As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve worked with countless pizza ovens in my kitchen. In this article, I’ll compare the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Cru Oven Model 32, two popular options I’ve personally tested. My comparison focuses on key factors such as quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and real pizza cooking tests to evaluate performance. If you’re interested in my in-depth process for testing pizza ovens, you can check out my separate article.
The Big Horn Pizza Oven is a compact, budget-friendly option designed for home use but capable of delivering wood-fired flavor.
The Cru Oven Model 32, on the other hand, is a premium oven with a larger cooking surface and a sturdy build, ideal for more serious enthusiasts.
In this article, I’ve provided a detailed comparison of Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Cru Oven Model 32 based on my hands-on tests.
Disclaimer: This article contains referral links that help keep my blog alive at no extra cost to you.
Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Quality and Materials
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven features a durable stainless steel build with a silicone door seal and a cordierite pizza stone. While not perfect, it offers excellent value for home cooks. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 is made with high-quality 304 stainless steel, ceramic fiber insulation, and cordierite stones. Built to last but comes at a higher price point.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Temperature Control
| The Big Horn heats up quickly but requires close monitoring. Using an external thermometer ensures precise control, making it easier to manage high temperatures. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 takes longer to preheat (about 40 minutes) and may lose heat during cooking. Consistent results require careful monitoring and preheating adjustments.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Shape
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven’s round shape ensures even heat distribution, making every slice perfectly cooked with a crispy crust and melted toppings. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 features a barrel-shaped design that promotes airflow and prevents hot spots, ensuring well-cooked pizzas with minimal effort.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: First-Time Usage Impressions
| Setting up and preheating the Big Horn Pizza Oven is straightforward, delivering great results for beginners. It’s affordable and highly functional for its price point. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 is easy to set up but takes longer to preheat. Its spacious interior and grill compatibility add versatility to outdoor cooking.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Power Source
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven is powered by wood pellets, delivering a delightful smoky flavor. It’s also compatible with other pellet types or charcoal for versatility. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 is wood-fired, with an option to use charcoal. This flexibility makes it a great choice for outdoor cooking, especially for smoky flavors.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Size
| Compact yet surprisingly spacious, the Big Horn Pizza Oven fits up to a 12-inch pizza. Its portable size is perfect for outdoor cooking and small gatherings. |
The Cru Oven Model 32 offers a larger cooking space, accommodating up to a 15-inch pizza or larger dishes, making it ideal for diverse outdoor cooking needs.
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Big Horn VS Cru Oven Model 32: Ease of Cleaning
| The Big Horn Pizza Oven is designed with removable parts for easy cleaning. Regular ash cleaning keeps it running efficiently, making maintenance simple. |
The Cru Oven Model 32’s removable dome makes cleaning straightforward. Its cordierite stones and stainless steel interior are easy to clean and maintain.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Big Horn Pizza Oven preheated to 500–550°F in about 15 to 16 minutes, thanks to its compact design and efficient use of wood pellets. Once heated, it cooked a Margherita pizza in approximately 1.5 minutes. The resulting pizza had a delightful smoky flavor, with a golden, crunchy crust, evenly melted cheese, and fresh, flavorful toppings.
In comparison, the Cru Oven Model 32 took longer to preheat, requiring around 40 minutes to reach its optimal cooking temperature of 800–900°F. However, once ready, it cooked a Margherita pizza in about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, delivering consistent results. The pizza had a light, charred crust with a subtle smoky flavor, evenly cooked toppings, and perfectly melted cheese, rivaling the quality of a professional brick oven.
While both ovens produced excellent pizzas, the Big Horn Pizza Oven stood out for its faster preheating time and quicker cooking process, making it a more convenient choice for efficient pizza-making without sacrificing flavor.
How We Tested
To fairly evaluate the cooking performance of both the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Cru Oven Model 32, we conducted hands-on tests in a controlled outdoor environment. For consistency, we used the same ingredients for Margherita pizzas, including pre-made dough, fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Each oven was tested on the same day under similar weather conditions to ensure the results were comparable.
We started by timing how long each oven took to preheat to its optimal temperature for Neapolitan-style pizza. Using an infrared thermometer, we measured the heat of both the oven chambers and the pizza stones to confirm they were ready for baking. During the cooking process, we rotated the pizzas as needed to avoid uneven baking and monitored the results closely.
Taste and texture were also key components of our tests. After cooking, we assessed the pizzas for crust crispiness, evenness of cheese melting, and flavor depth, particularly noting the impact of the wood-fired smoke on the overall taste. Cleanup and maintenance post-cooking were also evaluated to understand how each oven handles repeated use.
This method allowed us to comprehensively compare the performance of these two ovens, focusing on practical aspects that matter most to home cooks and pizza enthusiasts alike.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Cru Oven Model 32 depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Both ovens offer great features and deliver excellent results, so you can’t go wrong with either one. If you decide to purchase one, I’d highly 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 and keep content like this coming. You can find the Big Horn Pizza Oven here and the Cru Oven Model 32 here. Thank you for your support!