Best cost efficent oven- Wood, gas, electric?

[PizzaVera]

so I am wondering, what's the bottom line..
 which is the best for saving money at the end of the day?


lets say a store turning out about 100 pies a day..

[Matthew]

so I am wondering, what's the bottom line..
 which is the best for saving money at the end of the day?


lets say a store turning out about 100 pies a day..

Are you interested in saving money or producing a good product, unfortunately you can't have both.  What type of pizza are you planning on making?

Matt

[thezaman]

november gas bill 741.00 24.70 per day. this includes my dinning-room heat . pretty reasonable expense. the oven runs 12 to 13 hours per day.

[PizzaVera]

november gas bill 741.00 24.70 per day. this includes my dinning-room heat . pretty reasonable expense. the oven runs 12 to 13 hours per day.

what are you running? gas ovens? if so how many?

Are you interested in saving money or producing a good product, unfortunately you can't have both.  What type of pizza are you planning on making?

Matt

well, I am not sure yet.. I have only ever worked with electic ovens  and they always made a good pie..



but I am thinking about opening a pizzeria, something small low cost to start but I want to offer a good quality pizza..
I could easily go with the electric because I can maintain it..

I have been thinking about a woodfired oven.. of course will cost more to set up, compared to a twin deck electric..
I have never cooked in one, eaten woodfired pizza enough times, I would of course take a crash course with the oven before I opened

I know many francises use conveyor ovens, never used one myself.. so dont know if thats what I want, or that makes the perfect pie
gas takes longer to cook a pie.. and I have no idea the quality....

perhaps you can offer me some advise...
thanks..

[thezaman]

i have one gas oven it is 4x8 x6 [height]. i has 12 shelves that rotate like a carousel. i can cook 24 16 inch pizzas at a time.it takes 15 to 20 minutes to bake them. i don't think electric is as economical as gas.

[pcampbell]

I think if you are after cheapest utility bills, a conveyer may be the answer.  Conveyer ovens can churn out a lot of pizzas quickly.  They can be also be very cheap to run.    You should think about the restaurant concept first, then chose the oven accordingly.

[PizzaVera]

i have one gas oven it is 4x8 x6 [height]. i has 12 shelves that rotate like a carousel. i can cook 24 16 inch pizzas at a time.it takes 15 to 20 minutes to bake them. i don't think electric is as economical as gas.

emmm 25 dollars a day for a gas bill?? not electicity bill then??

yes gas is always cheaper. especially in my country..
electricity on the other hand is expensive..

I think if you are after cheapest utility bills, a conveyer may be the answer.  Conveyer ovens can churn out a lot of pizzas quickly.  They can be also be very cheap to run.    You should think about the restaurant concept first, then chose the oven accordingly.

yes, sound advice.. the restuarant concept is most important in choosing an oven..

so the expense of a woodfired oven is just wood right?? or some ovens have a gas option too, but otherwise its just wood right??
guess it depends on the price of wood??

[Bill/SFNM]

so the expense of a woodfired oven is just wood right?? or some ovens have a gas option too, but otherwise its just wood right??
guess it depends on the price of wood??

I would guess that you would need a more experienced staff to handle the vagaries of managing the fire and baking. This requires a higher skill level that could translate into higher payroll costs.

[PizzaVera]

I would guess that you would need a more experienced staff to handle the vagaries of managing the fire and baking. This requires a higher skill level that could translate into higher payroll costs.

yes this is true.. but only in the beginning. and with that talent, should bring in more customers...,  I am thinking about bringing someone in from Italy so he will be full time, on a short term contract.. basically I plan to learn from him , so I benefit and he benefits..

