smallest oven

[andreguidon]

what is the smallest oven that could be constructed, i live in a apartment here in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and i have a outside area i was thinking about something very small.... the building has a vent system, cause all of the floors have barbecues so i could hook up the Chimney system there... any ideas ??

[dmun]

There are very tiny ovens. Here's an 18 incher from Superior Clay

It's made of five pairs of standard firebricks, a section of 12" square flue tile, and a refractory clay hat.

What use this small an oven would be is another question. Pizza is most likely out of the question: There is no room for a pizza and a fire at the same time. Retained heat baking? The mass may be too small to retain much heat. One of the problems with tiny ovens is that the opening is large in relation to the dome, and that effects the thermal characteristics.

I have a 36 inch oven, and that seems to be about the smallest practical size for pizza.

[andreguidon]

i want it for pizza.... iam trying to have ideas , i was thinking in transforming the barbecue in to something like a 2stone.... i take some pictures and show you guys...

thanks !

[david s]

My oven is very small (21"), but works fine. With careful management of fire, ie. remove some coals and maintain a fire on the side, you can cook lots of pizza. The advantages of a small oven are that there are less materials used which means less weight, easier and faster to build and also cheaper.

[james]

This is a great topic. I am softening on my earlier position -- which was that you really need to start at 30in.

If you have the space (and time and budget) I still think 30 inches is a good starting point -- but if you don't, a smaller oven is a lot (whole lot) better than no oven. There are a lot of folks out there who would enjoy a 26" (or smaller) oven and can't find the space (or commitment) for a 30" one.

Do our members with smaller ovens have input on the differences between 21" and 26" inches? I've owned a 26" oven, and have to say that 30" is better.

My thinking is that this logic would extend to smaller ovens -- where a 26" oven is better than 21" or 22". Those extra inches matter when you are cooking -- if you can work them into your design and space. Build as much as you can.

Still, if space and other things are tight -- David likes his 21" oven. There's one vote. :-)

What do our owners of smaller ovens think? Good thread.
James

[david s]

A small oven also consumes less wood and you also tend to use it more often. We use ours about once a week. However, I do agree that a bigger oven would be better and more efficient, but how much bread do you want to bake for your family ?

[asudavew]

I like my 42 but at times I wish it was smaller.
For quicker firing, less wood, etc.

But at Thanksgiving - I threw in a turkey, a ham, 2 dozen rolls, stuffing, and acorn squash all INSIDE at the same time. And I can smoke a brisket anytime! Or 4 or 5 briskets...

So maybe I'll build a small one too! for those quick firings and quick pizza!

[andreguidon]

thanks guys for all the input.... ill take a picture tomorrow morning and post it...

hope the tread goes on !!!

[krosskraft]

Have you thought of going in with some of your neighbors for a neighborhood, bigger oven? You would have to coordinate the times it could be used. Anyway, I am trying to think of a way for you to justify a bigger oven.

[james]

I have always like the idea of community ovens. I know of a few of them out there.

James