Pizza oven: traditional dome oven or a bakehouse

First, the similarities between the two types of ovens. Both types of ovens are recommended for personal use, but there are a few small crucial differences.

Appearance

Modern baking houses are available from the Italian manufacturer Fontana Forni in stainless steel appearance. They are beautifully designed houses that visually enhance any terrace with a curved roof, gable roof, or shed roof. The optional accessories list is long, and the selection influences the appearance such as handles, shelves, or thermostats.

Classic dome ovens are also available as modern stainless steel ovens with differently colored roofs or mosaics, but also as plastered ovens with a classic Italian terracotta arch. The selection is large. Valoriani offers a more classic design, while Fontana also offers the modern stainless steel look here.

Function

Both types of ovens are classics, each in their field.
Baking houses have existed since the Middle Ages, they are versatile with indirect firing, a large cooking chamber, and different compartments below the cooking area with proofing and warming functions. They incorporate all the functions of an original baking house in a small size, providing comfort in preparation and cooking.
Classic dome ovens have been around for at least as long. They are directly fired with wood and have therefore always been not just a place for cooking, but also for warmth and sociability.

Firing

The baking houses are fired indirectly with wood. A combustion chamber is hidden below the cooking chamber, and hot air flows through a patented convection system into the cooking chamber. This creates several temperature zones that can be used for simultaneous cooking of different dishes.

The classic dome ovens can be fired with either wood or gas. The gas burner is factory-installed or can also be retrofitted in some models later. It is possible to operate the ovens alternately with wood or gas, the gas burner simply remains off during wood firing.

Mobility

Both the baking houses and the classic dome ovens are mobile. Fontana baking houses always have two wheels and two hidden carrying handles. The dome ovens are available in different versions, either as mobile ovens on movable bases from Fontana or as tabletop pizza ovens for mounting on a prepared surface such as in an outdoor kitchen. And then there are the kits from the Italian manufacturer Valoriani, which are delivered for self-assembly and can be individually built, bricked in, freestanding, plastered, or with mosaic.

Conclusion:

The differences between baking houses and classic dome ovens lie apart from the appearance, in the type of firing and in the size of the cooking chamber. A baking house offers more space for food and provides a wide range of compartments for pre- and post-preparation of dishes. It is therefore suitable as a full outdoor kitchen. While the classic dome oven is also a multi-talent and cooks almost all dishes, its focus is on direct firing.

Visit us in our showroom near Frankfurt am Main for a personal consultation and take a close look at the different models. We will advise you in detail and find the right pizza oven for your garden or terrace together. Make an appointment with us!