-There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box in your lap. – Kevin James
Why does a pizza oven work better than a domestic oven? Should you buy a pizza oven to cook homemade pizza? I think you will have your own mind after reading this article cause I am going to explain how pizza ovens work and bring a brief introduction of several types of pizza oven.
How does a pizza oven work?
Pizza ovens are high-temperature ovens designed specifically for pizza. They are available in a range of styles and sizes. The traditional brick pizza oven is heated by a wood fire put inside the oven. However, some people prefer to utilize a gas flame source instead because these might take a long time to prepare, heat, and control. One of the most common misconceptions about wood fired ovens is that you are cooking from the heat of the fire. Actually, it is about the heat of the fire. It's the oven, not the fire, that cooks your delicious pizza! That is what makes a pizza oven so special? It's the fact that everything it's made of is designed to keep heat in. Despite the fact that pizza ovens are fueled by a wood or glass flame at first, the base and dome use bricks, tiles, and insulating layers to capture all of that heat. That's why pizza ovens can achieve temperatures of more than 800 degrees Fahrenheit (425oC).
We can begin making some delicious pizza once the oven is fully heated. However, this procedure can take a long time. It can take hours! This is due to the fact that we're heating a large volume of material - sometimes more than half a ton of weight. The pizza oven can stay hot for days once it's been preheated! Here's what John had to say about it on the pizza-making forums:
“What I particularly like is that with the door on, the oven stays hot for five days, and it takes zero additional heat up time to cook whole chickens, multiple pulled pork shoulders, pot roast, turkey, lasagna, etc.”
The oven's base is particularly significant. It's comprised of tiles that, when completely heated, cook the pizza dough and provide a base that fights back. We can cook a pizza in under 2 minutes because to all of the heat in the dome and base.
Now that we know it is the heat from the pizza oven( retained heat) not the fire that cooks the pizza. It is time to give a full illustration of how it works out.
Reflected heat
The flame from a live fire is reflected off the dome and onto your food with reflecting heat. This reflected heat cooks food, such as pizza, while simultaneously recharging the cooking surface, returning heat to it to replace heat lost during the cooking process.
Convection
Because your Empava pizza oven breathes, it constantly moves hot, moist air across the surface of your food, bringing cold air in via the lower half of the oven opening and exhaling hot air out the top half. Modern convection ovens use fans and heat coils to circulate hot, dry air within the oven, but natural convection is unrivaled.
Conductive heat
Finally, heat is delivered directly from the cooking floor to the food that is placed on top of it. This is true for bread and pizza that are placed directly on the cooking surface, as well as pots and pans.
Types Of Pizza Ovens
There are numerous types of pizza ovens and ranges that may be used to prepare pizzas. Each variety has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, so do your homework before buying or building your own!
Pizza ovens are classified by size, shape, kind of ingredients, materials, and other factors. The following are some of the most common varieties of pizza ovens. These pizza ovens produce some of the most delicious and genuine pizzas.
Each type has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so they're best suited to different types of kitchens.
Brick ovens
Brick-style pizza ovens are the way to go for people who want a more authentic taste of Italy. For individuals who wish to bake their own authentic Italian pizza, a brick-style pizza oven is ideal. These machines are noted for their rustic appearance and feel, but they also offer excellent taste!
A brick pizza oven cooks pizzas slowly and evenly at optimal temperatures using the classic wood-fired method. Unlike gas, you can cook with smoke rather than heat by using an open fire inside one; this will give your meal that real taste that its enthusiasts rave about!
These long-lasting bricks are built of resistant clay or ironstone crem leftovers, allowing them to survive high levels of combustion while preserving their shape over time, regardless of how many times they're used — as long as there's enough fuel available, that is.
Pizza fans will go crazy over this! In just 2-3 minutes, you can have a browning and crunchy crust? All of this is due to the Brick Oven Pizza. For pizzaiolos, brick ovens are a common choice.
It takes around 45 minutes to heat these brick buildings, but once they're hot – as long as the temperature hits 1000 degrees Fahrenheit or 740 degrees Celsius – the preheating phase can last up to 8 hours!
Because these baking surfaces spend so much time over 700°F (371°C), they retain far more radiant energy than other varieties and hence reflect extremely high temperatures over a large area: 2-3 minutes depending on size, with 10 pizzas each batch baked in record-breaking time at 5-minute intervals.
