Absolutely London

The Best Outdoor Ovens

Absolutely reviews the Ooni Fyra, plus three more of the best outdoor ovens

By Pendle Harte

Cooking al fresco has never been more popular. Here are some options beyond the barbecue, from the small but mighty Ooni Fyra to the foodie favourite, Big Green Egg.

The Best Outdoor Ovens for Cooking Al Fresco

Ooni Fyra

If having a pizza oven in your garden sounds like too complicated a prospect, you haven’t met the Ooni. These pizza ovens are designed to be accessible, stylish and compact as well as easy to use and affordable. We tested the new Fyra model, a wood-fired oven that promises to heat up in 15 minutes thanks to its efficient consumption of wood pellets.

Temperature is key here and among Ooni’s available accessories is a handy infra red thermometer — because in order to achieve the ideal 60-second pizza, it has to be right. And it’s simple: tip the pellets in, light them up and there you are. Of course it’s a one in/one out situation, which means that making pizzas for a crowd requires someone to quickly become expert — but even our first attempts are successful, producing evenly cooked, high-class 12-inch pizzas. The Ooni comes with lots of recipes and guidance, making it an unintimidating and user-friendly option.

The Fyra claims to be portable, which at 10kg it could be, though it’s not something you’d casually take to the park. But why bother? It’s an excellent addition to any garden or even a small balcony. What’s your topping?

Ooni Fyra, £299; ooni.com

The Chimena

A chimena is a traditional wood-burning stove made from clay and designed to accommodate a large round cooking pan. Its origins go back to the 16th or 17th century Mexico — but they look great in London gardens too.

Azteca Chimera, £138; greatgardensonline.com

The Big Green Egg

Big Green Egg is the ceramic charcoal grill loved by Michelin chefs, food aficionados and barbecue-heads across the globe. Its speciality lies in delivering all the flavour of a charcoal barbecue in just 12 minutes and its special closed lid system allows for cooking in all weathers. So if you want to barbecue at Christmas, this is the one for you.

Minimax Big Green Egg, £685; biggreenegg.co.uk

The Morso Forno

The award-winning Morso Forno is a multi-purpose outdoor grill. Much more than simply a barbecue, it is able to tackle everything from steaks to smoked salmon, pizzas or lamb chops. This is a one-stop essential piece that will revolutionise your outdoor cooking.