The 8 Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens for Making Beautiful, Wood-Fired Pies Without Leaving Your Backyard

Serious Eats has a long history with pizza. We’ve tested a $7,000 pizza oven. We’ve reviewed indoor ovens. We’ve even put together a guide to help you make the best pizza in a pizza oven. This is all to say: There’s no site more qualified to find the best outdoor pizza ovens.

While a home oven typically maxes out at around 500 to 550°F, outdoor pizza ovens can reach temperatures as high as 1000°F. This makes them excellent for baking up crispy, leopard-spotted Neapolitan pies with airy crusts. Dozens of manufacturers have taken advantage of this to sell ovens that promise to let you make true Neapolitan-style pizza from the comfort of your backyard, without needing to build a full-blown stone oven.

To find the best outdoor pizza ovens, we tested 25 of them—models powered by propane, wood, and even pellets—and made loads of pies.

The Tests

• Assembly and Pre-Burn Test: We timed how long it took to assemble each pizza oven, evaluating how easy it was to do so. Then, we followed the manufacturer’s pre-burn instructions. If not included, we left the ovens on for 30 minutes at their highest temperature.
• Heat Test: We turned the ovens to high, then let them run for 20 minutes. We used an infrared thermometer to take the temperature of the oven’s stone at multiple points to see how fast it heated up.  
• Pizza Test: We made ‘nduja pizza with each oven, using dough designed for an outdoor pizza oven. We timed how long it took to bake the pizza and used an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the stone in between pies.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: Throughout testing, we evaluated how easy the outdoor pizza ovens were to use (including adding fuel and adjusting the temperature). After testing, we cleaned each oven per the manufacturer’s instructions.

What We Learned

The Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens Got Very, Very Hot

After 14 minutes, the Gozney Roccbox was at nearly 750°F. However, at the 30-minute mark, the temperature was 898ºF. The Ooni Koda 16 was at 906ºF at 20 minutes, and 924ºF at about 30 minutes. This is all to say, play around with pre-heating times and invest in an infrared thermometer to make sure your pizza oven is where you want it to be. 

We will note that while a hot pizza oven is essential for getting that crispy crust and dough spring on a Neapolitan pie, there is such a thing as "too hot." The more compact pizza ovens we tested, like the Ooni Koda 12, left less room between the flame and the top of the pizza, which resulted in scorched toppings. To mitigate this, we recommend investing in a turning peel (this is smaller than a throwing peel), which you can use to shield the toppings while cooking. And if you're getting creative and cooking other foods in your pizza oven like a Detroit pie or roast vegetables, play with the temperature so you get perfectly cooked, unburnt results.

A Good Pizza Oven Shouldn’t Need Much Recovery Time

None of our favorite pizza ovens struggled to recover between pies. The Ooni Koda 2 Max, while large, still produced crispy, leopard-spotted crusts even after we'd slung two pies. However, if you’re concerned about this and plan on slinging back-to-back (to back-to-back…) pizzas, you could invest in the Ooni Karu 16 Pro or Karu 2, which have doors that lock in heat efficiently.

Outdoor Pizza Oven Fuel Type: Which Should You Get?

We tested pizza ovens that utilized four types of fuel. All of the fuels worked, but each had its pros and cons. Here’s a quick breakdown: 

• Gas/propane: Much like gas grills, this is the easiest fuel type to work with. It involves attaching the oven’s regulator to the propane tank, lighting the oven, and adjusting the temperature dial. However, gas ovens can be prone to hot spots and, of course, won’t ever have that wood-fired flavor.
• Wood: These ovens rely on small pieces of kindling inserted into a back chamber as their fuel source. You could chop your own wood or buy pre-cut pieces. As the wood burns, it imparts a specific flavor to the pies. However, you will have to tend to the wood and add more fuel as needed. With wood-fired ovens, you’ll need to manually open and close the baffle, which is a piece on the chimney that controls airflow and allows you to have hotter, faster, or longer, slower cooks. Thus, operating a wood-fired oven requires more trial and error.
• Charcoal: This is very similar to wood, but obviously uses charcoal in place of kindling. It produces more ash, but like wood-fired ovens, it can impart a distinct flavor to pies.
• Wood pellets: We only tested a few models compatible with wood pellets, including the electric Ninja Woodfire. It reached comparatively lower temperatures but was consistent, went through fuel fairly slowly, and imparted a mildly smoky flavor. True pizza people will be better off with the high heat of gas, wood, or charcoal, though.

