As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve tested numerous pizza ovens in my kitchen to find the best options for crafting authentic pizzas. In this comparison, I’ll share my insights on two popular models: the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Bertello Pizza Oven, both of which I’ve extensively tested. To evaluate their performance, I compared these ovens across several key aspects: quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and their performance in a real pizza cooking test. For a detailed breakdown of my testing process, check out my separate article.
- The Big Horn Pizza Oven is an affordable, compact, wood-fired oven that delivers a delightful smoky flavor, making it a popular choice for outdoor cooking.
- The Bertello Pizza Oven is a versatile multi-fuel oven that combines portability with the ability to cook with gas, wood, charcoal, or pellets for a customizable pizza-making experience.
Here, you’ll find an in-depth comparison of the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Bertello Pizza Oven, backed by my testing.
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Winner
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Loser
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Our Rating:
4.8
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Our Rating:
4.7
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Decent stainless steel build with a silicone door seal
- Heats up to around 500-550°F in 15-16 minutes
- Dome shape that promotes airflow
- Lighter and more compact
- Relies solely on wood pellets
- Cleaning requires more effort, especially with removing ash from the wood pellets
- Robust construction with a stainless steel exterior and a durable refractory stone
- Heats up efficiently, reaching over 900°F in about 10-15 minutes
- Dome-shaped design
- Multi-fuel versatility, allowing the use of gas, wood, and charcoal
- Lighter
- Cleaning the Bertello can be a bit more involved
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Quality and Materials
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven is constructed with durable stainless steel and a cordierite stone for even heat distribution. While not as heavy-duty as premium models, its materials provide excellent value for the price. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven boasts premium stainless steel construction and a refractory stone that ensures superior heat retention and durability. Its robust build is designed to handle frequent use.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Temperature Control
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven reaches 500–550°F in about 15–16 minutes. While it requires monitoring with a secondary thermometer for precise control, it delivers consistent results for wood-fired cooking enthusiasts. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven reaches over 900°F in 10–15 minutes, with the ability to combine gas and wood for precise temperature control. However, managing the wood tray can require additional attention.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Shape
| The dome-shaped design of the Big Horn Pizza Oven ensures excellent air circulation, delivering evenly cooked pizzas with crispy crusts and melted toppings. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven’s dome design is similarly effective, facilitating even heat distribution and delivering well-cooked pizzas with flavorful results.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven is lightweight, easy to assemble, and user-friendly. It delivers great results even for beginners, though mastering temperature management may take some practice. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven makes a strong first impression with its sleek design and premium materials. It is straightforward to set up, but users may encounter a learning curve when using wood fuel.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Power Source
| Powered by wood pellets, the Big Horn Pizza Oven delivers an authentic smoky flavor. It can also use charcoal or other types of pellets, offering flexibility and a delightful outdoor cooking experience. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven is multi-fuel, accommodating wood, charcoal, and propane. Combining fuels offers versatility, but the wood tray’s shallow design can limit consistent fire maintenance.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Size
| Compact and lightweight, the Big Horn Pizza Oven fits pizzas up to 12 inches and is highly portable for outdoor gatherings, making it an excellent choice for mobility. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven also accommodates 12-inch pizzas with a slightly larger cooking surface (12.5″ x 13.5″). While portable, its 34.6-pound weight makes it heavier than the Big Horn.
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Big Horn VS Bertello: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Big Horn Pizza Oven is straightforward, with removable components like the fire tray and grill. Regular ash removal is essential, though caution is needed due to sharp edges inside. |
The Bertello Pizza Oven requires regular cleaning of the pizza stone and ash. However, accessing the pellet tray can be cumbersome, often leading to soot-covered hands during cleaning.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Big Horn Pizza Oven preheated to its optimal temperature of 500–550°F in just 15–16 minutes. Once preheated, it cooked a Margherita pizza in approximately 1.5 minutes. The crust turned out beautifully crisp, with a golden-brown texture that complemented the smoky flavor imparted by the wood pellets. The toppings were evenly melted, and the combination of flavors was rich and satisfying, reminiscent of a traditional wood-fired pizza.
The Bertello Pizza Oven heated up faster, reaching over 900°F within 10–15 minutes. It cooked a Margherita pizza in just 90 seconds. The high heat delivered a perfectly cooked crust, light and airy with a slight char. The toppings, including bubbling mozzarella and vibrant basil, were well-balanced and flavorful. While the taste was excellent, managing the flames for even cooking required some practice during the first few attempts.
How We Tested
To ensure a fair and thorough comparison between the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Bertello Pizza Oven, I conducted hands-on testing under similar outdoor conditions. Each oven was evaluated for preheating time, cooking efficiency, and the quality of the final pizza.
Both ovens were set up on stable surfaces in a well-ventilated outdoor area. I followed the manufacturers’ instructions for setup and preheating, using wood pellets for the Big Horn Pizza Oven and a combination of wood and propane for the Bertello Pizza Oven. To monitor the internal heat accurately, I used a secondary infrared thermometer alongside the built-in thermometers.
For consistency, I prepared the same Margherita pizza recipe for both tests, using identical dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. Each pizza was cooked one at a time, with close attention paid to how evenly the crust and toppings cooked. I timed the preheating process and the pizza cooking duration for each oven, noting any differences in heat retention, ease of operation, and flavor development.
To further assess their versatility, I also experimented with additional dishes, such as roasting vegetables and grilling meat. After testing, I cleaned both ovens thoroughly to evaluate the ease of maintenance and how well their designs supported routine upkeep.
This methodical approach allowed me to identify the unique strengths and challenges of each oven, providing a balanced and practical comparison.
Conclusion
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Winner
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Loser
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Our Rating:
4.8
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Our Rating:
4.7
|
|
Pros:
|
Pros:
|
|
Cons:
|
Cons:
|
- Decent stainless steel build with a silicone door seal
- Heats up to around 500-550°F in 15-16 minutes
- Dome shape that promotes airflow
- Lighter and more compact
- Relies solely on wood pellets
- Cleaning requires more effort, especially with removing ash from the wood pellets
- Robust construction with a stainless steel exterior and a durable refractory stone
- Heats up efficiently, reaching over 900°F in about 10-15 minutes
- Dome-shaped design
- Multi-fuel versatility, allowing the use of gas, wood, and charcoal
- Lighter
- Cleaning the Bertello can be a bit more involved
The choice between the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Bertello Pizza Oven depends on your priorities and cooking preferences. The Big Horn Pizza Oven is an affordable, lightweight option that delivers authentic wood-fired flavor with minimal effort, making it an excellent choice for outdoor gatherings and those new to pizza ovens. On the other hand, the Bertello Pizza Oven stands out for its versatility and high-quality materials, offering the ability to use multiple fuel types for a more customized cooking experience.
If you decide to purchase one of these ovens, I’d greatly appreciate it if you used my referral links. I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you, which helps support my blog and allows me to continue sharing honest reviews. Here’s the link for the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Bertello Pizza Oven. Thank you for your support!