We’ve all been there: you follow a pizza recipe perfectly, only to pull a soggy, disappointing pie from your conventional oven. The truth is, your home oven simply can’t produce the intense heat needed for a truly great crust. The solution is a wood burning pizza oven. By combining scorching temperatures of over 800°F with the subtle flavor of real wood smoke, these ovens cook a perfect pizza in as little as 90 seconds. This guide will demystify the entire process for you. We’ll explain the science behind the perfect cook, show you what to look for in a quality oven, and teach you how to master the fire.
Key Takeaways
- Master the Heat for the Perfect Crust: A wood-fired oven's ability to reach 800°F+ is what creates that signature crisp-yet-chewy crust in under two minutes. Learning to manage this intense, even heat—using an infrared thermometer is a pro move—is the most important skill for achieving restaurant-quality results.
- Prioritize Build Quality Over Bells and Whistles: The best ovens are defined by their materials, not just their features. Focus on models with excellent insulation and a refractory brick floor, as these are crucial for reaching and maintaining the high temperatures needed for a perfect cook.
- Proper Fuel and Prep are Non-Negotiable: Your results are only as good as your fire. Always use seasoned hardwood (like oak or ash) for a clean, hot burn, and never skip the initial curing process. Following the manufacturer's instructions to cure your oven prevents damage and sets you up for success.
Why Go with a Wood-Fired Oven?
If you're chasing that perfect, restaurant-quality pizza at home, a wood-fired oven is your answer. There’s a certain magic that happens when you combine high heat, a brick dome, and real wood smoke. It’s more than just a cooking appliance; it’s an experience that transforms your backyard into a genuine pizzeria. The results speak for themselves: a perfectly cooked pizza in minutes, infused with an unmistakable flavor you just can’t get from a conventional oven. Let’s break down what makes these ovens so special.
Get That Authentic, Crispy Crust
The secret to a truly great pizza crust—one that’s light and airy on the inside with a satisfyingly crisp exterior—is intense heat. Your home oven maxes out around 550°F, but a wood-fired oven can reach temperatures of 800°F to 1,000°F. This incredible heat radiates evenly from the brick dome, cooking the pizza in as little as 90 seconds. The blast of heat hits the dough instantly, causing it to puff up and create that perfect leopard-spotted char. This process, known as oven spring, happens so fast that the crust cooks through without the toppings becoming overdone or the base getting soggy.
Enjoy Even, High-Heat Cooking
Beyond the peak temperatures, the design of a wood-fired oven ensures consistent, even cooking. The dome shape reflects heat down onto the pizza, while the hot brick floor cooks the base from below. This combination of radiant and conductive heat cooks everything simultaneously and incredibly quickly. While a conventional oven can take an hour to preheat, a quality wood-fired oven is ready to go in a fraction of that time. This efficiency means you can cook for a crowd without missing the party, turning out perfect pizzas one after another without a long wait.
Infuse Your Food with Smoky Flavor
You can’t replicate the subtle, smoky essence of a wood-fired pizza. As the wood burns, it releases aromatic compounds that circulate inside the oven, infusing everything you cook with a delicate, rustic flavor. This isn't an overpowering, barbecue-pit smokiness, but rather a gentle enhancement that complements the other ingredients. The high heat also caramelizes the sugars in the tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings, deepening their flavors in a way that slower cooking methods can't. Choosing the right type of wood allows you to customize the flavor even further.
Cook More Than Just Pizza
A wood-fired oven is one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor cooking equipment you can own. While it excels at pizza, its capabilities go far beyond. You can use the intense live fire to sear steaks, roast vegetables, and bake flatbreads. Once the fire dies down, the oven’s incredible heat retention turns it into a roasting and baking powerhouse. You can bake crusty loaves of bread, slow-roast a whole chicken, or cook a casserole using the residual heat. With the right pizza oven accessories, your oven becomes a complete outdoor kitchen.
What to Look for in a Wood-Fired Oven
Choosing a wood-fired oven is a big step, and it’s exciting to think about all the amazing meals you’re going to create. But with so many options out there, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Think of this as your guide to finding the perfect oven for your backyard. It’s not just about picking the one that looks the best; it’s about finding an oven that fits your cooking style, your space, and your entertaining goals.