Is a Grill Conversion Pizza Oven Worth It? 

Our favorite pizza ovens perform better than in-grill conversion kits and get far hotter. We’d only recommend these kits to folks who plan to make pizza occasionally and would rather not use up their outdoor space for an extra oven. If that’s you, the best grill conversion model we tried was from KettlePizza.

What Size Outdoor Pizza Oven Is Best?

The pizza ovens we tested ranged in size: There were petite 12-inch offerings, and then there was the Ooni Koda 2 Max with 24 inches of cooking space. Most folks would be happy with a pizza oven in the middle, one that can accommodate 14- to 16-inch pies. This provides enough room to cook a pizza without feeling cramped.

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Outdoor Pizza Oven

The best outdoor pizza ovens get very hot relatively quickly. (While you should expect some preheating time, you shouldn’t have to wait 40-plus minutes.) They exhibit minimal hot spots and have simple-to-attach regulators or easy-to-access fuel chambers. They also have wide openings that allow you to add, turn, and remove pies without fuss. As far as fuel type, that’s up to you. We have recommendations for all of them and will note which of our favorites are compatible with multiple fuel options.

The Top Outdoor Pizza Ovens

What we liked: With a large, 18-inch opening that easily allows you to add, turn, and retrieve pies, this is an excellent gas-powered pizza oven. It heated up quickly, with the fastest pie cooking in one minute, 37 seconds. Its dual tapered flames gently arc around the sides and top of the oven, making the kind of fire-kissed pies we were after. We liked its sturdy foldable legs, non-slip feet, and the fact that it came nearly fully assembled. Its digital screen is helpful for keeping track of the oven’s internal temperature, and the tempered glass visor traps heat. The brand’s new, blue color is pretty, too. We also like the first generation, Koda 16, which is cheaper. A company representative told us that this older Ooni isn’t going anywhere either.

What we didn’t like: If you’re an outdoor pizza oven newbie, the dual flames deliver a lot of heat, so be sure to turn the pizza often. It’s pricey.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas
• BTUs: 33,000
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 18 inches
• Weight: 66 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 26.85 x 25.67 x 15.47 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This is an incredible oven with simple, reliable operation, whether you're using gas, wood, or charcoal to heat it. It consistently hits wood-fired-oven temperatures and maintains them for as long as you are cooking, with no fussing or babysitting, which means you can spend more time enjoying pizza with your friends and family and less time coddling a temperamental flame. With a rubber exterior and stainless-steel-and-stone box, it's attractive, solidly built, weatherproof, and portable. It comes fully assembled.

What we didn’t like: It comes with a gas attachment, but the wood/charcoal burner must be purchased separately. 

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas, wood, or charcoal 
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 12 inches
• Weight: 44 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 20.91 x 16.29 x 18.62 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: We loved that we could make two 12-inch pizzas at once with the 24 inches of cooking space in this oven. It heats up quickly, too, considering how large it is. All the pizzas we made in it turned out beautiful: The Neapolitan pies were airy and crisp, and we even tried a Detroit pizza with it that came out perfectly risen with caramelized edges where the cheese meets the pan. It’s also compatible with the Ooni app, which connected easily and allowed us to monitor the oven’s temperature while we, say, hung out on our back deck sipping a margarita. 

