Looking for the best available brick oven? This could be an exciting challenge for you, as there are lots of outdoor pizza ovens on the market. We have prepared an article that will explain what types of brick pizza ovens are enjoying popularity. After reading this text you will certainly find the best type of brick oven for you!
Brick pizza ovens
Brick pizza oven is a term which is used not only for traditional masonry ovens that are built out of bricks. The term also refers to assembled or modular ovens made of refractory materials. What is common for all of them is the fact they are single-chambered. In practice, it means that the same chamber is used for cooking and firing. If you want to divide brick ovens according to the shape of their dome, there are half-spherical, barrel vaulted, or igloo shapes. Brick ovens come in different sizes, and they are easy to fit into your garden.
Masonry oven
A wood fired oven can also be called a stone oven or masonry oven – it is built out of traditional refractory bricks. To be more precise, a masonry oven consists of a baking chamber that is made of concrete, fireproof brick, stone, cob (cob oven) or clay (clay oven). Such wood-fired outdoor pizza ovens are appreciated especially by pizza connoisseurs. They retain heat, and they heat up to really high temperatures – 500 °C or even more.
One of the biggest advantages of a wood fired oven is almost limitless potential for personalisation. You can build your own DIY masonry oven in your garden, just the way you like it. You are the one who decides on the style and all the details. Uniqueness will always be of value! Building your own DIY brick pizza oven is always a good idea.
Modular oven
This type of oven is put together from an oven kit including pre-made modules. Setting the modules up is more than easy! What’s more, it can be done really quickly, it doesn’t require special knowledge, and it’s definitely more convenient than building a masonry oven from scratch.
However, there is still space for designing the exterior of such an oven. Modular oven is worth having, as it has low thermal mass – it heats up faster. On the other hand, it doesn’t reach as high temperatures as a brick.
Assembled oven
This option is the most convenient one, as you don’t have to spend time on building if you don’t want to – all you have to do is to choose the ideal brick oven and to make a purchase. Buying a ready product is a popular option especially among busy people who additionally feel that they don’t have DIY skills. An assembled oven is an oven that is already put together. Everything you need to do is to place it on its designated spot.
Half-spherical/igloo oven
It’s safe to say that half-spherical is the traditional design of a wood-fired oven. It’s worth mentioning that there are also models running on gas or charcoal. Due to the round shape of the igloo oven, even heat distribution in the cooking chamber becomes possible.
We distinguish two types of such an oven. The first one, called the Tuscany dome, is the one in which the height of the dome is half of its diameter. In practice, it means that you can prepare meals in large potteries. If you like baking, experimenting and combining new flavours during cooking, you ought to choose a Tuscany dome, which is never out of style. Imagine loaves of bread, roasted vegetables, jacket potatoes, cooked, grilled, or smoked fish and meat, desserts, stews, and casseroles taken right from such an oven. Aromatic and simply delicious!
The second type is a Neapolitan dome – this one is definitely lower and slighter than the previously mentioned Tuscany dome. It has a flatter ceiling because it is designed especially for cooking pizzas. This does not mean, however, that you cannot prepare other meals inside such a dome. You can, but bear in mind that Neapolitan domes only allow you to cook in high temperatures.
Summary
As you can see, there are a few types of brick ovens that are especially worth your attention. After reading our guide to the most popular ones, all you have to do is to define your needs and preferences and choose the brick pizza oven that meets your needs and expectations. Consider all the options and enjoy the most suitable type of brick oven for you!