Baking A1 pizzas at your home may come naturally to you after some practice; but if you choose to turn it in to a profession, the same job could be a far cry from what it used to be on a smaller scale. Because, let’s be honest here, replicating perfectly baked pizzas over and over requires you to meticulously follow a series of steps besides having a reliable commercial pizza oven.
Commercial pizza ovens show a sharp contrast in certain aspects when compared to standard countertop pizza ovens that you’d use for domestic applications. For starters, almost all top commercial pizza ovens are aptly powered to produce and maintain high temperatures besides sporting larger cooking cavities and of course, being substantially pricier. These are essentially classified in the following categories based on their configuration, fuel type and output rate.
- Brick Ovens
- Pizza Deck Ovens
- Conveyor Pizza Ovens
- Commercial Pizza Convection Ovens
It is hence, important for you to comprehend that selecting a commercial pizza oven for your upcoming pizzeria might need a bit more research and groundwork as that of any other domestic appliance.
To help you with your quest, we’ve put together a thorough guide alongside our top recommendations for the best commercial pizza ovens across types and budget ranges. The subsequent buying guide discusses more about types of commercial pizza ovens, their cooking capabilities, what size of businesses they’re best suited for and their price range. We’d encourage you to have a quick glance at it before you decide which one’s best for your specific needs.
Top Commercial Pizza Oven Reviews
We’re an independent entity and all our suggestions are a result of hours of research aimed towards helping our community of seekers. Our reviews are neither sponsored by third parties nor affected by personal inclination. Uninfluenced by external bias, the selections featured in this review are in true sense, the top commercial pizza ovens to buy in 2020.
1. Chicago Brick Oven Hybrid Countertop Commercial LP Pizza Oven – Hybrid Brick Oven
The unwavering reliance of prominent Italian Pizzaiolos on brick ovens sure says something. Traditional pizza bakers with a family history in this business swear by the reliability of wood-fired pizza ovens. In addition, their superiority can be explained with the established principles of thermodynamics. The domed cavity of the brick oven in combination with the brick bed augments the temperature range of the setup while aiding to achieve the optimal rate of heating from above and beneath. Thick or thin crusts are done just right with apt thermal conduction while the toppings are simultaneously cooked to perfection through thermal radiation.
The CBO-750 Hybrid Countertop Commercial LP Pizza Oven from Chicago Brick Oven closely mimics the heating dynamics of a genuine brick oven and produces authentic pizzas of all styles.
Have your menu centered around thin New York style pizza? Or you specialise in Chicago Pizzas? How about Neapolitan and Sicilian Pizzas? Whatever it is that you choose to set the theme of your pizza parlor around, this commercial Chicago brick oven is equipped to precisely cook them all; given the necessary tweaks are made.
To begin with, all products from Chicago Brick Oven are sourced and made in the USA. Find yourself frequently reminded of the ‘Buy American’ tagline? Well, you know you’d not be sending a single dime outside the states with this one. The assembly supports dual fuel cooking wherein you could simultaneously use the built-in two burner system alongside burning wood in the back of the vaulted cavity. The two gas burners, one under the heart and the other at the back provide apt heat from above and beneath to perfectly cook your pizzas to the core while the wood-burning amplifies the heat and gives your dish that authentic wood-fired flavor.
The oven sports a fairly large 38†x 28†of cooking surface accounting to a total of 1064 sq. inches. The large cooking capacity coupled with an average of 2-5 minutes of cooking time per batch of pizza, the oven could easily handle peak hours at fairly busy pizza outlets. The model is available in liquid propane and natural gas variants beside silver and copper finish options.
PROS —
- Dual fuel cooking imparts authentic wood-fired flavor
- Refractory brick hearth in the vaulted cavity retains heat
- Has a high hourly output rate
- Low carbon monoxide emissions
- NSF Certified for commercial use.
CONS —
- Longer reheating than conveyor and commercial convection pizza ovens
2. Waring Commercial WPO750 Electric Pizza Oven – Double Deck Pizza Oven
Deck ovens are a preferable option for pizza places that don’t quite have the storage space to spare for larger commercial pizza ovens. The design of a deck oven allows for vertical usage of space as opposed to side-by-side stacking as in traditional pizza ovens. These can be double, triple or 4 deck ovens depending on your requirements and your budget. The Waring WPO750 in particular, is a double deck 28†wide electric oven with separate doors for each compartment. You also have an option with a single door common to both decks.
Both variants come with independent chambers that are operated with their dedicated deck controls. Meaning, both chambers can be simultaneously used at different temperatures for completely different dishes.
Unlike brick or conveyor ovens, multiple deck ovens can cook batches of different dishes at a time, each requiring a certain temperature. This flexibility can come in handy for fast food parlours or pizza vans with diverse items on their menu.
