commercial oven comparisons

[rock dude]

I am in the process of planning a wood fired oven pizza restaurant. I am having trouble selecting the right oven. I like the idea of Neapolitan style pizza but desire a little crisper middle bottom crust. I am interested in the stefano farrara ovens but one salesman told me that the farrara will only bake at 900 degrees and that would be to hot to get a crisper bottom. Is this correct? Anybody know?

[Laurentius]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

Now that doesn't make any sense at all! A one trick pony oven, one stick of wood or two, but only 900 degrees, this here oven will do?

[shuboyje]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

I agree with the salesmen. Traditional Neapolitan ovens are great for what they do, but quickly become less ideal as you increase the bake time. It's not so much that they ONLY cook at 900F, it's more that they are designed to cook at 900F and can become a hassle when you lower the temperature. They are poorly insulated and have a vent design that will naturally cool the dome via convection when the fire isn't running full bore. Once you drop the temperature and do away with the blazing fire from hell it get's tough to keep the temperature consistent.

[rock dude]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

I have researched so many ovens now that my mind is boggled. So if not a farrara oven for a crisper crust, then what Italian built oven would work for me?

[shuboyje]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

Why does the oven need to be Italian? I could see a desire to use a traditional oven if you are doing a traditional style, but why would you need an Italian oven to do a style of pizza they don't make in Italy?

In my opinion to do a crisper style you would want a well insulated oven with a decent amount of thermal mass and a higher dome then for Neapolitan. Basically a Pompeii, and intact lots of people who post here run their Pompeii in the 700f range and produce pizza like you are after.

[cobblerdave]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

Gudday
Why not check ou the forno commercial ovens

Regards Dave

[rock dude]

Re: commercial oven comparisons

I guess i just got my mind set on an Italian built oven. Any critiques on Valoriani ovens? Specifically the Toscana?