Ooni Volt Vs. Breville Pizzaiolo: Which Home Pizza Oven Is Best?

Few things whet the appetite like a delicious homemade pizza, fresh from the oven with the cheese perfectly melted and toppings layered on a crispy crust. As lovely as delivery tastes, there’s nothing like the satisfaction and flavors of DIY pies catered exactly to your tastes.

The recent rise of consumer-targeted backyard pizza ovens now let everyday home cooks achieve genuine Italian-quality pizzas without investing in full restaurant equipment. Two top countertop models capable of seriously good pies include the Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo.

I’ve spent extensive time testing both ovens to all sorts of pizzas for family and friends. If you’re trying to choose between the Ooni vs Breville pizza ovens, read this detailed comparison covering performance, features, reliability and more.

Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo Overview

The Ooni Volt focuses on portability and ultra-high heat output for fast-baked Neapolitan crusts just like brick ovens in Naples, Italy. Its sleek stainless steel shell conceals a simple but powerful gas-fired pizza oven reaching temperatures up to 950°F on a quality cordierite pizza stone.

Breville Pizzaiolo takes a decidedly different approach as a countertop electric pizza oven. More of an indoor/outdoor appliance with handy built-in controls and dial, it can’t match Ooni’s raw Neapolitan performance but offers greater convenience for many home needs.

Here’s a quick table summarizing the main specs and capabilities:

Specs	Ooni Volt	Breville Pizzaiolo
Cooking temp	Up to 950°F	Up to 800°F
Construction	Portable stainless	Countertop stainless
Weight	11 lbs	69 lbs
Power source	Propane (tank not incl.)	Electric
Stone material	Cordierite	Ceramic with enamel

Both can churn out seriously good, restaurant-worthy homemade pizzas in a short cooking time. But their contrasting strengths, price points and overall functionality differs.

Keep reading this detailed comparison for help deciding if the Ooni Volt or Breville Pizzaiolo better matches your budget and needs…

Detailed Oven Performance And Features

High heat and perfectly crisp crust separates a quality artisan pizza from an average pie. Let’s explore how Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo’s performance capabilities compare when it comes to actually baking pizzas.

• Heating Elements

The entire premise of great pizza relies on quickly applying high heat to the dough and toppings. So an oven’s ability to efficiently produce and retain scorching temperatures makes all the difference.

The Ooni Volt generates its intense 950°F heat from a circular gas-fired burner placed right under its thick cordierite stone. You simply open the control valve on your connected propane tank, ignite with the starter wand and adjust the flame until glowing orange with fury.

Don’t underestimate this little oven…at full blast the roar of combustion sounds almost like a jet engine!

The Pizzaiolo takes electricity and uses embedded heating elements to gradually warm its ceramic stone over about 10 minutes to around 800°F max. The temperature remains regulated via built-in thermostat and adjustable dial.

So while one screams with raw firepower, the other gently warms through modern controls.

• Cooking Surfaces

You can have the hottest flame in the world, but without quality heat retention and conduction that energy gets wasted. The actual baking surface plays a crucial role transferring heat into the pizza.

As mentioned previously, Ooni Volt utilizes a thick cordierite stone perfectly fitted to its burner size. Cordierite ranks among the best heat-resistant materials able to withstand rapid temperature changes without cracking. Dropping dough onto this ripping hot stone allows instant conduction from below for quick, even baking.

Breville Pizzaiolo outfits its oven with a ceramic stone coated in enamel. Ceramic stones aren’t quite as efficient conducting rapid heat. But the glass enamel helps improve thermal properties compared to bare ceramic and makes it durable against gradual temperature shifts in electric ovens.

However, it may show more vulnerability from any fast heating/cooling extremes.

Both stones measure about 12-13 inches diameter, enough to accommodate personal sized pizzas.

Regarding cleaning, Ooni’s bare cordierite stone lifts out conveniently for scraping off any stubborn remnants after cooking cycles while the Pizzaiolo’s remains fixed in place.

• Temperature Flexibility

Home pizza can demand a range of different cooking methods from cracker-thin crusts to deep dish. So having some control over baking temperatures gives helpful flexibility.

The Ooni Volt lets you adjust flame intensity through its manual gas valve. It may take some playing around to gauge the sweet spot, but allows customizing between lower and peak heats. Just ensure giving 10+ minutes for the stone itself to properly preheat before baking.

One neat trick is briefly killing the flame after launching pizzas then reigniting right at the end for extra charring firepower!

By comparison, the Breville Pizzaiolo offers less manual tweaking but rather an incremental temperature dial from roughly 400°F to 800°F along with an LED display showing exact oven temp. Simply spin to your target heat, allowing a few minutes for preheating, and the electric elements automatically regulate.

So while Ooni gives more immediate control over live fire intensity, Breville makes it easier selecting prescribed temperature ranges and maintains it steadily thanks to electronics.

• Cooking Times

Now for the important part…just how quickly can these ovens bake actual pizzas?

