Types Of Outdoor Pizza Ovens
There are a few different types of outdoor ovens, well take a closer look at each kind, so you can figure out the right fit for you.There are two main categories of outdoor ovens is:
STATIONARY OVENS
A stationary oven is large and basically immovable. It is usually built into the backyard the designs and style vary as widely as the prices. You can hire a professional or try your hand at building one yourself. These are usually too expensive for the average Joe, but if youve recently won the lottery, then enjoy your new pizza oven. Nonetheless, we have collaborated some of the best high-end pizza ovens that wont require a second mortgage.
PORTABLE OVENS
Portable outdoor ovens are the most compact and affordable. In fact, all of our Value Ovens Under $500 are all classified as portable. Typically, these types of outdoor ovens are made of metal instead of brick and are fueled with either wood pellets or propane gas. Building the ovens out of metal instead of brick offer obvious advantages.
First, brick ovens are massive, while metal ovens are smaller and lighter. Their small, compact frames make them more mobile and convenient for storage. Metal ovens can also incorporate a variety of features such as convection motors or rotating cooking surfaces.
Understanding Creative Manufacture Verbiage
Portable oven manufactures are known for advertising insane high temperature and short cook times. They explain their products something like this:
The Windscreen Is Helpful Under Varying Conditions
The Camp Chef Oven has a handy windscreen that also protects the burners when transporting or storing. The screen is very strong when laid flat so you can set some items on it if desired. I have to say that a wind of 10-15 miles per hour can actually blow out the eye if you set up and the wind switches direction or it is erratic. Just keep watch under windy conditions or put in an even more protected area than the holler we set up in.
Oven temperature is easy to check.
The oven is rated at 3,000 BTUs.
It took the oven a few minutes to get to ignite. I imagine most of this had to do with the fact that it needed some time to get the gas level right. If you had this set up for regular use you might only run into this issue with the first use.
If the oven doesnt ignite after 5 seconds the instructions say to turn everything off including the range burners, wait 5 minutes, and try again. This means you might want to make sure the oven is igniting before starting on anything that needs cooked on the stove top portion.
I wanted to get the oven up to 400 degrees for my cornbread but with the wind and it being vented, it did not reach this temp on high. I managed to eventually get a regular reading of 300-350 degrees Fahrenheit but it took awhile.
We cooked dried chili and a cake of cornbread in cast iron. I got to use some of the lard that I rendered and wrote about in this post.
What Is In The Name
So here you have what they call the Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Oven, a modified version of their celebrated Outdoor Oven. This is a very convenient item for outdoor cooking with a great size range that includes two burners, plus a full-size oven. The pictures show its convenient carry handles on both sides.
The top picture above shows it with the closed lid that doubles as a huge windscreen. It is shown below with the lid open, and the oven is placed on their Camp Chef Sherpa camping table.
As you realize, the lid has two elements on the side, and they fold in when you close the lid. The picture below shows how you attach them to the stoves body:
The table which you see in the pictures is with a roll-type aluminum tabletop, but the oven does not heat the tabletop in any case, it is well insulated so you can use it on any table that can support its 32 lb of weight plus the pots and food in them.
Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Oven vs Camp Chef Outdoor Oven what is the difference
From what I see the only important difference is the range burners output. You have 9000 BTU/h each in the Deluxe and 7500 BTU/h each in the Camp Chef Outdoor Oven . The dimensions are exactly the same.
Note that the Deluxe is called Covend model by the manufacturer, while the Outdoor Oven is called Coven model.
Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Oven vs Camp Chef Professional Outdoor Oven
So yes, they also have what they call Camp Chef Professional Outdoor Oven. The main differences are:
The oven structure
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S Are Available And Easy To Order
Anything you are going to use a lot over the years is going to show some wear and tear. I like it when companies make it easy to find parts and order them so you can get as much use as possible out of your products. Camp Chef has made is very easy. They provide the parts list below and all the parts you may need can be added to your online cart using this link.
A Closer Look At The Camp Chef Oven

- Multi-purpose cooker features an insulated oven plus 2 top range burners
- Compact design includes carrying handles for easy portability around the campsite
- Matchless ignition and fully adjustable temperature dials make cooking a breeze
- Features a 3-sided burner windscreen and glass oven door for convenient cooking
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Vent Your Propane Cupboard
Propane gas sinks, and you most likely dont want it lingering around the floor of your campervan in case of a leak. Using a dedicated, ventilated cupboard for your propane cannister will ensure any propane goes right outside.
Betsy and Justin Woods of WanderingWoods.org vent their propane through a vent in their campervan floor.
