Introducing the 2023 Blackstone Pizza Oven

Blackstone Products, makers of the most ubiquitous residential outdoor griddle has brought back the Blackstone Pizza oven for 2023 after a five-year sales hiatus.

Although this stand-alone pizza oven is one of their newest offerings, Blackstone's clearly had its eye on getting a slice of the pizza market for some time.

In June of 2022, Blackstone introduced a pizza oven insert. The Blackstone pizza oven insert is an accessory for Blackstone's 22" griddles, utilizing the same burners when the griddle surface is removed.

But the new 2023 Blackstone Pizza oven is clearly the most innovative and updated Blackstone pizza offering to date.

So what is new about the 2023 Blackstone Pizza oven?

For starters, most everything!

The New Blackstone 2023 Pizza oven is not just a re-skin of its retired family member. It's been completely redone but has taken some of the best attributes of the earlier version and improved upon them.

 

The 2023 Blackstone Pizza oven has plenty of power

The addition of a high-pressure burner with an adjustable regulator is a long overdue upgrade for outdoor cooking appliances.

This burner resembles the nozzle at the end of a fireman's hose but instead of putting out fires, it gets them going. The flame pattern for this burner is perfect for the way this oven is designed.

Although relatively compact, it can be adjusted both at the regulator and at the dial on the front of the oven to intensify the flame or to restrict gas for more delicate cooking.

To say that I'm impressed with this burner and regulator system would be an understatement. With a battery-powered, electric start, it starts fast and heats fast.

The testing I've done with this oven has been in cold temperatures averaging about 30F on my deck.

During colder months or wet conditions, I allow extra time for my pizza ovens to come to temperature.

Doing this more slowly than in the dry summer months puts less stress on the expanding and contracting of the stone and allows the heat to the double-walled insulation in the cooking chamber to be a little less stressful.

But even though it's been cold at my place, the 2023 Blackstone Pizza oven has had no issues achieving temperatures north of 1000F.

Romancing the (pizza) stones

The oven offers not one, but two cordierite pizza stones. The cooking stone sits atop a patented rotating turntable.

The other sits snugly above the cooking stone. It's a refractory heat sink that will absorb and transfer heat to the top of your pizza ensuring the top and bottom of your pizza cooks evenly.

Turntabling up the pizza oven heat

As part of the 2-stone technology, the pizza stone sits atop a rotating turntable adjacent to the oven's single burner. The turntable is powered either by a pair of D batteries or you can plug it into a 110V power supply.

Looking into the oven, the single, stationary burner sits at about 3 o'clock. So the ability for food to rotate around the burner will allow things to cook more evenly. The ability to cook pizzas at high temperatures (900F+) without constantly manually rotating the pie is a true culinary luxury.

One interesting thing about the turntable is that the pizza stone you cook on sits atop a sturdy cast-iron rotating base inches from the burner.

Cast iron heats quickly and helps to transfer heat to the cooking stone and assists with helping the oven temperature rebound from recent food loads. I find this to be a clever choice of material.

Is the Blackstone pizza oven quiet?

Blackstone has gone to great lengths to make sure the rotating stone is as quiet as it can be. By itself, the motor for the pizza oven is extremely quiet. It transfers power via a dual metal drive shaft that's rumored to be quiet enough to hear a stomach growl while it's turning.

 

Key features of the 2023 Blackstone pizza oven

The 2023 Blackstone Pizza oven also boasts several other features that make it one of the best pizza ovens on the market.

High-Temperature Cooking: The oven can reach temperatures of up to 1000F, making it perfect for cooking pizzas and other foods that require high heat.

Dual Pizza Stones: The oven comes with two pizza stones, one for cooking and one for reflecting heat more evenly onto the top of your food. 

Rotating Turntable: The turntable is powered by a pair of D batteries or can be plugged into a 110V power supply, it allows food to rotate around the burner for even cooking.

Insulation: The oven is double-wall insulated which helps to retain heat and maintain a consistent temperature.

Durable Materials: The oven is made from durable materials such as cast iron which helps to transfer heat to the cooking stone and assists with helping the oven temperature rebound from recent food loads.

Quiet Operation: The Blackstone has gone to great lengths to make sure the rotating stone is as quiet as possible. The motor for the pizza oven is extremely quiet and transfers power via a dual metal drive shaft. If there are going to be any noise complaints it will come from the sound of the powerful burner when it is operating wide open. 

Easy to Use: With a battery-powered, electric start, it starts fast and heats fast. It is easy to use and maintain.

Versatility: The Blackstone Pizza oven is not just for pizza. It can be used to cook other foods like meats, bread, and even desserts.

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Is the new Blackstone Pizza Oven an improvement?

The new Blackstone Pizza oven is a significant improvement over the earlier version and offers a wide range of features. 

With a high-pressure burner that can be adjusted to suit different cooking needs, a durable rotating turntable and dual pizza stones, this pizza oven is designed to cook pizzas at high temperatures while ensuring that they cook evenly.

The addition of a battery-powered electric start, double-walled insulation, and a second, refractory stone are other notable features that make this pizza oven stand out.

Blackstone has also made sure that the oven is as quiet as possible, so it won't disturb your outdoor cooking experience.

Overall, the Blackstone Pizza oven is an innovative and well-designed product that is sure to be a hit among pizza enthusiasts and outdoor cooking enthusiasts alike.