The 4 Greatest Indoor Pizza Ovens of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

I’ve lengthy thought of myself a pizza eater however not a pizza particular person. , somebody who slings pies of their yard on the common. However after attending culinary faculty in Italy, reviewing outside ovens, and testing Ooni’s first indoor mannequin final 12 months, that’s modified. I now love each consuming and making pizza.

Let’s circle again to indoor pizza ovens, although. Whereas Breville’s lengthy had the Pizzaiolo, the Ooni Volt burst onto the scene boasting a ridiculously excessive temperature vary. Once I examined it, I used to be astounded by simply how nice the pizza it made was, how scorching it obtained, and the way the outside managed to remain lukewarm to the contact even when the within of the oven was at 850°F. 

I’ve used the Volt commonly since then. Nevertheless, the idea of indoor pizza ovens, as an entire, has consumed me. As a New Englander who experiences chilly climate 65% of the 12 months, I’ve discovered that making pizza inside is commonly extra dependable. However is the Ooni Volt actually the most effective there’s? To seek out out, we put it to the take a look at towards 11 different indoor pizza ovens. 

The Winners, at a Look

This indoor pizza oven obtained ridiculously scorching, cooking pies in 90 seconds. Its touchscreen and dial controls had been simple to make use of and the outside stayed relatively cool to the contact. Whereas this oven is sort of massive, its built-in handles make it simpler to maneuver.

The Pizzaiolo has a smooth, chrome steel physique that resembles a toaster oven. (It’s only a bit greater than a microwave.) It reached temperatures over its said 750°F, heated up rapidly, and was simple to function.

This mannequin feels low cost compared to the Volt or Pizzaiolo—nevertheless it’s additionally a fraction of the worth. Impressively, it nonetheless obtained as much as 725°F and charred pizza in some spots.

Kenji really reviewed this oven many moons in the past. As a substitute of getting to show the pizza whereas it’s cooking, you place it on the Crispy Crust’s baking stone, shut the lid, and let the machine’s prime and backside heating parts do the work. It takes longer to prepare dinner pies, nevertheless it’s extra beginner-friendly.

The Assessments

• Temperature Take a look at: We set the indoor pizza ovens to their most temperature and took readings of the stones at 20 and half-hour utilizing an infrared thermometer.
• Cheese Pizza Take a look at: We made a cheese pizza in every mannequin, taking the oven’s inside temperature earlier than and after cooking and timing how lengthy it took every to bake the pie. We additionally recorded the temperature 5 minutes after retrieving the pizza, to see how effectively the ovens recovered.
• Pepperoni Pizza Take a look at: We repeated the above take a look at however with pepperoni pizza.
• Usability and Cleanup Assessments: All through testing, we evaluated how simple the indoor pizza ovens had been to make use of and clear. We additionally famous how scorching the exteriors obtained when in use. 

What We Realized

The Greatest Indoor Pizza Ovens Bought Scorching, Scorching, Scorching

When you’re after a pillowy, leopard-spotted crust (the hallmark of an excellent Neapolitan-style pizza), you want an indoor pizza oven that will get scorching. We’re speaking at the very least 700°F. Our winners all achieved this, aside from the Crispy Crust (it obtained to 605°F, however we predict some cooks is perhaps prepared to commerce efficiency for comfort). The Ooni Volt reached 850°F in simply 20 minutes, leading to pies that had been prepared in 90 seconds, with noticed bottoms and puffy edges. The Breville Pizzaiolo obtained to almost 800°F—larger than its marketed temperature.

That mentioned, simply because the inside of an oven will get blazing scorching doesn’t imply the surface must also. In reality, it must be the alternative: An equipment used inside ought to keep cool to the contact, or at the very least get no hotter than a toaster oven. The Ooni Volt has a carbon metal shell that rose to merely heat in our assessments.

Twin Heating Components Cooked Higher

The most effective-performing indoor pizza ovens had heating parts on the tops and bottoms, blasting warmth all around the pies and resulting in even cooking. The Breville Pizzaiolo has one heating aspect below the ceramic deck and two concentric coils above the deck. The Ooni Volt has two heating parts and routinely adjusts their output relying on the chosen temperature (although this may be manually overridden). As defined in our overview of the Volt, “Totally different types of pies require numerous temperatures and profit from hotter higher or decrease parts. If this sounds even mildly complicated, don’t fear: The oven features a information as to what temperature to make use of for every pizza kind. For instance, Neapolitan must be cooked at 850°F and the oven will favor the highest heating aspect. New York pies, alternatively, must be cooked at 650°F, and the warmth will likely be far more balanced between the highest and backside parts.”

Digital Controls Have been the Technique to Go

Each the Volt and Pizzaiolo have digital controls mixed with dials for simply toggling the temp, time, and settings. This made for a vastly higher person expertise. That mentioned, they’re additionally much more costly. The analog controls of the Cuisinart labored tremendous however had been clunkier. 