Camp Chef Oven Vs Coleman Oven: Key Differences
Youre familiar with both brands now lets get to the camp ovens at hand. Its worth noting upfront that the Camp Chef oven and Coleman oven have extremely different designs despite performing the same main function. These contrasting approaches to the modern camp oven are apparent in virtually every aspect of their quality, performance, and features, not to mention the ultra-important factor of portability. Lets run down the most important differences between the Coleman oven and Camp Chef oven so you can shop and camp with greater confidence.
Feature | ||
---|---|---|
Dimensions | 25 x 15 x 18 | 12 x 12 x 12 |
Oven cooking racks | ||
No |
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Camp Chef Outdoor Oven Vs Coleman Camp Oven: Which Should You Choose
Were not sure who was the first to think of creating a gas-powered camping oven, but we wholeheartedly salute their genius. Partly because we appreciate its just crazy enough to work ideas, and partly because that concept ultimately led to the incredible products were comparing today: the Camp Chef Outdoor Oven and the Coleman Camp Oven. Whether you live to pursue the call of the open wilderness or simply want to enhance your backyard camping experience, these are a few of the most popular outdoor ovens on the market.
Today, our goal is to help you choose which camping oven best fits your outdoor living needs. Our Camp Chef oven vs. Coleman oven comparison will walk you through all the major factors at play in this decision, from size and portability to cooking versatility and durability in the elements. By laying out all the facts for you, with our 20-plus years of industry expertise adding context where needed, its our hope that the question of the Camp Chef oven or the Coleman oven will become clearer than a wide-open horizon.
Why We Like The Professional Outdoor Oven
Whats better than fresh baked cookies? Fresh baked cookies on the top of a mountain. We love that the Camp Chef Professional Outdoor Oven lets you take that luxury with you wherever you go. Whether youre craving pizza after the crag, or pie after a day on the river, this thermostatic oven is ready to get baking.
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The Camp Chef Oven & Its Parts
The oven uses the standard 1 lb size propane cylinders that you can find at any camping supply store or Wal-Mart. Camp Chef says that a 1 lb cylinder will last about 7 hours if using the oven at 350 degrees F. Other Camp Chef oven users I have talked to or read their review of their oven say that they are impressed with how much cooking they can do on a single cylinder.
You can get an adaptor kit that allows you to hook the oven up to a larger tank, like those sold as grill tanks at gas stations and grocery stores. If you are going to be setting up and cooking often, then the larger tank will save you money over the long term.
Luxury And Car Camping
Taking an oven on a camping trip sounds great to me. No eating just one pot meals and convenience foods when you have a portable gas range and oven! If you are camping with kids this can make it easier to feed them better on camping trips where you can take your car to the site. I have cooked plenty of small camp stoves and I think it would be difficult to cook well with just a single little burner to cook for more than 2 people.
A great thing about this oven is that it can be used where fires are not allowed and during burn bans!
I like that this oven runs on gas so you can cook outside and at campsites where open fires are not allowed. During a burn ban it can be nice to cook outside. In my area, a burn ban often coincides with hot and dry temperatures where some relief from the heat is welcome.
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Camp Chef History & Overview
Well, doesnt the name say it all? Fine, well give you the actual lowdown: everything started with company founder Ty Measom, a Utah engineer who was inspired by the outdoor cooking options of his day. He channeled that passion into the Pro 60 camp stove, which debuted in 1990 as Camp Chefs original offering and set the standard for products as powerful as they are portable. The company fittingly headquartered in Cache Valley, Utah, in the shadow of the Bear River Mountains has since expanded its selection to griddles, cast iron cookware, and even pellet grills.
The Skinny:
Stainless Steel And Enamel Construction

This oven seems to be made of quality components.It offers a contemporary design that looks good out in the woods but also in a nice little cabin kitchen. This is not a rough looking stove that you dont want to be seen cooking on. This is an excellent option for cooking out on some acreage. You dont have to feel limited to just your kitchen or patio when you have a nice little stove and oven like this.
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About Professional Outdoor Oven
Enjoy the convenience of cooking on an oven and stove top, anywhere with the new Professional Outdoor Oven. Your new favorite camp oven now has thermostatic oven control and a higher internal oven output. Brew coffee at the campsite or cook asparagus in the Alps. Wherever you go, your camp oven is both dependable and durable for all conditions.
