Haven Outdoor Wood Fired Pizza Oven with Ceramic Pizza Stone, Built-in Thermometer, Pizza Paddle & Rain Cover

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The rest of the oven can be cleaned with a damp cloth as needed and any soot and smoke wiped away with dry kitchen roll. Note that the stainless steel parts of the oven do change colour after use – a reaction with the heat that creates an interesting patina that I think adds to the industrial look of the pizza oven. Is the Woody Pizza Oven worth the money? During the first round of testing in 2022, our Ecommerce Director Lindsey tried the Woody Oven. This time, both Lindsey and I tried the new and improved Woody out separately, meaning that while Lindsey recalibrated her thoughts, I was trying this oven for the first time.

The best pizza oven wood moisture content is a minimum of 10 per cent and a maximum of 20 per cent. Look for kiln-dried hardwood when you’re buying that has a moisture content in this range.

The best pizza ovens for 2023 are:

Your most suitable option will depend on where you live and the type of pellets available,’ Luke says. ‘When it comes to the burning qualities of hardwood and softwood there’s little to no difference between them. Oak is a top choice for authentically flavored pizza and beech a great alternative, but you could choose wood that imparts a taste that’s not traditional, but that you may enjoy. Setting up the Woody is mostly straightforward as the main body is assembled and has the legs attached, meaning you just need to flip them out to get the oven standing up.

The main things to look out for are the following: in the US especially, softwood pellets generally have binding agents and additives added to them to improve performance and longevity during travel. As such, they’re not recommended for cooking. That’s why in the US we recommend using hardwood pellets as they’re more readily available. We also love that you get the cover and peel thrown in, making it much cheaper than the closest competitor, the Ooni Fyra – the other 12 inch portable wood-fired pizza oven that our team has tested. Granted, it is not a sleek in the looks department and is slightly heavier and bigger than the Ooni Fyra, but for the saving – and the benefit of an integrated thermometer – we will happily take the Woody's rustic charm. What type of wood you choose for your pizza oven is likely to be dictated by the type of oven you own. Smaller portable models, for example, will use wood pellets rather than the kiln-dried logs you will need for larger built-in ovens. In conclusion, it might not be a complete replacement for the best BBQ if you are a big fan of a summer barbie, but it certainly has enough versatility that those who prefer pizza will want to buy this first to serve both purposes. Portability Next, you have to secure the hopper which is easily done with some small bolts and an Allen key (all included). The chimney slots into place, so no construction needed here and you only need to install the cap when out of use. Then you need to attach the handle and thermometer to the removable door, and build the pellet box and burner grate. Even a DIY novice can do this all in around 20 minutes by following the instructions that you receive once you've scanned the QR code. With the pizza stone in place, you're ready to go.Using different types of wood can also be a great way to change the flavor of your BBQ food when lighting a smoker too. What is the best pizza oven wood moisture content? If yours is a pizza oven fuelled by wood pellets it is equally vital to be in the know about the best fuel – although, as Luke Cochrane notes, things are not as straightforward as they are with wood. You can hand wash the pizza stone too if preferred. If you do, you must use nothing but warm water, then dry it in a conventional oven at a very low temperature for at least two hours. The stones are slightly absorbent which is how they create such a crispy base, drawing water from the dough as the pizza cooks. This means that if the stone is not fully dry before cooking, you could damage it, or find the temperature is compromised. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Make sure the pellets are fully alight before feeding with more pellets via the hopper (John and James recommend a mug of pellets at a time)

Hardwood pellets such as oak and beech are safe options, but what about the moisture content of this type of fuel? The Woody was a solid pizza oven to begin with - portable, with a short set up and heat up time, and with an array of accessories that mean you can actually get started straight away. The improvements mean that it performed even better in our tests the second time around, with higher quality in the build parts than before. First I tried the oven using the traditional method, so that I'd get that wood-fired flavour. The instructions to do so were as follows: I am quite short, but manage to carry it short distances fairly easily. It weighs 13 kilograms which is not too heavy, but because of the size I can't see myself carrying it anywhere other than to and from the car. Which really should be all you need.So long as wood meets the other criteria in that it’s kiln dried with the correct moisture content, trying out alternatives won’t cause a problem when you’re making pizza and could result in a great taste discovery.

Some pizza oven owners will need to use wood pellets. ‘Wood pellets are typically used forportablepizza ovens, such as our Ooni Fyra 12 wood pellet pizza oven,’ says Luke Cochrane. ‘This is because they’re less bulky than the log format counterpart and they have a higher calorific content, meaning they burn hotter for less and take up less space to transport. Another benefit is that they’re a by-product of the sawmilling process so you’re helping to reduce waste in one industry by using something beneficial in another. If you love the process and theatre of making pizza and have enough outdoor (and indoor storage) space, then you should buy a Woody Pizza Oven. The modifications that have been made in this updated version make this oven even better than it was before, and considering that it was already our favourite budget option, that's saying a lot.Once your fire is lit you have to get it up to temperature and then keep it there for the duration of cooking. To do this, the instructions recommend refuelling when the 'pellets have burnt to embers, but before all visible flames have disappeared'. Doing this means you don't overload the grate which causes lots of smoke, but also means you have a few flames to help the next batch of pellets catch. Once the pizza oven reaches the desired temperature, it is a good idea to add a small cup of pellets, and let these burn a bit before putting food in.