Electric vs gas pizza oven: which should you buy?

How each one heats

A gas pizza oven burns propane under or behind a low dome. The flame heats the dome and the air above the pizza, and the stone soaks up heat from below. The result is very high top heat and a fast bake, which suits thin, soft Neapolitan-style dough.

An electric oven uses heating elements above and below the stone. Better models let you set top and bottom heat separately or choose presets for different styles. Heat is steadier and easier to control, but most top out lower than gas.

Side by side

Figures from the amazon.co.uk listings for the two example ovens.

Where you can use them

Gas ovens are for open air only. They need a bottle, a regulator and hose, and space away from anything that can burn. They go anywhere a bottle can go, including camping, which is why most portable ovens are gas. See what gas a pizza oven needs.

Electric ovens split into two groups. Outdoor electric ovens such as the Ninja Woodfire and Artisan need an outdoor socket. Indoor countertop ovens, like the Kenwood My Pizzeria at 400°C and 1,500 W, or the Sage Pizzaiolo, are built for a kitchen worktop. If you live in a flat, an indoor electric oven is often the only realistic choice; see can you use a pizza oven on a balcony.

Note:Never use a gas or wood pizza oven indoors, in a garage or under a closed gazebo. Carbon monoxide builds up quickly in enclosed spaces.

Bake quality and flavour

Gas wins on speed and on the puffy, blistered rim that comes from intense top heat. Electric ovens at 370°C to 400°C give a crisper, more evenly browned crust in a few minutes. Neither burns wood for heat, so the flavour comes from the dough and the char, not smoke. The Ninja Woodfire adds a pellet box for smoke flavour while still heating electrically.

If you mainly bake New York style, pan pizza or frozen pizza, electric is often the easier tool. If Neapolitan is your goal, gas or wood gets closer.

Running energy and convenience

An electric oven at 1,500 to 2,250 W uses roughly 1.5 to 2.5 kWh in a one hour session including preheat, depending on how often the elements cycle. A gas oven burns propane at a rate set by the burner; a bottle lasts many sessions. Neither is a big running cost for occasional pizza nights.

Convenience favours electric: no bottle to buy, swap or store, no flame to manage and often a timer and presets. Gas is still simple once set up, and quicker to reach full heat than most people expect.

Which to choose

Choose gas if you want the hottest, fastest bake, plan to cook away from home and have outdoor space. Choose electric if you want to cook indoors or near a socket, prefer presets and steady heat, or do not want to handle gas bottles.

Compare models in our best gas pizza ovens and best electric pizza ovens for indoors guides.

Frequently asked questions

Are electric pizza ovens any good? Yes for most home styles. They are slower and a little cooler than gas, but they are consistent and many can be used indoors.

Is a gas pizza oven cheaper to run than electric? Both cost little per session. Electric use is easy to estimate in kWh from the wattage; gas use depends on burner setting.

Can an electric pizza oven make Neapolitan pizza? The hottest indoor models get close. Most bake a crisper base over two to four minutes rather than the 60 to 90 second Neapolitan bake.

Which is safer for a family garden? Both get very hot outside. Electric removes the gas bottle and open flame, which some families prefer. Supervise children with either.