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Gas or Wood Pizza Oven, Which is Better?
Pizza ovens are energy-efficient and offer a faster cooking time. Since only the pizza crust has to cook, not much time is required for its cooking. Therefore, a gas or wood pizza oven is best suited for this but which is better?
When you go shopping for a pizza oven, there are two main options available, a gas pizza oven and a wood pizza oven. This article will look at these options separately to see which one is better suited to your needs. Depending on their pros and cons, you can easily make a buying decision. So, let’s get started.
Gas Pizza Oven vs Wood Pizza Oven
A gas oven is usually preferred over a wood oven because it’s easier to use and quite convenient. It also saves energy because the preheating time is less. A wood oven, on the other hand, requires ash or wood to cook and hence is not a very clean option. Wood-fired ovens require dry hardwood like apple and cherry to be used.
When you are done making your pizza, the soot and ash would have to be cleaned up, which is additional duty. But the biggest advantage of a wood oven is the rich flavor and aroma that each wood offers and which also get transferred to the pizza being cooked.
However, wood ovens require special skills to be operated properly. First off, you need to learn how to attain a specific temperature and that time is different for different types of woods. Moreover, when the pizza is being cooked, you have to rearrange the coals to ensure an even temperature throughout.
Let’s have a look at the benefits of both these options so that you can choose one depending on your requirements.
Benefits of a Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
A great-tasting pizza is what we all fancy but more often than not, we have to settle on a comprised flavour because of the unavailability of the right tools at home. If you want to enjoy that true taste of traditional Italian pizza, you should go for a wood-fired oven. Here are some additional benefits of a wood pizza oven.
A Healthier Option
The vegetables and other toppings tend to cook quickly at a high flame and hence retain their nutritional value when you use a wood oven. The longer it takes to get the pizza cooked, the lesser its nutritional value will be. So, if you plan on getting a wood pizza oven, be assured that you are opting for a healthier option.
Fast and Efficient
Since the pizza cooks on a very high flame, it becomes ready quickly and the nutrients in the vegetables are retained. As compared to the maximum temperature of 260 degrees C that most kitchen ovens offer, a wood oven offers up to 500 degrees C. Once up to temperature, your pizza can be ready in just 60 seconds!
Offers More Flavour
This is probably the biggest advantage of a wood oven and most people would choose this oven merely for this reason. In addition to the unique smoky taste, even heat distribution in a wood-fired oven also ensures that your pizza is perfectly cooked and offers more flavour than the pizza cooked in a gas oven.
Benefits of a Gas Oven
If you are not in a hurry and do not care about the original pizza flavour, a gas oven will be best suited to your needs. With a gas-powered oven in your kitchen, you don’t have to go through the hassle of buying and burning wood every time you want to make a pizza. Here are some of its additional benefits to consider;
Takes Up Less Space
People usually prefer gas pizza ovens because of less space available in their kitchen or outdoor. In addition, since it heats up with gas, you don’t need a dedicated area to store wood. In case you have exhausted your supply of wood, you will have to wait to enjoy your pizza.
Easier to Operate
To operate a gas oven, you don’t need any special expertise. Moreover, such an oven can be easily hooked up with your home’s natural gas supply without having to rely on additional tools. It’s a time-saver option when it comes to installation and preheating but when it comes to cooking, it requires more time to cook food.
Offers Better Temperature Control
While wood-fired ovens require you to manually add or remove wood to control the temperature, gas ovens do it more conveniently. All you have to do is adjust the temperature knob and the oven will adjust the heat accordingly. However, there is a maximum temperature that these ovens can operate at, and therefore they may take a long time to cook certain foods.
In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, gas ovens offer a cleaner way to cook food since you don’t have to clean up the ash afterward. They are also cost-effective in the long run because you don’t have to spend money on buying hardwood.
Conclusion Gas or Wood Pizza Oven – Which is Better?
Wood pizza ovens are often more difficult to operate and maintain but their biggest advantage is the smoky taste that they impart to the pizza. This characteristic smoky taste is not possible with a gas oven. However, if we look at convenience and ease of use, gas ovens definitely take the lead.
A pizza oven can be used for cooking/baking just about anything from pizza to desserts and therefore investing in one is not going to be a bad decision in the long run.
We have discussed various advantages of both these oven options to understand their basic purpose. For some people, buying a wood-fired oven is the only viable option because they don’t want to compromise on the taste and quality of the pizza. However, for a busy lifestyle and for people who cook pizza on a regular basis, a gas oven might prove to be a better option. Look at the pros and cons of both these options and then make a wise decision.
Gas-fired pizza ovens and wood-fired pizza ovens are both available through our shop.
However, if you really can’t make the decision on which type to get you could always opt for a multi-fuel version from OONI. The Ooni Pro Multi Fuel pizza oven can be used with gas or wood by simply changing the burner. Although it is more expensive it offers you the perfect choice if you really cant decide.