Pi Prime Pizza Oven Review

#1: Easy Heat Control

The heat on the Pi Prime is controlled much like a gas stove, with a simple knob that turns the burner higher or lower. The knob also controls the igniter that lights those burners. While there is no integrated thermometer, it’s simple to check the temperature of the stone with an infrared thermometer.

#2: Excellent Results

At the highest setting, the oven can reach a whopping 900 degrees (or more!), which can cook a thin-crust pizza in 60 seconds. During that time, the pizza needs to be rotated, since the back of the oven is hotter than the front. It only takes a few moments before the pizza crust begins its rise and the toppings start to bubble. A few turns later and the pizza is ready to remove, slice, and devour.

Pizzas with a thicker crust or a lot of toppings require a longer cooking time, so they need a lower temperature to allow everything to cook without burning the crust or toppings. That’s simple to do—just turn the dial to a lower temperature. I sometimes over-do the cheese and toppings, so a temperature of about 600 degrees is often what I need.

I also used the oven to bake an un-topped pizza crust to make crackers. I let it bake long enough to get crisp, then broke it into pieces. With a shorter cooking time or lower temperature, the oven could also be used to cook tortillas, pita bread, and other flatbreads.

While I used this most often to make pizzas, I also tested its ability to sear a steak. I put a cast iron pan in the oven to let it preheat, then added the steak to the smoking hot pan. It worked very well and the inevitable spattering grease was contained in the oven. When doing this type of cooking, it’s wise to make sure the pan can handle the high heat, or make sure the temperature is safely low enough for the cookware you choose.

When pizza-making is done, the oven is simple to clean. The heat burns off any debris on the stones, turning it to ash that can be brushed out of the oven when it’s cool, so it’s ready for the next use.

#3: Portability

While I wouldn’t call the Pi Prime lightweight, it’s light compared to many other pieces of outdoor cooking gear I own. It weighs 30 pounds, but the pizza stones are easily removable to cut down the weight, if needed, and the oven might even fit in the trunk of a car to take to a friend’s backyard barbecue or other events.

In the backyard, the oven fits well on many standard outdoor prep tables or picnic tables as long as they can handle the heat. A custom stand is also available, which makes it even easier to move around the yard.

One final note…

The Pi Prime comes with a few extra items. A black cover protects the oven from dust and debris when it’s not in use, and keeps it safe from weather. It fits snugly so it won’t blow off in a breeze. The oven also includes an extendable match holder that can be used to light the oven, rather than using the igniter.