Outdoor Ovens vs Pizza Ovens: What’s the Difference?

Shop for a garden oven and two names keep popping up: outdoor ovens and pizza ovens. They often look alike, and they’re usually sold side by side.

But they’re built for different jobs. Choose the right one and you’ll use it all year round. Choose the wrong one and it may only come out for the odd pizza night.

This guide explains how they differ, what you can cook in each, and how to pick the right one for your garden.

We’ll also cover fuel, space and winter cooking. That way you can buy once and buy right.

Quick answer: A pizza oven is built for very high heat and fast cooking. It makes crisp pizzas in a couple of minutes. An outdoor oven has a taller chamber, a door and often racks. It holds steadier temperatures for roasts, bread and bakes. Many outdoor ovens can cook pizza too.

What is a pizza oven?

A pizza oven has one main job: intense heat. It has a low dome and a stone or refractory floor. The low roof bounces heat back down onto the toppings while the stone crisps the base.

Most pizza ovens reach well over 400°C. At that heat, a thin Neapolitan-style pizza cooks in around 60 to 90 seconds. That’s why they’re so popular for parties.

Pizza ovens come in four main fuel types:

• Wood-fired: Classic smoky flavour and real theatre. Browse our wood-fired pizza ovens, including the Fontana Margherita and Mangiafuoco.

• Gas: Quick to heat and easy to control and clean. See our gas pizza ovens, such as the Fontana Maestro 60 and Lifestyle Verona.

• Dual-fuel: The option to run on wood or gas, depending on your mood and convenience. Essentially the same as a wood-fire oven but with a gas burner (often removable). Explore our dual-fuel pizza ovens.

• Electric: Plug in and cook, with no flame to manage. Our electric pizza ovens suit smaller gardens and covered spaces.

You’ll find trusted brands across our range. Fontana Forni and Clementi bring Italian craftsmanship. Cozze offers great value gas and electric models. Igneus is a favourite for wood-fired cooking.

What is an outdoor oven?

An outdoor oven is closer in purpose to your kitchen oven, but fired by wood or charcoal for use outside. It has a taller cooking chamber and a proper door. Many have racks or several cooking levels.

That design gives you more control. You can hold a steady 180°C for a roast. You can bake bread on one shelf and vegetables on another.

You can still bake great pizzas, but more the way an indoor oven would, not a 60-second cycle.

Take the Fontana Gusto Outdoor Oven. Its fire chamber sits below a separate cooking chamber, with three stainless steel levels inside. It’s designed for roasting, baking and pizza alike.

Our outdoor ovens range also includes the Fontana Forno Italia, the compact HEAT Ovnhus and charcoal combination ovens from Outsunny.

Key differences at a glance

Here’s a quick summary of how the two compare. Use it to see which matches the way you like to cook.

What can you cook in each?

A pizza oven is a specialist, but it’s more flexible than you might think. Pizza and flatbreads are its home ground. Seared steaks, roasted peppers and garlic bread work brilliantly too. 

Wood-fired models have a handy trick. As the fire dies down, the dome keeps its heat for hours. Pop in a cast iron dish and slow-roast vegetables or bake a loaf.

An outdoor oven is an all-rounder. Think roast chicken, a leg of lamb or a tray of crispy potatoes, with an authentic hint of smoke. You can bake bread, cakes and pies. Casseroles and slow-cooked dishes are easy too. And yes, most will happily cook a pizza! 

Which should you choose?

a. Choose a pizza oven if…

• Pizza is the main event in your garden.

• You want fast results with little waiting.

• You have limited space and want a countertop model.

• You’re working to a budget. Our pizza ovens under £500 are a great place to start.

b. Choose an outdoor oven if…

• You want to cook full meals outside, not just pizza.

• You love roasting, baking bread or slow cooking.

• You’re planning a permanent outdoor kitchen.

• You are opening a commercial kitchen or rustic restaurant.

Still weighing it up? Our guide on what size pizza oven you need helps you plan, and our pizza oven buying guide covers the rest.

Fuel options compared

Wood gives the most authentic flavour and attracts the most theatre. But it takes longer to heat and requires a bit of practice to control the temperature.

