Choosing the right commercial pizza oven is one of the most important decisions you'll make when opening a pizzeria, upgrading your kitchen or expanding your restaurant.
With electric deck ovens, traditional wood-fired ovens, gas-fired ovens and conveyor ovens all available, it's understandable that many operators ask the same question:
Which type of pizza oven is actually best for my restaurant?
At PizzaMaster UK, we believe the answer depends on your individual requirements, including your pizza style, kitchen space, production capacity, operating costs and how you want your restaurant to function.
Each type of oven has its advantages, and we understand that no two pizzerias are the same.
However, modern commercial electric pizza ovens have developed considerably, and PizzaMaster ovens offer a combination of high-temperature baking, precise temperature control, excellent heat retention and flexible configurations.
Let's look at how PizzaMaster electric deck ovens compare with traditional wood-fired, gas-fired and conveyor pizza ovens.
Wood-fired pizza ovens have been used for generations and remain a popular choice, particularly for restaurants looking to create a traditional Italian atmosphere.
The sight of an open flame and the appearance of a traditional brick oven can be a fantastic feature in an open kitchen.
But when it comes to running a busy commercial pizzeria, there are several important differences worth considering.
Both PizzaMaster electric ovens and wood-fired ovens are capable of producing exceptional pizzas at high temperatures.
The biggest difference is how the heat is generated and controlled.
Traditional wood-fired ovens rely on a live fire, meaning temperatures can vary across the cooking surface and throughout service.
This often requires the pizzaiolo to regularly rotate and reposition pizzas to achieve an even bake.
PizzaMaster ovens use independently controlled heating systems and a stone baking hearth to provide consistent heat distribution throughout the baking chamber.
This helps maintain reliable baking results, particularly during busy periods when pizzas are continually being loaded and removed.
Whether you're producing Neapolitan, New York-style or another style of pizza, having greater control over the baking temperature can make a real difference to consistency.
One of the biggest challenges for any pizzeria is maintaining consistent baking performance when demand increases.
During peak service, a wood-fired oven requires careful fire management to maintain the correct balance of heat.
PizzaMaster ovens are designed to provide strong heating performance and effective heat recovery, helping the oven maintain its temperature as pizzas are baked throughout service.
This can be particularly beneficial for restaurants looking to produce a high volume of pizzas while maintaining consistent quality.
Operating a wood-fired oven requires experience in managing the fire, adding fuel and controlling different temperature zones.
With PizzaMaster, the process is more straightforward.
You can set your desired baking temperature and control the heating to suit your pizza style, allowing your team to concentrate on preparing and baking great pizzas rather than managing an open fire.
Wood-fired ovens generally require suitable flue systems, ventilation arrangements and additional consideration of smoke emissions and local planning requirements.
These can add complexity and cost to a commercial kitchen installation.
Electric deck ovens such as PizzaMaster do not require a combustion flue because they do not burn wood or gas.
However, suitable kitchen ventilation and compliance with relevant building, fire safety and extraction requirements must still be considered.
This can make electric ovens a more practical solution for certain restaurants, particularly those operating in buildings where installing a traditional flue would be difficult.
Traditional wood-fired ovens can require a substantial amount of floor space, especially when considering the oven structure, access and ventilation.
PizzaMaster offers 95 different oven sizes, with a wide choice of configurations to suit different kitchen layouts.
Whether you have plenty of width but limited height, or a narrow kitchen where a multi-deck oven would work better, we can help you find a suitable option.
If the theatre of a live flame and the appearance of a traditional brick oven are central to your restaurant concept, a wood-fired oven may be the right choice.
However, if your priorities are temperature control, consistent baking, ease of operation, flexible installation and reliable performance during busy service, a PizzaMaster electric deck oven is certainly worth considering.
Gas-fired pizza ovens are another popular option in commercial kitchens, offering high-temperature baking and a range of different designs.
But how do they compare with a PizzaMaster electric deck oven?
One of the most important elements of producing a great pizza is achieving the correct balance between heat from above and heat from the baking stone.
Some gas-fired oven designs generate a significant proportion of their heat from beneath the baking surface.
Depending on the oven and pizza style, this can make balancing the base bake with the toppings more challenging.
PizzaMaster ovens are designed with strong top-heating capability and controlled bottom heat, allowing you to achieve the baking characteristics required for your particular pizza.
Having control over the balance of heat can help produce a properly baked base without overcooking the toppings, or vice versa.
This is particularly important when working at high temperatures.
During a busy service, maintaining consistent baking temperatures is essential.
