Wood Fired vs. Electric Pizza Oven

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Did you know that pizza ovens can either be wood-fired or electric? Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Wood-fired ovens are traditional and give you that unique smoky flavor that we all come to love, especially with pizzas.

Electric ovens are more convenient and a lot easier to control because of the temperature and are more versatile in what to make in this oven. So if you are trying to determine which one is the best for you, let us help you with this guide.

We’ll tell you everything you need to know so you can decide which one to add to your home.

What are the Differences?

Here’s how wood fire and electric ovens differ in other ways:

 

Wood-fired Oven

 

• Runs purely on wood as its fuel source
• Uses radiant heat to cook the food
• Reaches high temperatures (800 degrees and sometimes higher!)
• Requires more maintenance due to ashes needing to be cleaned up
• It can be expensive due to ongoing fuel source costs and initial price
• Can cook a variety of dishes

 

Electric Oven

 

• Runs on electricity
• Has consistent heat to cook food
• It can reach up to 550 degrees
• Easy to maintain, sometimes there’s no mess to clean up
• Less ongoing costs compared to the wood fire oven
• Used mainly for baking and cooking, but can cook a pizza very well

 

As you see, differences vary between the two ovens. So you’ll have to consider your cooking needs to see which one suits it better.

 

What is Similar Between the Two?

As you may know, there are not many similarities between these two ovens. However, they do share a couple of things in common:

 

• Both can get hot enough to cook pizzas
• Both ovens can cook the pizzas properly

 

These similarities are not a lot, but the point is they can cook the pizza of your choice at the temperature it needs to be cooked at.

 

Which One is Faster?

 

It depends on the model and how they’re used. But electric ovens are clearly faster as far as cooking. This is because they have consistent heat, and therefore you can get desirable results with them.

However, some high-end electric ovens can mimic the cooking characteristics of wood-fired ovens and vice versa, so the speed of cooking can also depend on the specific features of each oven.

 

What Type Do Chefs Prefer?

It truly depends on the chef and their style. Some chefs may prefer the wood-fired oven because it gives off a smokey flavor as well as a thin crispy crust. The wood fire oven also has that rustic charm that some chefs love.

But, there’s the electric oven because they’re just more convenient and much easier to use, and also easier to know the precise time when the pizza (or something else) is done.

Electric ovens are also often more energy efficient and can be used in locations where wood-fired ovens are not practical, such as apartment kitchens or commercial kitchens with limited space.

With that said, it depends on the chef’s needs and preferences in their particular kitchens.

For example, wood-fired ovens don’t work in smaller spaces and absolutely need ventilation. Whereas electric ovens help save a lot of money because they save a lot of energy.

 

Which one is Easier for Maintenance?

By now, you know that electric ovens are much easier to maintain. Here’s why it’s easier to maintain:

 

• Electric ovens have fewer moving parts
• Has longer life span due to not being exposed to higher heat like wood-fired ovens are
• Doesn’t require as many repairs as the wood-fired ovens do

 

While wood ovens give off great flavor, they require more maintenance than electric ovens. You’ll have to continuously clean out the ashes and chimney.

You’ll have to get a professional to inspect/clean the chimney. Overall, it’s a lot more work compared to electric ovens.

 

Final Thoughts on Wood-Fired Vs Electric Pizza Oven 

Choosing between a wood fire and an electric oven can be difficult because both of them have so many advantages.

However, with the electric oven being more convenient for the average cook (or chef), it’s often a popular choice that you see in retail stores.

But, sometimes, you want the unique smoky flavors, so you would want the wood fire oven. No matter what you choose, make sure it suits your cooking and kitchen needs.