Methodology
The whole method, including the parts that limit it.
The short version
We compare what manufacturers publish, we cite where each figure came from, and we rank by matching published capabilities to a stated use case. We have not cooked on these ovens and we never claim to have.
Where the numbers come from
In order of preference: the manufacturer's own product page, the manufacturer's published manual, then the retail listing. Every product on this site carries a Sources block linking to the specific pages its figures came from, so any number here can be checked in one click.
What we do not use: remembered figures, numbers from other review sites, and estimates. If a maker does not publish a specification, the site says not published rather than filling the gap. That is why several tables here have blank cells — those blanks are findings, not omissions.
How ovens are ranked
Four published specifications carry most of the weight, because they are the ones that change the experience of ownership:
- Chamber or maximum pizza size, because it determines whether you can turn a pizza — which determines whether it cooks evenly.
- Stone thickness, because the floor cooks the base and a thicker floor carries more consecutive bakes.
- Weight and external dimensions, because they determine where the oven can live and how often it will actually be used.
- Fuel and burner configuration, because it determines how much attention the oven demands.
Peak temperature is deliberately near the bottom. Almost every oven in this category publishes 950 F, so it separates nothing.
What we do not do
We do not publish prices from memory. Prices render only from a live data feed, and when that feed has nothing current the buttons say "Check price on Amazon" rather than showing a number that might be months old.
We do not quote user reviews or aggregate ratings as if they were our findings, and we do not invent testimonials. There are none on this site.
What specifications cannot tell you
Being clear about this is part of the method rather than a disclaimer bolted onto it. Published specifications do not tell you how an oven feels to launch into, whether a control dial is precise or vague, how a hinge holds up after two seasons, or what the flame pattern really looks like at half output.
Those things matter and we cannot speak to them. Where a purchase turns on one of them, the honest recommendation is to find someone who has used the oven — and we would rather say that than manufacture an impression.
Corrections
Specifications change when manufacturers revise products, and pages here can go out of date. If you find a figure that no longer matches the source, tell us and we will fix it. Every page shows the date it was last updated.