Guide to Purchasing The Best Commercial Pizza Oven

To understand how important pizza is to the American culinary vernacular, it’s important to review some basic pizza consumption statistics. Pizza accounts for more than 10 percent of all foodservice sales. And 94 percent of all Americans say they eat pizza on a regular basis. Some think pizza should even be its own food group, and to be honest, we couldn’t agree more.

For operators, though, this creates the need to differentiate. Nearly 20 percent of all restaurants in the United States are pizzerias. So quality and consistency are important when staying in front of the competition. And aside from ingredients like flour, tomatoes, and cheese, one of the greatest differentiators is the oven where pizza is cooked.

Deciding Between Different Types of Commerical Pizza Ovens

Not all pizzas are created equal. There are many different styles and preferences, and each type of pizza is best paired with a particular type of oven. Let’s go through the basics to determine the best commercial pizza oven for the different types of pizza operations.

Conveyor Pizza Ovens

When you think of speedy, high-volume pizza operations that are likely dependent on delivery and takeout, conveyor pizza ovens are the most effective. They’re easy to use. They’re consistent. And they help with labor management because pizzas are simply placed on a belt to be moved through the cooking chamber, requiring less labor than other types of pizza ovens. If you’re looking for speed, rapid cook conveyor ovens can bake a pizza in less than three minutes.

Commercial conveyor pizza ovens cook with impingement air. This technology circulates hot air very quickly around the pizza to cook it faster and more evenly than a traditional convection oven. The result is an even, consistent cook, from the bottom of the crust to the top of the cheese.

When efficiency is the main goal, conveyor pizza ovens deliver by providing options with multiple belts to accommodate various pizza sizes. The units can even be stacked to increase production capabilities. Output per deck can be near 100 pizzas per hour, and the best commercial conveyor pizza oven will deliver the throughput required for profit.

Stone Hearth Ovens

Stone hearth pizza ovens are synonymous with artisan. By maintaining very high temperatures, stone hearth ovens can cook a classic Neapolitan pizza, a New York-style pie, or even an artichoke-smothered California pizza. When it comes to artisan pizza, commercial pizza oven temperature is critical to creating quality, and that’s one of the primary benefits of this category. Stone hearth ovens can be display pieces for experiential dining. Cook times are shorter because of higher temps, and output can reach around 100-200 pies per hour depending on the unit and power source.

Pizza Deck Ovens

For “slice joints” that often rely on par cooking followed by reheating, a deck oven can be the best for achieving the operation’s goals. Deck ovens are ideal for classic New York-style counter service and can accommodate up to six pies at once, depending on the oven size and the pie’s dimensions. Pizza deck ovens can often be stacked to double and triple output, typically around 50 pies per hour.

Countertop Pizza Ovens

Looking to maximize the profit potential of counter space or need ventless pizza oven equipment? Countertop pizza ovens work well in these situations. Small but mighty, these ovens produce anywhere from 30-60 pizzas per hour, and are perfect for convenience stores, K-12 schools or restaurants with a small pizza offering.

What’s The Cost For a Commercial Pizza?

Pizza ovens can vary in price, so determining which unit will help achieve a faster return on investment depends on the type of pizza, the location, the volume, and the prices of the units. Ultimately, pizza oven cost is often related to pizza oven size, but there’s more to the formula. Because stone hearth ovens are often custom in their design, they’re the most expensive option. Deck pizza ovens and conveyor pizza ovens are next with prices ranging from under $10,000 up to $30,000 or more. Convection ovens and countertop units are generally the least expensive, typically providing operators with sub-$10,000 options.

Puzzled about which pizza oven would work for your foodservice business? Our pizza oven selector tool can help.

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Resources:

Pizza.com

 

Topics: Pizza, Restaurants