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This no-frills pizza oven gets the basics right and is more than good enough for most people
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The market for pizza ovens tends to be dominated by a handful of specialist brands, so it can feel like a gamble to buy from a lesser-known manufacturer or a retailer that offers a wider range of goods.
The ProCook outdoor pizza oven is no gamble, though. It’s every inch a capable, compact and versatile pizza oven, despite being just one product in an offering that includes pretty much everything from storage jars to squeegees.
This outdoor pizza oven conforms to ProCook’s usual direct-from-manufacturer pricing. Coming in at a comparatively reasonable RRP of £249, the oven punches far above its weight in terms of functionality. As well as foldable legs for storage, it has room for 12in pizzas and a manual rotating stone for more even cooking. Turn the stone as the pizza bakes for an evenly blistered crust or simply adjust it as needed. At 12kg, it’s also light enough to take to a friend’s house or on a camping trip.
I tested the ProCook in the same way I test other pizza ovens for the Filter. As well as assessing the quality of the cook by making pizzas with different toppings – cheese and tomato at about 430C; a slow-cooked veggie pizza at 350C with onion, pepper and tomato to caramelise and soften the topping; and a salami pizza at about 400C – I rated the oven for ease of assembly, overall use, lighting, temperature control and storage. I also recorded heat-up times, although, as it was tested in cooler months, these may be longer than in the warmer months.
The ProCook outdoor pizza oven is cheaper than similarly sized models, but you’ll need to invest in an infrared (IR) thermometer for the best results. In tests, the oven heated from cold to 430C in about 25 minutes, which is about average for a compact gas-powered oven, and the rotating stone that sits on its own turntable doesn’t have much impact on heat-up times either way.
The rotating stone has no raised edges, which means that you’ll need to be fairly accurate when launching pizza. Any other dishes you cook in the oven, such as chicken or fish, will also need to fit on the round stone.
ProCook doesn’t offer much in the way of accessories. There’s no cover, but there is a great-value pizza peel for just £10.
Dimensions: 43.2 x 65.5 x 31.2cm (WDH) / mouth 35 x 10cm (WH)Maximum capacity: stone diameter 32cm (working capacity, 12in pizza)Features: manual rotating stone, control dial ignition
Fuel: gas
Spare parts: control knob, rotating knob and fixing nut
Weight: 12kg
For what is effectively a budget-friendly model, the ProCook outdoor pizza oven gets all the basics right. It lit first time via the built-in ignition, but can also easily be lit with a match should this fail. I especially liked that there was no need for a turning peel – a utensil that helps you turn the pizza in the oven – and that the rotating stone is powered by hand, making the whole thing pleasingly low-tech, with no need for batteries or recharging.
Some of the pizzas I made burned at the corners, but this is because the bought dough I tested with (for consistency) was shaped into rectangles, rather than circles. Overall, pizzas cooked well, although with less rise than I’ve achieved in pricier ovens. This was most noticeable on the cheese and tomato pizza. I also found thicker toppings needed a lower temperature and longer cook, with some of the vegetables remaining firm while others began to char. The salami-topped pizza was the best of all, with evenly melted cheese and just a slight singe on one edge.
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The dial for the rotating stone sits at the side of the pizza oven, relegating the control for the gas to the rear. This means you can’t see the flame as you light the oven and adjust the heat. You may need two people – one on the gas control, and one watching the oven’s flame size as it’s altered.
