As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve had the pleasure of testing numerous pizza ovens in professional and personal settings. In this article, I’ll compare the Bertello Pizza Oven and the Deco Chef Pizza Oven, both of which I’ve used extensively in my kitchen. My comparison will cover aspects such as quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and the results of a real pizza cooking test to see how long it takes and what kind of results you can expect. For those interested in a detailed breakdown of how I test pizza ovens, you can check out my separate article for more insight.
The Bertello Pizza Oven stands out for its multi-fuel versatility and high-temperature capabilities, while the Deco Chef Pizza Oven offers a straightforward design with consistent performance, making it accessible for beginners and seasoned cooks alike.
Here, I’ve done an in-depth comparison of the Bertello Pizza Oven and the Deco Chef Pizza Oven, backed by my test results.
At the end of this comparison, I’ll leave the choice to you—whether you prefer Bertello or Deco Chef. If you decide to purchase one, I would highly appreciate your support by using my referral links. It helps keep my blog alive at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Bertello VS Deco Chef: Quality and Materials
| The Bertello Pizza Oven features robust stainless steel and refractory stone, ensuring longevity and durability. The craftsmanship in Bertello is evident, making it reliable for consistent, high-quality cooking. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven is constructed with stainless steel and triple insulation for durability. While the Deco Chef’s materials hold up well for its price range, the insulation isn’t as effective as the Bertello.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: Temperature Control
| The Bertello Pizza Oven excels in temperature control, reaching over 900°F. The option to use wood, charcoal, or propane allows users to fine-tune cooking temperatures, offering flexibility for any recipe. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven reaches up to 950°F but requires constant pellet refilling to maintain consistent heat. Temperature control is less precise compared to Bertello, making it harder to achieve perfectly cooked pizzas.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: Shape
| The Bertello Pizza Oven‘s dome shape ensures optimal heat distribution, creating perfectly crisped crusts and evenly cooked toppings. This design makes Bertello a top choice for serious pizza enthusiasts. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven’s half-circle design delivers decent heat circulation. However, its smaller dimensions can make it challenging to accommodate larger pizzas compared to Bertello.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: First-Time Usage Impressions
| Bertello impresses with its straightforward assembly and quick preheating. First-time users will appreciate the even cooking results and intuitive operation. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven is easy to set up and includes helpful accessories, like a pizza peel and scraper. However, managing the pellet refills and maintaining consistent heat can be more challenging for beginners compared to Bertello.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: Power Source
| The Bertello Pizza Oven supports multiple fuel options: wood, charcoal, and propane. This versatility makes it adaptable for various cooking preferences and settings. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven relies solely on hardwood pellets. While this provides a smoky flavor, it lacks the flexibility offered by Bertello’s multi-fuel compatibility.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: Size
| Bertello’s compact design accommodates pizzas up to 12 inches and weighs 34.6 pounds, making it portable and ideal for outdoor cooking. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven is slightly smaller, with a 13-inch capacity. While portable, its smaller size limits cooking larger dishes compared to Bertello.
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Bertello VS Deco Chef: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Bertello Pizza Oven requires some effort, particularly when removing the pellet tray. However, its robust build ensures longevity with regular maintenance. |
Deco Chef Pizza Oven is easy to clean, thanks to removable components like the fuel and drip trays. Its stainless steel exterior wipes clean with minimal effort.
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Pizza Cooking Test
To evaluate the pizza-making capabilities of the Bertello Pizza Oven and the Deco Chef Pizza Oven, I conducted a head-to-head cooking test using a classic Margherita pizza.
The Bertello Pizza Oven preheated impressively in just 10 to 15 minutes, reaching a temperature of over 900°F. This fast preheating set the stage for an efficient cooking process. Once the oven was ready, the Margherita pizza took only 90 seconds to cook. The result was a perfectly crispy crust, evenly melted cheese, and toppings that retained their vibrant flavors. The high heat of Bertello ensured even browning and a delightful char on the edges, making it a truly restaurant-quality pizza.
In comparison, the Deco Chef Pizza Oven took slightly longer to preheat, requiring about 15 to 20 minutes to reach its optimal cooking temperature of around 950°F. Cooking the Margherita pizza in the Deco Chef took between 60 to 90 seconds. While the flavor was good, the crust occasionally lacked the even crispness achieved with Bertello due to minor inconsistencies in heat distribution. That said, the cheese was bubbly and well-melted, and the pizza was enjoyable overall.
Both ovens delivered flavorful results, but the Bertello Pizza Oven stood out for its speed, precision, and ability to create a professional-grade pizza with minimal effort. The Deco Chef Pizza Oven, while slightly less consistent, still performed admirably and produced a satisfying pizza for home cooks.
How We Tested
To compare the Bertello Pizza Oven and the Deco Chef Pizza Oven, we conducted a series of controlled cooking tests in the same environment to ensure fairness. Each oven was preheated to its recommended optimal temperature, monitored using an infrared thermometer for precision. We tested their capabilities by making a classic Margherita pizza, focusing on preheating time, cooking time, and the final taste and texture of the pizza.
The pizza dough and toppings were identical for both ovens, using freshly made dough, authentic Italian tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Each pizza was measured for size to match the respective oven’s cooking surface dimensions.
We observed the time it took for each oven to preheat, the consistency of heat retention during cooking, and how well they baked the pizza. Factors such as crust crispness, topping doneness, and overall flavor were evaluated. This thorough testing allowed us to objectively compare the performance of these two popular pizza ovens in a real-world setting.
Conclusion
In the end, whether you choose the Bertello Pizza Oven or the Deco Chef Pizza Oven depends on your specific needs and preferences. Both ovens have their strengths and unique features, making them excellent choices for pizza enthusiasts. If you decide to purchase one, I’d greatly appreciate it if you use my referral links. I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, which helps support my blog. Here’s the link for the Bertello Pizza Oven and the Deco Chef Pizza Oven. Thank you for your support!