For Home Use

[mivler]

Hi,

Originally I assumed that people were installing these ovens in their homes. If this is the case can anyone give me any insight about what I need to know? With a few phone calls I now know that the ovens I have been looking at are considered commercial grade, which will have an impact on insurance and on getting a permit for the local building department. It also sounds like I will need a commercial grade hood. I asked about concealing some of the oven with wood paneling and I was told to keep wood far away. It’s starting to look like this is not very realistic. (My wife cares more about the look of the kitchen than getting authentic Neapolitan style pizza.) The other factor is that I want to be able to make pizza in the summer, if the kitchen heated up when I cranked up the oven I know I would get resistance from the wife (who happens to love my pizza).

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this? I have looked at the Marsal
http://www.marsalsons.com/vesuvio.html
and http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/pizza_oven.php which I was told can be used indoors. (I am getting some information sent to me.

If need be, I will consider the garage, basement or outside, each with benefits and drawbacks.

Thanks for any info anyone has. As some point down the road hopefully I’ll be an authority on the subject.

Michael

[Y-TOWN]

- I've been using my outdoor gas grill for a few years now for pizza - 55,000 BTU against the 30,000S BTU  for the specialty pizza model - A new top of the line stainless steel 55,000 BTU grill is only about $500 at Lowe's at this time - some unglazed quarry tile and a position near your backdoor for the winter seems to be a better deal to me - same pizza, a bunch less $$.

My buddy down the road received an electric high-end (smaller professional oven) for X-Mas, last year. It was set up in his basement. He had it returned and got some of the money back (restocking fee) - he went back to the gas grill in his back yard with the tile enclosure inside. BTW, he did keep the $1100 mixer he got with the oven, he said that was worth the money.

Regards,

[JAG]

Michael,

You may want to check out Bakers Pride counter top pizza ovens (they have several counter top models). I own an ice cream shop and a few months ago started doing pizza by the slice. We do an 18", 8 slice per pie. I use a Bakers Pride dual deck brick lined oven.  It is specifically for pizza or flat breads because the cooking chambers are very short, maybe 3", but it is a 20x20 deck, and seems to match a lot of the specs of the Marsal. It is not nearly as pretty as the Marsal but probably less expensive. I need no exhaust hoods either but codes here may be different, plus it is a commercial setting. The biggest drawback for you may be the radiant heat, which is quite a lot, almost to the point of untouchable to the bare hand.

John

[mivler]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will not become an expert on the subject. After some research I determined that it does not make sense to get a home pizza oven in my kitchen

- Temperature increase in the kitchen
- Dealing with insurance
- Appearance (My wife has to approve)
- I probably would need commercial venting ( a hood)
- Cost (of everything listed above)

It now looks like I will hold off for now (to focus on the kitchen renovation). I will then start my research over to consider an outside grill/oven, or one I can use in the basement or garage

[mivler]

I just spoke to someone who has an earthstone pizza oven in their kitchen.
http://www.earthstoneovens.com/residential.html
They are thrilled with it. Although it is not going to be part of my kitchen renovation, I just wanted to mention it incase there is anyone else who is looking to install a wood burning oven in their house. The person I spoke to said they did not get a hood but instead had a chimney built for it.

[Amir]

I just spoke to someone who has an earthstone pizza oven in their kitchen.

They are thrilled with it. Although it is not going to be part of my kitchen renovation, I just wanted to mention it incase there is anyone else who is looking to install a wood burning oven in their house. The person I spoke to said they did not get a hood but instead had a chimney built for it.

I am in the same boat but have found plenty of options for putting one in our new kitchen.  Earthstone is one as are half a dozen other companies (Mugniani, Wood Stone, etc.).  The main requirement is to have an air gap around it that would isolate combustable material (wood kitchen cabinets/drywall).  This is usually 1 to 3 inches depending on the company.  Once you follow this, then every one of these can be installed in residential kitchen.  The only hitch I have seen is gas units from Wood Stone which requires a blower exhaust, costing $2K on top of their already expensive units.

The bigger issue is size.  These things are huge!  50"+ radius for medium size ovens which are typically recommended for this application.  We are still in design phases of figuring out how to fit it in a way that doesn't take over the whole kitchen given occasional use it gets as opposed to other things in the kitchen.

Cost is a major issue too.  Mid-size ovens retail for $6K and then you have to have them insalled.  And covered with tile or whatever, should you go that route.  My quick estimate is that it is going to run you $10K installed.  That makes it the most expensive appliance in the kitchen.

Despite the obstacles, we are going to get one.  We have been making pizza in a normal oven with a stone and it just doesn't get hot enough to do the job.  As to using the BBQ, I have tried that too and it kind of works but it is not ideal.  Nor is going outside to do it.  Having it right in the kitchen is sure convenient.