How to choose a pizza oven

A pizza oven isn't just one more thing on the deck. It's what turns an ordinary dinner into a night where everyone gets their hands in the dough. It's also a purchase people tend to approach with a bit of anxiety, between BTUs, temperatures and twenty models that all look alike.

Good news: it's simpler than it looks. We help people choose their oven every day, and this guide is what we explain to them on the phone. Give it ten minutes and you'll know which one is right for you.

In short

For most people, a 16-inch propane oven is the right first oven. It lights with a turn of a dial, heats up in 15 to 20 minutes and is big enough to host. Our most popular is the Gozney Arc XL.

Love fire and ritual? Look at the Gozney Dome, wood or gas. Living in a condo? The electric Ooni Volt 2 even works indoors.

Plan on $550 to $1,200 for an excellent portable oven, plus $150 to $300 in accessories.

Five questions to ask yourself

Answer these honestly and the right oven almost picks itself.

1. Where will you cook? Big backyard, deck, condo balcony, cottage. Think about the space you actually have, not the one you might have someday.
2. How often? Once a month for guests, or every week all summer? The more you cook, the more a better oven makes sense.
3. Which fuel speaks to you? Propane, wood or electric. Three very different experiences, compared right below.
4. How many people? A couple or a family of four doesn't need the same oven as dinners for ten.
5. What's your total budget? The oven, but also the peel, the thermometer, the cover and your first bag of flour.

Gas, wood or electric: which fuel?

This is the decision that matters most. Once you've picked your fuel, the list of models gets very short.

	Preheat	The experience	Best for	Our models
Propane	15 to 20 min	One dial, an adjustable flame, a brush to clean up	Most people, families, hosting without fuss	Arc XL, Arc, Arc Lite, Koda 16, Cozze
Wood or hybrid	30 to 45 min	The fire, the smell, the ritual. More attention while cooking	Enthusiasts, cottages, big backyards	Dome, Dome XL, Alfa, Fontana
Electric	About 20 min	Steady, precise heat, no flame	Condos, balconies where gas isn't allowed, cooking indoors in winter	Ooni Volt 2

Propane: simplicity

It's the default choice in Canada, and rarely a mistake. Turn a dial, the stone hits 450 °C, and you control the heat with a single knob. The Cozze even has a rotating stone that turns the pizza for you, perfect for a stress-free start. A 20 lb tank refills anywhere and gives you about fifteen pizza nights.

Wood: the experience

Wood is romantic, for good reason. But be honest with yourself: longer preheat, dry wood to store, ashes to empty, a flame to watch. It's a hobby, not a convenience. A hybrid oven like the Gozney Dome lets you choose by the night: wood when you have time, gas when you're hungry.

Electric: the condo option

Long overlooked because it didn't get hot enough, electric changed with ovens like the Ooni Volt 2, which gets hot enough for a real Neapolitan. Designed for indoors, it can head out to the balcony for an afternoon, but it doesn't spend the night outside. It's often the only option allowed on a condo balcony.

What size oven?

Size decides two things: the biggest pizza you can make, and how much room the oven takes up in your life.

Size	Who it's for	Examples
12 to 14 in	A couple, a small family, a balcony. Easy to carry and store	Gozney Arc Lite, Gozney Tread, Ooni Koda 2, Cozze 13 in, Ooni Volt 2
14 to 16 in	People who host. Big enough to keep pizzas coming without making anyone wait	Gozney Arc XL, Gozney Arc, Ooni Koda 16
16 in and up	A centrepiece for the backyard or outdoor kitchen, set up for good	Gozney Dome, Gozney Dome XL, Alfa, Fontana

Our rule: when you're torn between two sizes, go bigger. Nobody ever complained about having too much room to turn a pizza.

How much does a good pizza oven cost in Canada?

Under $500 is risky territory: real ovens rarely start below that, and very cheap models often disappoint on heat and durability. Here are the three tiers we recommend looking at.

Budget	What you get	Our models
$500 to $800	A solid entry point. Real ovens, capable of real pizza	Arc Lite, Koda 2, Tread, Koda 16, Cozze 13 in
$800 to $1,500	Where most of our customers land. More size, more mass, more consistency	Arc, Arc XL, Volt 2, Cozze 17 in
$2,500 and up	The long-term investment. Ovens you keep for ten years that become the heart of the backyard	Dome, Dome XL, Alfa, Fontana

The hidden budget. Add $150 to $300 for the basics (peel, thermometer, cover) and a first order of Caputo flour and Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. That's what makes the difference from the very first night.

Our picks for every profile

The ovens we recommend most often, depending on what you're after.

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Want to compare models side by side? See our comparison chart or our list of the best outdoor pizza ovens.

The brands we chose

We don't carry every brand. These ones, we've cooked with every one of them, and we'd recommend them to a friend.

