Whether you’re just starting on the craft of pizzas or you’re a veteran who wants to make them in your backyard, you’re going to want an outdoor pizza oven. If you have one, you can make your own delicious pizzas for your parties, and even try your hand at different recipes every night for your family’s meals. However, with all of the options that you can shop, it may be overwhelming to narrow down your choices to the best outdoor pizza oven for you. To help you out, we’ve rounded up this list, with explanations on why we’re going with these recommendations.
The major advantage of outdoor pizza ovens over traditional ovens is that they’re capable of reaching higher temperatures in less time, which is necessary to get a perfectly cooked crust without burning the toppings. With an outdoor pizza oven, cooking will be done in a few minutes, for the ability to make pizzas pretty quickly so your family and friends won’t wait for long. The best outdoor pizza ovens offer more than just this though, so if you’re looking for something in particular, read on to find the cooking tool that you may have been looking for.
The best outdoor pizza ovens in 2024
- Buy the if you want the best overall outdoor pizza oven.
- Buy the if you want an outdoor pizza oven for beginners.
- Buy the if you want a portable outdoor pizza oven.
- Buy the if you want an outdoor pizza oven with a stylish design.
- Buy the if you want an outdoor pizza oven with additional functions.
Ooni Koda 16 — $599
Best outdoor pizza oven for most people
| Pros | Cons |
| High cooking temperature | Single fuel type |
| Easy setup process | |
| Excellent heat retention |
The Ooni Koda 16 is a propane-powered outdoor pizza oven that’s capable of reaching temperatures as high as 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Once turned on, it will be ready to cook in just 20 minutes, and pizza will be done in as fast as 60 seconds. It’s also extremely easy to set up — just unfold the legs, insert the pizza stone baking board, and connect it to a gas tank. That’s a very simple process, so you’ll be cooking pizzas in no time, and once you’re done, it won’t take long for you to disassemble and keep the Ooni Koda 16.
The powder-coated carbon steel shell of the Ooni Koda 16 retains heat amazingly well, and its matte body provides weather resistance and prevents the exterior from overheating. In addition to pizza, the Oona Koda 16 may also be used to cook different types of meat, fish, and vegetables, and one you’re done, cleaning is a breeze as there will be no fuel residue.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Propane |
| Maximum temperature | 950 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Weight | 40.1 pounds |
Solo Stove Pi — $450
Best outdoor pizza oven if you’re a novice pizza maker
| Pros | Cons |
| Quick and easy operation | Up to 12-inch pizzas only |
| Two fuel options | |
| Stainless steel surfaces |
If you’re just starting out in the world of pizza making, then the Solo Stove Pi may be the outdoor pizza oven for you. It’s very quick and easy to set up and use with its demi-dome construction and panoramic opening, with the design enabling optimum heat distribution and minimal heat loss so you’ll be making pizzas like the ones made by master chefs. The Pizza Stone of the Solo Stove Pi will give you that crispy crust, as it will create temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Solo Stove Pi may be used with wood or propane as its fuel source, to give you versatility in deciding how to cook your pizza for the day or night. Once your meal is done, cleaning is simple with its stainless steel surfaces, which also provide durability against the high cooking temperatures. Pizza sizes are limited to 12 inches, but that won’t be an issue for beginners as you should be starting small with your recipes.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Wood, propane |
| Maximum temperature | 750 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Weight | 30.5 pounds |
Gozney Roccbox — $499
Best outdoor pizza oven that you can take on trips
| Pros | Cons |
| Very portable | Single fuel type |
| High cooking temperature | |
| Exterior doesn’t heat up |
For those who love going on outdoor adventures, take your pizzamaking with you wherever you go with the Gozney Roccbox. This portable outdoor pizza oven will let you make pizza anywhere with its compact and low-profile design, folding legs, and carry case. There’s no assembly required once you’re ready to start making pizzas — just unfold its legs and attach your gas burner, and you’re good to go.
The Gozney Roccbox can reach temperatures as high as 950 degrees Fahrenheit with the help of its thick stone floor and dense insulation elements, so it may be used to cook more than pizza — meat, fish, or vegetables can all go on this outdoor pizza oven. If you’ll be using the Gozney Roccbox while there are kids around, you won’t have to worry that they’ll get burned if they accidentally touch it because its exteriors are protected by a Safe Touch Silicone Jacket that keeps it cools even while its cooking pizza.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Propane |
| Maximum temperature | 950 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Weight | 44.1 pounds |
Alfa One — $1,399
Best outdoor pizza oven if you want a conversation starter
| Pros | Cons |
| Eye-catching design | Relatively expensive |
| Reaches high cooking temperatures with little fuel | Single fuel type |
| Built-in thermometer |
For those who want an outdoor pizza oven with an eye-catching design that could make for a conversation topic during parties, check out the Alfa One. The dome does more than just look good though, as it also retains heat and cooks your pizza evenly. It only takes 10 minutes for the Alfa One to reach optimum cooking temperatures, and its patented Forninox technology allows it to get that hot with little fuel.
