While some people might consider buying a pizza oven a luxury, it can actually be a wise investment! Outdoor pizza ovens are amazing appliances that can cook a lot more than pizza. These ovens reach high temperatures and can accomplish some serious cooking in no time.
Whether you’re making delicious pizza, roasting fish, or cooking vegetables, outdoor pizza ovens can do it all. In this article, though, we’re going to focus on all the amazing things you can do with an outdoor propane pizza oven.
Let’s take a look at what makes these ovens so great, and our top picks for the best propane pizza oven.
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Why a Propane Pizza Oven?
Like a wood fired pizza oven, pizza ovens that use propane should be used outdoors. Out of all the types of outdoor pizza ovens out there, these are the easiest to operate with the gas allowing it to heat to cooking temperature quicker than wood. The lack of ash and smoke it produces also makes them incredibly easy to clean. If you’re looking for the best outdoor pizza oven, a propane oven is a great choice!
What Things Should You Consider?
Size and Location
The first thing you should ask yourself is where you will place your pizza oven. If you have a ton of space, (ex. an outdoor kitchen setup) you can have a larger appliance installed. If you have limited space, you should shop for smaller, portable pizza ovens.
Most ovens will require a strong, durable, stable surface made of wood, stone, or metal. It should be large enough to place your oven on and sturdy enough that the pizza oven won’t fall over.
The size of the oven you buy will also determine the size of the cooking surface, and how much you can cook. The average pizza oven can cook a 12-13” pizza, with larger models cooking 16” pizzas.
Material
Next, consider the material. While some pizza ovens can be made of stone or brick, most of them today are made with stainless steel.
Pizza ovens built with stainless steel are durable and designed to last. When used outdoors, they tend to resist corrosion, weather, and rust better than other materials. Stainless steel is also easier to clean and keep sanitary.
Design
There are all kinds of pizza ovens, each designed to cook and heat pizza differently.
Most small and medium-sized pizza ovens are made of stainless-steel finish and a pizza stone baking surface on the inside. There are also some medium to large pizza ovens that have a heat source, often fed with charcoal, wood, or wood pellets, at the back of the oven.
For a gas or propane oven, the heat source comes from the oven’s gas line. These ovens are turned on using an ignition knob, which is used to control the flame and level of heat. The propane flame then works to heat up the cooking surface for your pizza.
Your oven’s design will determine how it works for cooking pizza, and the temperatures it can reach. Keep that in mind as you browse different models.
Heat
With pizza ovens, the hotter it can get, the better. The ideal temperature is 750°F or more. To aid in heat retention and to obtain a high temperature, ovens tend to have a double-layer or insulated ceiling to help with the concentration of heat. Dual-heating elements on the top and bottom of an oven regulate the baking of the toppings and crust simultaneously.
While ovens may claim that they evenly distribute heat, you will need to rotate your pizza at least once or twice for even heat on the pizza dough. This is true even when it cooks in one to two minutes if you want a great pizza with an even cook.
Best 8 Propane Pizza Ovens for the Outdoors
These are our most highly recommended pizza ovens that work on propane. Some of them are dual-fuel which will provide two ways of cooking for different flavor options. Our recommendations are based on temperature, the material used, the machine’s efficiency, durability, and whether it will produce a perfect pizza.
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Best for Families: ROCCBOX Gozney Pizza Oven
This premium portable stone pizza oven reaches impressive temperatures up to 932°F. It will provide you with an ideal balance of a thin base and puffed-up crust. All this is accomplished in 60 seconds.
The detachable dual-fuel burners and retractable legs make it portable and set up with the click of a switch. This oven is ideal because it offers the convenience of using gas with the tradition of a wood fire.
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Best Runner Up: Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven
Originally seen on Shark Tank, the Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven allows you to cook with gas and wood simultaneously. Customers can use wood, pellets, charcoal, and/or a gas burner attachment for an authentic pizza experience.
It comes with a cordierite baking stone which provides both great flavors and even cooking so your pizza should be cooked to perfection. It will also cook your pizza up to 930°F.
Pros
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Check out our in-depth review for the Bertello Pizza Oven.
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Best Tasting: BakerStone Portable Gas Pizza Oven
The high-quality slate on this pizza oven efficiently transfers heat to reach an internal temperature of 800°F. Pizza is ready in two to four minutes after the oven finishes preheating.
This oven is made from high-quality steel with a patented five-sided stone baking chamber. This allows for even heat transfer while cooking and generates a faster cooking time.
The exterior is powder-coated making this product durable, stable, and resistant to corrosion.
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Best For Small Gatherings: Cuisinart Alfrescamore Outdoor Pizza Oven
This pizza oven is great for gatherings as it contains not just an area to cook pizza but also a warm-up tray for other foods.
This pizza oven is designed to mimic a brick oven by using conduction, convection, and reflected heat to provide an even cooking temperature. This crisps up the crust and evenly cooks the pizza from the bottom up.
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Most Compact: Ooni Koda 12
This pizza oven is ridiculously easy to use as all you need to do is turn on the gas and it’s ready in 15 minutes. The temperatures for this oven reach 932° F or the heat can be lowered for a slower cook. At full power, the pizza stone takes 25 minutes to obtain a temperature of 800°F.
At the highest temperature, pizza can be cooked in about a minute.
With a sleek design, it does not have a chimney, but it does have sturdy legs. The body of the device is powder-coated in cold-rolled steel with accents made from stainless steel. It is portable and weighs only 20 lbs.
Pros
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You can read our full Ooni Koda 12 review.
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Easy to Clean: Camp Chef Italia Artisan Pizza
Artisan pizzas can now be enjoyed with this portable pizza oven. Designed to replicate the cooking style of a wood-fired brick oven, it contains a double-walled construction, ventilation, cordierite ceramic pizza stone, and specifically designed burners. Valves micro-adjust to provide users with the best heat control possible and they are very responsive.
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Best Multipurpose: Deco Chef Outdoor Pizza Oven
Deco Chef is known to produce quality products, and this pizza oven is no exception! This oven will allow you to cook a pizza and grill meats/veggies at the same time on the bottom rack. It uses open flames to generate high temperatures making it perfect for even cooking.
The quick switch chimney lid allows different levels of smoke and heat to escape. This will affect the flavor of your meal. It can be closed for pizzas and open for grilling.
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Most Portable: Pizzacraft PC6000
This pizza oven is small, lightweight, and easy to clean. The exterior is made from black enamel-coated steel, making it durable. It comes with a cordierite pizza stone, matchless starter, thermometer, and gas hose.
The top moisture vent allows moisture to escape while cooking so your food won’t be soggy.
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Take a look at some of our related articles:
How Do Pizza Ovens Work? Everything You Need to Know
Pizza Oven Buying Guide: Comparing Portable, Countertop, and Built-in Pizza Ovens
21 Best Electric Pizza Ovens (Top Reviews for 2022)
Hey there, I’m Greg Palmer, and I’m thrilled to share my story with you. Together with my brother Tim, I run the website GoodLifePizzaOvens.com, and it’s been quite the journey!
Our roots run deep in a beautiful countryside where we spent our childhood surrounded by nature’s wonders. Those were the days of horseback rides, fixing fences, rounding up cattle, and the never-ending quest to catch chipmunks raiding the grain barrel. But among all the adventures, that one special summer stands out, etched in our hearts forever—a time we both cherish dearly.
