Solo Range Pi Prime Pizza Oven Assessment

As soon as it reached temperature, nevertheless, I discovered the oven maintained it very effectively and recovered rapidly between cooking. Although the Pi Prime directions advisable turning the dial to the orange marks for cooking after preheating, I discovered that setting it a bit under that stored the oven nearer to 800°F.

It Made Glorious Pizzas Shortly

I used to be nervous about launching my pizzas and getting them to prepare dinner correctly, particularly for my first-ever makes an attempt utilizing an outside oven. Fortunately, my buddy and colleague Andrew Janjigian—a famend bread grasp—wrote a superb information to creating pizza in an outside oven and developed a pizza dough recipe specifically formulated for that use. After learning up on suggestions and tips and letting my dough ferment for a few days within the fridge, I invited some (non-judgmental) neighbors over and made my first try.

I used to be completely amazed by how straightforward it was to make stunning pizzas within the Pi Prime, even with none prior expertise. After sprinkling my pizza peel with a mix of rice flour and all-purpose flour and ensuring to high my pizza rapidly to forestall sticking, I whispered somewhat prayer and launched my first pie into the blistering scorching oven. The 13-inch panoramic opening of the oven was straightforward to suit my 12-inch peel into, and the three.5-inch peak supplied loads of area to accommodate the pizza. The crust began puffing and effervescent immediately, and there was loads of room for me to make use of the Pi Stainless Pizza Turner to show the pizza usually because it cooked. Simply two minutes and ten seconds later, I pulled out a beautiful, effervescent pizza with a fantastically puffed crust filled with signature charred black splotches (often called “leopard spots”), the hallmark of a traditional Neapolitan pizza.

Truthfully, I used to be shocked—I had anticipated half-cooked, amoeba-shaped blobs at greatest and incinerated piles of dough and cheese to scrape out of the oven at worst, and as a substitute I used to be in a position to confidently sling pie after stunning pie on this oven. The crusts have been crisp on the skin and ethereal, chewy, and totally cooked inside, the cheeses have been effervescent and browned, and the toppings blistered and charred however not burnt. On that first pizza night time and others that adopted, my dinner visitors couldn’t imagine these have been the pizzas of a relative novice.

It’s Nicely-Designed and Straightforward to Keep

The design of the Pi Prime is easy however very efficient. It’s so effectively insulated that the desk under it was simply heat, even whereas it was ripping scorching contained in the oven. That glorious warmth retention meant I may launch my subsequent pizza mere moments after the earlier one got here out. It additionally cooled down comparatively rapidly after I turned it off, and I may throw the included cowl on it with out worry after 30 to 60 minutes. And about that cowl: As quickly as I arrange the oven for testing, it proceeded to completely pour rain right here for days. I used to be frightened I would destroy the oven earlier than I even had an opportunity to prepare dinner with it because it sat exterior within the parts, however the cowl carried out like a champ, preserving all the pieces inside completely dry.

As for cleansing, I appreciated that the pizza stone consists of two halves, making it straightforward to pop them out to wash them and the oven after use. I merely disregarded any crumbs and residual flour from the stones and gave them a fast swipe with a moist towel (it is best to by no means submerge the porous stones in water) and did the identical for the inside, ensuring all the pieces was effectively dried earlier than utilizing the oven once more. It was fast and simple to do, and the chrome steel exterior is simple to wash with some Bar Keepers Pal if it will get soiled or sooty.

The Verdict

The Solo Range Pi Prime is an easy-to-use gas-powered out of doors pizza oven, particularly for learners. It produced stunning pizzas that cooked in about two minutes, with bubbly, charred crusts that have been well-cooked and scrumptious to eat. Its compact dimension means you possibly can solely make smaller 12-inch pizzas, however this additionally makes the oven moveable and simple to retailer. For those who’re a severe out of doors pizzaiolo and wish an oven with a bigger capability that heats up and cooks pies sooner, you could need to take into account an upgraded possibility, however the Pi Prime is a stable, comparatively reasonably priced selection that’s tremendous straightforward to make use of.

