Cheap "BBQ Pizza oven" - worth a shot?

[dylandylan]

Hi all,   We're coming into summer here down in New Zealand, and I've discovered that my good old BBQ needs replacing.

I've had a quick look at what is available locally and spotted this "Roma Pizza Oven" - essentially a BBQ with an enclosure.   Considering I was going to mod any BBQ that I bought for pizza cooking anyway, I'm tempted just to grab one of these and save myself a lot of effort.    It's retailing for the equivalent of about $300USD.

I realise this won't be anything like a WFO, but I'd be interested in any thoughts about how this might perform, or its viability for modding.     I've been getting by with my fairly low temperature home oven for quite some time now, so anything that might give me any kind of boost in the temperature department would be welcome!!   My guess is that insulation isn't a big feature of this design, so that may be a concern.  This does look portable though, which is a big advantage for me as I'm just renting at the moment and would intend to move this around a bit.

Here's a pic (below) and link to the manual for the oven - not super informative, but a few diagrams show a bit more of the oven.

http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/is-bin/intershop.static/WFS/TWL-Site/TWL-B2C/en_NZ/content/furniture-pdfs/9400032016290.pdf

What do you think?   Any good?  Anything obviously not good about it?  Anything to look out for if I get to inspect one in person?


Dylan

[Jet_deck]

There is no doubt that this oven would get hot enough to cook some types of pizza.  It has the normal disadvantages.  There will never be any "top" heat.  Your home oven would do a better job than this one.

I don't even think it is worth modding (lowering the ceiling, adding mass to the "dome", etc., .....

There is absolutely nothing wrong with home oven pizza and something like this would be a step backward.

my .02

[Tscarborough]

I have never cooked pizza on a grill (with the exception of trying the MPO at Craig's), but it seems to me a lot of money and effort for what can be done just fine in the kitchen oven, as Gene says.  Spend the time and effort on getting that right, and great pizza awaits from your kitchen.

[ThatsAmore]

This looks similar to the Tuscan Outdoor Pizza Oven - Sams Club that I posted a little while ago.  No one responded that they have seen that oven.

The only reason I would consider either of the two mentioned gas ovens would be to cook pizza outside in the summer so I don't have to heat the kitchen up when I'm spending money try to cool it.  We had temps over 110°F this last summer.

What I wonder about with both ovens, is can they hit 500-550°F ?

If you end up seeing one in action, I would like to hear your opinion.

[Chicago Bob]

dd, if your rental unit includes your own garage I would go buy a used self cleaning electric oven, mod the lock and push the unit near the doorway whenever you use it....and enjoy the heat!  

edit: also, for your anemic temp home oven get yourself a steel plate. Type Scott123 in the forum search feature. 

[dylandylan]

Thanks all.  Yes the oven looks very similar to the Tuscan Outdoor.  Hmmmm.... it might not be the answer I've been looking for then.  I'm quite happy with what I can get out of the home oven these days, but probably had one of those grass-is-greener moments when I saw this advertised.   Summer temperatures don't get oppressively hot where I am so staying indoors isn't so much of a concern.

So even if I put a second stone in the middle rack there wouldn't be much temp coming from the top??

[PizzaJerk]

Assuming that all of the heat is coming from a round bottom burner I would personally use it as if I was using a RotoFlex. Bottom for stromboli and sicilian and 1 or 2 upper levels for pizzas.
Seems to work well in a RotoFlex so I dont see why it wouldn't work here. Exception being btu output and the big ceiling on the upper level which can probably be taken care of.

Makes me think of a member here who was in the process of devising a broilerless oven setup (I can't remember who) If that has turned out to work then I think that something similar can be done on this. I may take the plunge just for the sake of experimentation

Wouldn't be the first thing I've wasted money on. At the very least it would be an extra oven to use for the Holiday cooking..as long as it doesn't break too quickly.

[scott123]

At 21 mj/hr (20K BTU), this oven is really anemic.

[kiwipete]

Hiya,

Fellow Kiwi here.

I've seen these things in The Warehouse as well, and wouldn't go for them.

If you want WFO like performance, but don't want to spend a lot of money, Jeff (Shuboyje) said in another topic/post:

"In your situation I would probably build a quality base(like they describe in the Pompeii plans) (in your case make it portable), insulate it well with board or vermicrete, put a firebrick floor on it, and then build a cob oven.  It is easy and cheap, but functional.  If the bug bites you and you think it will be worth your time and money to built a true masonry oven you simple demolish the cob dome and build a masonry dome on top of the stand, insulation, and oven floor you already have."

I think that is excellent advice.

Cheers

Peter v.

[dylandylan]

Righto, this is all confirming for me that the Roma isn't the way to go.    Thanks for all the input guys.

Interesting that they seem to be moving a heap of units given that the 3 local stores that supply this model have all sold out.  Pizza ovens seem to be one of the hot gifts for guys this season.

The portable pompeii sounds tempting and might be a project I get could underway, thanks for the tip Pete.

[dylandylan]

And amusingly, the retail price on these has just gone up 50% to $524.99NZD (about $450USD) overnight... somehow I don't think their production costs have changed.

[PizzaJerk]

Another point worth mentioning is that any of these types of ovens (there seems to be at least 3 on the market) probably has very little, if any, insulation.

[Tscarborough]

An efficient WFO is a discrete thermal mass, heavily insulated.  Anything else is just killing trees.

[Chicago Bob]

Another point worth mentioning is that any of these types of ovens (there seems to be at least 3 on the market) probably has very little, if any, insulation.

Yes, if you look at the build diagrams you will see there is Zero insulation and I guarantee you the sheet metal walls are paper thin. Look, it is so easy to evaluate these knock offs that come down the pike...if they never mention anything about "insulation factors/properties" or "metal gauge thickness" then they are pos's that rely on corny sounding marketing propaganda targeted towards Joe Blow DA.