They work by lighting a fire, whether it's a wood or gas insert, and then placing it on an open-air deck, where the heat takes care of the rest!
These ovens are perfect for restaurants that provide pizza as their major menu item since they can cook more pizzas in less time.
If you want to go with a traditional Italian theme, go with a wood-fired brick or stone oven, which can be customized in terms of size and materials used, as well as contractors hired at different rates depending on what they specialize in; this will ensure that your investment lasts longer than other options!
When installing a brick oven, one of the most crucial elements to consider is the preheating time.
They take longer than other varieties, but that doesn't mean you can't multitask with them. With conveyor belts, it's easy for one side to burn while cooking because they heat up so quickly!
In general, after everything has been installed appropriately and manually adhered to, there isn't much risk in using these types of ovens. Just make sure that everyone knows what their role includes ahead of time.
The disadvantages of having an outside fire-fueled oven include:
- Having to clean and maintain it after each use on a regular basis.
- They don't perform well in enclosed spaces; they need at least some open space to breathe!
- Permits are required in some areas, so check your local laws before putting one of these up.
- They might be costly to maintain or repair if something goes wrong.
Further information:
Large, ranging from 150 to 400 cubic feet
Wood and gas are the two main sources of energy.
Price range: $100 to $5,000
Time to cook: 2-3 minutes, plus 45-60 minutes to preheat
600-1,000 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard temperature range.
Fresh flatbread, thin crust, and deep dish pizzas are all suitable for cooking.
Fine-dining restaurants, outdoor dining, rustic enterprises, and traditional pizzerias are the best choices.
Convection Pizza Oven
Convection ovens are smaller than brick ovens, but they produce more heat, allowing you to cook numerous pizzas at once! As a result, it's ideal for those looking to broaden their menu beyond traditional Italian fare.
You'll be able to easily bake bread with this machine, making it multi-functional. Convection ovens as stand-alone devices are a new trend that's catching on; grocery stores and coffee shops adore them because they're small enough to fit into tiny areas like these!
They're simple to maintain and operate. One of the best things about having one of these is that you can get a 'faux' wood-fired flavor without having to use a real fire source!
Convection ovens are the answer for eateries who wish to be able to cook more than only pizza.
- It's much easier for them to reach greater temperatures rapidly when you need to cook or bake many things at once!
- They use a lot less wood and fuel, so there's a better chance your operating costs won't skyrocket like they would with a typical brick oven!
- Because there are less moving parts in these types of pizza ovens, they will last longer with appropriate maintenance, which is something you can't say about conventional Wood Fired Brick Ovens!
— The heat output isn't as high as that of its larger equivalents, so if you're searching for large-volume pizza recipes, this oven might not be for you.
Further information:
Sizes range from 15 to 60 cubic feet.
Gas and electricity are the two main sources of energy.
Price range: $50 to $1,000
Time to cook: 5-7 minutes, plus 15-20 minutes to preheat
425-500 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard temperature range.
Fresh or frozen flatbread and thin crust pizzas are suitable for cooking.
Bars, casual-dining restaurants, cafeterias, and schools are the best places to use it.
Deck Pizza Oven
Deck ovens are the largest of all the ovens, and they're also one of the most popular for large venues that need to cook dozens of pizzas in a short amount of time.
You can manage both sides at the same time, which is ideal for making pizzas with a variety of toppings. One unique feature of this type is that it is very efficient in terms of using its fuel sources because only the bottom side will be lit while you use it! The upper half of the unit is turned off until it is needed, preventing heat waste during inactivity.
They are simple to maintain and operate since they have fewer moving parts than other Ovens, making them less prone to break down after extended use.
Because it is easier than using bricks, some people prefer to utilize a deck pizza oven. The pies are placed on a stone or stainless steel surface, which provides more equal heating and exceptional crispiness – especially when compared to other cooking methods such as direct flame grilling – but that doesn't mean wood isn't fantastic for pizzas!
It will give your pie wonderful browned edges as well as increased moisture to make it lovely and crispy, just the way we like it.
Preheat the oven to 400°F-700°F before making your pizza. It may take up to an hour to complete this task. Once heated, place dough directly on stone and wait 6 minutes, depending on crust thickness. Models with two decks hold four pizzas each or more if available, and some come with multiple levels, which increases capacity but cuts cooking time per slice in half because only one layer is cooking at a time.
Because of its enormous size and wide temperature range, this is the optimum type for heavy-duty application.