The Standards: What to Search for in an Indoor Pizza Oven

The most effective indoor pizza ovens reached temperatures exceeding 700°F, leading to stunning pizzas we’d fortunately eat any day of the week. Plus, most house ovens can attain a most of 500°F, so a better temperature makes a devoted indoor pizza oven definitely worth the funding. The controls must be intuitive (digital is finest, although ovens with these are dear) and the surface of the oven ought to keep comparatively cool to the contact. 

Our Favourite Indoor Pizza Ovens

What we appreciated: The Ooni Volt is probably the most highly effective indoor pizza oven we’ve ever tried. It reached 850°F in 20 minutes, cooked pizza in 90 seconds, and yielded pies with stunning leopard recognizing and pillowy crusts. It has two heating parts, which the oven will routinely alter primarily based on the chosen temperature. The clear glass door opens and closes easily, and it has handles constructed into its aspect. The outside additionally stayed pretty cool to the contact, even once we used it for hours. 

What we didn’t like: After all, this oven is depraved costly. It’s additionally heavy and large—and we will’t think about having a big sufficient kitchen the place this might keep out full-time. So, you’ll need to have a devoted storage spot for it.

Key Specs

• Weight: 39.7 kilos
• Dimensions: 24.2 x 20.8 x 10.9 inches
• Temperature vary: 150 to 850°F

What we appreciated: Glossy and concerning the measurement of a microwave, this indoor pizza oven has impressed us for years. It has three heating parts and, in our assessments, it reached 797°F, which is larger than its said most temperature of 750˚F. Pizza from it had stunning char spots and pillowy crusts, and the warmth recovered rapidly in between pies. As we mentioned in our devoted overview of the Pizzaiolo, “The Breville recovers its goal temperature within the time it takes to stretch and prime the following pizza, whereas a daily house oven takes some toggling (switching from broil again to bake) and at the very least a couple of minutes to come back again as much as temp.” Additionally a boon had been its digital controls and dials, which had been simple to function and allowed you to select from totally different pizza types (like pan and skinny and crispy).

What we didn’t like: Just like the Volt, this can be a very costly indoor pizza oven. Nevertheless, it didn’t warmth as evenly because the Volt.

Key Specs

• Weight: 32.3 kilos
• Dimensions: 18.1 x 18.5 x 10.6 inches
• Temperature vary: 350 to 750°F

What we appreciated: This oven obtained as much as 725°F—spectacular, given its sub-$300 value. It took an appropriate half-hour to preheat and baked up good pizzas, although it took longer than different ovens (extra on this beneath). Its controls had been analog and clearly labeled. This isn’t the fanciest indoor pizza oven, however that’s okay.

What we didn’t like: It took a full 4.5 minutes to bake a pizza, which resulted in a chewier-than-desired crust. There’s additionally a scorching spot behind the oven, so we needed to be vigilant about turning pies.

Key Specs

• Weight: 25 kilos
• Dimensions: 17.5 x 19 x 11 inches
• Temperature vary: 350 to 750°F

What we appreciated: Kenji reviewed this indoor pizza oven years in the past and he appreciated it. We felt the identical approach after retesting it. As Kenji wrote, “Fortunately, I can report that the oven does certainly carry out as marketed, pumping out 10-inch pies in about 7 minutes, crisp backside crust, first rate charring, and all.” It’s principally hands-free, too: Pop the pizza on the stone, shut the lid, and wait. There’s no pie-turning concerned. 

What we didn’t like: It took a very long time to warmth up and bake pizza and didn’t attain the excessive temps of our different winners. It additionally provides much less warmth management. Nevertheless, we predict newbie cooks or these seeking to make do-it-yourself pizza with out fuss could just like the Crispy Crust.

Key Specs

• Weight: 14.8 kilos
• Dimensions: 13.5 x 18 x 10 inches
• Temperature vary: As much as 572°F

The Competitors

FAQs

Can I take advantage of an Ooni pizza oven indoors? 

You can’t use a typical Ooni pizza oven (or any outside mannequin, for that matter) indoors. They use propane, kindling, charcoal, or wooden pellets and have an open flame, which might be harmful inside (to not point out the carbon monoxide threat). The Ooni Volt, nevertheless, is the corporate’s first electrical indoor-outdoor pizza oven.

Is it price getting an indoor pizza oven? 

When you like to prepare dinner pizza, stay in an space susceptible to inclement climate, and lack outside house however have storage house, an indoor pizza oven could possibly be price it.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the senior commerce editor at Critical Eats. She’s been with the location since 2021 and beforehand labored at America’s Take a look at Kitchen and Food52. 
• For this overview, we examined 12 indoor pizza ovens, evaluating how scorching they obtained, how lengthy they took to warmth up, the qualities of their pizzas, and extra.