Pizza ovens: how to choose them?

When planning to open a pizzeria or to offer pizzas to your restaurant guests, one of the first things to think about is which pizza ovens are the most worthy of consideration. In our AUDORES pizza oven guide, we explain how to choose a high-quality pizza oven that will last a long time and ensure that your pizzas bake evenly, taste delicious and are easy to use for your kitchen staff. Here you will learn about the types, features and parameters of pizza ovens that are important to consider before making your choice.

TYPES OF PIZZA OVENS

There are several main types of equipment that restaurant owners choose to bake their pizzas in:

• electric or gas pizza oven;
• conveyor pizza oven;
• grill;
• high-speed oven.

Let’s look at the features of each appliance.

Pizza OVEN

The base of a pizza oven is usually a stone or brick slab, which is heated by heating mechanisms underneath it. They can be heated by electricity or gas, which affects the baking characteristics. For example, an electric pizza oven works on the convection principle, which ensures that the temperature is evenly distributed and thus the pizza is evenly baked. In gas pizza ovens, the heat is usually confined to the top or bottom slabs, which are particularly good at baking the pizza ingredients. The baking temperature in these ovens is adjustable and can reach up to 500 °C.

Pizza ovens are available in different sizes. You can choose ovens with 1–2 chambers to bake more pizzas at the same time. The chambers of these ovens are mounted on top of each other, thereby saving space in the restaurant.

Our range also includes larger pizza ovens. For example, this Cuppone oven, which can bake up to 10 small or 4 large pizzas at once. The Italian equipment manufacturers ensure that not only the inside of the stove is practical, but also the outside – the appliance has a pentagonal shape, so it can be placed in a corner of the kitchen.

Although such a pizza oven is easy to use, staff may need time to get used to the new appliance. In such cases, additional tools such as heat-resistant gloves, a square pizza scoop and other pizzeria accessories ensure that chefs work safely. In addition, other accessories such as a pizza oven stand, a pizza oven cabinet, a pizza oven hood or a pizza oven ventilation hood contribute to an efficient pizzeria layout.

CONVEYOR PIZZA OVEN

The name of the conveyor oven suggests that its distinctive feature is its conveyor technology, which allows for continuous pizza baking. A metal conveyor belt runs the length of the inside of the oven. With this oven, you place your pizzas on one side of the appliance and take them out on the other.

The most common way to bake pizzas in such ovens is by using hot air and infrared light. Both the speed of the conveyor belt and the heat of the oven (the highest temperature is around 350°C) are adjustable. So when you need a productive appliance that bakes the most pizzas in the shortest time, conveyor ovens are probably the most popular choice. For example, our conveyor oven can bake up to 86 pizzas per hour.

Conveyor pizza ovens are special because they are very easy to use and do not require a large investment of time in staff training. Along with the conveyor pizza oven, we recommend purchasing equipment such as: vegetable prep machine, dough rollers and dough mixers.

GRILL

Pizza can also be baked in multi-purpose equipment, such as the exclusive KamadoClub clay grill, using a stone designed for baking pizza. Our recommended KamadoClub grill heats up to 540 °C and has a high-precision grill thermometer for perfect pizza baking. KamadoClub’s cooking equipment is most often used by small family restaurants or by chefs preparing food for events, who benefit from transportable equipment.

One of the special features of the grill is the smoky flavour, which comes from burning wood or special wood chips. In addition to pizzas, the grill can also be used to grill steaks and burgers, cook vegetables and stews. Manufacturers KamadoClub offer a range of accessories to make cooking easier. For example, an impregnated cast-iron kazan, an electric grill igniter or a digital Bluetooth wireless food thermometer will be useful for restaurant operations.

HIGH-SPEED OVEN

Another versatile appliance is the high-speed oven. It heats and bakes food using several different heating technologies: microwave, convection, blast and/or infrared. These ovens usually have hundreds or even thousands of programmes, so you can bake not only pizzas, but also snacks, sandwiches and even cakes.

Restaurants, bakeries, cafés and petrol stations choose high-speed ovens for their convenience and versatility. It is true that, although they bake very quickly, high-speed ovens do not have the same capacity as other ovens.

When choosing an oven, check the maximum temperature of the appliance. This varies depending on the model and can range from 260 °C to 300 °C. We also recommend that you pay attention to the capacity of the oven chamber when choosing an oven. For example, one accelerated cooking machine will hold pizzas with a diameter of 35 cm and another – 30 cm.

WHAT ELSE TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

When you choose the type of pizza oven and are looking for a specific appliance, take a look at:

• Baking technology. Make sure the oven is suitable for the type of pizza you choose and that the temperature is sufficient to achieve the desired result.
• The size of the baking tray. Pizza ovens are available in different sizes, so it is important to consider the size of the pizzas you plan to bake.
• Stand. In most cases, the stands are part of the oven set, but there are cases where they need to be purchased separately. It is more convenient and safer to store ovens on special stands.
• Power. The more powerful the oven, the higher their baking temperature and the faster they heat up.
• Weight. If you plan to transport the oven, take into account the weight of the appliance.
• Warranty. All AUDORES pizza ovens come with a warranty period, which depends on the manufacturer of the appliance.

USEFUL ASPECTS OF A PIZZA OVEN

• Timer. Kitchen staff cook several dishes at the same time, so the timer built into the appliance helps them feel more relaxed and get the pizza out of the oven on time.
• Temperature display. Opening the oven door causes the baking temperature to drop, so the built-in display informs bakers of temperature changes.
• Pizza stone. Specially designed for pizza baking, the stones absorb moisture and distribute heat evenly, so your pizzas get a nice crust without burning. You can buy such an accessory at any time to upgrade your existing baking appliance.
• Appearance. The appearance of the stove is important if you plan to keep it visible to customers. A beautiful stove can make an interior cosy and unique. This is a particular concern for our suppliers Sudforni, who produce unique painted steel ovens that are energy-efficient, remote-controlled and heat up to 520 °C.

Audores recommends that pizzeria equipment should only come from reputable manufacturers. Our range includes pizza equipment from Italian manufacturers GGF, PizzaGroup, Sudforni, Cuppone and US manufacturer Hostek. You can find the full range here.