- In comparison to other oven kinds, they are more difficult to learn how to use properly, so if you don't know how, look for a training course!
Further information:
Size: Medium, between 100 and 200 cubic feet
Gas and electricity are the two main sources of energy.
Price range: $50 to $30,000.
5-10 minutes to cook, 60 minutes to preheat
400-700 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard temperature range.
Fresh or frozen thin crust pizzas, as well as deep dish pizzas, are suitable for cooking. Breads and rolls can also be baked with it.
Casual-dining restaurants, fine-dining restaurants, and traditional pizzerias are the best options. Businesses that require a large number of pizzas to be cooked quickly!
Conveyor Pizza Oven
This type of oven will probably be your best bet if you have a small business that doesn't need to make dozens of pizzas every day but yet wants the same quality as one of those large businesses!
There are two sorts of conveyor pizza ovens to choose from: full-sized standalone units and countertop industrial ones, if you're searching for a pizza oven that can cook up some great, crispy crusts.
The first is an industrial-style countertop device that uses radiant or forced air heating technologies and consistently offers consistent results every time – regardless of the type of application!
If your budget allows, I recommend purchasing one full-size freestanding unit since they provide equal baking across all four walls while being portable enough to be used on job sites where room is limited.
Conveyor ovens are multifunctional and can cook dishes more quickly than other methods. Because they include moving parts that shorten the cooking time, they just need to be preheated for around 10 minutes before use!
Furthermore, because there are no rotating trays involved, there will be no crust rotation, ensuring that all pies are identical.
Because the heat output isn't as high as brick or deck ovens, your pizzas will take a little longer to bake than other varieties. Additionally, the top of your pizza will cook more slowly than the bottom or borders, so be careful not to burn it.
A laser gun is the easiest way to detect when your pie is done. It fires a targeted beam at the crust, which causes steam to be released whenever it hits! So, as soon as the steam starts to rise, remove your pies and you'll have excellent results every time.
- Because these ovens include moving parts, they usually break down after only a year of frequent use – however this varies depending on how often they've been used.
- Because there is no rotation in these ovens, they produce excellent crusts.
- These are ideal if you own a small business and need to prepare pizza quickly without sacrificing quality!
Further information:
Size: Medium (between 100 and 180 cubic feet)
Gas, electricity, and a conveyor belt system are all possible power sources.
Price range: $30 to $50,000
Cook time: 5-10 minutes, plus 10 minutes for preheating and baking per pie. It has the capacity to hold up to 8 pizzas at a time.
400-600 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard temperature range.
Fresh or frozen flatbread and thin crust pizzas are suitable for cooking.
Casual-dining restaurants, fine-dining restaurants, and traditional pizzerias are the best options. Businesses who need to make a large number of pies quickly and efficiently!
Countertop Pizza Oven
These are ideal for those who wish to bake, cook, or reheat pizzas quickly. It won't take long at all, and you'll be eating in no time.
A countertop pizza oven is the ideal way to prepare delicious cuisine at home without taking up too much of your valuable kitchen space. These smaller models are less expensive and take up less space than the full-sized convection, conveyor, and deck models, yet they still create enough pizzas every hour!
They're ideal for small enterprises that want a smaller oven that produces the same high-quality results as a traditional brick oven.
These pizza ovens have a heating element that can keep a consistent temperature inside while still delivering crispy crusts all around, despite the fact that they don't have rotating elements.
You can enjoy freshly made pies right at home with a countertop pizza oven. These outdoor kitchens are often electric, and they should be located near an outlet to ensure that they have enough power to cook your favorite food item in under 15 minutes!
Another advantage of this oven is that it doesn't demand continual supervision; it's designed to be used in conjunction with other kitchen appliances, not in instead of them, due to its restricted capabilities.
- Excellent for baking, cooking, and reheating pizzas.
- It can be used in conjunction with other equipment, not in place of it!
– Keeps the cooking even and consistent.
Further information:
Countertops range in size from 30 to 60 cubic feet.
Gas or electricity as a power source
A price range of $1,000 to $2,000 is available.
Cook time: 15-20 minutes, plus 8-10 minutes for preheating and baking per pie.
Temperature range for cooking: 500 degrees Fahrenheit
Frozen flatbread and thin crust pizzas are suitable for cooking.
Casual eating restaurants, fine dining restaurants, and traditional pizzerias are the best options. Small enterprises that don't require brick ovens but nonetheless require high-quality products!
