Depending on the pizza you are going to make, the choice of oven is very important if not decisive for a good outcome of the same. Perhaps not everyone is aware of it, but each oven on the market has its own characteristics and specific cooking.
The purpose of this post is therefore to illustrate the various ovens available on the market and choose the one that best reflects your expectations, having first understood the advantages and disadvantages that each oven presents.
There are different types of ovens available on the market: wood-fired, gas-fired and electric.
Wood fired pizza oven
The wood oven is the most preferred and appreciated by pizzerias. It is made with refractory stone and the fuel is provided by the use of wood, while for the more modern ones the combustion occurs through gas.
This oven has several advantages:
- It is capable of cooking at high temperatures;
- It allows for good insulation during cooking;
- It offers excellent cooking performance;
- Running costs are minimal;
- The costs to make it are not high.
Despite the many advantages, the wood oven has some disadvantages:
- Reduced hygiene;
- Obligation to install insulated chimneys and a smoke abatement system;
- Good experience with the pizza chef.
Rotary Gas Wood Fired Pizza Oven
This type of oven was born 20 years ago and the purpose is to facilitate the pizza chef during the cooking of the pizza. What does it mean? The oven is controlled directly by a computer that emits a small sound when the pizza is ready.
This oven can be found in both wood and gas versions.
Why prefer this type? Compared to the traditional wood-fired oven, the combustion chamber is not in close contact with the pizza, which will result in greater hygiene.
And what about the cost to face? The investment is the same as an electric oven.
Electric pizza oven
This oven was designed and built for pizza by the slice and focaccia. It is very easy and quick to clean, it is hygienic and, not least, it does not require the installation of flues or smoke abatement systems.
In recent years, some additional functions have been integrated that are very useful according to some people.
In some versions, for example, there is the possibility of storing up to 10 different cooking programs and turning it on automatically thanks to an integrated clock.
The advantages include:
- Even cooking;
- Temperature visible in real time;
- No specialized personnel required.
As for the disadvantages there are none, however if the oven is poorly designed it is clear that the pizza will not be cooked evenly.
Electric tunnel oven
This is a latest generation oven designed for all those pizzerias where there is a large amount of work but which do not have much space available.
The advantages are:
- Cooks at high temperatures;
- The dimensions are small;
- No specialized personnel required;
- It offers excellent productivity.
Among the disadvantages however:
- It’s too noisy;
- The running costs are not exactly low;
- You have to be careful where you place it. It cannot be placed near doors and windows because the air currents create discomfort at the oven outlet.
