The best pizza ovens for cooking indoors and out 2024

Best pizza ovens at a glance

• Best pizza oven: Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven, £699
• Best gas pizza oven: Morsø Forno Spin gas pizza oven, £469
• Best blowout pizza oven: Gozney Dome S1 pizza oven, £1,299
• Best portable pizza oven: Ooni Karu 12G multi-fuel pizza oven, £379
• Best compact wood-fired pizza oven: Dellonda 14 portable wood-fired pizza oven, £179.98
• Best multi-fuel pizza oven: Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven, £699
• Best investment indoor pizza oven: Sage the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo, £729.95
• Best affordable multi-fuel pizza oven: Woody oven, £259.99
• Best compact gas-fired pizza oven: Cozze 13-inch gas pizza oven, £236.95
• Best mess-free pizza oven: Ooni Volt 12, £799
• Best portable pizza oven for beginners: Gozney Roccbox pizza oven, £399

Jump to section:

• Best pizza ovens to buy in 2024
• Other pizza ovens tested and rated
• How we tested pizza ovens
• What to look for in a pizza oven
• Gas pizza oven vs wood-fired pizza oven
• How to choose the best pizza oven
• Pizza oven recipes and tips

Best pizza ovens to buy in 2024

Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven

• Available from Lakeland (£699), Harrods (£699), Amazon (£699)

Best pizza oven

Pros:

• Unique rotating pizza stone
• Fantastic results
• Spacious
• Booster burner

Cons:

• Large and heavy
• Short warranty
• No temperature gauge

Star rating: 5/5

This pizza oven is the first of its kind, due to its innovative rotating pizza stone that takes the guesswork out of pizza-making and removes the need for manually turning dough. It is without doubt the easiest pizza oven to use that we've ever tested. It's a large unit that requires space to use and store, boasting a sleek design that's available in four colours.

Assembly is simple with two people. Once connected to the gas (butane), it lights like a gas hob – simply press and hold the flame and ignition buttons together – and heats to temperature in 15 minutes. The lack of a temperature gauge is a glaring omission to this model, but the instructions for launching your first pizza are clear and accurate, if followed.

Our 16-inch pizza cooked in just under 2 minutes (despite the brand's claims that it can be done in 60 seconds), which is very quick. We yielded the best results when launching into a 500C oven, then turning the flames down to medium-low. The results were near-perfect, with a risen, mottled crust and oozy, slightly browned toppings.

The price point is bumped up by the hidden essentials of gas and batteries to get started, plus a pizza peel – a must for safely loading and unloading your dough. For some reason, one isn't included in the hefty price. However, if you have the budget and your heart set on a gas-fired model, this is an excellent choice for fail-safe homemade pizzas every time.

Read the full Witt Etna Rotante pizza oven review.

Morsø Forno Spin gas pizza oven

• Available from Amazon (£469)

Best gas pizza oven

Pros:

• Quick to assemble and ignite
• Excellent results
• Compact build
• Comes with a rotating stone

Cons:

• Some unnecessary plastic packaging

Star rating: 5/5

Much like the Witt model above, this gas pizza oven comes with a rotating stone to ensure fast, even cooking around the crust and base, without needing to turn by hand. It's made by Danish brand Morsø, and is a sturdy, stylish piece of outdoor kit that feels built to last. We were also fans of its unique egg-like shape and large opening, which allowed us to slot our pizza inside with ease.

Setting it up was almost as effortless, and once we had inserted the stone, plugged in the rotating base (you'll need an outdoor power source for this) and attached the gas hose, the oven was ready to be lit.

We left the Forno Spin to preheat for 15-25 minutes as advised in the manual, and it got to work quickly – hitting 400C in just under 10 minutes. The gauge on the front allowed us to track the heat levels, and we found it responded quickly to changes in temperature, too.

After two-and-a-half minutes, our 12-inch pizza was hot and bubbling with gooey cheese and lightly browned toppings. The dough was also evenly cooked, and while the crust lacked that mottled look you often see with restaurant pizza, we were still pleased with the quality.

