The best pizza oven for most South African homes is either a portable gas oven (easiest, quickest to heat) or a portable wood- or charcoal-fired oven (more flavour, more effort). A built-in brick oven suits keen cooks with space and budget, and a braai-top pizza stone or kettle insert is the cheapest way to start. This guide compares the types, explains what to look for and covers how to use one.
Why a pizza oven and not the kitchen oven?
A home oven tops out at around 250°C. A good pizza oven reaches 400°C or more on the stone, which cooks a thin pizza in 60–120 seconds with a crisp, blistered base and a puffy crust. That intense heat from below and above is what you can’t easily get indoors.
Types of pizza oven compared
| Type | Fuel | Max heat (typical) | Heat-up time | Price band | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable gas oven | LP gas cylinder | 400–500°C | 15–25 min | Entry to mid | Weeknight pizza, beginners, consistency |
| Portable wood/charcoal oven | Wood pellets, wood chunks, charcoal | 400–500°C | 20–30 min | Mid | Flavour; braai culture; off-grid |
| Multi-fuel portable oven | Gas or wood | 400–500°C | 15–30 min | Mid to premium | Flexibility |
| Built-in brick or dome oven | Wood | 400°C+ | 1–2 hours | Premium (built) | Big gatherings, roasting and baking too |
| Braai-top stone or kettle insert | Charcoal, gas braai heat | 250–350°C | 20–30 min | Entry | Trying pizza without a new appliance |
Portable gas ovens
A compact insulated box with a gas burner and a cordierite stone, running off a standard LP gas cylinder. You get even, controllable heat with no fire to manage. Some models have a rotating stone so you don’t have to turn the pizza. Several international brands, including Ooni and Gozney, are sold through South African outdoor and braai retailers, and local gas brands such as Cadac offer gas pizza ovens and pizza stones for their braais. Ranges change, so check what’s in stock locally.
Portable wood- and charcoal-fired ovens
Same idea, with a fuel tray at the back. Wood gives a smoky flavour and a proper flame rolling over the top of the pizza, but you need to feed the fire every few minutes and the heat is less even. Some models accept a gas burner attachment as well, making them multi-fuel.
Built-in brick or dome ovens
A permanent wood-fired oven built from fire bricks or a refractory dome, usually as part of an outdoor kitchen or built-in braai area. It takes much longer to heat but holds heat for hours, so you can bake bread and slow-roast after the pizzas. If you’re thinking of building one, our DIY pizza oven guide covers the options, or you can get quotes from local builders for an installed oven.
Braai-top and kettle options
A pizza stone on a gas braai or a kettle braai, or an insert ring that turns a 57 cm kettle into a pizza oven. It won’t reach the heat of a dedicated oven, but it’s an affordable way to find out if you’ll actually make pizza regularly. A kamado also makes very good pizza on a stone, because the ceramic body holds high heat well.
What to look for when buying
- Pizza size: most portable ovens take 30 cm (12-inch) or 40 cm (16-inch) pizzas. Bigger ovens mean more room to turn the pizza but use more fuel and take longer to heat.
- Fuel: gas for convenience, wood for flavour, multi-fuel for both. Consider where you’ll use it: wood ovens need open air and make smoke.
- Stone thickness and material: thicker cordierite stones hold heat better between pizzas.
- Insulation: better insulation means faster heat-up and less fuel. The outside should stay safer to touch.
- Opening height: a low mouth keeps heat in; a taller one lets you cook other dishes like roast vegetables or a steak in a skillet.
- Thermometer: a built-in thermometer measures air temperature, not the stone. An infrared thermometer gun is a worthwhile extra.
- Portability and weight: if you’ll take it camping, check the weight and whether the legs fold.
- Accessories: you’ll need a pizza peel for launching, ideally a metal turning peel too, and a cover.
- Local support: buy from a retailer that stocks spare parts, burners and stones.
How to use a pizza oven
- Set up safely on a stable, heat-resistant surface outdoors, away from walls, overhangs and anything flammable.
- Preheat properly. Heat until the stone reads around 400°C on an infrared thermometer. The air may be hotter than the stone.
- Stretch the dough thin and keep toppings light. Overloaded pizzas don’t cook through in 90 seconds.
- Flour or semolina the peel so the pizza slides off cleanly. Launch with a quick forward-and-back jerk.
- Turn often. The back, near the flame, cooks fastest. Turn the pizza a quarter every 15–20 seconds.
- Let the stone recover for a minute or two between pizzas, or turn the gas up briefly.
Temperature guide
| Food | Stone temperature | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Thin Neapolitan-style pizza | 400–450°C | 60–90 seconds |
| New York-style or thicker pizza | 300–350°C | 4–6 minutes |
| Flatbreads and roosterkoek-style rolls | 250–300°C | 2–5 minutes |
| Roast vegetables in a cast-iron pan | 250–300°C | 10–15 minutes |
| Steak in a skillet | 350°C+ | 2–3 minutes a side |
Safety and care
- Use outdoors only, especially gas and wood ovens. Never use one in an enclosed room or garage.
- Keep children and pets away; the outside and mouth get extremely hot.
- For gas ovens, check hoses and regulators regularly and do a soapy-water leak test. See our gas braai buying guide for cylinder setup.
- Never wash the stone with soap. Burn off spills by running the oven hot, then brush off the ash once cool.
- Let the oven cool completely before covering or storing it, and keep it dry.
FAQ
Is a gas or wood-fired pizza oven better?
Gas is easier and more consistent, which suits beginners and quick weeknight pizzas. Wood gives a smokier flavour and a more traditional experience, but takes more practice. Multi-fuel ovens let you try both.
How hot does a pizza oven get?
Most portable gas and wood ovens are designed to reach 400–500°C, which cooks a thin pizza in around 60–90 seconds. Built-in brick ovens reach similar temperatures and hold them for longer.
Can I make pizza on a normal braai?
Yes. A pizza stone on a gas braai, or a kettle braai with the lid closed, makes good pizza at around 250–350°C. It takes a few minutes per pizza rather than 90 seconds.
Why does my pizza base burn but the top stays raw?
The stone is hotter than the air above it. Let the flame build before launching, keep toppings light, and lift the pizza on the peel towards the roof for a few seconds to finish the top.
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