Ooni Frya 12 Outdoor Pizza Oven
The folks at Ooni keep getting closer to the perfect outdoor pizza oven. This iteration is truly portable, coming in under 25 pounds, and still functional, producing a great pie for your clan. Using real wood pellets, which you can find virtually anywhere, you get crispy pizzas with authentic wood fired flavors very quickly. It is an upgrade on the older Ooni 3 model weve reviewed in the past. For more details on the Fyra 12, see our full review here.
When we say very quickly, this unit can get over 900 degrees in fifteen minutes. It is truth in advertising, called a 12 because that is the largest pie that will fit easily into this unit.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
It doesnt really have temperature control. To a point, the chimney baffle can slow things down, but otherwise it is flame on. Related to that, you want to watch your pellet feed. If you top off the feeder it can either cause a smolder with acrid smoke or blaze into scorching before cooking realms. A bit of attention, and a little practice, makes this easily avoidable.
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Coleman History & Overview
Colemans history is almost too rich to condense here, but well give it our best shot. Founder W.C. Coleman began manufacturing gas-powered lanterns in 1900, and soon relocated to Wichita, Kansas, to light the way for one of the most notable outdoor recreation brands. Those lanterns illuminated the first night football game west of the Mississippi River, and the companys eventual production of camping stoves changed life for World War II soldiers. Over the years, Coleman started selling a huge variety of camping products amid the businesss relocation to Chicago.
The Skinny:
A Review Of The Camp Chef Oven Outdoor Gas Range
Backdoor SurvivalCookingPreparednessSurvival GearA Review Of The Camp Chef Oven Outdoor Gas RangeSamantha Biggers
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The Camp Chef Oven is a remarkable and economically priced oven and range for anyone that wants all the convenience of a quality gas range in the great outdoors. At around 32 lbs, it is light enough that a single person can move it and with two people, it is really easy.
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Tiny House And Old Camper Use
Although I have not lived in one of the tiny houses that are very popular at the moment, I did live for 18 months in a 1978 Holiday Rambler that nothing worked in but the oven and range. So I came to appreciate that little oven more when I discovered it helped us keep it warmer in the camper. It also meant that we could have regular style meals. We used it for canning and cooking after the camper was sold to be converted into a storage trailer.
My point is that a little gas range and oven is so useful when you are living small and want to eat well. We were trying to be frugal so that we could put all our money towards building the house we live in now. That meant all meals at home and no eating out just because we were tired at the end of the day.
The old 78 Holiday Rambler we lived in for two winters to save money and build our little house up on the hillside above this valley. I think this was taken in 2009 maybe. We had a few cows and of course the Great Pyrenees dogs. No running water but we had a dorm fridge and an extension cord.
Camp Chef Professional Outdoor Oven
Camp Chef Professional Outdoor Oven
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Just the facts:
Enjoy the convenience of cooking on an oven and stove top, anywhere with the new Professional Outdoor Oven. Your new favorite camp oven now has thermostatic oven control and a higher internal oven output. Brew coffee at the campsite or cook asparagus in the Alps. Wherever you go, your camp oven is both dependable and durable for all conditions. While Camp Ovens are nothing new for Camp Chef, weve upgraded this unit to include thermostatic temperature settings to offer you appliance-like control. Purchase this for the campsite, tailgate, emergency preparedness, or the hunting cabin.
FEATURES
- Two 9,000 BTUs/Hr. brass range burners
- 250 400° F oven power
- Fully adjustable heat-control dials
- Enamel stove top pot grates
- Stainless steel construction
- Folding lid provides a three-sided windscreen
- Oven fits 9 in. x 13 in. pan
- Convenient carry handles
- Powered by a disposable 1 lb. propane bottle, bottle not included
- Adaptable for a bulk tank with the bulk tank hose adapter, not included
SPECIFICATIONS
- Oven Heat Output: 5,000 BTUs/Hr.
- Internal Oven Dimensions: 11 in. L x 16 in. W x 9 in. H
- Maximum Oven Heat: 400° F
- Range Burners: two 9,000 BTUs/Hr.
- Total Output: 23,000 BTUs/Hr.
- Main Body Dimensions: 12.5 in. L x 21 in. W x 20 in. H
- Dimensions with handles: 15 in. L x 25 in. W x 20 in. H
- Overall Weight: 32 lbs.
My Story:
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Camp Chef Customer Service
The folks at Camp Chef are some nice people. They really stand by their products and are available to answer your questions and help you with any issues you might be having. When you talk to them you get a real person, too, not just a robot that sends you to voicemail. They also dont outsource their calls to a foreign country which I consider a big plus in terms of actually getting some help when needed.
Have you ever used Camp Chef products? What recipes do you like to cook in your oven?
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