PizzaMaster's electric heating system, insulation and stone baking hearth are designed to support heat retention and recovery, helping maintain reliable baking conditions as pizzas are continually loaded.
This can help reduce variations in baking results between quieter periods and peak service.
Gas-fired ovens require an appropriate gas supply and installation arrangements, together with ventilation and combustion safety considerations.
Electric PizzaMaster ovens eliminate the need for a gas connection and combustion flue.
They still require a suitable electrical supply, appropriate ventilation and a compliant installation, but this can simplify planning for some commercial kitchens.
A common assumption is that gas-fired pizza ovens must be cheaper to operate because gas can cost less per kWh than electricity.
However, the price per unit of energy is only part of the calculation.
You also need to consider how much energy the oven actually consumes, its insulation, heat losses, operating temperature and the number of hours it runs.
An efficient electric oven may have competitive running costs compared with a gas-fired alternative, but the actual difference depends on the specific models and energy tariffs.
At PizzaMaster UK, we believe in helping customers understand these figures before investing.
That's why we've developed our own PizzaMaster Electricity Cost Calculator.
Simply enter your electricity price per kWh, select your oven and input your operating hours to see estimated running costs based on your requirements.
Calculate Your PizzaMaster Electricity Running Costs
Both gas and electric ovens can produce excellent pizzas.
However, for restaurants looking for precise temperature control, strong heat recovery and flexibility in oven configurations, PizzaMaster offers an excellent alternative to gas-fired equipment.
Conveyor pizza ovens are commonly found in high-volume pizza operations, particularly where businesses want a repeatable production process.
Rather than manually placing pizzas into a baking chamber, pizzas travel through the oven on a moving conveyor belt.
This can be useful for certain operations, but there are some important differences when compared with a traditional electric deck oven.
One of the biggest advantages of a PizzaMaster electric deck oven is the ability to bake pizzas directly on a stone hearth.
Direct stone baking helps transfer heat into the pizza base, creating the crisp exterior and texture associated with many traditional pizza styles.
Conveyor ovens typically use a moving belt or mesh system, although some designs also allow pizzas to be baked using pans or screens.
Depending on the oven and baking method, this can produce a different texture and finish.
For pizzerias where the quality and characteristics of the pizza base are particularly important, direct stone baking can be a major advantage.
With a conveyor oven, the baking time is generally controlled by the speed of the belt and the oven's temperature settings.
This helps create a repeatable process and can reduce the level of intervention required from staff.
With a PizzaMaster deck oven, the pizzaiolo has greater direct control over the baking process.
Pizzas can be repositioned or left in slightly longer where necessary, depending on the dough, toppings and desired finish.
For businesses producing artisan pizzas or offering several different styles, this flexibility can be particularly valuable.
Conveyor ovens are often associated with high-volume pizza production, and they can be very effective in operations where pizzas are prepared and baked continuously.
However, a commercial electric deck oven should not be overlooked when it comes to capacity.
PizzaMaster offers a wide range of oven widths and multi-deck configurations, allowing restaurants to achieve substantial baking capacity without necessarily moving to a conveyor system.
For example, a PizzaMaster PM722ED can accommodate four 12-inch pizzas per deck, giving a total capacity of eight pizzas across two decks.
For higher-volume operations, wider ovens such as the PM732ED can accommodate six 12-inch pizzas per deck, giving a total of twelve pizzas across two decks.
With the right kitchen preparation area and workflow, these configurations can provide excellent production capacity.
Another consideration is ongoing maintenance.
Conveyor ovens include moving components such as belts and drive systems, which require cleaning, inspection and maintenance.
PizzaMaster deck ovens do not require a conveyor mechanism, reducing the number of moving parts involved in the baking process.
This simpler mechanical arrangement can be an advantage for businesses looking to minimise potential maintenance requirements.
Electric deck ovens generally operate quietly because they do not have a continuously moving conveyor mechanism.
Conveyor ovens may produce additional noise from their fans, motors and moving parts.
Depending on the kitchen layout and oven design, a deck oven can also offer a compact alternative, particularly where vertical space is available for multiple decks.
If your business relies on a highly standardised production process with minimal manual intervention, a conveyor oven may be the most practical choice.