The cooking floor of the Alfa One is made of interchangeable refractory tiles to improve heat retention, and there’s a built-in thermometer so you can monitor internal temperatures. It’s meant to be placed on a countertop though, so you should make sure that you have a spot for it outdoors if you’re thinking about getting the Alfa One as your outdoor pizza oven.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Wood |
| Maximum temperature | 950 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Weight | 125 pounds |
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven — $350
Best outdoor pizza oven that can also cook other types of food
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable price | Relatively low maximum temperature |
| Five settings for pizza | |
| Additional cooking functions |
Ninja is a well-known brand for its multi-cookers, and the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven follows the tradition. As an outdoor pizza oven, it can reach temperatures of up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit after a pre-heating period of 25 minutes, then it can cook pizzas in just 3 minutes. You can choose between five settings: Neapolitan, Thin Crust, Pan, New York, and Frozen. You’ll also be able to add a smoky flavor to your pizza by filling the integrated smoke box with wood pellets.
In addition to cooking pizzas, the functions of the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven include Max Roast, Specialty Roast, Broil, Bake, Smoker, Dehydrate and Keep Warm. You can choose between these modes through a dial, and there’s another dial that will let you set your preferred temperature.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Electric |
| Maximum temperature | 700 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Weight | 32.4 pounds |
How we chose these outdoor pizza ovens
While there are different types of outdoor pizza ovens, you’re going to be looking for mostly the same features if you’re planning to buy one. It doesn’t matter what type of ingredients you’ll be using for your pizza and how many you’re planning to make at a time — our criteria below are the top things to consider when buying an outdoor pizza oven. The importance of these characteristics will vary depending on the person, but you’re going to want high marks in most of them to make sure that you’re getting a top-quality outdoor pizza oven.
To help you make your decision, you need to figure out how you’ll be using your outdoor pizza oven. Will you be making pizzas often or rarely, and how many would you be making for each cooking session? Which among the following criteria is the most important for you, and which one is the least? These are the questions that you need to ask yourself to be able to make your decision on the outdoor pizza oven to buy — it may look like a lot of work, but it will provide immense help in finalizing your decision.
Ease of use
Whether you’re a rookie or a master, using an outdoor pizza oven should not require you to go through an overly complicated process, nor should it require a long time to set up before you can actually start cooking. We selected outdoor pizza ovens that are simple to use, so that you can focus on choosing your favorite ingredients for your pizza. An outdoor pizza oven that’s frustrating to use will quickly drain any interest you may have in the craft, which is the last thing that you’d want to happen after investing in one.
We don’t want things to be too simple though — this is still cooking, after all, so there needs to be proper safeguards to make sure that there won’t be any accidents. Ideally, you should get an outdoor pizza oven that only requires a few steps, including the necessary safety checks, to get your pizza going.
Size
A large size is important for an outdoor pizza oven if you’re planning to make big pizzas for parties and other kinds of gatherings. You wouldn’t want to be churning out small pizzas at a time when there are so many people to feed, or you’ll be stuck cooking the whole night. A large outdoor pizza oven will also benefit big families, as you’ll only need to make one to feed everyone.
On the other hand, there are also benefits to a small outdoor pizza oven, particularly if you don’t have much space in your backyard or wherever you’re planning to place it. A smaller size will also be perfect if you’ll only be cooking for small families, as you won’t need to make big pizzas.
You’ll just have to decide the perfect size for your outdoor pizza oven, and make your selection on what to buy based on how big or small you need it to be.
Durability
With outdoor pizza ovens reaching extremely high temperatures, durability is a necessity. You don’t want to buy an outdoor pizza oven that will only last a few months — or even just a few weeks, if you’ll be using it daily. That’s why we stuck with trusted brands when making our recommendations, as their outdoor pizza ovens are tried and tested. Even if something goes wrong, they will come with guarantees that should get you a fix or a replacement, compared with unknown brands that won’t provide any support if any issues arise after your purchase.
Your outdoor pizza oven should feature high-quality materials to be able to withstand the high cooking temperatures, and they should be built well enough for protection against the elements for those that are intended to remain outdoors.
Portability
Not all outdoor pizza ovens are portable, but for those that have this as one of their advantages, they should not only be easy to carry, but they also have to be simple to pack and set up with as few parts as possible. For those who simply can’t live without making their own pizzas, a portable outdoor pizza oven would be a lifesaver when you go camping, fishing, or any activity that will require you to leave the confines of your home.
Even outdoor pizza ovens that are meant to be installed on a semi-permanent basis require some sort of portability, as you may have to bring them in whenever there’s extreme weather conditions. You may not be bringing them with you during your road trips, but the ability to easily move them when necessary will be a huge bonus.
Value for money
Last but not least, you should get excellent value for money from your purchase of an outdoor pizza oven. If you want to stick to a tight budget, you should get an outdoor pizza oven that will still give you all of the necessary features for making amazing pizza, and if you’re willing to splurge, you should receive an outdoor pizza oven that will work as advertised, and perhaps even shatter your expectations.
Making pizza requires a significant time investment to be able to master the craft, as well as to try all the different combinations of ingredients. Your outdoor pizza oven should do its job, and while that may already be enough, additional features that will make the cooking process faster or easier will let your money go further.