There are accessories available to buy on the Morsø website, though it's inconvenient that important tools like a pizza peel aren't included as standard. That said, the enjoyment we got from using the Forno Spin, and the speed at which we were able to create delicious pizza, does make it feel like a worthwhile purchase.

Available from:

• Amazon (£469)

Gozney Dome S1 pizza oven

• Available from Gozney (£1,299), John Lewis & Partners (£1,299)

Best blowout pizza oven

Pros:

• Attractive
• Cooks in under three minutes
• Spacious interior
• Intuitive and clear controls
• Quick to light
• Minimal assembly needed

Cons:

• Pizza needs frequent turning
• Stone needs curing before first use
• Expensive

Star rating: 5/5

The newest release from popular brand Gozney, this gas-powered model is a serious piece kit for pizza enthusiasts. It's capable of hitting highs of 500C, and like the original wood-fired Dome oven, its large size means you'll need a dedicated space in your garden to store it. Accessories like a turning peel, protective cover and a wooden stand are also available to purchase separately.

Unboxing it was a two-person job, though there were straps around the body of the oven to help us ease it out of the packaging. Hooking the gas up was also a simple procedure, though once the oven was lit, we needed to cure the pizza stone for at least 30 minutes.

Controlling the heat is done via the dial on the left-hand side, while on the right there's a brightly lit digital thermometer that responded quickly to temperature changes. The oven also has a wide opening so we could slide our pizza in with ease, though because the flame is positioned on the left, our dough required frequent spinning with a turning peel to ensure even cooking. The effort felt worth it, though, and after two minutes and 40 seconds of cooking, our pizza had bubbling melted cheese and a well-mottled crust.

As with the original Dome model, the S1 is a big investment (with or without the five-year warranty), but if your budget allows for it, what this pizza oven is capable of is truly impressive.

Available from:

• Gozney (£1,299)
• John Lewis & Partners (£1,299)

Ooni Karu 12G pizza oven

Best portable pizza oven

Pros:

• Fully recyclable packaging
• Easy to set up and use
• Compact and portable
• Cooks quickly and well

Cons:

• Takes time to heat and needs regular refuelling
• Takes specific types of wood and charcoal
• No accessories included

Star rating: 4.5/5

This updated version of the Karu 12 pizza oven from Ooni boasts a ‘clear view’ glass door, a larger fuel basket and better fuel efficiency – the 12G requires only 1.1kg of fuel to cook 10 pizzas, while the original Karu 12 needs 1.5kg to cook the same number.

It’s also easy to set up, with very little assembly and clear instructions and diagrams to follow. It’s compact and reasonably light, weighing only 12kg and once built just needs the legs folding and the chimney storing inside the body of the oven and it’s packed neatly away.

For fuel you have the choice of wood sticks or lumpwood charcoal for that flame-cooked taste, or gas, although this is only possible if you buy the Ooni gas burner for an additional cost. We tested it with both wood and charcoal and it’s easy to load with fuel and light, although it does take a good 30 minutes to reach a temperature high enough for cooking.

The large opening allows you to see what’s going on and reach in to turn a 12-inch pizza, but the oven is also roomy enough for a roasting tin full of veg and a spatchcock chicken. There’s a temperature gauge on the side, so you can keep an eye on the heat, plus a handy baffle in the chimney that helps you control the draw of air through the oven for faster or slower cooking.

The oven is fully insulated, so the exterior stays just warm throughout cooking, and all the handles are cool to touch so it’s easy to use even at 500 degrees. A stay-clear glass door keeps the heat in and allows you to see exactly when your dough is ready, and in our test this took just 90 seconds with near perfect results. Our pizza had a crisp base, bubbling centre and a leopard spotting to the crust.

This is an impressive oven for its size and versatility and is ideal for packing up and taking camping or down to the beach. However, its price is bumped up by the fact that you have to buy every single accessory or extra separately, including a pizza peel, a necessity to ensure safe and simple cooking of your pizza, and the handy carry bag, which is a must to make this compact oven truly portable.