What we didn't like: It's big and it sure is pricey! If you don't have a lot of outdoor space or make pizza infrequently, this oven might be overkill.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 1 20-inch pie; 2 12-inch pies; 3 10-inch pies
• Weight: 95 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 31.5 x 29.1 x 16.8 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This Ooni oven has nearly every feature imaginable, including a digital temperature display, a glass door, and multi-fuel capabilities. It’s the second generation of the Karu Pro, which is the one Serious Eats contributor (and bona fide pizza expert) Andrew Janjigian uses at home. As we quoted him here, “I’m using the Karu now, and I love a few things about it: 1) the door, which makes it heat up more quickly and efficiently, 2) the thermometer, which makes heating easier to manage, 3) the fact you can use either gas or wood/charcoal, and 4) the roominess, which lets you make large-sized (12- to 14-inch) pies without risk of them burning too easily.” In our tests, it churned out impressive pies in less than two minutes, and its wide mouth could handle pizzas that were up to 16 inches.

What we didn’t like: Undoubtedly, this oven is wicked expensive—even more if you consider that the gas burner is sold separately and costs about $100. For the price, we wish it were thrown in. The ignitor is at the back of the oven, which is less of an intuitive placement than on the side.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas, wood, or charcoal 
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 16 inches
• Weight: 62.6 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 31.9 x 19.7 x 32.7 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This propane-only pizza oven has a digital temperature gauge and a large flame that arcs up the walls and top of the oven, allowing us to make perfectly cooked pizza after perfectly cooked pizza with airy, bubbling crusts. It’s gorgeous, too, and the oven we tested featured a matte, cream-colored exterior. We also like the Gozney Arc, which fits 14-inch pies in comparison to the Arc XL’s 16-inch capacity.

What we didn’t like: We didn’t dislike much, though this oven is one of the priciest, single-fuel options we recommend.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 16 inches
• Weight: 58.5 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 20.9 x 24.8 x 13.5 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This is one of the least expensive outdoor pizza ovens we favored, and it’s compatible with wood, charcoal, or gas—the latter with a compatible burner. Its smaller size meant it heated up faster, and pizza cooked in about one minute, 30 seconds. It has a door to lock in heat, too. At 34 pounds, it’s one of the lightest of our favorite ovens.

What we didn’t like: There’s about a six-inch gap at the back oven that you could push a pizza into, so be mindful when turning pies.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas, wood, or charcoal
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 12 inches
• Weight: 33.6 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 24.4 x 15.5 x 11.7 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This is pretty much identical to the Koda 16, but can only accommodate smaller, 12-inch pies. However, its compact size meant it heated up even faster (15 minutes!), and it consistently cooked pizzas in about a minute. It also weighs 19 pounds less, so it’s easier to move.

What we didn’t like: Its smaller opening means more care will need to be taken when adding, turning, and retrieving pizzas. Its controls/ignitor are located at the back of the oven.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Gas
• Temperature range: Up to 950ºF
• Pizza diameter: 12 inches
• Weight: 20.4 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 24.4 x 15.5 x 11.7 inches
• Compatible cover: See here

What we liked: This is not the oven to get if you want ripping-hot temperatures and true Neapolitan-style pies. However, its lower, steady heat made it much harder to burn pies (potentially good for beginners), and the oven imparted a lovely, lightly smoky flavor. Its digital control panel was clearly labeled, and the dials made it easy to adjust the oven’s temperature. It has other functions, including roasting, and we could see ourselves using it to cook a whole chicken outside. Basically, it's like a pellet grill in pizza oven form.

What we didn’t like: This wood pellet-powered oven took a long time to preheat, didn’t get as hot as our other winners, and required a few minutes to cook pies.