We’ll walk through the most important factors, from the materials that ensure your oven lasts a lifetime to the size you’ll need for your legendary pizza parties. We'll also cover the details that separate a good oven from a great one, like how well it holds heat and how much control you have over the temperature. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to look for and feel confident you’re making an investment that will bring you joy—and incredible pizza—for years to come.
Check the Build Quality and Materials
When you’re investing in a wood-fired oven, you want it to last. The best way to ensure that is to pay close attention to its construction. Look for ovens made from high-grade materials like stainless steel, which resists rust and weather damage, and refractory brick for the cooking floor, which is essential for that perfect crispy crust. Top-tier brands like Fontana Forni are still handmade in Italy, using heavy-duty construction methods that have been perfected over generations. A well-built oven isn't just a purchase; it's a permanent fixture for your home.
Consider Size and How Many Pizzas You'll Make
Think about how you plan to use your oven. Are you dreaming of quiet weeknight dinners for two, or are you the go-to host for neighborhood gatherings? The oven's internal cooking surface will determine how many pizzas you can make at once. Smaller models are perfect for cooking a single 12-inch pizza, while larger ovens can handle multiple pies simultaneously. Don’t just think about pizza, either. If you plan on roasting vegetables or baking bread, a little extra space will give you the flexibility you need to cook for a crowd.
Look for Excellent Heat Retention and Insulation
The secret to a perfectly cooked pizza in 90 seconds is intense, consistent heat. That’s where insulation comes in. A great oven has thick, high-quality insulation—sometimes over four inches of it—surrounding the cooking dome. This is crucial because it traps the heat inside, allowing the oven to reach and maintain temperatures of 800°F or more without burning through tons of wood. Excellent heat retention means the oven floor stays hot between pizzas, so every single crust comes out just as crisp as the first.
Evaluate the Temperature and Airflow Controls
A wood fire is a living thing, and being able to manage it is key to great cooking. The best ovens give you precise control over temperature and airflow. Look for features like a built-in thermometer on the oven door so you can monitor the heat without guessing. An adjustable chimney damper is another must-have feature, as it allows you to control the airflow. By adjusting the damper, you can fine-tune the temperature, whether you need roaring flames for a Neapolitan pizza or lower, more consistent heat for baking a loaf of sourdough.
Decide if You Need a Portable Oven
Your pizza-making adventures don’t have to be confined to your backyard. If you love the idea of bringing your oven to a friend’s house, a tailgate, or a camping trip, a portable model might be the right fit for you. Many modern wood-fired ovens are designed to be lightweight and easy to move, with some weighing under 50 pounds. Others come with sturdy carts and wheels, giving you the flexibility to easily rearrange your patio setup. Portability doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice performance; many of these compact ovens can still reach the high temperatures needed for authentic pizza.
Our Top Picks for Wood-Fired Ovens
Choosing a wood-fired oven is a big decision, and with so many fantastic options out there, it can be tough to know where to start. We’ve spent years working with the best brands in the business, so we’ve seen what sets a good oven apart from a great one. This list is our curated collection of the top performers—the ovens that consistently deliver on flavor, quality, and design. Each brand brings something unique to the table, whether it’s cutting-edge technology, professional-grade power, or timeless Italian craftsmanship.
While every oven on this list is a winner, we have a special appreciation for Alfa Forni. As the country's #1 retailer of Alfa Forni™ ovens, we’ve seen firsthand how their commitment to innovation and quality creates an incredible cooking experience. They perfectly blend tradition with modern engineering, making them a favorite among our team and customers alike. Think of this guide as your starting point for finding the perfect oven that fits your space, your cooking style, and your vision for the ultimate backyard gathering.
Alfa Forni: The Italian Standard
When you think of authentic Italian pizza, you’re thinking of the tradition and passion that Alfa Forni builds into every oven. Made in Italy, these ovens are the gold standard for home chefs who refuse to compromise on quality. What makes them stand out is their brilliant use of technology, like their patented Forninox™ construction, which combines a durable stainless steel dome with a classic refractory brick floor. This means you get the rapid heat-up times of a modern oven without sacrificing the incredible, crisp-bottomed crust that only a true firebrick hearth can provide. They are beautifully designed, incredibly efficient, and built to be the centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen for years to come.