Dellonda portable 14-inch pizza oven

• Available from Amazon (£179.98), Wayfair (£279.99)

Best compact pizza oven

Pros:

• Fuelled by hardwood pellets, charcoal or hardwood
• Heatproof handles
• Pizza peel included

Cons:

• Cover not included
• Took a long time to heat up

Star rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to its folding legs, this simple pizza oven was safe to use on a standard garden table and compact when dismantled for storage. It requires two meters around it during use but this could be achievable even on a balcony.

All the parts come packed within its main cavity so set-up was a simple affair of unpacking the components before screwing on handles, unwrapping the pizza stone, slotting on its chimney and adding the door. A sturdy pizza peel was included and had a long handle for keeping hands away from hot surfaces.

It took a time to fully heat. Once lit, we needed to refill the wood pellets tray twice before the pizza oven got up to the right temperature for cooking and we kept a close eye on the pellets for regular top-ups.

A thermometer on its door tracked the temperature well. Once loaded, the pizza dough took ten minutes to cook – relatively slow. However, the crust was nicely browned and bubbled away.

Available from:

• Amazon (£179.98)
• Wayfair (£279.99)

Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven

Best multi-fuel pizza oven

Pros:

• Flexible cooking options
• Incredibly quick cooking
• Compact footprint

Cons:

• High price
• Essential extras need to be bought separately

Star rating: 4.5/5

Another model from pizza oven favourites Ooni, the Ooni Karu 16 is undoubtedly an investment purchase but could be worth the money if you plan to make the most of it.

With the ability to be operated using either wood, charcoal or gas (although the gas burner needs to be bought separately), this oven offers flexibility to suit you, plus potential to cook more than just pizza.

The oven holds a generous 16-inch pizza and is simple to assemble and operate. Added extras move the Karu 16 on from previous models, such as the helpful digital thermometer and glass door to keep an eye on your pizza as it cooks.

The highlight was the super quick cooking time (pizzas ready in under one minute) and Italian pizzeria-worthy results. Read our full Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven review.

Sage the Smart Pizzaiolo

Best investment indoor pizza oven

Pros:

• Quick-cooking
• Great if you don't have outdoor space
• Pizza peel and pan included

Cons:

• Large footprint
• Difficult to clean

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Sage Smart Oven Pizzaiolo is an indoor bench-top pizza oven, claiming to provide ‘brick oven performance at a fraction of the cost’. The sleek metal oven looks like an oversized microwave and sits happily on a countertop or kitchen island to be plugged in to the mains – no outdoor space required.

The Smart Oven Pizzaiolo reaches 400C, enabling you to cook pizza in just 2 minutes. There are seven preset modes for all styles of pizza (from New York to deep dish or even frozen), plus a manual mode to choose your own cooking method, where you can customise the temperature, timings and even the direction of heat.

The oven also comes with a heavy round pizza stone that you slot inside the oven to bake the pizzas directly on, plus a long-handled metal pizza peel and a round metal tin to make a deep-dish pizza. The oven takes around 20 minutes to heat up once plugged in and can cook one pizza at a time.

On the 'wood-fired' method, we were seriously impressed with the results of our pizza – cooked at 400C, the pizza was ready in just two minutes and had a crisp leopard-spotted crust and perfectly melted cheese.

This model is certainly an investment oven, but ideal if you're a homemade pizza fan lacking outdoor space. Read our full Sage the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo review.

Woody oven

• Available from Amazon (£259.99), Woody (£259.99)

Best affordable multi-fuel pizza oven

Pros:

• Three-year warranty
• Large, long-handled pizza peel included
• Chimney has a protective outer case – great for when it gets sooty
• Thermometer included

Cons:

• Fiddly and time consuming to put together
• Pizza stone has to be cured at top temperature for 30 minutes before use

Star rating: 4/5

Woody Oven launched its pizza oven kits a few years ago and this model is its latest update. It’s a wood-fired pizza oven as standard, but if you enjoy the predictability of gas, then a gas attachment can be added for an additional £70. This model comes with everything you need to get started (if cooking with wood) – it includes a long-handled pizza peel and carry bag. Our kit also came with pellets and kindling.

We found the assembly pretty fiddly and time consuming, though we were very happy to see an improvement to the assembly guide. There is now a QR code that takes you through to a four-part user guide on everything from assembly and ignition, through to cooking pizzas and essential maintenance.

