Primavera Feedback

[Cinci-za]

Hello,

I am considering the purchase of a primavera 70, and was wondering if anyone had reviews of this product.

I plan to have a metal stand custom made, and place the oven on my wooden deck.

I have researched other companies and considered building my own for a few months now, but I think I will like the more immediate gratification as well as the potential to take my oven with me if I move. This also seems like a fairly economical route to take.

My concerns and questions are as follows:

*Can I expect good pizza, heat retention etc?

* Anyone own one, and wish they had invested in a bigger more permanent oven?

* The floor space is 28 inches, does that seem adequate to most people? Is that enough space to entertain parties of around 10 people.

Any other thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks everyone!

[Stan]

Hi Cinci,

I do NOT own a P70, but I do own the smaller P60 (24 inches). Immediately, I'd wonder if your wooden deck could support the oven. It's heavier than the P60, and the P60 is HEAVY.

I bought the P60 for the same reasons you indicate: immediate gratification and the fact that I'm going to have to move. Be aware that while portable, these are in NO way easy to move.

-You can expect great pizza, as long as your technique is up to snuff. Heat retention is not as good as larger ovens. You don't have as much insulation and thermal mass. You'll get enough heat retention to cook all day and night on firing day, but no more. That's the tradeoff for quick fire times. On a single firing, you'll have plenty of heat to cook pizza, bake at least 2 loads of bread, and roast or slow cook. However, I have to do all of that within about 15 hours of the first match.

-Now that I own it, I wish I had a bigger one. You'll use it more than you realize, and you'll wish it held heat for days. I may end up selling the P60 with the house after all so that I can get a 36" oven with a lot more insulation. However, I wouldn't know that if I hadn't bought the P60, and I don't regret the decision at all.

-28 inches (24 in my case) is fine for pizza. I fed around 50 people in one night out of the P60. It's enough space for a fire and a pizza, and they cook fast enough that you won't really have the time to wish there were 3 pizzas in the oven instead of one. You could probably fit 2 in the P70. Where you'll want more room is retained heat cooking. A big turkey takes up all my space. If I had a bigger oven, I could fit a roasting pan and some other things and take more advantage of the heat.

If you're debating the P70 vs. not getting an oven, get the P70. If you don't want to build an oven yourself, get the P70. If you're sure you want to try to move it, get the P70. However, if you'd be willing to invest some sweat and sacrifice mobility, get a Casa2G. I love my little oven; it's really changed how we cook and how we entertain guests. It's literally the focal point of our gatherings. But, I fully plan on getting a larger one at some point.

Stan

[Cinci-za]

Hey Stan,

Thanks for your response, and all the information. It is good to know that you like your oven, and are using it a lot.

After about seven months of obsessing, I think I am going to break ground tonight. I decided to go with the 40" casa 2g 100. I think that in the long run I will appreciate the larger oven. I have tried to estimate all the building costs, and it seems that the difference in price is not too great. Although I am sure that I would have enjoyed the p70, I think that I would have been wishing it was a little bigger. Hopefully, if I do move someday, then I can find a buyer who is a good food enthusiast.

I am impressed that you were able to feed 50 people with the primavera. That must have been a lot of work.

Thanks again for your advice and feedback!