Buyer's Guide to the Best Portable Pizza Ovens of 2025
We're starting this guide by revealing the secret: Yes, it's possible to cook better pizza than restaurant-quality pizza at home. But the result of a REAL Italian pizza is IMPOSSIBLE to achieve with a conventional oven, BBQ, or grill.
It's not just us saying it, the pros have been trying it for years.
So when it comes time to shop for a portable pizza oven, it's easy to get overwhelmed. There are several sizes available (12, 14, or 16 inches and more), and a multitude of fuel options (gas or wood).
And what about the brands! You may have heard of Ooni ? Alfa ? Gozney ?
We ( Christiana and Alexandre , owners of Lapizzashop.ca) offer you a complete guide to the best portable pizza ovens for sale in Quebec and Canada to help you find your perfect match !
Is it worth buying a portable pizza oven?
Imagine a bustling Italian piazza , where greetings are exchanged and pizza is enjoyed in its most authentic form. You could eat five, it melts in your mouth.
With a portable outdoor pizza oven, you can transport yourself to Italy, and bring that pizza experience right to your doorstep! No more spending money on pizzas at the local restaurant! Yours will be worthy of the best pizzerias in Naples. And what about the joy of making your own pizza with your own hands, surrounded by the people you love (pure bliss!). So, we say, buon appetito !
Yes, but I already have a BBQ. What's the difference between a pizza oven and a BBQ?
This reminds us of that customer: " I have a kamado. Prove to me that the pizza oven will be better than what I'm already getting with my BBQ. " We've sold ovens to kamado owners and they agree: the pizza oven gives better results!
For what?
The main factors that differentiate a portable outdoor pizza oven from a BBQ are heat and preheating time. Portable outdoor pizza ovens are specifically designed to quickly reach (and maintain) much higher temperatures than a conventional BBQ! Hello 900°F in just 20 minutes!
Your pizzas will cook in 60-90 seconds for a "perfectly" crispy crust, just like in a wood-fired oven in a real Neapolitan pizzeria!
And then, a dramatic turn of events! The pizza oven can also be used to prepare other foods, such as naan bread, vegetables, nachos, steaks… the sky's the limit !
Psst… Discover Ooni cast iron pans . An accessory that will allow you to easily cook much more than just pizza in your pizza oven (Tomahawk steak anyone?).
What makes a good portable pizza oven?
It's not rocket science, the right oven is the one that meets YOUR needs.
A good portable pizza oven should be compact, easy to assemble, and powerful. The cooking method and price are also important factors to consider when finding your perfect pizza oven.
Check out the TOP 5 questions to ask yourself before making your purchase.
Why is a portable pizza oven easy to use?
According to Christiana, here are 5 reasons why a portable pizza oven is perfect for those who love the good life. You can:
- Bring a little bit of Italy with you wherever you go by easily transporting your oven, as it is ultra-compact and designed to follow you.
- Place the oven on a flat surface at chest height (for a better view of the cooking process).
- Turn on the oven and go from 0° to 900°F in just 20 minutes thanks to a technology that allows you to reach the perfect temperature to bake a real Neapolitan pizza.
- Cook your pizzas in 60-90 seconds, turning them a few times for a crispy AND decadent result!
- Create festive moments with your loved ones around a dish that everyone will enjoy. Pure bliss!
The capacity of the pizza oven
To experience a ton of evenings worthy of your most exquisite Italian dreams, the capacity of the pizza oven is not to be taken lightly!
If you're more of a dinner party type, whether for two or in a small group (3 to 4 people), Alexandre suggests a 12-inch oven. It's perfect for cooking medium-sized pizzas (10-12 inches). With a cooking time of 60 to 90 seconds, you can easily bake several individual pizzas one after the other so you can all enjoy them at the same time.
If you're more like those large Italian gatherings where the whole village is invited, a 14- or 16-inch oven will allow you to make larger pizzas to share (14 inches). That said, Christiana specifies that a 12-inch oven could work just fine for making several smaller pizzas to share.
And if the idea of cooking different dishes in your oven appeals to you, you simply need to check if the oven offers a good interior height to put elevated dishes in it.
The power of the portable pizza oven
Alexandre believes that one of the most important criteria to consider when buying a pizza oven is its power, that is, the heat it can reach and the speed with which it can cook a pizza.
Reaching and maintaining a high temperature is what allows us to achieve a result worthy of the best pizzerias.
To obtain a 100% authentic Neapolitan pizza, the oven must reach the ideal temperature of 900°F and cook the pizza in 60-90 seconds.
Because that's what gives the cream of the crop of pizza for the cream of the crop of pizzaiolo: intense heat for a *perfectly* crispy crust.
And it's even better when the preheating time is short (20 minutes). Just ask, "Honey, shall we have a pizza?" and, no sooner said than done!
Designing a good outdoor pizza oven
A well-designed oven is essential for year-round enjoyment. At Lapizzashop, we only select companies that offer ovens with excellent designs.
Here are the key points to remember, according to Alexandre:
- a cordierite cooking stone to capture and retain heat
- Good airflow for better fuel efficiency
- quality materials that offer good insulation for better temperature control
- A removable door that is easy to handle (if the model has one). For most wood/charcoal/pellet ovens, the door is necessary during preheating to reach the correct temperature. For optimal results, it's best if the door remains in place during cooking, hence the importance of it being easy to handle when rotating the pizza! A glass door can be a valuable addition for improved visibility while the pizza is cooking.