We found the video was a good starting point when it came to assembly, and the written instructions provided a more in-depth step-by-step guide. Do be aware though, the stone needs to be 'cured' for 30 minutes before use.

The Woody pizza oven took around 20 minutes to heat up using wood and the pellets were simple to light and top up. We were only able to get the oven to heat up to 250 degrees though. With gas, we were able to achieve much higher temperatures.

We made a pizza in just 60 seconds when cooking with gas, though with the lower temperatures when cooking with wood, our pizza took a minute and forty seconds. But, we were very happy with both pizzas; the crust was well sealed, with evenly cooked, melty toppings. Like almost all of the ovens we’ve tested, we had to give the pizzas a quick spin midway through to ensure an even bake.

The spacious oven cavity and generous opening only adds to the versatility of this oven. There is ample space to cook things other than pizza, including a roasted spatchcock chicken or even baking bread.

Available from:

• Amazon (£259.99)
• Woody (£259.99)

Cozze 13-inch gas pizza oven

• Available from Stoves Are Us (£259)

Best compact gas-fired pizza oven

Pros:

• Quick cooking
• Minimal fuss
• Temperature gauge
• Cools quickly

Cons:

• Very narrow mouth
• Lots of polystyrene packaging
• Accessories not included

Star rating: 4/5

One of the stand-out features of the Cozze is its versatility to run off either propane or butane gas. Design-wise, it's a looker, and compact to store and use, standing at just 29cm tall. It's an excellent choice of pizza oven if you don't have much space to play with in your outdoor area.

There's not much room for error in the small cavity of this pizza oven, which requires some precise and confident dough-tossing using a pizza peel (which needs to be bought separately), but it's easy to master. Flame coverage is even across the oven roof, which helps create evenly cooked toppings with minimal dough-turning. Our 13-inch pizza only required one turn.

During testing, this model took 25 minutes to heat and just 2 minutes to cook our pizza, which had a classic mottled crust. We were thoroughly impressed with its cooking ability, but the model would be best suited to those who have used a pizza oven before, or anyone who's up for a potentially messy challenge.

Read our full Cozze 13-inch pizza oven review.

Ooni Volt 12 pizza oven

Best mess-free pizza oven

Pros:

• Minimal plastic packaging
• Intuitive
• Easy to set up
• Can be used as a standard oven

Cons:

• Large and heavy
• Condensation gathered in temperature dials
• Smoky to use indoors

Star rating: 4/5

This pizza oven is another first of its kind – it can reach 450C internally without being fuelled by wood or gas. It's also Ooni's first indoor-suitable oven. It plugs into the mains, meaning you dodge any risk of running out of fuel mid-bake, plus the mess and expense of it.

Ooni products are reliably sleek and sturdy in design, and the Volt 12 is no exception, with a matte shell, tempered glass door and well-engineered controls that are responsive to change. It also offers user-friendly extras, like an interior light to help take the guesswork out of pizza-making.

The size means this model won't sit on a standard kitchen countertop, so a dedicated space would be required to ensure a safe perimeter around the oven. However, there's ample space in the cavity, meaning it can be used like a standard oven for cooking joints of meat and vegetables.

It took 20 minutes to heat, and once we'd nailed the temperatures, our pizza took 2 minutes 30 seconds to cook, resulting in a brilliantly puffy crust, well-cooked base and nicely browned toppings. But, this model gets very smoky, as excess flour and wayward toppings burn off the stone.

You really need to have the right ventilation for using this pizza oven to avoid fire alarms being set off in your kitchen. However, for year-round, delicious homemade pizza, this is a great one to consider. And, it's excellent for outdoor use, provided there's not risk of rain!

Read our full Ooni Volt 12 review.

Gozney Roccbox pizza oven

• Available from: Gozney (£399), Amazon (£399), Lakeland (£399)

Best portable pizza oven for beginners

Pros:

• Easy set-up
• Excellent pizza results

Cons:

• Small oven space

Star rating: 4/5

The Roccbox is an investment, but for the price you get a pizza oven with an impressive build quality and foolproof functionality.