Gozney: Professional Grade for Your Backyard
If you’re looking to replicate a restaurant-quality pizza experience at home, Gozney is the brand for you. These ovens are engineered for performance, giving you the power and precision of a professional kitchen in a design that’s perfect for your patio. The Gozney Dome is a fan favorite, offering a dual-fuel system that lets you cook with wood for authentic flavor or gas for convenience. It heats up incredibly fast and maintains high temperatures with ease, cooking pizzas in just a couple of minutes. Features like a built-in digital thermometer and an innovative air ventilation system give you total control over your cook, ensuring a perfect, golden-crisp pizza every single time.
Ooni: The Multi-Fuel Innovator
Ooni has made a name for itself by making high-heat pizza ovens accessible, portable, and incredibly versatile. If you love having options, Ooni is a fantastic choice. Many of their models, like the popular Karu series, are multi-fuel, allowing you to cook with wood, charcoal, or gas with a simple attachment. This flexibility is perfect for any occasion, whether you’re craving the smoky flavor of wood or need the quick convenience of gas on a busy weeknight. Ooni ovens are known for their sleek, modern design and thoughtful features, like a wide opening for easily launching and turning pizzas and excellent insulation for consistent cooking temperatures. They prove you don’t need a massive, built-in structure to make amazing pizza.
Fontana Forni: Classic Design, Modern Performance
Fontana Forni is another legendary Italian brand that has been perfecting its craft for decades. These ovens are 100% handmade in Italy and are built like beautiful, high-performance tanks. They masterfully blend classic design with modern engineering, using heavy-duty materials to ensure they last a lifetime. Fontana Forni offers a wide range of ovens, including wood-fired, gas, and hybrid models, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs. Their construction focuses on maximizing heat retention and circulation, which means you get an evenly cooked pizza with a beautifully baked crust. If you appreciate timeless craftsmanship and want an oven that’s as durable as it is beautiful, Fontana Forni is an exceptional choice.
Forno Bravo: Traditional Style, Exceptional Quality
Forno Bravo is dedicated to producing true, Italian-style wood-fired ovens with a focus on traditional dome design and exceptional materials. These ovens are celebrated for their authentic look and feel, making them a stunning focal point in any backyard. They are designed for both residential and commercial use, which speaks volumes about their quality and durability. Forno Bravo ovens are known for their incredible heat retention, thanks to high-quality refractory materials that store and radiate heat evenly for hours. This makes them ideal not just for pizza, but for baking bread, roasting meats, and so much more. For the purist who wants an authentic, traditional oven built with uncompromising quality, Forno Bravo is a top contender.
How Much Does a Wood-Fired Oven Cost?
One of the first questions on everyone's mind is about the price. Wood-fired pizza ovens come in a surprisingly wide range of price points, so you can find one that fits your budget and your backyard cooking ambitions. The final cost depends on factors like size, build materials, insulation, and brand reputation. Whether you're just starting or ready to build a professional-grade outdoor kitchen, there's an oven for you. Let's break down what you can expect to find at different price levels.
Entry-Level Ovens: Getting Started ($300-$600)
If you're new to the world of wood-fired cooking, an entry-level oven is a fantastic way to get your feet wet without a huge financial commitment. Ovens in this price range are typically smaller, portable, and feature modern designs. They use clever engineering and quality materials to reach high temperatures and produce excellent results. While they may not have the same heat retention as their pricier counterparts, they are perfect for learning the craft of fire management and making delicious pizzas. Think of it as your gateway to becoming a true pizza aficionado.
Mid-Range Ovens: The Sweet Spot for Enthusiasts ($600-$1,200)
For the serious home chef, the mid-range category is where things get exciting. Ovens priced between $600 and $1,200 offer a perfect balance of performance, quality, and value. In this tier, you’ll start to see high-quality, handmade ovens from Italy, like those from Fontana Forni. These models provide better insulation, more durable construction, and more consistent cooking temperatures. They represent a significant step up in both capability and longevity, making them a worthy investment for anyone who plans to host regular pizza nights for family and friends.
Premium Ovens: For the Ultimate Pizza Experience ($1,500+)
When you’re ready for an oven with zero compromises, the premium tier is where you’ll find it. Starting at $1,500 and going up from there, these are the best-in-class models that deliver professional-grade results right in your backyard. Brands like Alfa Forni are the gold standard, offering unparalleled heat control, superior insulation, and the ability to cook a perfect Neapolitan pizza in as little as 90 seconds. Many also offer dual-fuel versatility, allowing you to cook with wood or gas. This is more than just an oven; it's the centerpiece of an outdoor kitchen and a true investment in your culinary passion.
