Spring has sprung, which officially means it's time to get back into outdoor cooking. For many Canadians, outdoor cooking is synonymous with anything and everything barbeque. However, there's another outdoor cooking gadget that's worth your attention: Pizza ovens.
A lesser thought-of culinary tool, pizza ovens are more readily available than one might assume. Major retailers like Amazon, Lowes and Wayfair all carry an impressive pizza oven selection, while specialty brands like Ooni and Gozni have perfected their pizza ovens.
With prices starting at less than $250, pizza enthusiasts don't have to break the bank to make restaurant-quality pies at home. Shop the 11 best outdoor pizza ovens in Canada under $1,000 below, starting with this "Amazon's Choice" option from Cuisinart.
Best outdoor pizza ovens under $250
Cuisinart CPO-700 Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit
The details
The Cuisinart pizza oven kit is powered by your grill and designed to sit atop your BBQ, whether gas, charcoal, or pellet.
The compact cooker features a cordierite baking stone that helps produce a perfectly cooked crust each time. Users can easily track the progress of their pizza with an integrated thermometer that reads up to 800°F.
The kit includes a 12-inch aluminum pizza peel that's lightweight and easy to handle. Plus, the peel's wooden handle folds down for compact storage.
What people are saying
Cuisinart's CPO-700 Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit has racked up an average rating of 4.1 stars from Amazon shoppers and top marks for flavour and value.
"Pizza perfection!" lauds one reviewer. It's an "excellent value to creating outstanding pizzas." Pizzas cook "perfectly and evenly," they write.
"This is a must-have if you love pizza," says another shopper. It "works great on my grill" and quickly reaches temperatures in the high 700s.
They say it cooks pizza "just as perfectly" as brick pizza ovens. "I am thoroughly enjoying this grill top oven."
Despite positive reviews, some shoppers warn the oven can be "tricky to clean" and recommend keeping toppings an inch or more away from the edge of the crust to avoid any spillage.
To check out more reviewer-loved pizza ovens for spring and summer 2023, scroll below.
Best outdoor pizza ovens under $300
Bakerstone Original Series Grill Top Pizza Oven Box Kit
Average rating: 4.8 stars
With the help of this pizza oven, it's able to raise the temperature of outdoor grills to that of a real wood burning pizza oven. It uses a cooking chamber made of ceramic stones and enamelled steel housing, creating an air flow system that enhances the convective, conductive and radiant heat. Reviewers say it delivers "perfect pizza" while offering "very good value."
Big Horn Outdoors Pellet Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.5 stars
This stainless steel option from Big Horn Outdoors reaches temperatures up to 860 degrees F (460 degrees C), cooking delicious pizzas in two minutes or less. The portable unit is constructed with folding legs, requires minimal assembly, and can quickly come apart for easy cleaning and storage. It's "east to assemble and to use," and "cooks a pie so quickly."
Pizzello Outdoor Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.5 stars
This budget-friendly portable pizza oven can reach temperatures of up to 932°F and cook pizzas to perfection in just 60 seconds. The wood-fired unit has racked up an average rating of 4.6 stars from Wayfair shoppers who call it "a great little pizza oven." According to one shopper, the Pizzello oven is "easy to put together and use. [It's] definitely a worthwhile purchase."
Best outdoor pizza ovens under $500
Mimiuo Portable Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.3 stars
Mimiuo's portable wood-fired pizza oven reaches temperatures of 932°F and cooks Neapolitan pizza in just 60 seconds. Its chimney cover can be adjusted by 90 degrees to control the flame intensity, delivering custom pizzas, every time. "This oven is perfect," according to one Wayfair shopper. "Easy to assemble, easy to load with fuel and light and extremely quick baking. [...] It allows each person to have [their pizza] made their way, so everybody is happy."
Mont Alpi Stainless Steel Countertop Propane Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.2 stars
This pizza oven is easy to assemble and natural gas convertible. It reaches a maximum temperature of 600°F and comes backed by dozens of five-star reviews. According to one shopper, the pizza oven is "an invaluable tool for a wide array of outdoor culinary applications." It's a "great tool for backyard/tailgater/camping/foodie adventures," they write. "Awesome oven!"
BakerStone Original Series Portable Gas Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4 stars
This portable gas pizza oven reaches the same temperatures as a real wood-burning pizza oven. It boasts a two-burner 25,000 BTU burner system capable of reaching over 800 degrees F (426 degrees C) and can bake pizzas in under two minutes. "Works as described," writes one reviewer. "Four minutes from dough to pizza!"
U-Max Steel Freestanding Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.1 stars
This freestanding pizza oven is a guaranteed hit for parties, family gatherings, BBQs and camping. The unit can reach a temperature of 700°F or higher within 20-30 minutes and features a handle and wheels for easy transport and storage. According to one Wayfair shopper, the oven is "easy to put together and great quality!"
Camp Chef Italia Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven
Average rating: 3.9 stars
Enjoy authentic artisan-style pizza on your own patio with this portable Italia Artisan Pizza Oven. With its double-walled construction and specially designed burners, the outdoor pizza oven is designed to replicate the performance of a wood-fired brick oven, delivering delicious results every time.
Best outdoor pizza ovens under $1,000
Gozney Roccbox
Average rating: 4.8 stars
Meet the Roccbox: This restaurant-grade portable pizza oven cooks Neapolitan pizza in just 60 seconds, all from the convenience of your backyard. The unit reaches 950°F and gives at-home chefs the option of a gas or wood-fuelled cooking experience. The Roccbox comes with a gas burner as standard but has the option to buy a detachable wood burner as an additional accessory.
Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Average rating: 4.8 stars
When it comes to top-tier pizza ovens at home, it's tough to beat Ooni's selection of popular models. The Koda 16 is gas powered for the ultimate ease and control, and heats up to 950°F (500°C) to cook pizza in as little as 60 seconds. It also has an extra-large cooking area for 16″ pizzas, meat joints, breads and more. "If you are thinking about getting one, do it!" raved one Ooni shopper.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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