Gozney is a premium brand and the structure of the Roccbox lives up to this. There are no flimsy or shoddy elements to this talking-point gadget.

The finished pizza is restaurant-grade, even if you are new to the art of dough-slinging. However, it is less portable than other small pizza ovens, like some of those by Ooni. It’ll involve a little effort to move it around since it weighs in at a not-exactly-featherlight 20kg.

But if you really like pizza and will use the oven regularly, invest in the protective cover and leave it out all summer so you can fire up the gas easily and have pizza within minutes.

Read our full Gozney Roccbox pizza oven review.

Available from:

• Gozney (£399)
• Amazon (£399)
• Lakeland (£399)

Other pizza ovens tested and rated

• Gozney Dome pizza oven, £1,799
• Ooni Koda 12 pizza oven, £325
• Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven, £479
• DeliVita the Red Chilli pizza oven, £1,395
• La Hacienda BBQ pizza oven, £79.99
• Igneus Classico pizza oven, £899
• Fresh Grills Premium pizza oven, £219.99
• Vango Camp Chef pizza oven, £124.95

How we tested pizza ovens

We tested a range of portable, freestanding and barbecue-top pizza ovens. We included gas- and wood-fired pizza ovens, plus outdoor cooking gadgets that double up as pizza ovens, including wood burners and stoves.

We used our basic pizza dough recipe to test the ovens and used manufacturers instructions around fuel. We received boxed pizza ovens and built them using instruction manuals. We also checked the size of the pizza oven cavity to see if there was any extra space for addition pieces of cookware or food, like roasting tins and cast iron skillets.

Our reviews experts tested multiple pizza ovens across budget, mid-range and luxury brands to bring you this list of the ones we'd buy ourselves. Each model was scored against standardised criteria and marked out of five on the following core aspects: overall build quality, performance and cooking results, ease of build, use, safety and value for money. These scores determined the overall star rating of each pizza oven.

• Overall build quality: Pizza ovens are investment purchases and therefore should be built to last. They also need to be able to hold and maintain the high temperatures required for cooking pizza.
• Cooking results: the ultimate criteria – we scored the finished pizzas out of 10.
• Ease of build and use: We timed how long it took to build the oven and rated the instruction manual. We then assessed how easy it was to use the oven.
• Safety: Pizzas require incredibly high temperatures to cook so we looked for excellent insulation and safety features to make using the pizza oven easy to use.
• Value for money: If the price didn't feel right, it didn't make it into our best list.

We also made notes on the following criteria:

• Fuel source and ease of use: How easy is it to get cooking? Is the fuel source easy to add and efficient? We looked for ovens that were intuitive to use, scoring accessories, too.
• Storage and handling: How easy is it to move ovens claiming to be portable? How quickly do the ovens cool down and are they safe to handle?

You'll notice some of the pizza ovens in this list feature tried-and-tested badges and some don't. Only our top picks tested qualify for tried-and-tested badges, but this doesn't mean we recommend the other models any less. In fact, those models held their own against some of the newest models now available on the market.

What to look for in a pizza oven

Budget

Start by setting your budget – but know that more money does not always mean a better pizza. If you're looking to spend a few hundred pounds, ignore large, built-in stone ovens as these complex products are very expensive, usually costing at least £500.

Storage

Consider the space you have available. The smallest pizza ovens we've tested are the BBQ-top models, which thanks to their small, boxy size, can easily be stored in a garage, shed or even inside somewhere.

A number of the models on this list have easy foldaway legs, meaning they too will take up very little room when not in use. Some of the larger models we've tested will need to be kept outside in all weathers, in this case, a cover is an absolute must.

Set-up

We took ease of set up into consideration when testing each of these pizza ovens. Whilst you should take this into consideration when buying, we also suggest working out the best place to put your pizza oven for use.

We spoke to the reviews experts at Gardeners' World who said, "it’s best to place your pizza oven wherever you’ve put your social areas, to save you carrying pizzas up and down the garden. They can look fantastic on modern garden tables and make an excellent focal point for entertaining."

