how big is too small :-)

[barbarian]

A question for those with more experience..
How big is 31" is that surface large enough for some pizza and bread baking ?
too me looks like 31" is barely sufficient to hold one 12" pie and the hashes/coal
Am I wrong?? I want to build something smaller but I think 34" is the minimum to have a comfortable cooking area that leaves you room to move around .
So I guess if any of you has a 31" or less oven built I would like to know your impressions

[dmun]

I think anything smaller than 36 is really awkward for pizza. The opening is large in relation to the cooking area, so it's hard to hold temperatures. In order to succeed at pizza, you have to find spots that are the right temperature, and with a 31 inch oven, there is really only one spot.

I've been on this forum for a couple of years, and I've never heard anyone complain that their oven was too big.

[barbarian]

Originally Posted by dmun

and with a 31 inch oven, there is really only one spot.

exactly what I was thinking

I've been on this forum for a couple of years, and I've never heard anyone complain that their oven was too big.

i bet but I do have some constrains so I am looking for the smaller size without compromising functionality and 31" is definitely not large enough for me I was also thinking of something between 34" and 38"

[RTflorida]

If space is a real concern, go with something in the neighborhood of 35-38 and instead of 5" or 6" of perlite or vermiculite insulation - use nothing but ceramic blanket, maybe 3", 4" if you want to do multiple bakes. You could even get away with just 2" if your only planning to do pizza. This would save you several total inches....but would cost a bit more.
I'm happy with my 36, then again I'm never cooking more than about six pizzas in the same firing - usually 2 in the oven at a time.....I coud squeeze 3 with creative shifting of the fire and coals. In reality its too hard to do more than 2 at a time.

[james]

This is a good discussion. How small can you go and have an oven that is a lot of fun to use?

I've said this before, but I installed a 26" oven (as a trial) and used it for a year, and that is definitely too small. I think a 31" oven (80cm) is the smallest size that really works. If you only have space for a 31" oven, you will be in good shape. If you have more space, a 35-36" oven (90cm) gives you a lot more cooking room. And if you have space for 39" (100cm) you can still do more.

I think RT has it right. At 36", you can do a lot.

There is a lot to think about. Space and budget, and the type of cooking you want to do.

At the higher sizes, toward 42"-43" (110cm), you have the flexibility of using lots of pans, more pizzas and bread, and it's easier to keep the pizzas away from the coals of the fire.

That was a short question, and a long answer!
James

[barbarian]

I can fit a 36" no problem anything larger might be a problem
i was originally thinking of a 31" but once I laid out the bricks i realized how small of a cooking surface 31" is..
Hey 2 pizza at the time is pretty darn good

Originally Posted by RTflorida

If space is a real concern, go with something in the neighborhood of 35-38 and instead of 5" or 6" of perlite or vermiculite insulation - use nothing but ceramic blanket, maybe 3", 4" if you want to do multiple bakes. You could even get away with just 2" if your only planning to do pizza. This would save you several total inches....but would cost a bit more.
I'm happy with my 36, then again I'm never cooking more than about six pizzas in the same firing - usually 2 in the oven at a time.....I coud squeeze 3 with creative shifting of the fire and coals. In reality its too hard to do more than 2 at a time.

[jwnorris]

Originally Posted by james

<snip> If you have more space, a 35-36" oven (90cm) gives you a lot more cooking room. And if you have space for 39" (100cm) you can still do more. <snip>

This was the dilemma that I had when faced with the space that I had in the final plan of my outdoor kitchen. Having met with James and looked at the 90cm [35"] size I was convinced that the 80cm [31"] was to small. So I went back and forth between 90cm and 100cm [39"] and finally decided that the 100cm would fit the bill.

Called FB to order one of the Casa series only to find them out of stock of both the 90cm and the 100cm. They had a 110cm [43"] clearing customs that week, and not wanting to delay, I ordered the Casa110 and have never looked back.

Then the key was fitting it into the available space. Three inches of InsulFrax blanket did the trick

Originally Posted by dmun

<snip> ...I've never heard anyone complain that their oven was too big.

A truer statement has never been made.

J W