WHich Oven ?

[nick2013]

I've recently had a base built for a pizza oven, dimensions are 120 x 180cm, I've been looking for a while now and basically got bogged down...

So ideally I want an oven that will do 3 pizza's (10") at a time and also use it for bread, casseroles etc.
I want the heat to last
I would like a dome construction

Can anyone recommend a kit ? Or plans for doing one from scratch.

Can also recommend suppliers of materials and pizza oven kits.

Thanks

[thickstrings]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Jeez Nick, it won't get any easier than going to the top of the page and looking at products.....since you are on a site that sells ovens and building materials....If you have never cooked in a wood fired oven before, 3 pizzas at once are daunting. They only take a few minutes at best....I would sugest you start reading this forum a while...

[deejayoh]

Re: WHich Oven ?

and maybe there are plans here too

Brick Oven Plans | Build an Italian Brick Oven

[nick2013]

Re: WHich Oven ?

OK, 3 pizzas might be adventurous. Been looking at this one, my only concern was the position of the flue

Napoli Oven - Italiano Forni


seems to be further back than most others.

[boerwarrior]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Yes, you are in the right place!!

Either buy a FornoBravo oven or build one using James's plans. There is no better site online for Pizza ovens!

Like me, you built your base before really finalizing your plans. Your base is too small for a fairly large pizza oven (which is what you would need for 3 pizzas at once.) I built a 32 inch oven which I am very happy with. I only cook one pizza at a time but like thiuckstrings said they only took 2-3 minutes each. Last night we cooked 12 pizzas for 11 people and no-one was bored! Good luck!

[david s]

Re: WHich Oven ?

You're pretty good if you can prepare 3 pizzas in 2 minutes. So most folk only cook one at a time.

[thickstrings]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Not having a oven with the flue inside , I can't say, but, seems around here the general concensus is not as good as the flue in the front..even with a flue damper..It would seem that the heat would want out....and thats right where the flue is.....so, even if you put a insulated door on the front, the oven would still have a hole in it.......

[brickie in oz]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Not having a oven with the flue inside , I can't say, but, seems around here the general concensus is not as good as the flue in the front..even with a flue damper..It would seem that the heat would want out....and thats right where the flue is.....so, even if you put a insulated door on the front, the oven would still have a hole in it.......

Not true.
It all depends on how you build your oven and what your damper is made of.

[david s]

Re: WHich Oven ?

There are pros and cons for every different design. Generally an updraft system (flue inside oven) is not as fuel efficient as a cross draft system (flue in front and outside oven). The heat (flame) in an updraft system tends to produce poorer circulation resulting in cool spots. (cool bottom, hot top and cool corners at the bottom if there are any corners) In a WFO this will even out if you wait long enough of course. They also use more fuel because more usable heat is lost out the flue when firing. The upside is that they don't need that deep entry to have to work past. That means a smaller footprint, better access and tools with shorter handles. My first oven had its flue in the centre of the dome. It drew beautifully, had no entry to work past, no smoke start up issues, but had flames coming out the top. We saw a few small ovens in Pompeii of this configuration, presumably domestic ovens. Because it was small the fuel usage was not an issue. I had a choke on the flue and a plug that fitted inside it to seal the oven for retained heat cooking. Some ovens are a bit of a combination of both, ie door outside entry (gives more usable cooking space) and flue exit inside oven, but lower than the oven ceiling. This style needs a damper.The second two ovens I built were like this. I now make them with the flue at the front and independent of the oven itself. Each design has has it's pros and cons there is not one solution only.

[thickstrings]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Brickie, Your right , it does depend on how you build it.....but he asked about this one Home - Italiano Forni Its allready built and I don't see a damper on it, but I guess it could have one...

[brickie in oz]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Brickie, Your right , it does depend on how you build it.....but he asked about this one Home - Italiano Forni Its allready built and I don't see a damper on it, but I guess it could have one...

My reply was for all to see and dispel the myth that ovens with a flue in the roof wont work, and not aimed at anyone in particular.

[Laurentius]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Hi, you can build any size oven you like from Clay, Adobe, and save alot of money! And will do the same thing, as any brick oven will.

("You can build any oven you like from Clay, Adobe, and save alot of money!") TRUE! ("And will do the same thing, as any brick oven will.") Bull s--t! A non insulated brick oven will not do the same as a properly well insulated brick oven will do and that comparing apples with apples. Yet, they will all provide fun, good food and a sense of a job well done, by the builder, but also headaches and frustration once you want it do something beyond its capability.

[deejayoh]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Clay and adobe will not hold heat like a firebrick oven. Not even close to the same performance. Maybe it is the same while there is a fire going, but they will cool much more quickly.

[deejayoh]

Re: WHich Oven ?

Nope, I haven't because I wanted an oven to bake in. Are you disputing the point that the heat retention properties are different? Sounds like you are agreeing.

[Laurentius]

Re: WHich Oven ?

yeah yeah yeah , Clay and Adobe wont hold heat, like firebrick will. Have you ever made a oven from Adobe or Clay?

Why do you think they stopped utilizing Clay and Adobe ovens on a grand scale, considering the expense of bricks during the heydays of WFO? We do not say that they don't serve a purpose, but you can't disprove the science in the function of the materials. Broken bottle and glass has value as an insulation, but not as a thermal insulator of an oven or kiln as would ceramic fiber boards and blankets(science)!