Here’s where Ooni’s raw heat really shines through! At full 950°F blaze, the Ooni Volt can fully cook a Neapolitan pizza in about 60 seconds. And we’re talking beautifully puffed, spotted crust with perfectly melted mozzarella.

Expect around 90 seconds for the Breville Pizzaiolo to finish pizzas at its top 800°F setting. Still reasonably fast baking, but results stay just a bit softer and less charred than true wood-fired Neapolitan pies.

Both ovens do require 10-15 minutes initially reaching target temperature from cold. But the super hot cordierite stone and radiant open flame in Ooni then allow very quick recovery between pies while Pizzaiolo’s enclosed electric elements benefit from steadier, regulated heat.

So Ooni Volt gives the quickest cooking for impatient pizza lovers while Breville offers a bit more leeway for mealtime pacing.

• Fuel Sources

How pizza ovens generate their heat also plays a role in performance, convenience and operating costs. Let’s compare…

The Ooni Volt runs off propane gas contained in external tanks, which allows high output from its impressively compact body. This gives it flexibility as a truly portable oven usable in backyards, camping trips or various events since you can lug around fuel tanks. However it does mean regularly refilling propane.

Breville built the Pizzaiolo as an electric countertop oven requiring an always-on power source like outdoor kitchen setup or long extension cord. You never need to worry about gas, but the nearly 70-pound fixed unit resides mainly in place. It also pulls over 1500 watts on max setting, so watch home electrical capacity!

Both fuel choices work fine for most needs and budgets. Propane costs a little per usage while electricity draws steadily over time.

One advantage of Ooni’s separated burner is the ability to fine tune flame output or quickly cut off fuel between pizzas for energy savings, while Breville Pizzaiolo continually draws current when operating.

Ergonomic Design Differences

Beyond just baking performance, a pizza oven also needs to deliver convenient, safe usage tailored to owners. Let’s explore some of the ergonomic design factors differentiating Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo like hardware quality, accessories and ease of use.

• Construction and Aesthetics

Both oven exteriors utilize sleek stainless steel with various ventilation cutouts. This allows durable, weather-resistant bodies that look great on outdoor patios (or indoors if you dare!)

The Ooni Volt shows off gorgeous welding with clever engineering fitting its propane burner neatly within a compact, angular silhouette. A spring-loaded latch opens to access the tank chamber while the other end hides its removable cordierite stone under a vented door.

Breville chose a bulkier body but minimizes exterior temperature thanks to double-walled construction. The shell revolves around a simple cavity holding its wiring, heating elements and fixed ceramic stone. A pull-down door up front provides access.

Regarding durability, expect Ooni Volt to withstand more long-term wear given its bare stainless rather than Breville’s coated finish. But both handle backyard conditions reasonably well and look attractive while doing it!

When storing, the Ooni Volt packs down conveniently into an included carry case while Pizzaiolo mainly sits fixed on countertops or tables.

• Weight and Portability

Given its mission as an easily transportable oven, Ooni keeps Volt’s body remarkably lightweight at just 11 pounds. Single handed carry capability means true mobility whether setting up on a small patio table or taking out tailgating.

And when packaged in its shoulder bag, Ooni further enhances portability. Very few ovens can match this combination of professional-level pizza potential while remaining convenient to toss in a car for various events or camping trips. Even grilling purists have become converts witnessing what Volt can do!

Meanwhile at a hefty 69 pounds fixed weight, the Breville clearly focuses on stationary use. You’ll want to permanently place it on sturdy, weather-appropriate surfaces or carts with access to electrical outlets rather than constantly lugging the appliance around. It holds appeal for those exclusively baking pizzas at home.

So Ooni Volt gives freedom as the world’s first truly portable high temp oven, while Breville Pizzaiolo demands a fixed installation but looks great doing it as a polished backyard showpiece.

• Ease of Use

Another practical consideration is actual convenience making and baking pizzas including factors like:

• Setup/tear down time
• Safety concerns
• Required accessories
• Temperature maintenance
• Controls and adjustments

Here’s how they compare…

The Ooni Volt needs maybe 15 minutes initially reaching 700°F+ temperatures, less if already preheated earlier. Just connect gas, ignite burner, adjust flame and wait for cordierite to heat soak. Always use appropriate fire proof surfaces beneath and have a fire extinguisher handy.

Use the included metal pizza peel to easily slide pies off and retrieve later. Ooni’s tall, open mouth gives reasonably safe access working the peel.

Between pies, briefly cut gas flow to conserve fuel then reignite and it’s quickly 1000°F+ again in moments thanks to cordierite properties. The entire process remains very hands-on to control gas valve settings and monitor oven openings.

By comparison, the Breville Pizzaiolo begins heating in 10 minutes automatically to your set temp thanks to electric regulation. The built-in thermometer and timer help track status. Its shorter, more recessed opening with included sliding steel door provides protection when launching pizzas from the wooden peel.

