Pizza is one of the most popular and beloved foods worldwide, regardless of age. In Greece, many businesses in the food industry specialize in Italian cuisine, while others include pizzas on their menu, serving them as snacks, brunch, or main dishes.

So whether you are starting a new business in the food industry or upgrading your existing equipment, choosing the right professional pizza oven is an important matter, as it is the heart of every professional Italian kitchen or pizza preparation workshop and the first step to attracting more customers.

In the following buying guide, we will examine the four essential elements to consider when searching for a professional pizza oven. From the type of oven and technical specifications to your budget and needs, we will help you acquire the one that is suitable for your business, bringing the Italian flavor to your dishes and meeting the high expectations of your customers.

1. Production per hour

What you need to keep in mind is the fast service of your customers, without investing too much money in an oven that exceeds your needs. Therefore, the main selection criterion is the performance of the oven during peak hours.

To calculate how many pizzas an oven produces per hour, you need to know how long it takes to bake a pizza and its capacity (in pizzas). So, if an oven bakes a pizza in 5 minutes and can hold 10 pizzas, then in one hour it can bake approximately 120 pizzas, as derived from the following mathematical operation.

2. Supply

Supply refers to both the facilities in your business's kitchen and the frequency at which you operate the oven.

Specifically, electric pizza ovens can be placed anywhere in the kitchen, as they are relatively small in size. They are ideal for kiosks and small shops where pizza is not the main dish on the menu. They are easier to handle and their initial cost is significantly lower than gas ovens. Usually, they have a control system that allows temperature adjustment at various points of the oven, in order to prepare pizzas with different baking preferences.

Gas pizza ovens are intended for stores that want to invest in pizza and have a larger customer base. They can reach very high temperatures, usually above 427°C. The result of baking is more traditional, as they bake the pizza evenly, ensuring a crispy crust.

Professional wood-fired pizza ovens are mainly intended for pizzerias. They represent the most traditional way of baking pizza, as wood gives a distinct aroma and flavor to the food. Of course, as the wood burns, its condition should be checked regularly to maintain a strong fire in the wood-fired oven.

Usually, they have smoke extraction systems that ensure proper ventilation and smoke removal from the area, while they have a more attractive appearance, which adds an authentic character to the space.

Finally, natural gas pizza ovens are popular in the catering industry due to their ability to produce high temperatures (above 370°C) and uniform baking. They are usually made of stainless steel, a material that withstands high temperatures and continuous use. Many of these ovens have stones for baking the pizza, which help create the perfect base and the characteristic crispy bottom of the pizza. They are suitable for use in restaurants with a high daily pizza production.

3. Available space

After calculating how many pizzas you will serve per day, you need to think about where to place the oven. The first thing you need to do is measure the free space in your kitchen, so you know approximately what dimensions it should have and which type of oven you should choose.

Air convection pizza oven

The air convection pizza ovens are devices that operate with electricity and are intended for small businesses and snack bars that serve dishes other than pizzas. They require 15-20 minutes of preheating and 5-6 minutes to bake a pizza. 

Like all ovens, they have heat loss when the door is opened, but they are specially designed to minimize this loss. They are the most economical pizza ovens, as their price starts just above €100 and they have relatively low energy consumption, as they bake pizzas with the circulation of hot air.

Pizza oven with firebrick

The pizza ovens with firebrick (deck ovens) are intended for pizzerias and shops that produce more than 60-70 pizzas per day. They require 60 minutes for oven preheating and 6-8 minutes for each pizza. They are the closest thing to a traditional brick pizza oven, as they closely approach the quality of pizza baking. How do they achieve this? They have a porous surface, either stone or ceramic, which absorbs moisture. Thus, the result is a crispy pizza without burnt edges. 

There are models that are powered by electricity and also by gas. The fact that one oven is placed on top of the other (hence the name Deck) makes this type of pizza oven the ideal solution for shops that do not have a large usable space in their kitchen. Also, if you plan to increase production in the future due to higher demand, it is the best choice as you can simply buy an additional oven and place it on top of the others. The different levels of these ovens allow you to bake pizzas that require different baking times simultaneously (e.g. pizzas with thin and thick dough, or pizzas of 25 and 40 centimeters). 

One disadvantage of the firebrick oven is that the pizzas being baked require monitoring in order to bake evenly. Thus, they require more specialized personnel to quickly and safely turn them, in order to avoid significant heat loss.

Traditional pizza oven

Traditional pizza ovens (brick ovens) are mainly intended for pizzerias. They require 45-60 minutes of preheating and only 2-5 minutes to bake a pizza. They operate either by burning wood or with propane gas. They do not have a door, however, if the flame is maintained properly, they have almost zero heat loss between bakes.