"Pizza ovens are safest on stone or concrete patios, but with some heat-proof material underneath they should be perfectly safe on wooden decks too. Site your pizza ovens a few metres away from fire hazards like fences and low-hanging branches. Make sure there’s open space above your oven for smoke to escape and you’re good to go".

You should also consider an area that best allows for smooth launching of your pizzas, plus plenty of surface space to both build your pizzas and plate them up once cooked.

Accessories

Take a look at which accessories your chosen pizza oven comes with. In our eyes, a pizza peel is an essential, but some brands don't provide these as standard, and this will be an additional cost.

Fuel type

Some will be gas-fuelled, others need wood, or it may be a multi-fuel. Indoor pizza ovens plug into the mains so don't need any other means of generating heat.

Gas pizza oven vs wood-fired pizza oven

Gas or wood-fired, which do you choose? There's no definite answer to this question as its simply a matter of preference. That being said, the two fuel-types do make for very different cooking and eating experiences. So it really is down to you to work out what you want from your new pizza oven. And don't forget, electric and indoor pizza ovens are also available.

Gas

Gas-fired pizza ovens are generally cleaner to use as there is no need to sweep up any ash after use. They're also quicker to heat up than their wood-fired counterparts. Gas-fired pizza ovens work similarly to a gas hob and have a dial to control the flame, which not only gives you greater control over the cook of the pizza, but also means you're able to use the oven for other items too.

However, you of course need to buy gas and, if you don't have a bottle already, the initial payment for the bottle can push the price up further.

Wood-fired

If you're after an authentic flavour, a wood-fired pizza oven is the only choice. The burning wood pellets impart a delicious smoky flavour that simply can't be achieved by cooking with gas.

Another plus for wood-fired pizza ovens is the fact that you don't need to buy a gas canister as wood pellets can be picked up pretty easily from supermarkets or online. Wood-fired models do require some practice though as they can be a little more difficult to handle when it comes to controlling the temperature.

Multi-fuel

If you can't make up your mind or you like the sound of what both fuel-types offer, then opt for a multi-fuel model. Whilst you won't be able to cook with gas and wood at the same time, we feel the two fuel-types are ideal for different situations.

Cook with gas when you're entertaining and want to churn out consistently tasty pizzas for a crowd. For chilled out evenings with your nearest and dearest, use wood and take your time.

How to choose the best pizza oven

Portable pizza ovens

If you have a small garden and don't plan to cook pizza that often, a portable pizza oven would suit your needs. Brands including Gozney, Ooni and Firepod dominate this market and have some impressive ovens in their ranges.

These pint-sized pizza gadgets can often reach high temperatures to rival larger ovens, they can be stored indoors or in a shed, offer excellent cooking results and are very easy to use.

Freestanding pizza ovens

If you think you'll be making pizza regularly and have the garden to accommodate one, a larger pizza oven might be the best option for you. These large ovens don't have to be built-in (this is where costs really start to mount up).

You can buy freestanding, large pizza ovens that can be moved around but have ample capacity to cook more than one pizza at a time. These usually have protective covers so you can leave them out all summer, although you'll probably have to shell out for the cover separately.

Hybrid pizza ovens

Hybrid pizza ovens double up as a barbecue, or in some cases vice versa. Generally speaking, we found gadgets that are specifically designed for making pizzas alone produce the best cooking results for the task at hand.

Barbecue pizza accessories

On the subject of barbecues, one affordable way to make pizzas at home in your garden is to buy a barbecue accessory, such as a pizza stone or box that sits on top of your gas or charcoal barbecue. They too can reach impressive temperatures to achieve the desired stone-baked flavour and finish.

These barbecue-top products win on the storage front but can't always be classed as pizza ovens in the strictest sense. However, to demonstrate the range of DIY pizza tools available for a wide range of budgets, we've included our favourites in this list.

Pizza oven recipes and tips

Basic pizza dough recipe
All our top pizza dough recipes
Pizza sauce recipe
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Pizza oven deals
Best Ooni pizza oven
Gozney vs Ooni pizza ovens
What else can you make in a pizza oven?
Best pizza oven accessories
Best pizza stones
Best pizza cutters

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