So Ooni gives more thrill managing live fire cooking but demands attentive involvement, while Breville automates heating allowing casual monitoring. Both ovens evenly cook pizzas quite easily once accustomed to their functionality.

Additional Features

A few handy extras enhance user experience…

• The Breville packages a brush and pizza cutter useful maintaining the oven interior and slicing pies for serving. Ooni Volt users need to supply their own accessories.
• Ooni’s compatibility with common propane tanks like those used in outdoor grills makes it convenient finding fuel sources.
• Breville’s built-in cord storage helps manage electrical wires to avoid hazards and clutter.
• Ooni Volt’s removable cordierite stone allows easy cleaning in a sink compared to Pizzaiolo’s fixed ceramic surface requiring wiping down in place.

So Breville ekes ahead on handy accessories and user design elements while Ooni Volt maintains the advantage of simple, modular construction for maintenance.

Reliability and Warranties

Dropping big cash on any appliance means expecting years of trouble-free use ahead. How durable are Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo?

By reputation, both Ooni and Breville represent quality manufacturers making long-lasting products that shouldn’t disappoint reliability-wise. Their backyard pizza ovens seem no exception.

The Ooni Volt minimizes parts susceptible to fail thanks to its fairly straightforward propane burner connected to a tough stainless exterior and thermo-resistant cordierite stone. Owners anecdotally praise longevity from seasons of use with reasonable care.

Breville also makes appliances known for dependability over average lifespans. However, some Pizzaiolo owners report issues like premature heating element failure outside warranty or chipping on the interior ceramic surface. Still fairly minimal complaints among mostly positive feedback.

Should problems arise…

• The Ooni Volt includes a 1 year comprehensive warranty compared to
• The Breville Pizzaiolo backing components for 2 years but the ceramic stone itself just 90 days.

So for ultimate peace of mind, Ooni’s full year coverage proves more reassuring even on wear parts like the all-important baking surface. But Breville gives decent support on electronics even if the pizza stone itself remains vulnerable long term.

Expect 3-5 years average life for most Ooni/Breville pizza oven owners with proper care and maintenance…very reasonable durability for these appliance categories.

Comparison of Ownership Costs

Here’s the reality…with extensive backyard entertaining and frequent pizza nights, operating costs can really add up over years of ownership between fuel and electricity usage, wear parts replacements, required accessories and more.

Let’s compare total expenses of owning Ooni Volt vs Breville Pizzaiolo:

Ooni Volt

• Requires propane gas as fuel source
• Propane tank costs vary greatly by size/region at $15-$50 per fill-up
• Maintaining a spare backup tank recommended
• infrequent costs of $10-$25 for replacement parts like igniters
• Ability to cut gas between pizzas saves energy
• Ability to control flame output saves gas over time
• Total operating costs = $15-$100+ per year depending on usage

Breville Pizzaiolo

• Requires electric power source
• Draws up to 1500+ watts on highest oven setting
• Typical Breville costs 10-15 cents per hour in electricity
• Built-in thermostat helps efficiency somewhat
• $50-$150 for replacement heating elements after warranty period
• $100+ for replacement stone if ceramic chips/cracks long term
• Total operating costs = $50-$300+ per year averaging use

Bottom line: Ooni Volt costs less to run year-over-year for moderate backyard pizza usage thanks to lower propane prices and fewer wear parts. Breville’s electrical costs and heating elements make it pricier operating long run.

Either oven likely saves money over ordering weekly takeout pizzas for families! So both can provide nice return on investment if you love homemade pies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verdict: Key Reasons To Pick Ooni Volt Or Breville Pizzaiolo

We’ve explored all sorts of criteria…so what’s the final verdict choosing between Ooni Volt and Breville Pizzaiolo pizza ovens?

Here are the most compelling reasons to pick each model:

Key Reasons to Pick Ooni Volt

• Reaches insane 950°F temps perfect for Neapolitan pizza crusts
• Lightweight portability for events/camping/patios
• Lower costs over time
• Reliable cordierite baking stone
• Quick preheating and heat recovery

Key Reasons to Pick Breville

• Greater baking convenience via built-in controls
• Larger pizza capacity for families
• Handy integrated accessories like brush
• Electric heating consistency set-and-forget
• Smoother oven opening/closing mechanism

Both undeniably make fabulous home pizzas. But those wantingclosest approximation to real wood-fired pizza restaurant quality should pick the Ooni Volt. Nothing else replicates 900°F+ Neapolitan outcomes in such a conveniently sized package.

However Breville Pizzaiolo offers a great alternative for cooks satisfied with merely good (not necessarily extreme authentic) pizza for casual backyard meals with family. Its usability and electric reliability suits this scenario nicely.

Either oven bakes incredibly tasty pies guaranteed to impress guests and delight personal cravings. You can’t go wrong with Ooni Volt or Breville Pizzaiolo upgrading homemade pizza nights!