How to Find a Great Deal
While premium ovens are an investment, there are smart ways to shop. Keep an eye out for seasonal sales events, especially around major holidays. Signing up for a retailer’s newsletter is a great way to get notified about promotions before anyone else. Another tip is to look for bundles that include essential pizza oven accessories like a peel, brush, and cover. This can save you a significant amount compared to buying each item separately. Finally, purchasing from a specialized retailer ensures you get expert guidance to choose the right oven, which is a value that’s hard to put a price on.
The Pros and Cons of Cooking with Wood
Why Wood-Fired Beats Other Ovens
There’s a reason chefs and home cooks get so excited about wood-fired ovens. It all comes down to heat—and lots of it. These ovens can reach scorching temperatures between 800°F and 1,000°F, which is way hotter than your standard kitchen oven. This intense, evenly distributed heat is the secret to a perfect pizza. It cooks the crust and toppings at the same time, giving you that signature crispy-chewy base and perfectly melted cheese in as little as 90 seconds. This quick cooking time also means your pizza doesn’t dry out. Plus, you get that incredible, smoky flavor infused into every bite, a taste you simply can’t replicate with gas or electricity. It’s one of the biggest reasons wood-fired pizza ovens are better.
What Are the Downsides?
While cooking with wood is amazing, it’s not as simple as grabbing any old log from the backyard. The type of wood you use matters—a lot. You should never use wood that’s been chemically treated, like pressure-treated lumber, painted boards, or laminated wood. Burning these materials can release toxic chemicals into your oven and your food, which is a serious health hazard. You also want to steer clear of softwoods with a lot of sap, like pine. These woods create a buildup of soot and creosote inside your oven, which can ruin the flavor of your food and damage the oven over time. Choosing the best firewood for use in pizza ovens is key to a safe and delicious experience.
Simple Fixes for Common Issues
Don’t let the potential downsides scare you off. Most issues with wood-fired cooking come down to one thing: using the wrong wood. The simple fix is to use properly seasoned hardwood. You’re looking for wood with a moisture content of around 20%. Wood that’s too wet (often called "greenwood") will produce a lot of smoke and struggle to generate enough heat. On the other hand, wood that’s overly dry will burn too quickly. Using the right kind of seasoned hardwood, like oak, maple, or hickory, ensures a clean, hot fire. This prevents a smoky oven, minimizes soot buildup, and helps you cook delicious, flavorful food every single time you fire it up.
How to Set Up Your New Pizza Oven
Bringing home a new pizza oven is an exciting moment. You’re just a few steps away from pulling incredible, restaurant-quality pizzas right out of your own backyard. But before you start slinging dough, a little bit of setup is required to make sure you get the best performance and keep your oven in great shape for years to come. Taking the time to find the right spot, choose the best fuel, and properly cure the oven will pay off with countless delicious meals. Think of it as the first step in your pizza-making journey. Let’s walk through how to get your new oven ready for its first fire.
Find the Perfect (and Safest) Spot
Your pizza oven is an investment built to last for decades, so choosing its permanent home is the first important decision. You’ll need a stable, level, and non-combustible surface like a concrete patio or a dedicated countertop in your outdoor kitchen. Safety is key, so position the oven with plenty of clearance—at least a few feet away from your house, fences, low-hanging tree branches, or anything else that could be a fire hazard. Also, think about the wind and where the smoke will travel. You don’t want it blowing back into your home or directly at your outdoor dining table. A well-placed oven makes for a much more enjoyable cooking experience for you and your guests.
Pick the Best Wood for Flavor and Heat
The type of wood you burn has a huge impact on your pizza’s flavor and the oven’s performance. The golden rule is to always use seasoned, dried hardwood. Hardwoods like oak, ash, and beech burn hotter, cleaner, and longer than softwoods, giving you the consistent high heat you need. Oak is a very popular choice because it burns for a long time and adds a wonderful, subtle aroma to your food. "Seasoned" simply means the wood has a low moisture content, which helps it burn efficiently with less smoke. Never use treated lumber, painted wood, or softwoods like pine, as they can release harmful chemicals and create a sooty mess.
