Pizza Oven vs. Regular Oven: What Are the Advantages of Each?
Nothing beats a delicious homemade pizza you can enjoy with family and friends. And with the ever-increasing popularity of making pizzas at home, it's not surprising that more people are looking into the best oven options for achieving that signature pizza crust.
As a result, many people who own a traditional oven are joining the pizza oven vs. regular oven debate, which has been going on for a while. For the pizza purists, pizza oven vs. oven is not even a question — they believe that only a special oven can produce a pizza worth eating. On the other end of the brick oven pizza vs. regular pizza spectrum, people believe that it's not about the oven but the quality of the ingredients and the mastery of the pizza maker.
So, are pizza ovens worth it? And should you choose a convection or conventional oven for pizza? Let's explore the pizza oven vs. regular oven debate below.
Pizza Oven vs. Regular Oven: What's the Difference?
If you've ever had an authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, you are probably familiar with its distinct crisp and charred crust that's become a staple worldwide. And while a big part of achieving the distinctive crust and taste comes down to the dough and its preparation, the final ingredient in making a true Neapolitan-style pizza is the oven.
Let's look at some of the key differences that make brick oven vs. conventional oven pizzas so different.
Pizza Oven
There's a reason why authentic Neapolitan pizzas need to be cooked in a special pizza oven. Extremely high temperatures are required for the crispy crust to occur without burning the other ingredients. That’s where a high-quality pizza oven really excels.
Unlike a conventional oven, a pizza oven can reach a scorching 700 Fahrenheit or even more, providing the pizza with an ideal environment to cook very fast and create a crispy and charred crust while maintaining the integrity of ingredients and a soft and moist middle.
A pizza oven will also utilize heat from all directions, cooking a perfect pizza in under two minutes and recreating an authentic Italian experience as much as possible. In fact, as you master using a true pizza oven, you can provide your family and friends with pizza that could realistically rival the pizza you would get when traveling through Italy.
The thermal conductivity of bricks plays a vital role in creating the necessary heat throughout the oven. They create an additional element that helps the heat transfer to the crust, making a huge difference compared to traditional ovens that are made of steel.
Conventional Oven
When you cook a pizza in a traditional oven, reaching the necessary temperature is virtually impossible. Although there are some methods can help you achieve a closer result, they will still never match the possibilities offered by a true pizza oven.
While it's hard to argue against the fact that a conventional oven is inferior in terms of pizza making to a pizza-making oven, there are more factors that determine the answer to the pizza oven vs. regular oven debate.
For one thing, when you use a conventional oven, you get more versatility. Traditional ovens are designed to handle a variety of dishes, providing you with the freedom to use the oven for many purposes. However, that doesn't mean that a pizza oven couldn't be used for something other than pizza; it's just that it might not be as easy to control and adapt to different types of recipes.
And if you only plan on using the oven for pizza occasionally, getting a top-quality oven can provide you with more options and still allow you to bake a pizza if you'd need it.
What Are the Advantages of Brick Ovens?
There's a reason why brick pizza ovens are in high demand and sell for a premium price. When you get a top-quality brick pizza oven like WPPO, you can rest assured that you will have the potential to achieve exceptional results that can rival any pizzeria on the globe.
But what exactly makes the brick oven pizza so distinct in its flavor? Well, it actually offers a range of benefits. Let's explore them below.
Higher Temperature
As mentioned before, the main distinctive feature when comparing pizza oven vs. regular oven options is the temperatures at which a pizza oven can function. Pizza ovens can quickly reach incredibly high temperatures and maintain them evenly throughout the entire oven, which are ideal conditions for a pizza that benefits from spending as little time inside the oven as possible.
Fast Cooking Time
Since you're cooking at such high temperatures, that also dramatically reduces the time it takes to cook the pizza. That means you can prevent the toppings from overcooking and maintain a perfectly crisp outside at the same time. What's more, when you have a large group of people you need to serve, it helps to have a pizza oven that can get a pizza ready in under two minutes.
Flavor-Rich Toppings
Even though the crusty pizza dough gets the most attention when it comes to pizza ovens, the toppings are just as important. Furthermore, having slightly caramelized vegetables or cheese can take your pizzas to a whole new level. Many people swear by the fact that ingredients cooked in a pizza oven have stronger and more distinct flavors that are crucial for a complete pizza experience.
Unmatched Crust
Finally, when you compare a pizza oven with a conventional oven for pizza, the crust is where you will see the biggest difference. Crispy on the outside, charred, and incredibly flavorful, a well-prepared dough will reveal its best features when baked in a special oven designed for a specific purpose.
What Are the Advantages of Conventional Ovens?
There's a reason why the vast majority of people use conventional ovens. They offer a range of advantages and are, in many cases, more practical than a brick pizza oven.
Let's go over some of the advantages you can expect below.
Cook Food More Evenly
Because of how typical conventional ovens are designed, they can typically provide a more even temperature for cooking food. And for many recipes that require a longer cooking time at lower temperatures, that is incredibly important. So, while they may lack the quality of the pizza you can create, you will have more evenly cooked dishes otherwise.
Cook Multiple Dishes
Because conventional ovens have multiple levels, you can typically cook more than one dish at once. That means that when you have an elaborate dinner, you can fully utilize the oven for your cooking, shortening preparation times and providing yourself with more flexibility. At the same time, it means you can serve the entire dish at once and don't have to cook different parts of it separately.
FAQs
To help you decide which option to choose and figure out the nuances of convection bake vs. bake for pizza, let's go over some of the most frequently asked questions that you might have as well.
● Why does pizza need to get so hot?
A pizza oven needs to create such hot temperatures because the dough needs to quickly become crispy. Otherwise, you will either be left with undercooked dough or will have to leave it in for so long that everything will dry out and burn, including the ingredients on top. When people ask, "is a pizza oven worth it" this is one of the main reasons why many decide that it's definitely worth it for preparing the perfect pizza.
● Is there anything I can do to improve pizzas in a convection oven?
Even though it's clear that pizza ovens have a considerable advantage, there are things you can do to make your convection oven more suitable for pizza making:
- Always set the temperature to max.
- Consider getting a pizza stone, which will provide more heat and help cook the pizza faster.
- Some suggest pre-cooking the dough with the sauce for a few minutes and then adding the remaining ingredients.
● How often do I need to clean a pizza oven?
Unless you spill something, pizza ovens don't require that much maintenance. You can clean it every few uses to ensure that nothing starts accumulating inside.
● What else can I make in a pizza oven?
Just because a pizza oven is designed to make pizza doesn't mean you can't use it for other purposes. For example, pizza ovens are perfect for roasted veggies, slow-cooked meats, jacket potatoes, bread, and all kinds of other dishes.
● How do I "turn off" my pizza oven?
When you're done cooking the pizzas, make sure the flames are out and close the oven door, allowing it to cool down.
● What other accessories do I need to buy for a pizza oven?
Some of the essential accessories for a pizza oven are a pizza peel to insert and move the pizza, a special brush for regular cleaning, an infrared thermometer, and a stick for taking care of the fire and embers.
Bottom Line
When it comes to the pizza oven vs. regular oven comparison, one thing is clear — a pizza oven will almost always produce better results.
If you want to learn more about our selection of top-quality outdoor pizza ovens, we are here to help. Contact Grillscapes by calling (800)311-4356 or writing an email to sales@grillscapes.com, and we will help you make the best choice in your situation.