The Professionals

The Solo Range Pi Prime is powered by propane, which is simple to supply and to hook up. There’s no messing with wooden or pellets right here—simply twist open the tank and also you’re able to go. It has one easy dial for lighting the oven and setting its temperature, which is evident and simple to make use of. It’s compact and solely weighs 30 kilos, so it’s straightforward to move and arrange. Its panoramic opening is vast sufficient to launch 12-inch pizzas and makes it straightforward to see inside and monitor the pie’s progress because it cooks. It retains warmth very effectively and produces leopard-spotted pizzas in about two minutes. It’s easy, glossy, and really straightforward to make use of, even for learners.

The Cons

In my testing, it took over 40 minutes for this oven to achieve temperatures above 800°F, so that you’ll have to construct in a while to your schedule to accommodate this step earlier than you get cooking. The small dimension of the oven additionally means you possibly can solely make smaller 10- or 12-inch pizzas in it, not massive pies to serve a crowd. You’ll additionally want to ensure your pizza peel is lower than 13 inches throughout to make sure it is going to match into the oven’s opening so you possibly can efficiently launch your pizzas.

Key Specs

• Weight: 30 kilos 
• Supplies: Chrome steel exterior, rolled metal inside, cordierite pizza stones
• Exterior dimensions: 15.5 inches x 20.5 inches 
• Opening size: 13 inches 
• Opening peak: 3.5 inches 
• Stone dimensions: 13 x 8.5 inches every; whole cooking floor of 13 x 17 inches
• Cleansing: For the outside, use commonplace chrome steel cleaners, wiping within the course of the grain. For the inside, take away the pizza stones and use a moist towel to wipe down the inside surfaces (don’t use chemical cleaners). For the pizza stones, use a brush to scrape away particles, then use a moist towel to complete cleansing. Don’t submerge the stones in water. Dry instantly and fully earlier than utilizing.
• Guarantee: Lifetime

FAQs

What sort of gas does the Pi Prime use?

The Pi Prime operates completely on propane gasoline. The web site claims that a normal 20-pound tank of propane will final for 20 hours when the oven is ready to excessive.

What temperatures does the Pi Prime attain?

The producer claims the Pi Prime can attain temperatures above 950°F. At Critical Eats, we’ve had one of the best outcomes with Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in out of doors pizza ovens at temperatures round 800°F, which the Pi Prime was in a position to attain in about 40 minutes.

The place ought to I arrange my Pi Prime pizza oven for security?

Place the Pi Prime on a stage, secure, noncombustible floor, like a forged iron patio desk or on high of brick or concrete pavers. Make sure that the oven is ready up not less than three ft away from any partitions or flamable supplies and that the propane tank is not less than 12 inches away from the rear of the pizza oven.

Why We’re the Specialists 

• Afton Cyrus is a meals blogger, recipe developer, and meals editor with a ardour for baking and bread. 
• She spent eight years as a check prepare dinner and editor at America’s Take a look at Kitchen earlier than turning into a contributor to Critical Eats in 2023.
• Her recipes and meals writing seem on-line for Critical Eats, King Arthur Baking Firm, Merely Recipes, and different retailers, and in print in award-winning and New York Occasions-bestselling cookbooks for America’s Take a look at Kitchen and Ten Velocity Press.
• For this assessment, Afton made a slew of Neapolitan-style pizzas to check the oven’s usability and efficiency, and recorded the oven’s temperature with an infrared thermometer.
• Afton has discovered from one of the best tips on how to execute rigorous and goal gear testing protocols. You’ll be able to see her meticulous strategy to product testing in motion in her critiques of dish cleaning soap, espresso canisters, hand mixers, liquid measuring cups, fondue pots, and strain canners.