Help choosing oven

[BonesMachine]

I'm an east coaster living in San Francisco and I have to say the pizza here is the worst I have ever had anywhere.  That said I am determined to make a decent pizza in my apartment that doesn't have an oven.  I am looking to buy a countertop toaster oven that can fit a 12" pie.  They only go up to 450 degrees but it will have to do.  My question is would a convection toaster oven be better than a standard toaster oven?  Here's a link to one I am interested in:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7316102&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat13300050034&id=1118844401267

I hope to try out some of the recipes here soon!

[deb415611]

Bonesmachine,

I'm not sure how you are going to cook your 12"pie but some of the toaster ovens that say they can cook a 12" pizza only fit a 12" pizza withhout any pan putting the pizza right up against the walls which would .  I tested a few in Walmart one day when I was trying to replace mine.   If you have a specific pan that you want to use you should take it with you to the store to make sure it fits.   I have never baked pizza in mine (and it's not convection) so I don't know if it would do a decent job. 

Convection should be better than a regular toaster oven since the convection will have a fan that circulates the air around the oven.   I'm not sure if your budget allows but I believe there are some countertop ovens out there that are designed more to bake in than the average toaster oven. 

Deb

[robtfink]

There are actually purpose-built countertop pizza ovens, homegrade such as the Bella (with stone surface) and Deni as well as pricier commercial appliances. There has also been on-topic discussion here on the forum, a search may be useful.

[buzz]

I bought a Hamilton Beach countertop toaster oven, which has both convection and bake features. The interior oven measurement is 12" by 12" (far larger than any others out there), so it can easily cook pizzas, etc. I can cook a pizza directly on the rack.

The oven heats up very fast. The only caveat is that you have to get used to is that the bottom of a pizza cooks more slowly than the top, so you have to par-bake.

Very good oven overall!

[raji]

I'm an east coaster living in San Francisco and I have to say the pizza here is the worst I have ever had anywhere.  That said I am determined to make a decent pizza in my apartment that doesn't have an oven.  I am looking to buy a countertop toaster oven that can fit a 12" pie.  They only go up to 450 degrees but it will have to do.  My question is would a convection toaster oven be better than a standard toaster oven?  Here's a link to one I am interested in:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7316102&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat13300050034&id=1118844401267

I hope to try out some of the recipes here soon!

BonesMachine,

I  can't comment on your oven.  However, I do live near SF and can tell you that there are some decent pizza places in the city.  What places have you been to that are so bad?  And, what type of pizza are you looking for?

[Pizziaola]

Hi BonesMachine,

Admittedly, there is not a derth of great East coast style pizza in the SF Bay area, but there are some outposts in the East Bay: Bucci's in Emeryville and Nizza La Bella in Albany (for the whole pie experience) and for slices: Gioa Pizza and Pie In The Sky, both in Berkeley. Cheese Board Cooperative (in Berkeley) makes some pretty tasty slice pie, but nothing like traditional East Coast stuff.

I have a Delonghi tabletop oven that toasts, bakes, roasts and even has a spit! It has a special pizza attachment and a pizza setting on the oven. I've used it with a pizza stone and have had really good results--not as hot as my range's oven, but pretty darn good for a countertop oven. It is pretty pricey though, but it is a full featured oven--and the rotisserie rocks. I've done chicken, lamb and pork on it--deeelish.

Pizzaiola

[Pizziaola]

Ooops, I meant dearth, not derth, anyway, there ain't a lot of good East Coast type pizza joints out here--but there are some!

[bolabola]

youre right..pizza around here just dosen't cut it..I can't think of anything even close to NYC pizza around here..
Lo Coco's in Marin county is tasty but not NY style