Gather Your Must-Have Tools and Accessories
To cook like a pro, you need the right tools. Having a few key pizza oven accessories on hand will make managing the fire and cooking your pizzas much easier and safer. At a minimum, you’ll want a pizza peel for launching and retrieving pizzas, an infrared thermometer to accurately read the temperature of the oven floor, and a long-handled brush or ash rake to move coals around. A good pair of heat-resistant gloves is also a must for protecting your hands and arms. Having everything organized in one spot near your oven will create a smooth and efficient workflow when it’s time to cook.
Your First-Time Firing Guide
This last step is the most important one: you must cure your oven before you cook in it. Curing involves burning a series of small, low-temperature fires over several days to slowly draw out any residual moisture from the oven’s dome and floor. This process prevents the materials from cracking under the shock of high heat. Always follow the specific curing instructions that came with your oven. Once it’s cured, you’re ready for your first real cooking fire. Your goal is to get the oven floor to a temperature between 806°F and 869°F. At that heat, a Neapolitan-style pizza will cook in just 60 to 90 seconds. Be patient—it takes practice to learn how to build and maintain the perfect fire.
Keep Your Oven in Top Shape
Your wood-fired oven is an investment in incredible food and unforgettable gatherings. A little bit of care goes a long way in protecting that investment, ensuring your oven performs beautifully for years. Think of it less as a chore and more as part of the ritual of making amazing pizza. Sticking to a simple maintenance schedule will keep your oven clean, efficient, and ready for action whenever a pizza craving strikes.
Your Go-To Cleaning Routine
The best time to clean your oven is right after you’re done cooking. Once the last pizza is out, just close the door and let the residual heat work its magic. This high-heat "clean cycle" will burn off any cheese or toppings that dripped onto the oven floor. After the oven has completely cooled down (usually the next day), use a good oven brush with stiff bristles to sweep out the ash and any remaining debris. This simple habit prevents buildup and gives you a perfect, clean surface for your next cook.
How to Prep Your Oven for the Season
Before you kick off a new season of pizza making, it’s a great idea to give your oven a more thorough cleaning. Once it’s cool, use your brush or a scraper to gently remove any stubborn, baked-on residue from the cooking floor. This helps maintain your oven’s performance and ensures every pizza tastes fresh. For an extra deep clean, you can fire up the oven to a high temperature for about 30 minutes to burn off any lingering particles from the off-season. It’s like a fresh start for a season of delicious food.
Protect it From the Elements
Your oven is built to last, but the weather can be tough. Protecting it from rain, snow, and harsh sun is key to its longevity. Investing in a high-quality, waterproof pizza oven cover is one of the easiest and most effective ways to shield it from the elements. If your oven is made of brick or stone, it’s also wise to check that it’s properly sealed to prevent moisture from seeping in and causing cracks over time. A little protection now prevents major headaches later.
Where to Store it Off-Season
If you live in a climate with harsh winters, you’ll want to think about where to store your oven during the off-season. The ideal spot is a dry, sheltered location like a garage or a shed. This keeps it safe from extreme temperature swings and moisture that can cause damage. If you don’t have indoor space, don’t worry. You can safely store it outside as long as you use a heavy-duty, weather-resistant cover that fits well and will stay put through wind and snow.
Quick Fixes for Common Problems
Even the best ovens can have off days. If you’re struggling with unevenly cooked pizza, the most common culprit is not preheating the oven long enough. Give it plenty of time for the dome and floor to get thoroughly saturated with heat. If you notice excess smoke, it could be a sign of creosote buildup from using damp wood. A quick fix is to run the oven at a high temperature to burn it off. Following a regular cleaning schedule will help you avoid most of these issues altogether.
How to Master Your Oven's Temperature
Getting a wood-fired oven is exciting, but learning to control its intense heat can feel a little intimidating at first. Don't worry—it's a skill anyone can learn. Think of it less like baking in a kitchen oven and more like grilling over a live fire. Once you understand how the heat works and how to manage your fire, you'll be in complete control. Mastering your oven's temperature is the single biggest step you can take toward making truly incredible, restaurant-quality pizza right in your own backyard. Let's walk through how to get there.