The ceramic decks can each hold 18†diameter pizzas and conveniently house standard ½ size sheet pans. The interior cavity in each compartment promotes even heat distribution owing to the aluminized steel construction. Each deck can be set to anywhere between 150° – 840°F (66° – 449° C). Besides being fully equipped to cater commercial requirements, the oven is NSF Certified and is rather meant to be used for commercial applications. Further, both compartments merely amount for a total depth of 25â€. Meaning, the deck oven easily sits on a counter. The unit also comes with 4†adjustable legs to account for any surface unevenness.
PROS —
- Both chambers can be independently controlled
- Accommodates standard ½ size sheet pans and 18†pizzas
- Rather compact footprint of 28†x 28â€
- Standard electrical requirements
- NSF Certified
CONS —
- Requires longer preheating to attain higher temperatures
- Lower hourly output compared to conveyor and brick ovens
3. Omcan 11387 Conveyor Commercial Oven – Conveyor Style Pizza Oven
Looking for a commercial conveyor pizza oven on a rather strict budget? Look no further than The Omcan 11387! Essentially toned down a bit as compared to the 214HX Miniveyor, this one comes at a far lesser price point. Close to the $1000 mark, the commercial conveyor oven sports a peak output of 16 (14″ ) Pizzas/hr, 19 (12″) Pizzas/hr, 25 (9″) Pizzas/hr. However, the oven can’t bake larger pizzas than 14″ in diameter. This limitation comes from the conveyor width of 14″. Apart from the pizza size limitation, the oven doesn’t have much to criticize. The oven can reach temperatures of up to 500°F with ease while the cavity retains the heat making it a fairly efficient model.
The heating chamber features two heating elements; one each in the top and bottom! Such a design ensures that the pizza is cooked evenly from above and beneath. We’d say the oven delivers Ideal performance for low to moderately busy pizzerias. Built like a conveyor type pizza oven, only a bit compact, makes it a good contender for pizza places that prioritize authentic, swift and hassle-free handling.
In addition to the adjustable top and bottom heating element temperatures, you can also adjust the speed of the conveyor belt. This provision makes the oven suitable for other dishes beside pizza. The manufacturer provides a one year warranty including parts and labor for this commercial conveyor pizza oven.
PROS —
- Convenient operation; keeps orders moving in peak hours
- Wide temperature range 140°C – 500°F
- Adjustable top and bottom heating elements
- Adjustable conveyor speed
CONS —
- 14″ wide conveyor belt restricts pizza diameter
- Can’t be used to cook different items simultaneously
4. Cadco POV-013 Commercial Half Size Convection Oven – Commercial Convection Pizza Oven
If you gauge your requirements to be on the lower to moderate range, a commercial grade convection pizza oven should suffice your needs. These resemble domestic countertop toaster ovens in terms of design and functionality with the only difference being in capacity and overall sturdiness. The Cadco POV-013 commercial oven, on similar lines, sports a heavy-duty stainless-steel construction and is designed to accommodate up to 3 half size sheet pans.
As with others, there are certain benefits and limitations associated with the Cadco POV-013 convection oven as well. While convection commercial pizza ovens are known to eat very less counter space thereby being ideal for small cafes or food joints; they’d have a correspondingly decreased hourly output.
Operating the oven is fairly simple with just two knobs involved. The unit can be calibrated to reach temperatures up to 500°F starting from 175°F while the timer knob allows to program the oven for up to 60 minutes. Despite thorough heating from within, the double walled glass keeps the exterior door cool to touch. Further, the oven is very easy to clean with a removable door augmenting the cleaning process whenever necessary.
PROS —
- Convenient controls; ideal for commercial applications
- Heavy-duty stainless-steel design
- Heats from a range of 175° – 500°F
- Accommodates three half size sheet pans
CONS —
- Not NSF Certified for commercial applications
5. Waring Commercial WCO500X Convection Oven – Commercial Convection Pizza Oven
Waring Commercial WCO500X Convection Oven is built with high-quality stainless steel that comes with a stainless steel drip pan. The construction affirms a robust quality ensuring that your valued investment is durable and serves your business with a long service life. The size of this oven is also referred to as a Half-sized convection oven because these are designed to house half size sheet pans.
You can adjust this commercial pizza oven’s temperature and other factors as per your requirements. The controls of the oven are again, dial style, promoting convenient operation. This oven comes with preset temperatures setting for various dishes like pizza, subs, pretzels and many such baking dishes.
It is a heavy-duty commercial pizza oven which can be used in any kind of cooking environment (like at a lower oven temperature as well as the highest one), can be easily cleaned and maintained. This convection oven comes with 120 Volt of input with 1700 watts of power. This oven is NSF approved and considered the best commercial pizza oven now.