so I will have my pizziolo teach me all I need to know , the passion will drive me on my own oven
trial and error.. I have cooked pizzas for half my life, but all in an electric oven. so dough, sauce, cheese etc is already down pat..
so the woodfire is my next task...Ive always wanted to learn.. but never had the chance.. Im 35 now.. and I started making pizzas full time from age 16
I really could of been a gun with the woodfired If I was put in front of one.. there was one restaurant in town which had one, and I use to go there when I was about 17-18 years old  and just envy the guy at the flame...they were our direct competition we were Italian restuarants , not pizzerias.. but we were more popular than them though overall but man did I wish to be where he was standing hahahhaa
I dont plan on sitting  in the office and pushing buttons, I want to be at the oven as much as I can.. this is my passion for now.. ive been away from restaurants for 10 years now, and I feel like thats where I want to be...
I want to be a master of my oven, but also be a businessman later on...
first I want to master the woodfire oven...
of course.. if I go that route...still not 100% decided yet on my concept.. the pizziolo in me says, go PIZZERIA!
the businessman in me says, GO OWN FRANCISE! and spread!  so I am thinking.. still a year away yet..


do you guys own your own stores???

any regrets? would you of done anything different?

[pcampbell]

where are you from?  i think only 5 or so (?) people on here own their own pizza establishments. 

i am sure you can figure out a wood oven if that is what you desire.  most of us here would say if given 1 fuel choice,it would be wood.

[PizzaVera]

where are you from?  i think only 5 or so (?) people on here own their own pizza establishments. 

i am sure you can figure out a wood oven if that is what you desire.  most of us here would say if given 1 fuel choice,it would be wood.

wow, only 5 or so guys own their own places... so everyone else are just pizzioli at pizzerias??

I am from New Zealand...

do you own your restaurant? how long you been making pizzas?

[RoadPizza]

where are you from?  i think only 5 or so (?) people on here own their own pizza establishments. 

i am sure you can figure out a wood oven if that is what you desire.  most of us here would say if given 1 fuel choice,it would be wood.

We have 23 stores and plan to open a couple more in the coming year.  All are gas fired because that suits the type of pizza we make.

[PizzaVera]

We have 23 stores and plan to open a couple more in the coming year.  All are gas fired because that suits the type of pizza we make.

congratulations on your success..

so gas ovens, you mean Conveyor? or dome style ovens, which look like woodfired ovens?

[RoadPizza]

congratulations on your success..

so gas ovens, you mean Conveyor? or dome style ovens, which look like woodfired ovens?

Thank you.  They're all deck ovens.  Usually Marsal or Bakers Pride. 

[PizzaVera]

Can anyone add some expenses for Wood! how many pies you make a month, and how much are your bills for buying wood?

[BrickStoneOven]

I bought a full cord of 2 year seasoned Oak for $400. My first choice was to get kiln dried wood but I couldn't get back in touch with the guy so I got the seasoned one. This is for home use though not for commercial, you could probably get it for cheaper if you bought a lot more at a time.

[gabaghool]

Without getting into a debate about which makes the best pizza, (because it all depends on the TYPE of pizza you are making)  gas ovens, in my experience, is ALWAYS cheaper to run.  Gas ANYTHING is almost always cheaper to run.....keeping in mind where your place is located.   Gas prices differ in certain parts of the country.  Again, this is a general answer.  If you own thousands of acres and you cut your own wood and deliver and stack it, etc....ok, MAYBE, MAYBE that would be cost effective.  But remember COST takes into account many many things.  At 100 pizzas a day, you can get away with a wood burning oven, if you have your heart set on one.  But, if you do volume, then it will COST you to have a wood burning oven because you simply cannot put out the pies quick enough.  Now, I know there are champeen wood oven guys, but THOSE are few and far  between.  Same goes with the coal ovens. 

I've been in this industry for 30 years, I've spent a few years on every type of oven I can think of, including a stint at a strictly grilled pizza place.  Now that I run some of my own, gas ovens are consistantly the cheapest ovens to run, fix, etc.  Unless you are doing a NAPLES style pizza, one size, lightly topped, a wood oven is NOT a must.

Based on cost, go gas.

[gabaghool]

Are you interested in saving money or producing a good product, unfortunately you can't have both.  What type of pizza are you planning on making?

Matt

Im sorry matt, I don't agree with this at all.