Pizza oven against kamado
A medium-size portable pizza oven next to a medium-size kamado.
| Pizza oven | Kamado | |
|---|---|---|
| Top temperature | 500°C950 °F | 400°C750 °F |
| Time to bake a pizza | 60sec | 3–5min |
| Weight, medium size | 18.2kg40.1 lb | 163kg360 lb |
| Height, medium size | 372mm14.7 in | 1283mm50.5 in |
What is the difference?
A kamado grill is a ceramic cooker that is sealed, so all the heat stays inside. That makes it good for smoking meat, and you can bake a pizza in it too.
A pizza oven is designed for one thing: baking pizza. It gets much hotter than a kamado, and that heat is what crisps up the crust.
Do they reach the same temperature?
No. A kamado typically runs from 85 to 400 °C (185 to 750 °F). A pizza oven reaches about 500 °C (950 °F). The higher temperature means a much shorter baking time and a crispier crust.
Controlling a kamado
With the amount of air. Open the sliders further to go up in temperature, close them a little to go down. To hold a temperature, leave both sliders between fully open and fully closed, so you can adjust either way.
Controlling a pizza oven
Use an oven thermometer to check that the oven is in the right range, and adjust the airflow with the damper if your oven has one.
Which one is easier to move?
The pizza oven, by far. A medium-size portable pizza oven weighs about 18 kg (40 lb) and is 37 cm (14.7 in) high, 59 cm (23.2 in) wide and 64 cm (25 in) deep. A medium-size kamado weighs about 163 kg (360 lb) and is 128 cm (50.5 in) high and 118 cm (46.5 in) wide.
Which one costs more?
Both come in a wide price range, and the prices overlap. Kamados are made of heavy ceramic, which is expensive to make. Portable pizza ovens are usually made of metal and start at a lower price.
Which is more versatile?
If you want to smoke and grill as well as bake pizza, a kamado gives you the most options. If you want to bake pizza more than anything else, go for a pizza oven.
Already have a kamado as your barbecue? Then a pizza oven is the logical next step. Which type to choose: Which pizza oven should a beginner buy?