• Gozney. Our best-selling brand. Beautiful design, lots of thermal mass, steady heat from one pizza to the next. An oven you keep for years and that looks great on a deck.
• Ooni. The brand that made pizza ovens accessible. Reliable, with a wide range from portable to electric. Rarely a wrong place to start.
• Alfa. Italian tradition and craftsmanship, in wood, gas or hybrid. For those who want the real thing.
• Fontana. The other great Italian name, high end, made for permanent outdoor kitchens. Several models are special order, write to us for lead times.
• Gi.Metal. The tools pizzerias use. If you buy one peel in your life, make it a Gi.Metal.
• Caputo. The flour from Naples. Often the difference between a decent pizza and one that makes you go "oh".

The accessories you really need

Three accessories are non-negotiable.

• A turning peel. It lets you turn the pizza while it cooks. Without one, one side burns while the other stays pale. Our perforated turning peel is a great start, the Gi.Metal is what the pros use.
• An infrared thermometer. It tells you when the stone is ready. At 350 °C the crust stays soft. At 450 °C it puffs up and colours the way it should. Our infrared thermometer does the job perfectly.
• A cover. It protects your oven from rain, snow and temperature swings, especially if you keep it outside to cook through the winter (yes, you can).

To go further: a launching peel (different from the turning peel) and a stone brush to clean between bakes.

The easiest way? Our starter kits bring the essentials together in one purchase, with 20% off when you buy an oven.

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Got your oven? Here's what's next: our accessories guide, step by step, from the dough to the pizza on the table.

The five mistakes we see most

1. Buying too small. A 12-inch is tempting for the price, but if you often host more than four people, everyone ends up waiting. Between two sizes, go bigger.
2. Forgetting the accessories. An oven with no peel and no thermometer is frustrating from the first pizza. Budget for them.
3. Choosing wood without knowing what it takes. If you think it's as easy as a barbecue, the oven may end up in the basement. Be honest about your time and patience.
4. Buying from an unauthorized seller. Many ovens sold online or on Marketplace aren't covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Buy from an authorized Canadian dealer.
5. Overlooking the flour. The best oven in the world won't save ordinary flour. A real Caputo 00 flour is the fastest upgrade after the oven itself. And our dough calculator gives you the exact recipe.

Warranty, shipping and support

• Warranty. Gozney and Ooni ovens come with a 5-year warranty when you register your product with the brand within 60 days of purchase. Everything we sell is covered by the full manufacturer's warranty, since we're an authorized Canadian dealer.
• Shipping. We ship to almost anywhere in Canada, and your oven ships in about one business day. No duties or brokerage fees. Details in our shipping policy.
• Buy online, pick up fast. Pickup is free at our Repentigny warehouse. A small showroom, by appointment, has a limited selection of models on display.
• Real support. Before and after you buy, you write to us and we write back. It's our favourite part of the job.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best pizza oven for beginners?

For most people, a 16-inch propane oven. The Gozney Arc XL is our most popular: simple, consistent and big enough to host. The Ooni Koda 16 is a great option on a tighter budget, and the Gozney Arc Lite if you want something compact.

Do I need a pizza oven if I already have a barbecue?

Yes, they're two different worlds. A barbecue rarely goes past 350 °C, while a pizza oven reaches 450 °C and more, with a stone and a dome cooking from above and below at the same time. Even with a stone on the barbecue, you get a decent pizza, never a real Neapolitan in 90 seconds.

Does wood really make better pizza than gas?

Less than you'd think. A Neapolitan bakes in 60 to 90 seconds, not long enough for smoke to really flavour it. The crust comes from the heat of the dome and the stone, not the wood. That's why many great pizzerias in Naples bake with gas. What wood adds is atmosphere: the smell, the flame, the ritual. Choose the experience you want to live.

How long does it take to learn?

Most people make a decent pizza the first time and a really good one after five to ten tries. The keys: stone temperature, good dough, not too many toppings, and turning often. Our recipes are there to guide you.

Can I cook more than pizza?

Absolutely. Bread, focaccia, roasted vegetables, meat, fish, even desserts. High thermal mass ovens like the Gozney Dome are especially versatile.

Can I use a pizza oven in a Canadian winter?

Yes. Shield the flame from the wind and plan on roughly double the preheat (30 to 40 minutes instead of 15 to 20) to avoid thermal shock to the stone. We've put all our tips in our article on winter pizza. The Ooni Volt 2 works indoors all year round.

How long does a pizza oven last?

With a cover, regular stone cleaning and sheltered storage for portable models, a good oven lasts ten years and more. Built-in ovens like the Dome, Alfa or Fontana can last a lifetime.

Do I need a permit to install a pizza oven?

For a portable gas or electric oven, no. For a permanent installation, check your municipal bylaws. In a condo, always check your condo bylaws before buying a gas or wood oven.

What warranty comes with the ovens?

Gozney and Ooni ovens come with a 5-year warranty if you register your product with the brand within 60 days of purchase. Details on our returns and warranty page.

Do you ship across Canada?

Yes, to almost anywhere in Canada. Your oven ships in about one business day. You can also buy online and pick up fast at our warehouse in Repentigny, Quebec.