Author Topic: Need your guidance on which WFO oven to buy? Total newbie!! (Read 4278 times)

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #40 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:09:05 PM »

Quote from: bebe on May 25, 2012, 06:54:44 PM

thanks for the help. I'm still confused about what size I should get and also need to be sure of quality. I don't want an inferior oven.

Comments from the members here?

Your best bet is to get something at least 36" or above. There are always posts(here or somewhere else) of people who have gotten smaller ovens and within a short time say they wished they got a bigger one for more baking/cooking space. You never read anything about someone who got a bigger oven and wished they went smaller.

If you get a small oven your going to be baking very close to the fire/coals and your "room for error" is going to be very small, like within a couple inches and couple seconds. If you have a bigger oven you will have a lot more space to bake pizza, bread, roast and whatever else. Though you will be baking only one pizza at a time you will love the fact that you have the space, you wont have that with a smaller oven. You will also be able to bake bigger pizzas(16"-18" depending on your door weight) or cook multiple dishes at the same time. Another thing that smaller ovens suffer from is cooling down very fast. This might not be an issue if you don't want to use the residual heat for baking/cooking other things for the next couple days. But if you do you will probably need to re-fire in a smaller one unlike a bigger oven which has the mass and more insulation.

bebe · « **Reply #41 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:12:17 PM »

Quote from: BrickStoneOven on May 25, 2012, 08:09:05 PM

Your best bet is to get something at least 36" or above. There are always posts(here or somewhere else) of people who have gotten smaller ovens and within a short time say they wished they got a bigger one for more baking/cooking space. You never read anything about someone who got a bigger oven and wished they went smaller.

If you get a small oven your going to be baking very close to the fire/coals and your "room for error" is going to be very small, like within a couple inches and couple seconds. If you have a bigger oven you will have a lot more space to bake pizza, bread, roast and whatever else. Though you will be baking only one pizza at a time you will love the fact that you have the space, you wont have that with a smaller oven. You will also be able to bake bigger pizzas(16"-18" depending on your door weight) or cook multiple dishes at the same time. Another thing that smaller ovens suffer from is cooling down very fast. This might not be an issue if you don't want to use the residual heat for baking/cooking other things for the next couple days. But if you do you will probably need to re-fire in a smaller one unlike a bigger oven which has the mass and more insulation.

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Thank you so much!! I didn't know all this and your explanation makes perfect sense. See, I really need some help, haha!!
So I guess the 900 makes more sense to me now.

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #42 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:18:57 PM »

Quote from: bebe on May 25, 2012, 08:12:17 PM

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Thank you so much!! I didn't know all this and your explanation makes perfect sense. See, I really need some help, haha!!
So I guess the 900 makes more sense to me now.

No problem. This forum is definitely the best place to come if you need questions answered.

You said you were going to be building a fire place too, is it going to be a side-by-side all in one kind of thing like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcclurg-team/4444441570/in/gallery-55763905@N05-72157626268618370/

bebe · « **Reply #43 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:27:30 PM »

Quote from: BrickStoneOven on May 25, 2012, 08:18:57 PM

No problem. This forum is definitely the best place to come if you need questions answered.

You said you were going to be building a fire place too, is it going to be a side-by-side all in one kind of thing like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcclurg-team/4444441570/in/gallery-55763905@N05-72157626268618370/

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We are hoping to build a fireplace along with the oven, but I'm not a fan of the huge structure that we would have to build in order to have both. My contractor is toying around with the idea of using a vent free fireplace under or off to the side of the oven. We don't need the fireplace for heat, just ambiance. I just don't want a big wall of brick. Thanks for pic - I'll look at it a little better.

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:37:08 PM »

Quote from: bebe on May 25, 2012, 08:06:23 PM

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that's a big oven isn't it ? :-) I'm concerned about depth/bulk and don't think I'll be cooking
a lot in it. It's just my husband and myself and occasional parties. I think you said to get at least
36" cooking space, so I guess the 950 fits that bill.

Yes, it's a 37" inch oven.

When you spend the money to buy what you really want, you only cry once...

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #45 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:46:19 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on May 25, 2012, 08:37:08 PM

Yes, it's a 37" inch oven.

When you spend the money to buy what you really want, you only cry once...

I think Robyn said it was little bigger than what it's said to be(41"?).

shuboyje · « **Reply #46 on:** May 25, 2012, 10:17:50 PM »

I agree with everyone else. FGM ovens seem to be a cut above any other kit ovens currently on the market. I liked them before this thread, but with the new info here I'm all the more impressed. The way they do those bricks is exactly as I imagined it. Top notch.

bebe · « **Reply #47 on:** May 26, 2012, 07:59:19 AM »

Thanks everyone, your input and opinions are helping me a bunch. My contractor (also close friend) will be here today and we are going to discuss the oven and fireplace design. (and do a little grilling !) So it would really help him if I'm close to making a decision on the oven so he has some clue what he will be working with. The FGM oven is a top contender right now.