PROS —
- Broils, bakes and Roasts
- Clear view double pan glass to check the dish’s progress
- Can Bake several Dishes
- NSF Approved
CONS —
- Fan makes a lot of Noise
- Initially racks are quite hard to fix in
- Heats Up quite fast
6. Wisco-561 Deluxe Commercial Pizza Oven – Single Deck Pizza Oven
Wisco-561 Deluxe is a virtuous commercial pizza oven with a commendable temperature range of 150-650 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides offering a wide array of temperature settings, the pizza oven is accurate to the dot and existing users attest to it. Further augmenting the usability, the oven has convenient dial controls making it an easy-to-use appliance in rush hours.
The pizza oven features a 20-inch wide removable clean out tray. This means, you can easily cook a 16″ pizza in this oven without any discomfort. This product’s overall dimensions are 26.6*23.5*12.4 inches along width, depth and height respectively. The measurements are pretty standard for commercial applications and the oven should fit nicely in most pizza parlors.
This oven works the best when it is operated on an individual circuit branch. This is a great oven to cook all kinds of pizzas quickly and conveniently. Wisco’s 421 Pizza oven is also a great pick that you can consider if you’ve got a thing for the brand. You may check the linked review for more on it.
PROS —
- Has Removable Clean out tray
- Can prepare several dishes
- Made of Stainless Steel
- Flip up Handle
CONS —
- Some face issue in the buzzer and timer that sometimes doesn’t work.
7. VEVOR Multipurpose Commercial Pizza Oven – Double Deck Pizza Oven
Made out of high-quality stainless steel, this multipurpose commercial pizza oven from VEVOR is a rather high-end pick at a modest price. The oven looks contemporary and is unarguably durable with an assured long service life. Vevor Multipurpose Commercial Pizza Oven features a functional temperature range and can be programmed for anywhere between 0 to 120 mins.
This can be conveniently done using the dial controls on the on the panel. This panel allows you simultaneously or individually program either of the oven compartments corresponding to your needs. You can bake a number of dishes with this oven like pizza, subs, pretzels and many more. The oven has a dual layer element where you can cook different dishes at the same time using different time and temperature settings.
It features a standard 110 volts of input and 3000 watts of power. The front of the oven has a window along with an explosion-proof light through which you can continuously monitor the progress of your dish. All in all, the product is a neat selection for commercial outlets with higher output requirements.
PROS —
- Double Layer Design
- Precise Control Buttons
- Easy to clean
- Can bake several dishes
CONS —
- Need to stay careful of the heat it produces
8. Waring Commercial Single Pizza Oven – Single Deck Pizza Oven
Among all the commercial pizza oven designs, the Waring Commercial Single Pizza Oven is the best single pizza oven model. You can prepare up to 18†pizzas in this oven. This oven has a ceramic pizza deck which heats your pizzas evenly. Of Course, as it is a commercial pizza oven, it heats up fast, but, the good news is that this oven has 4 legs which keeps the area below it, cooler than other commercial ovens.
This product’s dimensions are 28*28*15 inches along width, depth and height respectively. You can start this oven with a manual timer and audible alert that keeps you updated about the temperatures inside the oven. With this oven, you can prepare Neapolitan style pizza in just 60 seconds. The Uuni 3 Pizza oven is a similar commercial oven in terms of size and features that you could consider as a decent alternative to this one.
PROS —
- Ceramic Pizza Deck
- Can cook upto 18″ pizzas
- 30-Minute Audible Timer
CONS —
- Entire oven gets hot while using
9. Star 214HX Miniveyor Conveyor Pizza Oven – Commercial Conveyor Pizza Oven
Sporting reduced preheating times and shorter cooking times, conveyor-type pizza ovens are truly one of the best options for busy pizza places. However, genuine heavy-duty conveyor pizza ovens require a lot of storage space and are pretty damn expensive to begin with. Those are only advised for established food parlours looking for an upgrade or if you’ve got a solid investment beforehand. Alternatively, if you’re looking to pinch some bucks but still prefer a conveyor pizza oven at the back of your mind, the Star Miniveyor could just be your best bet.
With a commendable output of 31 (9â€) pizzas per hour, the Star 214HX is a steal for the money. Further, the oven isn’t just meant for pizzas!
The entry and exit openings of the conveyor belt are adjustable and can be manipulated for the type of dish to be prepared. In addition, you have complete control over the speed of the conveyor belt and the temperature of the top and bottom heating elements.
The quartz infrared heating elements produce consistent temperatures thereby baking faster than other heating methods. Additionally, one element placed each placed over and under the conveyor belt ensures that the pizza crust is cooked perfectly alongside the toppings. The heat is well contained inside the cooking cavity and the outsides stay cool; even after continuous prolonged usage. All in all, the star 214HX Miniveyor Conveyor Pizza Oven is a favourable option for moderately busy businesses.
