As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve tested numerous cooking tools to perfect my craft. In this article, I’ll compare the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Member’s Mark Pizza Oven, both of which I’ve used extensively in my kitchen. My comparison focuses on quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and a real pizza cooking test to evaluate performance. For a deeper look at my testing process, check out my separate article on how I evaluate pizza ovens.
The Big Horn Pizza Oven is a lightweight, wood-pellet-fired option known for its affordability and smoky flavor.
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven, on the other hand, is a gas-powered oven offering modern convenience and versatility.
In this article, I’ve provided a detailed comparison of Big Horn and the Member’s Mark based on my hands-on tests.
Disclaimer: This article contains referral links that help keep my blog alive. If you choose to purchase through these links, I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Quality and Materials
| The Big Horn pizza oven features a durable stainless steel body and a cordierite pizza stone, which handles high heat well and ensures even cooking. The silicone door seal adds longevity and can be replaced if needed. While occasional heat control issues arise, the build quality is solid for the price. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven comes with a thin steel body and a 3/8-inch pizza stone, which may not hold up under heavy use. While the provided accessories are of good quality, the thin materials and build raise concerns about durability, especially for frequent use.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Temperature Control
| The Big Horn heats quickly, reaching 500–550°F in about 15–16 minutes. Although it requires monitoring with a secondary thermometer, it delivers consistent results once the temperature is stabilized. The wood pellets provide a natural, smoky flavor that enhances the overall cooking experience. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven claims to reach 900°F but struggled to get hot enough during testing, even after 30 minutes of preheating. Its small flame and uneven heat distribution made temperature control challenging, which impacted the pizza’s texture and flavor.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Shape
| The dome-shaped design of the Big Horn ensures excellent heat circulation, providing evenly cooked pizzas with crisp crusts and perfectly melted cheese. The shape also works well for various styles of pizza and other baked goods. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven also has a rounded top, which helps distribute heat for even cooking. However, the heat distribution is less reliable, leading to uneven results. This can result in some parts of the pizza being overcooked while others remain undercooked.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Big Horn is beginner-friendly, offering easy assembly and delivering great results on its first use. A Margherita pizza cooked in just 1.5 minutes, with a smoky flavor and crisp crust that rival higher-end ovens. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven’s first-time performance was underwhelming. The Neapolitan pizza lacked proper rise and leopard spotting, with uneven cooking. Even adjusting the flame didn’t significantly improve the results. The experience may be frustrating for first-time users.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Power Source
| The Big Horn uses wood pellets, giving pizzas an authentic smoky flavor that replicates traditional wood-fired ovens. It can also accommodate other fuels like charcoal, adding versatility for outdoor cooking enthusiasts. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven uses propane, which is convenient for outdoor cooking. However, it lacks the smoky flavor that wood-fired ovens like the Big Horn provide, which can detract from the traditional pizza-making experience.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Size
| Compact yet spacious, the Big Horn accommodates 12-inch pizzas with ease. Its lightweight design makes it highly portable, ideal for outdoor gatherings and family events. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven is smaller and lighter, with dimensions of 24.2″ x 15.5″ x 11.6″. While portable, its compact size limits its capacity and makes rotating pizzas for even cooking more challenging.
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Big Horn VS Member’s Mark: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Big Horn is straightforward, with removable parts and easy ash disposal. Regular maintenance keeps it running efficiently. Just be cautious of sharp edges when handling the interior during cleaning. |
The Member’s Mark Pizza Oven is relatively easy to clean with soapy water and a sponge. However, its smaller size and thin materials require careful handling to avoid damage during cleaning, and food debris can accumulate in hard-to-reach areas.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Big Horn pizza oven preheated to 500–550°F in approximately 15–16 minutes, making it relatively quick to reach its ideal cooking temperature. Once preheated, it cooked a Margherita pizza in just 1.5 minutes. The results were impressive, with a perfectly crisp crust, golden brown edges, and a delicious smoky flavor imparted by the wood pellets. The toppings were evenly cooked, with the cheese melting smoothly and the sauce retaining its fresh, vibrant taste. The smoky aroma added a traditional wood-fired charm that enhanced the overall flavor profile.
The Member’s Mark pizza oven took much longer to preheat, reaching about 25–30 minutes, yet still failed to hit its advertised temperature of 900°F. A Margherita pizza cooked in 5–10 minutes, depending on the type of dough used, but the results were inconsistent. The crust lacked proper rise and leopard spotting, with some areas overcooked while others remained undercooked. The flavor was acceptable but lacked the depth and complexity of a wood-fired pizza, as the propane heat did not provide any smoky elements to elevate the overall taste.
While both ovens can produce edible pizzas, the Big Horn Pizza Oven excelled in speed, flavor, and authenticity, making it a clear winner for those who value traditional wood-fired pizza experiences.
How We Tested
To fairly compare the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Member’s Mark Pizza Oven, we followed a systematic testing process under similar conditions. Both ovens were set up outdoors, and we preheated them according to the manufacturers’ instructions. The Big Horn was fueled with wood pellets, while the Member’s Mark used propane. We monitored preheating times and temperatures using an external infrared thermometer to ensure accuracy.
For the cooking test, we prepared identical 12-inch Margherita pizzas using the same fresh ingredients: homemade dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Each pizza was placed in the oven once it reached its optimal temperature, and we carefully timed the cooking duration. The crust’s texture, the evenness of the toppings, and the overall flavor were evaluated after each bake.
To assess versatility, we tested additional foods, including roasted vegetables and flatbreads, in both ovens. This helped determine how well each oven handled different recipes and maintained consistent heat.
By comparing their performance side by side, we gained insights into each oven’s strengths and weaknesses. The Big Horn Pizza Oven stood out for its speed, authentic smoky flavor, and reliable results, while the Member’s Mark Pizza Oven struggled with temperature consistency and delivered less impressive pizzas. This methodical testing approach ensured an objective evaluation of both models.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the choice between the Big Horn Pizza Oven and the Member’s Mark Pizza Oven depends on your preferences and priorities. The Big Horn offers authentic wood-fired flavor, quick cooking times, and consistent results, making it an excellent option for pizza enthusiasts seeking a traditional experience. On the other hand, the Member’s Mark is a budget-friendly propane option that can handle more than just pizza but may require patience and adjustments to achieve satisfactory results.
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Thank you for your support, and happy pizza-making!