. That’s serious heat for an electric pizza oven, and for the price, it's hard to fault the range of options on offer.
Once hot, it’s practically set-it-and-forget-it. The Thin Crust setting turned out crispy, golden pies in under three minutes during our testing, with little fuss required. We found the whole process refreshingly hands-off: just pick your crust style, slide in your dough, and watch through the view window as the magic happens — no rotating, no mid-bake fire-tending. Just be warned that the little viewing window will quickly need cleaning as it got quite sooty during our prolonged testing.
Skipping the propane tank, this outdoor electric oven is a savvy choice for those working with a small space, making it ideal for apartment dwellers or anyone who wants predictable results, pizza night after pizza night.
It’s not just a pizza specialist either. The roomy 12-by-12-inch interior fits a stone or tray, letting you roast chicken or bake sourdough alongside your pies. That said, you won’t get the smoky wood-fired flavor—and cleanup can be a pain if cheese or toppings hit the stone, so be ready for a bit of scrubbing between rounds.
Read our full Ninja Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven review
Best for entertaining
This is the best pizza oven for when you've got to feed a crowd. With its massive 24-inch cooking area, the Koda 2 Max can bake pies as large as you get from your local pizzeria.
But, what we liked even better about this oven is that it has two separate cooking zones, so you're not stuck making mega-size pizzas. Instead, you can cook two pizzas, or a pizza and a steak, or steak and vegetables — whatever combo you want — side by side, at different temperatures.
That's what we did in our review, making everything from meat to veggies to even stuffed shells inside the Koda 2 Max. And they all came out great.
There are a few downsides to such a large oven, though. For one, it's huge, so you're going to need a lot of space outside. And, at 95 pounds, you're going to need some help moving it around. Once we set it up in our backyard, we didn't want to move it again.
Lastly, the Koda 2 Max costs $1,195, making it the most expensive of Ooni's pizza ovens. And, if you're going to make 24-inch pizzas on this thing, you're likely going to need to get a new pizza peel — yet another expense. That's a lot of dough to shell out.
Read our full Ooni Koda 2 Max review.
Best premium pizza oven
The Gozney Dome is the much larger, much more versatile, and much more expensive brother to the company's Roccbox. Weighing in at 128 pounds and retailing for $1,499 ($1,799 for the dual-fuel option), this pizza oven can't be moved easily, but it can cook with both wood and propane, and its large opening means you can cook more than just pizzas in this oven.
Despite its size, we liked the look of the Gozney Dome — it's one of the best-designed pizza ovens there are— as well as the fact that it could get up to scorching hot temperatures and stay there for as long as we were slinging pies. And, the pizzas it made were impressive: great charring all around, and just two minutes from start to finish.
If you like the look of the Gozney Dome, but can't swing the dough, the Gozney Arc is about a third of the price (and half the weight), yet turns out pizzas just as nice. The main compromise is that the Arc is a propane-only oven, whereas the Dome can also use wood as a fuel source.
Read our full Gozney Dome review.
Also tested
Outdoor pizza ovens compared
Here's a quick rundown of all of the pizza ovens in this guide; keep in mind that the prices of each may vary.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | MSRP | Fuel source | Max pizza size |
Ooni Karu 16 | $799 | Wood, pellets, propane (w/adapter | 16 inches |
Ooni Fyra | $349 | Wood pellets | 12 inches |
Ooni Volt 2 | $698 | Electric | 12 inches |
Solo Stove Pi Prime | $349 | Propane | 12 inches |
Ooni Koda 16 | $599 | Propane | 16 inches |
Ninja Artisan | $299 | Electric | 12 inches |
Gozney Roccbox | $499 | Propane | 12 inches |
Bakerstone Portable Gas oven | $319 | Propane | 14 inches |
Gozney Arc Lite | $399 | Propane | 12 inches |
Gozney Tread | $499 | Propane | 12 inches |
Gozney Dome | $1,999 | Propane, natural gas, wood | 16 inches |
Alfa Nano | $1,399 | Propane, natural gas | 14 inches |
How we test the best pizza ovens
To test each oven, we followed its manual for instructions on assembly, setup, ignition, cooking, and cool-down. In order to get the most authentic experience, we also only used the peels, tools, etc. that came with that particular oven. We also wanted to see how each oven would perform with a variety of types of dough.
For each oven, we made several pies, using at least one of each of the following pizza doughs: homemade, store-bought refrigerated (Trader Joe’s), store-bought frozen (Wegman’s), and dough purchased from a local pizzeria that specializes in thin-crust pies.
But to also keep things simple (and fair), we tested each oven with Margherita pizzas topped only with tomato sauce and hand-torn mozzarella, with a little basil and olive oil drizzled on after cooking. Of course, we made lots more pies in each oven, because hey, pizza, right?
On some ovens that could accommodate cast-iron pans and skillets, we also tried searing steaks and roasting vegetables and fish, to see how other types of food fared under the flames.
In addition to its cooking performance, we also evaluated each oven on its ease of setup, how hot the oven got (both on the inside and outside), and how easy it was to control the temperature. For wood or wood pellet models, we also looked at the ease with which we could add fuel.