Gas is quick and simple. Light it, preheat for a while and start cooking. Read wood-fired vs gas pizza ovens for a full comparison, or see how much gas a pizza oven uses.

Dual-fuel ovens let you choose wood or gas depending on your mood, time allowance and audience. Learn more in dual-fuel pizza ovens explained.

Charcoal sits in between and is common on combination ovens.

Electric is near-instant heat. Just be aware, entry-level models may not achieve the same temperature as wood or gas pizza ovens.

Heat-up time and ease of use

Gas pizza ovens are the quickest to get going. Many are ready in around 15 to 20 minutes. Electric models are just as simple, with no flame to manage.

Wood-fired pizza ovens take longer. Allow 30 to 60 minutes for the dome and floor to heat through. The reward is deep, smoky flavour.

Large outdoor ovens need the most time, especially wood-fired ones. Thick insulation takes a while to warm up. Once hot, though, it holds heat for hours. That makes it ideal for cooking several dishes in a row.

Space, weight and installation

Pizza ovens come in several styles. Countertop pizza ovens sit on a table or stand. Built-in pizza ovens slot into an outdoor kitchen. Masonry pizza ovens (albecome a permanent garden feature.

Outdoor ovens tend to be bigger and heavier. The Fontana Gusto weighs around 420kg, so plan a solid, level base before delivery. Designing a full cooking area? Browse our outdoor kitchens.

Where to put it

Choose a flat, stable spot close to your seating area. Keep it near the kitchen if you can, as you’ll be carrying food back and forth. Leave space around the oven for prepping and resting dishes. And check which way the wind usually blows, so smoke drifts away from guests.

Cooking through winter

This is where an outdoor oven really earns its keep. Well-insulated ovens hold heat even on frosty days. That makes them perfect for winter roasts and festive bakes.

Imagine a slow-roasted joint for Christmas, cooked in the garden. Your kitchen oven stays free for everything else. Keep your oven protected between cooks with one of our pizza oven covers. Or perhaps you are opening a commercial kitchen? Diners love the rustic flavour of wood.

One tip for cold weather: give your oven extra time to heat up. Cold air and a chilly stone floor slow things down. A few extra minutes makes all the difference to your first bake.

Essential accessories

The right kit makes any oven easier to use. Start with a good pizza peel for sliding pizzas in and out. Add an infrared thermometer so you know when the stone is ready.

Heat-resistant gloves are a must for handling hot pans and doors. A brush keeps the stone clean between pizzas. For outdoor ovens, cast iron dishes and roasting trays are worth having. Find it all in our pizza oven accessories and pizza oven tools.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can you cook pizza in an outdoor oven?

Yes. Most outdoor ovens cook pizza well, though a little slower than a dedicated pizza oven, perhaps with less of a bubbled charred crust.

2. Can you roast meat in a pizza oven?

Yes. Use a cast iron dish and cook as the temperature drops. Our pizza oven tools include peels and pans to help.

3. Do outdoor ovens need a cover?

Masonry pizza ovens are durable, but a cover will keep it dry and clean, ready for next use. It keeps rain out and helps your oven last longer.

4. Can I use a pizza oven in winter?

You can indeed. However, it’s not recommended to heat a masonry oven while still wet during cold weather as tiny cracks may form. Metal ovens are fine. Just allow extra heat-up time and keep it covered between uses. Many owners say winter pizza nights are their favourite.

5. Is an outdoor oven worth it in the UK?

If you cook outside more than a few times a year, yes. A versatile oven gets used in every season, not just summer.

6. Are outdoor ovens hard to clean?

In wood and gas fired pizza ovens, the beauty is that most food residue burns off at high heat. Brush out the ash once cool and wipe the outside now and then. Outdoor ovens and electric pizza ovens may need cleaning as you would any kitchen oven.

Find the right oven for your garden

Whether it’s pizza night or a Sunday roast, we have an oven to match. Explore our outdoor ovens, pizza ovens and pizza oven accessories. Need help choosing? Contact our team for friendly, expert advice.