Which oven is the best buy?

[GusH]

Hi all,

I made a post a few weeks back about building a brick oven. While my brother and I are still considering building an oven, we are also considering buying one. Any advice? We will probably use the oven once a week and host pizza parties (for 10-20 friends). Should we look at the primavera or the casa?
thanks again,
Gus

[Les]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

Gus,

Before I built mine, I was considering the casa 110 - seemed like a perfect size for my needs. But after viewing all the "fun" that was taking place during the builds at that time, I dove in with brick in hand.

Les...

[berryst]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

The journey is the destination. The build is fun if you like it. It also has its moments and frustration. Perhaps, your friends will enjoy participation. Oh, the pizza is sweeter when satisfaction is added to the ingredients. For me the destination was the journey I would not have missed it
Berryst

[james]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

Hey Gus,

I have always thought that everyone has different needs, skill levels, budgets, available time, backyard size, party size, family size, etc., etc., and that every situation is unique. That's the reason that FB offers such wide range of alternatives -- oven plans, and oven kits and assembled ovens of various sizes. One size definitely does not fit all.

We have lots of customers who built their outdoor kitchen and oven around a Casa or Artigiano kit, and still enjoyed the feeling of doing it themselves. There is a lot involved in building an oven, from the stand and hearth to the dome and vent and the final enclosure -- so you can pick the level of DIY that works for you. If you want to be totally integrated, you could even shape and fire your own bricks! :-)

The advantage of the Casa is that is comes in range of sizes (31 to 42, there is even a very large oval), and you get larger oven sizes. Plus you can customize the finish for the entire outdoor kitchen/outdoor oven.

The adantage of the Primavera is that it is completely finished -- but it is only 24" on the cooking floor. It saves a lot of time and money, and I think it is perfect for folks without the space, budget or time to oversee installation of a Casa oven.

Think of it as a spectrum and you get to decide where you fit. :-)

Keep the questions coming.
James

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

Hey Gus,


The advantage of the Casa is that is comes in range of sizes (31 to 42, there is even a very large oval), and you get larger oven sizes. Plus you can customize the finish for the entire outdoor kitchen/outdoor oven.

The adantage of the Primavera is that it is completely finished -- but it is only 24" on the cooking floor. It saves a lot of time and money, and I think it is perfect for folks without the space, budget or time to oversee installation of a Casa oven.

so if you're going to buy one, I'd definately recommend a larger size! 24 inches is not going to be a lot of space for your pizza's! (and fire)

[Bob C]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

Gus, 10-20 guests at your first party, expect 20 plus at the next one. Once they taste the pizza...Therefore, go a little larger if you can. this will allow for more cooking flexability and it will also allow you keep a fire going on the side and keep cooking.
"if you cook it, they will come"
Good Luck

[Ken524]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

I'm just going to continue piling on with the "Bigger is Better" club. If you buy a kit, buy the biggest you can afford. Our home-built 42 inch is just about perfect for parties. I've fed 20 from it with no problems (and could have cranked them out all night if needed).

Good luck with your decision. Either way you go, you'll have a lot of fun and get unlimited support here!!

[Frances]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

BUT... (just trying to make the decision more difficult here) if you think you might like to fire the oven up on a regular basis for just a few members of the family, a more moderate sized oven would use less wood and have shorter heat up times, and might actually be used more often. Mine's a sort of inbetween size (1 m diameter) and I think its just right - and also quite up to the task of entertaining lots of people.

[krosskraft]

Re: Which oven is the best buy?

I bought the Casa 100 and have enjoyed it thoroughly. I had NO building experience so just building a base and mortoring it onto the base, and doing the surround was quite a challenge, but when it was over I felt like it was MY oven. Love it.