I’m going to say something that might annoy the pizza purists: you don’t need to spend $400-800 on an Ooni or Gozney to make excellent Neapolitan pizza at home. The Pizzello Forte is a dual-fuel outdoor pizza oven that clocks in at $249 for the 16-inch model, and after digging through the reviews and specs, I think it’s one of the smartest buys in the budget pizza oven space right now.
What makes this oven interesting isn’t just the price. It’s that Pizzello managed to pack dual-fuel capability — propane for weeknight convenience, wood pellets for that weekend smoke-kissed crust — into a portable package that doesn’t feel like a toy. That’s rare at this price point, and it’s worth talking about.
Pros & Cons
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Dual fuel: propane gas and wood/pellet | Temperature recovery between pizzas lags behind premium brands |
| Genuine 16-inch cooking surface at a budget price | Build materials aren’t as premium as Ooni or Gozney |
| Portable design with foldable legs and detachable chimney | Door peephole is useless during daytime cooking |
| Heats to 752°F+ in 25-30 minutes for 60-second pizzas | Included pizza peel is comically small |
What Is the Pizzello Forte?
Pizzello is a brand that’s been quietly building a name in the outdoor cooking space — pizza ovens, patio furniture, fire pits — and the Forte is their flagship pizza oven. It comes in two sizes: a 12-inch model at $165 and a 16-inch model at $250. The 16-inch is the one I’d recommend for anyone serious about pizza. That extra surface area means you can actually make full-size pies instead of those awkward personal pizzas that smaller ovens force on you.
The headline feature is dual fuel. You get a propane burner for quick, consistent heat when you just want dinner on the table, and a wood/pellet tray for when you want that authentic wood-fired flavor. Most ovens in this price range make you pick one or the other. The Forte gives you both.
What It’s Actually Like to Use
Setup is straightforward. Unfold the legs, attach the chimney, connect the gas hose if you’re using propane, or load the wood tray with pellets. The oven has a built-in thermometer on the front, but like most pizza ovens, the dial is more of a rough guide than a precision instrument. If you’re serious about getting consistent results, grab an infrared thermometer — they’re $20 and worth every penny.
Preheat takes about 25-30 minutes on either fuel. On propane, you’ll hit around 752°F at the stone, which is hot enough for a proper 60-second Neapolitan. The stone on the 16-inch model is genuinely spacious — I’ve seen people fit proper 14-15 inch pies in there with room to turn. The double-walled insulation does a decent job of holding heat, though it’s not quite at the level of the ceramic fiber insulation you’d find in a $500+ oven.
One thing the reviews consistently point out: the included pizza peel is laughably small. It works, but barely. Budget for a proper 12-14 inch peel if you’re planning to cook regularly. Also, the little peephole on the door is mostly useless during the day — you’ll end up opening the door to check on your pizza, which lets heat escape. At night, with the fire glowing inside, it’s actually usable.
Dual Fuel Is the Real Value Proposition
Here’s why the dual-fuel thing matters more than you might think. Propane is the weekday hero — consistent temperature, no babysitting, pizza in 60 seconds. But when you have friends over on a Saturday and want that wood-fired experience, you swap in the pellet tray and suddenly the whole vibe changes. The same oven, two completely different cooking personalities.
The propane setup connects to a standard 20lb tank (the kind you use for a gas grill), and the hose and regulator are included. On wood, you’re loading pellets into a tray that slides in the back. The smoke flavor is real — not restaurant-level, but noticeably better than what you’d get from a kitchen oven with a pizza stone.
What’s the Trade-off?
At $250, you’re making compromises. The steel body isn’t as heavy or as insulated as the premium brands. After cooking two or three pizzas back to back, you’ll notice the stone temperature drops and takes longer to recover than on a Gozney or a higher-end Ooni. If you’re cooking for a crowd of six or more, you’ll need to manage your timing carefully — give the oven a few minutes between pizzas to bounce back.
The build quality is solid for the price but not exceptional. The foldable legs work and the detachable chimney makes it genuinely portable, but you can feel the difference compared to the fit and finish on an Ooni. The door can be used while cooking with gas (Pizzello support says it’s safe), which helps with temperature, but the overall heat retention just isn’t in the same league as the $400+ club.
That said, for a family of four making pizza on a Friday night? It’s more than enough. The Forte isn’t trying to be a commercial-grade oven — it’s a gateway into outdoor pizza making that doesn’t ask you to mortgage your kitchen budget.
Who Should Buy the Pizzello Forte?
This oven is for the backyard cook who wants to experiment with real pizza-making without the “I just spent $500 on an oven I use twice a month” guilt. If you’ve been watching pizza oven videos on YouTube and wondering if the hobby is for you, the Forte is a low-risk entry point that can actually cook great pizza.
It’s also a solid pick for campers and tailgaters. The foldable design and dual-fuel flexibility mean you can bring it to a campsite, run it on wood, and make better pizza than anyone expected. The 16-inch model weighs about 25 pounds, so it’s not ultralight but definitely car-portable.
Skip this if you’re a pizza nerd who bakes for crowds every weekend and needs pro-level temperature recovery and consistency. In that case, save up for an Ooni Karu 16 or Gozney Roccbox. The Forte will frustrate you if you’re cooking for eight people back to back.
🛒 Where to Buy
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The Bottom Line
The Pizzello Forte isn’t going to dethrone Ooni as the king of portable pizza ovens. But it doesn’t need to. For $250, you’re getting a dual-fuel oven with a genuine 16-inch cooking surface that can turn out 60-second Neapolitan pizzas with real wood-fired flavor. That combination simply didn’t exist at this price point a few years ago.
If you’re a beginner who wants to start making proper outdoor pizza without the premium price tag, or you just want a capable oven that won’t gather dust after the novelty wears off, the Forte is worth a serious look. Check out the Pizzello Forte here and see if the 12-inch or 16-inch fits your setup.