However, if you want direct stone baking, greater control over individual pizzas, flexible oven configurations and the traditional experience of working with a deck oven, PizzaMaster is an excellent option.
| Feature | PizzaMaster Electric Deck | Wood-Fired | Gas-Fired | Conveyor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat control | Precise electric controls | Manual fire management | Depends on design | Preset controls |
| Direct stone baking | Yes | Yes | Many models | Depends on design |
| Open flame | No | Yes | Some models | Generally no |
| Multi-deck options | Yes | Less common | Available on some models | Stackable options |
| Baking process | Manually controlled | Manually controlled | Manually controlled | Automated belt |
| Fuel requirement | Electricity | Wood | Gas | Gas or electricity |
| Moving conveyor parts | No | No | No | Yes |
| Installation considerations | Electrical supply and ventilation | Flue, ventilation and fuel storage | Gas supply and ventilation | Power or gas, ventilation and space |
The best choice ultimately depends on your restaurant's requirements, pizza style and production needs.
At PizzaMaster UK, we're proud to offer one of the most extensive ranges of commercial electric deck pizza ovens available.
With 95 different oven sizes and numerous configurations, we can help customers find an oven suited to their particular requirements.
No two restaurants are the same.
Some kitchens have plenty of width but limited ceiling height, while others have narrow spaces where building upwards with additional decks makes more sense.
PizzaMaster offers wider baking chambers as well as multi-deck configurations, with options of up to five decks.
This allows us to work with you to identify the right balance between available space and required production capacity.
Maintaining consistent baking temperatures is essential when producing pizzas throughout a busy service.
PizzaMaster ovens are designed with effective insulation, strong heating performance and stone baking surfaces to support reliable baking results.
Whether you're producing Neapolitan, New York-style, Roman-style or other artisan pizzas, the ability to control baking temperatures and heat distribution is important.
We'll take the time to understand your dough, cooking temperatures and preferred baking style before recommending a particular model.
We know how important it is for restaurants to understand their operating expenses.
Our online calculator helps you estimate the electricity costs associated with running a PizzaMaster oven based on your own electricity tariff and operating hours.
Try Our PizzaMaster Cost Calculator
Choosing the right oven is only part of the process.
At PizzaMaster UK, we pride ourselves on providing support throughout your journey.
From discussing your requirements and arranging demonstrations to delivery, installation, training and ongoing aftercare, our aim is to make the process as straightforward as possible.
We don't believe in simply dropping your oven at the kerbside and leaving you to work everything out yourself.
We go the extra mile — or as we like to say, the extra 12 inches!
Our experienced installation team can help plan the delivery and positioning of your oven, including more challenging access requirements where suitable arrangements can be made.
We also offer the opportunity to visit our UK demonstration kitchens, where you can experience PizzaMaster ovens firsthand and test your own dough.
Yes. Both electric and wood-fired ovens are capable of producing excellent pizzas.
Modern commercial electric ovens such as PizzaMaster offer precise temperature control, direct stone baking and consistent heat distribution, making them a strong alternative to traditional wood-fired ovens.
The best choice depends on your preferred pizza style, restaurant concept and operating requirements.
Not necessarily. Running costs depend on the efficiency and energy consumption of the specific oven, your electricity and gas tariffs, and your operating hours.
A well-insulated electric oven can be cost-effective to operate, but it's important to compare actual energy usage rather than simply comparing gas and electricity prices per kWh.
You can estimate PizzaMaster electricity running costs using our online cost calculator.
Yes. Commercial electric pizza ovens capable of reaching the appropriate temperatures can produce excellent Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The right combination of temperature, dough preparation, baking surface and cooking technique is essential.
It depends on your operation.
Deck ovens offer direct stone baking and greater manual control over individual pizzas, while conveyor ovens provide a more automated and standardised baking process.
For artisan pizzerias that want greater control over the finished product, a PizzaMaster electric deck oven can be an excellent choice.
Electric pizza ovens do not produce combustion gases from burning wood or gas, but they can still generate heat, steam, grease-laden vapours and cooking emissions.
The extraction and ventilation requirements depend on the premises, cooking operation and applicable regulations.
We recommend assessing these requirements as part of the kitchen design and installation process.
That depends on your available space, expected pizza volumes, preferred pizza size, cooking temperatures and kitchen workflow.
With 95 different oven sizes available, we'll work with you to narrow down the options and recommend the most suitable models for your business.
At PizzaMaster UK, we understand that choosing a commercial pizza oven is a significant decision.
Rather than simply recommending the biggest or most expensive oven, we want to understand your business and help you make the right investment.
Whether you're considering moving away from a wood-fired oven, replacing a gas-fired oven or exploring an alternative to a conveyor system, we'd be happy to discuss your requirements.
We can also arrange a visit to one of our UK demonstration kitchens so you can experience PizzaMaster ovens for yourself.
The best way to choose the right oven is to see what it can do with your own dough.
PizzaMaster UK – The Right Oven, The Right Advice, The Right Support.