Understand How Heat Moves in Your Oven
A wood-fired oven cooks completely differently than your conventional oven. Instead of just hot air, it uses three types of heat to create that perfect pizza. First, there's radiant heat from the fire and the hot dome, which cooks the toppings and melts the cheese. Second, there's conduction, where the hot oven floor (the deck) cooks the bottom of the crust. Finally, convection heat circulates hot air throughout the oven. This combination is why a quality oven like an Alfa Forni can reach temperatures over 800°F, cooking the crust and toppings perfectly at the same time. This intense, even heat is the secret to a crispy-chewy crust that’s impossible to replicate indoors.
Learn to Manage Your Fire and Cooking Times
Your fire is the engine of your oven, and learning to manage it is key. For a classic Neapolitan-style pizza, you want the oven floor to be around 800°F. At this temperature, your pizza will cook in just 60 to 90 seconds. The best way to know your temperature is with an infrared thermometer, which lets you take a precise reading of the deck. If the temperature is too low, your pizza will take longer to cook, causing the dough to lose moisture and become dry and cracker-like. To maintain the heat, keep a small, active fire burning on one side of the oven while you cook. This creates a continuous flow of heat to keep the dome and floor perfectly hot.
Get Consistent, Delicious Results Every Time
Once you get the hang of temperature management, you can produce consistently amazing food. The high, steady heat means no more guessing games—just perfectly cooked pizza, time after time. This quick cooking process does more than just create a great crust; it also locks in the nutrients and flavor of your toppings. Vegetables, for example, cook so fast that they retain their freshness and bite instead of becoming soggy. The key is to find what works for your specific oven and stick with it. Start with a quality pizza dough, preheat your oven properly, and soon you'll be pulling out perfect pies that will wow your friends and family.
Adjust Your Technique for Any Weather
Your backyard isn't a climate-controlled kitchen, so you'll need to adapt to the weather. On a cold or windy day, your oven will lose heat faster and may require more wood and a longer preheating time to get up to temperature. Try to position your oven's opening away from the wind to prevent it from blowing out your flame or cooling the interior. The type of wood you use also makes a big difference. Using the right kind of seasoned hardwood prevents a smoky oven and helps you cook delicious food. Different woods can even add subtle flavors to your meals, giving you another fun variable to experiment with on your pizza-making journey.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it actually take to heat up a wood-fired oven? This really depends on the size and insulation of your specific oven, but you should generally plan for about 30 to 60 minutes to get it up to pizza-making temperature. The goal isn't just to get a hot fire going, but to let the oven's dome and floor absorb and saturate with heat. This stored heat is what cooks your pizza so evenly and quickly, so giving it the proper time to preheat is one of the most important steps.
Do I really need to buy special wood, or can I use logs from my backyard? Using the right fuel is non-negotiable for both safety and performance. You should always use a seasoned hardwood like oak, maple, or beech. These woods burn hot and clean, which is what you need for that intense, even heat. Using random wood from your yard is risky because it could be a softwood that creates a lot of soot, or it might be too wet, which produces a smoky, weak fire. Never, ever burn treated, painted, or laminated wood, as it can release toxic chemicals into your oven and food.
Are these ovens difficult to clean and maintain? Not at all. In fact, they are surprisingly low-maintenance. The intense heat does most of the work for you by incinerating any spilled cheese or toppings. Once the oven has completely cooled, your only real task is to use a brush to sweep out the leftover ash. As long as you use a cover to protect it from the weather, a simple sweep after each use is all the regular cleaning it needs.
Can I still use my pizza oven when it's cold or windy outside? Absolutely! A well-insulated oven is designed to hold its heat in any weather. You will, however, need to make a few adjustments. On a cold or windy day, your oven will require a bit more wood and a longer preheating time to reach the right temperature. It's also a good idea to position the oven's opening away from the wind to keep the flame steady and prevent the interior from cooling down too quickly.
Besides the smoky flavor, is there a big difference between a wood-fired and a gas pizza oven? Yes, the difference comes down to the type of heat. While gas ovens are incredibly convenient and can get very hot, a live wood fire provides a unique radiant heat that you can't replicate. The flame itself rolls across the dome of the oven, radiating intense heat down onto the toppings while the hot floor cooks the crust from below. This dynamic heat is what creates the signature leopard-spotted char and puffy crust of an authentic Neapolitan pizza in 90 seconds or less.