What features are important for pizza fans?
The oven lighting
Propane ovens or ovens with a propane adapter light automatically using a button on the back of the oven, like a propane BBQ.
Wood/coal/pellet ovens are lit manually.
Warning! Keep your fuels dry for easier ignition, regardless of the season! Small starters can be useful for quick lighting.
The oven lighting
To use your Ooni, Gozney, or Turpone oven, you need to fuel your oven with a fuel, whether it be propane, pellets, wood and/or charcoal.
But what is the energy efficiency of each of these fuels? How much should you budget for your use?
We'll break it down right here!
What type of fuel does the portable pizza oven use?
Alexandre quickly demystifies the main advantages and disadvantages of outdoor portable pizza oven fuels in the FAQ right here.
But for a short answer, if you want an easy, hassle-free and quick result, opt for propane such as the Koda 12 , Turpone Ronzio or Koda 16 .
For those who are undecided, multi-fuel models like the Roccbox pizza oven from Gozney will give you an even more authentic feeling, while also giving you the option of connecting your oven to a propane tank on those evenings when you really want to relax.
Authentic taste: a comparison between a wood-fired oven and a propane oven
The flavor resulting from the choice of fuel is a topic that can ignite passions among pizza makers! Most pizza aficionados swear by pellet/wood/coal ovens. Some believe it's impossible to achieve a true Neapolitan pizza without wood.
The more “traditional” baking method results in perfectly cooked fillings and a crispy crust with all the aromas associated with wood. However, propane ovens still adhere to the rules of the art: their temperature quickly reaches 932°F (500°C), the magic number for a perfectly crispy crust, just like in Naples. Enough to impress even the most discerning connoisseurs! All this while enjoying a simple and hassle-free experience. In short, propane provides consistent temperature, eliminating the need to constantly monitor the oven and freeing up time for other tasks (like enjoying a glass of wine ).
If you already have a gas barbecue and prefer a hassle-free experience, then a propane-powered oven will be more convenient and the results will be very similar. The goal, of course, is to enjoy it and not feel like a chore when it comes time to use it!
But if you think that the aromas associated with burning wood are essential for a good pizza and *especially* that fuel management excites you, then opt for a pellet/charcoal/wood oven.
For you, the best choice of oven depends on your point of view on the matter!
Are you undecided or do you want access to all the options? Alexandre recommends a multi-fuel pizza oven like the Ooni Karu 2 pro . This model allows you to use gas, wood, and charcoal.
Accessories
Where to buy a portable pizza oven in Quebec?
Lapizzashop is the only online one-stop shop for pizza, for both amateur and professional pizza makers, in Quebec and Canada.
We explain it in detail on our about page.
Go ahead, it's easy to read with all the screenshots from our clients!
How much does a pizza oven cost? (budget to plan)
Alexandre offers two starting budgets for enjoying his outdoor pizza oven, depending on its size:
Budget for a 12-inch outdoor portable pizza oven
- Portable pizza oven: $399 to $549
- 12-inch shovel: approximately $49.99 to $89.99
Total starting from $449 + taxes
Budget for a 14-inch and larger portable outdoor pizza oven
- Portable pizza oven: $699 to $1099
- 14 or 16 inch shovel: $79 to $199
Total starting from $779 + taxes
Why do we particularly love Gozney pizza ovens?
Because Gozney is THE go-to brand when it comes to portable outdoor pizza ovens. And as you know, at Lapizzashop, we always offer you the very best!
Furthermore, Gozney accessories and equipment are affordable, making them perfect for the budget-conscious pizza maker. And what about the extended 5-year warranty!
Portable pizza oven options for beginners
For beginners who prefer the sweet life to the hard life:
the Gozney Arc Lite.
The Gozney ARC Lite (12") is an easy-to-use, portable outdoor pizza oven, perfect for the beginner pizza maker. Why? Because your pizza is cooked on propane, making it much simpler. The ARC is ideal for relaxing and enjoying pizza at home or at the cottage.
The Gozney Arc Lite will appeal to the pizza maker looking for a more compact (12") and less expensive oven that can be taken anywhere, like your most faithful road trip companion.
Our choice of portable pizza oven for experts (or those who want the very best)
For experts who want to perfect the art of pizza: Gozney Arc or its big brother, the Arc XL.
The Gozney Arc is the portable outdoor pizza oven (14") that will appeal to the pizza maker looking for more performance and cooking space to cook large pizzas to share.
Looking for a larger version to indulge your pizza-making skills for longer and easily experiment with cooking a multitude of different dishes? Discover the Arc XL, the cream of the crop!
In conclusion: why are we so passionate about portable pizza ovens?
Lapizzashop is our way of sharing our passion with you: pizza in all its forms and variations. You don't have to rack your brains over dozens of brands or sift through each supplier's website. We've done the work for you! We offer you the very best , tested time and again, all in one place, whether it's Turpone, Ooni , Alfa , or Gozney.
Our advice is always honest; we pride ourselves on that.
Christiana and Alexandre?