PROS —
- Functionality of a conveyor oven in a smaller footprint
- Adjustable conveyor speed and heating elements
- Quartz Infrared heating elements; two each over and under the conveyor belt
CONS —
- Conveyor belt not wide enough to cook 18†pizzas
Different Types of Commercial Pizza Ovens
Even if you are not starting up with an all-pizza restaurant, with this commercial oven you can prepare pizzas, pies, and many such dishes that taste yummy-licious. Here are the types of pizza ovens that you got to choose from.
1. Brick Ovens
Let’s start with the most traditionally prepared pizzas. Commercial Brick Pizza oven were a part of the most traditional pizza recipes. Made with heat-resistant bricks, these ovens are the most favorite for the authentic, crispy, rustic and typical Italian pizza taste.
These ovens have evolved from just brick structures to brick wood-burning ovens. Commercial wood-burning pizza ovens feature constructive elements that help in cooking with a combination of reflection, convection and conductive heat.
2. Convection Ovens
A multi-purpose oven that not only cooks pizzas, but also other dishes. So, if you have an all-round restaurant that serves different dishes, then this is the best type of pizza oven for you. This countertop convection oven is a compact size oven that takes the least space in your kitchen compared to the other commercial ovens.
This oven uses air circulation to bake dishes, unlike the other pizza ovens where the conveyor belt is used. This, in turn, reduces the energy costs of your restaurant.
3. Conveyor Ovens
In Conveyor Ovens, the pizzas are pulled in through the cooking chamber using a conveyor belt. Unlike other commercial pizza ovens, these ovens don’t require much preheating. With a little preheat time, it serves you the tasty pizza.
A conveyor one is an excellent choice for the one’s looking for a different pizza menu in their restaurant. It cooks pizzas in automated pizzas and is prepared for a constant flow of pizzas. This automatic process requires the least human intervention or supervision.
4. Deck Ovens
If you wish to have pizzas that taste as authentic and crispy as the ones you get in a Brick oven, but, do not have that much space in your kitchen, then you can go for Deck Ovens. These ovens tend to be prepared for moderate levels of workload. The design of the deck oven is made with metal, brick, stone and ceramics.
In this commercial pizza oven, the temperature can be controlled by the chef and hence, can prepare customized pizza. The design of the deck oven is simple, due to which it is easier to clean this oven.
How to Choose Best Commercial Pizza Ovens
Although, you now know different types of commercial pizza ovens, choosing one is quite tricky as it involves high cost and long term usage. To help you with that, here, we will clear your major doubts relating to the purchase of a commercial oven.
1. Type of Pizza to be Served
The type of pizza you wish to serve your customers also decides what kind of equipment must you have in your kitchen. Do you want to serve a Neapolitan style pizza, Chicago-style pizza or a New york-style pizza? Do you wish to serve a thick base pizza or a thin crust one? A convection oven can prepare multiple pizzas at a time. You can review our article to know the detailed information about Neapolitan Style Pizza.
If you wish to serve fast and casual dining experience, then a gas oven with a rotating deck is the best option for you. And for Neapolitan pizza, the best experience you can give to your customers is with a wood-fired pizza oven.
So, as per the type of service you wish to cater to your customers, you can choose your commercial pizza oven.
2. Available Space
Another very important aspect to consider while choosing a commercial pizza oven is the space that you can provide to this oven in your kitchen. The layout and design of your kitchen create a huge impact on your efficiency. The kitchen should be designed in a form which makes the work easier, which will ultimately be helpful during rush hours.
If you have a limited amount of space, then you must go for a convection oven. Although this increases the time taken for preparing a pizza, it would be a better option for a small kitchen.
If you have a tall but narrow space then, you can go for a deck oven, and if you have enough huge space, then you can go for a brick or a conveyor oven.
3. Commercial Pizza Oven Budget
Of course, the investment you would like to make in the current scenario matters the most while you are thinking of purchasing a commercial oven. Among the 4 types of pizza ovens, convection ovens are the least expensive, ranging between $100 to $1000. The conveyor oven is an expensive one, but it has the least amount of maintenance cost. Deck ovens come in different price ranges depending on the configurations you are looking for. And, a brick oven is highly dependent on who builds it for you. For this, you can check our buying guide of the outdoor fireplace with a pizza oven too.
Wrapping Up
Starting up a food business is an overwhelming experience, and at Piaci Pizza, we try to help you out with all you need while building a pizza restaurant starting from scratch till the final product i.e. your pizza. Hence, we tried our hand at helping you in choosing the best commercial pizza oven for your organization.