A Thousand Pizzas Later, These Are the 5 Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens

Pizza is Universal. It is America's favorite food—the thin sliver of Venn occupied by both preschoolers and sophisticates. But until recently, the best pizza ovens for home use required compromise or an expensive, backyard-filling obsession. A Neapolitan-style pie asks for a blistering 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Most home ovens are lucky to crest 500, too low even for a New York slice without a good pizza stone to absorb and retain heat.

This has rapidly changed in the past decade since Ooni (then called Uuni) pioneered the modern, affordable backyard pizza oven. Since then, I and fellow reviewers Adrienne So, Martin Cizmar, and Kat Merck have made more than a thousand pizzas in the quest for the best backyard pizza ovens. A decade later, an Ooni remains the top outdoor pizza oven pick for most people. The Ooni Karu 2 ($449) is both attractive and versatile, letting you swap ...