Key Specs

• Fuel source: Wood pellets
• Temperature range: Up to 700ºF
• Pizza diameter: 12 inches
• Weight: 32.4 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 18 x 15.1 inches
• Compatible cover: See here
  

The Competition

We Still Recommend These Outdoor Pizza Ovens:

• Ooni Koda 16: This was our previous top pick, and is still an admirable pizza oven. The newer Koda Pro is more feature-rich, which we liked and therefore favored. However, this is still an excellent choice and worth getting. 
• Gozney Dome: If we made this a top pick, it would be hundreds of dollars more than our other favorites. That said, it is a nice-looking and well-performing backyard pizza oven, and we liked that its stand brings the oven up to eye level. We did have some qualms, though, including that the Dome was hard to ignite.
• Gozney Arc: We love this pizza oven and think it’s worth buying if you want a smaller, less expensive version of the Gozney Arc XL.
• Gozney Tread: This is a great pizza oven and gets hot fast. We were able to make puffy-crusted Neapolitan pizzas with it. However, at nearly 30 pounds, we’re not sold on its “portability” aspect, which is one of its main selling points.
• Solo Stove Pi Prime Pizza Oven: We recently started testing this propone pizza oven and are impressed by it so far. We’ll update this review with further findings on it soon.
• Ooni Karu 12: We still like this oven, but we preferred the second-generation version.
• Ooni Fyra 12: This is Ooni’s only oven that uses wood pellets as fuel. It works well and is the cheapest of the brand’s offerings. We just preferred gas or multi-fuel options. It’s now discontinued.
• KettlePizza Pro Pizza Oven Kit: While grill inserts won’t work as well as standalone pizza ovens, this is the one to get if you’re interested in this type.

Ovens We Don’t Recommend: 

• Blackstone Leggero Pro Pizza Oven: We had issues with uncooked crusts with this oven’s arrow opening that made it harder to add and retrieve pies. Its stone does rotate, though, which is appealing in theory. 
• Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven: It’s as expensive as some Ooni models and for no reason.
• Only Fire Universal Stainless Steel Pizza Oven Kit: Consistently, this grill conversion kit took too long to cook pies.
• Cuisinart 3-in-1 Pizza Oven: This oven was incredibly difficult to assemble.
• Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven: This model is the same price as the Ooni Koda 12 and was tough to assemble.
• Cuisinart CPO-700 Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit: This heated inconsistently and took a whopping 10 minutes to bake a pizza.
• Camp Chef Italia Artisan: Hard to assemble and a poor performer, there’s no way we could recommend this.
• Big Horn Outdoor Pizza Oven: This pellet-powered oven burned through fuel really quickly—too quickly.
• CRU Oven Model 30: This oven featured a delightful combo of hot and cold spots.
  

FAQs

How do you use an outdoor pizza oven?

Specific usage instructions will depend on the model you have and its fuel type, but if you own a propane-powered outdoor pizza oven, it's very easy to use. Simply connect the gas tank, turn the oven on, and let it preheat (20 minutes is a good amount of time).

Are outdoor pizza ovens worth it? 

For those who love and make a lot of pizza, an outdoor pizza oven may be a worthwhile investment. Indoor ovens just can’t reach the temperatures needed to make really great pizza at home, whereas the best outdoor pizza ovens can. (Though you could buy an indoor pizza oven.)

What’s the best way to store an outdoor pizza oven? 

Outdoor pizza ovens shouldn't be left outside for extended periods of time. They should be housed in a dry, covered place, like a garage or shed. We also recommend buying a cover, which manufacturers typically sell separately, offering different ones for each model.

What other tools do you need for an outdoor pizza oven? 

We recommend investing in the following: 

• A pizza peel
• A pizza turner
• An infrared thermometer 
• A stainless steel table/heat-safe surface
• A pizza cutter
• A cover that fits your pizza oven

Why We’re the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director at Serious Eats. She’s been with the site since 2021 and previously worked for America’s Test Kitchen and Food52. She's been testing gear professionally for about seven years. 
• Riddley owns a few of our favorite outdoor pizza ovens.
• To find the best outdoor pizza ovens, we tested 25 models. We evaluated how fast they heated up, how well they cooked pizza, how easy they were to use, and more.