What to look for in a pizza oven
Fuel source
Outside of price, the biggest factor to consider when buying a pizza oven is the fuel source. Ovens can be heated by either propane, charcoal, or wood pellets (there are also electric options for indoor models). Before choosing an outdoor pizza oven, decide which heat source is right for you. In our tests, the propane ovens were easier to control, but pizza ovens that used either wood, wood pellets, or charcoal gave the pies a smoky flavor reminiscent of good grills. Plus, it's easier to carry a bag of charcoal or wood pellets than it is a tank of propane, especially if you're planning to bring your pizza oven to a camping trip or tailgate.
The ovens’ ceramic pizza stones, when heated, can hold very high temperatures, giving your pie a nice char on the bottom. The main differentiator in our tests was the heat source and how it affected the cooking on top of the pie; without a high temperature, you won’t get the dotted char known in the industry as “leoparding” (because it looks like a leopard, get it?). We found that the gas ovens with an exposed flame — the Ooni Koda 16 and the Gozney Roccbox — were best for getting a nice char.
Oven size
You’ll also want to think about the size of the oven itself. The majority of outdoor pizza ovens can make pies that are about 12 inches in diameter, but some can make larger, 16-inch pizzas, which may be the better option if you’re looking to feed a crowd. Some have a taller interior, which makes them better suited for baking other types of food, such as bread.
Lastly, one thing to consider before you buy an outdoor pizza oven is whether you have the proper space for it. These ovens should be set up at a standalone table at least a couple of feet away from any other structure, and most recommend not setting them up underneath another enclosure (an upstairs deck, for instance). Make sure you follow our steps on how to use a pizza oven safely.
Pro tips for pizza making
Every oven is slightly different; we highly recommend thoroughly reading through the setup manual to ensure proper safety precautions and usage. Every propane-fueled oven we tested recommended doing a soapy water test to make sure there were no leaks, and a few stressed the importance of running the oven for up to 30 minutes on its first use to burn off any impurities. Give yourself time to get acquainted with the oven — and keep in mind that chances are you won’t be a master pizzaiolo immediately. With pizza, as with many things in life, practice makes perfect.
Each time you use the pizza oven, you’ll want to start it at least 15 minutes before throwing a pie into the oven; you need to give the pizza stone at the bottom of the oven time to heat up, so you get that nice char on the bottom. And, you’ll want to let it “recharge” between each pizza, too.
Another note on becoming a pizzaiolo. Even if you’re not an expert at making pizza dough — we certainly weren’t! — you’re better off trying your hand at making homemade dough or buying dough from a local pizzeria that specializes in thin-crust pies than buying store-bought refrigerated or frozen dough. In our tests, both store-bought doughs we tested (Trader Joe’s for refrigerated, Wegman’s for frozen) were difficult to roll out to a desired thinness, and had a tendency to burn on the outside while not getting fully cooked inside. If you do use store-bought dough in one of these ovens, a good rule of thumb is to use a floured rolling pin to try to get it as thin as possible before cooking. (But really, avoid it if you can.)
One pizza-making book we like is Mastering Pizza by Marc Vetri ($17.59, Amazon). It has recipes for a number of different style pies, from Neapolitan to focaccia and more, and they're all very easy to follow.
If you're a fan of take out instead, check out how to reheat pizza properly.
Other tools you'll need to make pizza
Pizza Peel
A pizza peel are those long, flat wooden shovels you see that are designed to glide the pizza in and out of the oven (others are sold separately). Don’t try to make pizza without one. We’d recommend sticking with the peel that comes with your oven, as they’re sized correctly for the cooking area.
If you want to get more gear, then you can also pick up a "turning" peel. These are smaller than a traditional peel, and are usually made of a flat, circular piece of metal. Typically, they're a smaller diameter than the pizza itself, so that you can easily rotate the pizza while it's still in the oven. It takes some practice to use it properly.
Whether you’re working with a stainless steel or wooden peel, we found that flouring the surface (semolina flour works best, especially for hotter ovens) and building the pizza right on the peel, then sliding it into the oven, led to the best results. You’ll also have to use a peel to pull out your pizza and turn it while it’s cooking, because you want a nice, even char. So get comfortable with your peel — it’s your pizza’s BFF!
Infrared Thermometer
Another thing that might be worth investing in is an infrared or laser thermometer to measure the temperature of your stone (Ooni makes a good one); you’ll want one that can measure temperatures up to 1,000 degrees F if you plan on making Neapolitan-style pies.
Pizza Cutter
You’ll also want a few wooden peels or boards for cutting/serving, and a good pizza cutter. Many of these companies sell quality accessories that will make living your best #pizzalife that much easier. I've used a number of pizza cutters, and none has felt more solid than this model from Gozney.
Kitchen scale
If you're planning to make your own dough, you'll need a kitchen scale to properly weigh out the ingredients. Measuring cups aren't as accurate, which could throw off the proportions.
Mixer
Yes, you can knead dough by hand, but one of the best stand mixers makes the job go a lot easier. If you plan on making large batches of dough, just be sure to get a mixer whose motor is powerful enough to stand up to all that mixing.