Despite their high initial cost, they are a customer attraction point, as the aesthetic they provide is synonymous with traditional pizza and the result of baking never disappoints. Therefore, for a pizzeria, whose kitchen also functions as a storefront, the traditional brick oven is a must.

Because tradition overlooks technology and its conveniences, an experienced chef is needed to handle the oven, so that you can fully exploit the benefits of the oven.

Tunnel Pizza Oven

The tunnel pizza ovens (conveyor ovens) are suitable for restaurant chains and pizzerias with high production. They only need 10-15 minutes of preheating and 4-5 minutes to bake a pizza. They can be powered by gas or electricity.

In addition to their speed, a major advantage is that they do not require an experienced operator, as they are very easy to use and provide consistent baking. Finally, they are the only pizza ovens that have zero heat loss between bakes.

The drawbacks of these ovens are that they require space in the kitchen, as they are bulky devices, and they do not allow for simultaneous baking of different "styles" of pizza.

4. Placement

The choice between a tabletop and a floor pizza oven depends on your needs and preferences. As both types have their advantages and disadvantages, the choice depends on the space, usage, and budget.

The tabletop pizza oven is easier to store as it can be placed on a table and is suitable for kitchens with limited space. Usually, it is more affordable in terms of price. On the other hand, it has limited capacity and capabilities compared to a floor pizza oven, and it may restrict the way pizzas are cooked in large quantities.

The floor pizza oven has a larger capacity and power, allowing simultaneous cooking of a large quantity of pizzas, while offering better cooking results as it has more temperature and time adjustment options. Its disadvantages are that it has larger dimensions and is heavier, requiring more space and being more difficult to store. Finally, it is relatively more expensive compared to the tabletop oven.

Summarizing...

A professional pizza oven is an essential tool for your business kitchen and choosing the right one is not always an easy task, as you need to consider many factors that will lead you to the best choice, without investing too much money in an oven that meets your needs.

It is important not to forget the tools that will accompany the oven, such as pizza peels, which can elevate the final result. After all, don't forget that pizza has a wide and demanding audience, whose needs, if met, automatically become customers and regulars of your store.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best professional pizza oven?

Professional pizza ovens are designed to quickly bake high-quality pizzas. The best oven is the one that combines the power, capacity, and functionality you need for proper service, regardless of customer demand.

2. What is the suitable capacity for a professional oven?

Ask about the oven's capacity in terms of the number of trays. Consider your production volume and space limitations to ensure that the oven's capacity meets your needs.

3. Is there a difference between an electric pizza oven and a gas oven?

The general consensus is that gas pizza ovens offer a more traditional result, while electric ovens require less training to use and are more energy-efficient.

4. Can you cook other foods in a pizza oven?

Yes, because pizza ovens are similar to conventional ovens. Roasted meat, fish, pies, and baked goods can be cooked perfectly in a pizza oven, as they are extremely versatile. However, if you are interested in exploring other types of ovens that will "equip" your restaurant's kitchen, you can find everything you need in this buying guide for professional ovens.

5. Can a pizza oven reach very high temperatures?

Yes, although it depends on the pizza recipe. High temperature is necessary for quick pizza cooking, and some professional pizza ovens can reach temperatures above 600°C during baking. With a little practice and experimentation, you will find the perfect combination of heat and cooking times.

6. If I have an Italian cuisine restaurant or pizzeria, should I choose a brick oven or a traditional built-in oven and why?

If you do not have enough space in your kitchen to accommodate a traditional oven, choose a brick oven. If the kitchen is also a showcase of your store, invest in a traditional oven that will attract attention.

7. Should I choose a tabletop or floor-standing oven and why?

The appropriate choice depends on the needs of your business and your habits. If you have limited space and produce pizza on a daily basis relatively small, a tabletop oven may be the best choice. However, if you need more capacity and flexibility in cooking, a floor-standing pizza oven may be the best choice.

8. What is the difference between a single, double, and triple oven?

Single, double, and triple pizza ovens usually refer to the number of baking chambers they have.

This number determines the capacity of the oven and its ability to bake multiple pizzas at the same time with different temperatures and baking times.

A single pizza oven has one baking chamber. This means it can only bake one pizza at a time. It is ideal for small stores that do not have a high pizza production volume. A double pizza oven has two chambers, usually with separate temperature controls. This allows you to bake two pizzas simultaneously, with their own temperature settings. It is more flexible than the single oven and has the highest demand in the market. Finally, a triple pizza oven similarly has three chambers, usually with separate temperature controls. It is suitable for businesses that have a high demand for pizza and need to produce a large volume in a short period of time.

Of course, the choice between a single, double, and triple pizza oven depends on the needs and production of your business.