Jet_deck · « **Reply #48 on:** May 26, 2012, 10:02:52 AM »

When/if I buy a WFO the FGM is one of two i will pull the trigger on.
Just say'n.

bebe · « **Reply #49 on:** May 26, 2012, 12:03:23 PM »

Quote from: Jet_deck on May 26, 2012, 10:02:52 AM

When/if I buy a WFO the FGM is one of two i will pull the trigger on.
Just say'n.

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So, what is the other consideration, if you don't mind saying which one.

bebe · « **Reply #50 on:** May 26, 2012, 07:57:07 PM »

is it possible to have a gas lighter in the oven ?

shuboyje · « **Reply #51 on:** May 26, 2012, 08:42:41 PM »

I assume by gas lighter you mean a natural gas burner to light the wood?

If my assumption is correct the answer is a very firm no. Wood fired ovens have a door lower then the dome. Natural gas is lighter then air. If there was a gas leak, or your burner was to lose flame for some reason, you could end up with a large quantity of gas in the space between the top of the dome and the top of the door, creating the potential for a devastating explosion.

It can be done, but the controls to do it safely would nearly double the cost of your oven.

bebe · « **Reply #52 on:** May 26, 2012, 08:46:13 PM »

yeah, this is what I thought. Just had to ask ;-) thanks

RobynB · « **Reply #53 on:** May 26, 2012, 11:57:16 PM »

Bebe: my FGM 950-B has a deck that is closer to 39". I love it, and for a professional contractor it should be pretty straightforward, especially if you show him my thread. Understand, my husband had never installed an oven or built anything like that stand, AND we were doing an interior installation which is much more complicated than an outside one. The result speaks for itself. I have cooked in Forno Bravo and Mugnaini ovens, and in much more expensive Italian imported ovens and I still love my FGM oven. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Good luck in your search!

Robyn

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #54 on:** May 27, 2012, 11:36:44 AM »

Quote from: bebe on May 26, 2012, 07:57:07 PM

is it possible to have a gas lighter in the oven ?

If you are looking for something to help light the fire easier/quicker than you can always do what Bill/SFNM does and use a cactus burner

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isbfZSC_5Pk&list=UU4xkNAd9xFpDfnaw7t5j1gg&index=6&feature=plcp" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isbfZSC_5Pk&list=UU4xkNAd9xFpDfnaw7t5j1gg&index=6&feature=plcp</a>

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #55 on:** May 27, 2012, 12:33:52 PM »

Quote from: BrickStoneOven on May 27, 2012, 11:36:44 AM

If you are looking for something to help light the fire easier/quicker than you can always do what Bill/SFNM does and use a cactus burner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isbfZSC_5Pk&list=UU4xkNAd9xFpDfnaw7t5j1gg&index=6&feature=plcp

I still use it for every firing. With this, there is no reason at all to consider running a gas line to a burner inside the WFO. Not sure every deck material can handle the high heat and thermal shock, but I've never had a problem, evening firing in single digit (F) temps.

Jet_deck · « **Reply #56 on:** May 27, 2012, 04:25:42 PM »

Quote from: bebe on May 26, 2012, 12:03:23 PM

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So, what is the other consideration, if you don't mind saying which one.

I would build or pay to have built a modified FB Pompeii oven.

Seriously the plug and play, ready to cook in FGM's look mighty nice.

bebe · « **Reply #57 on:** May 31, 2012, 04:07:27 PM »

Quote from: Bill/SFNM on May 27, 2012, 12:33:52 PM

I still use it for every firing. With this, there is no reason at all to consider running a gas line to a burner inside the WFO. Not sure every deck material can handle the high heat and thermal shock, but I've never had a problem, evening firing in single digit (F) temps.

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that's pretty interesting. my contractor has an idea too, something similar I think.

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #58 on:** May 31, 2012, 08:21:30 PM »

Quote from: Bill/SFNM on May 27, 2012, 12:33:52 PM

I still use it for every firing. With this, there is no reason at all to consider running a gas line to a burner inside the WFO. Not sure every deck material can handle the high heat and thermal shock, but I've never had a problem, evening firing in single digit (F) temps.

Lately I've been cranking my cactus burner up as high as it will go and still stay lit and let it blast heat into the oven for 20-30 minutes at the start-up. The wood is really easy to light after that.

CL

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #59 on:** May 31, 2012, 08:27:12 PM »

To be clear. I do that for the heat not to make the wood easy to light.