Ovens and temperatures for Neapolitan pizza
Neapolitan pizza bakes in 90 seconds at over 430 °C (805 °F). At home you don't need to get there to make an excellent pizza: you need to know what your oven can do and adapt the dough.
| Oven | Temperature | Time | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home oven with a pizza stone | 250–290 °C (480–555 °F) on the stone | 6–9 min | Cheap, and you already have the oven. It won't give you a leopard-spotted crust, but it makes a very good pizza at 65–70% hydration. |
| Home oven with a pizza steel | 250–290 °C (480–555 °F) on the steel | 4–6 min | The best investment for a home oven. It won't crack, but it is heavy and needs seasoning like a cast-iron skillet. |
| Cast-iron skillet and broiler | base in the pan, top under the broiler | 3–4 min | No extra equipment, with surprising results. Works for pizzas up to 26–28 cm (10–11 in). |
| Electric pizza oven | 380–450 °C (715–840 °F) | 90–150 s | The most convenient way to get close to real Neapolitan pizza in an apartment. |
| Portable gas oven | 400–450 °C (750–840 °F) | 60–120 s | A true leopard-spotted crust. You need to turn the pizza every 20–30 seconds. Outdoor use only. |
| Wood-fired oven | 430–485 °C (805–905 °F) | 60–90 s | The benchmark flavor and texture, but it takes space, practice and fire management. |
Home oven with a pizza stone
This is where almost everyone starts. A cordierite stone stores heat and passes it to the base. Preheat for 45–60 minutes on the top rack, close to the upper heating element.
Cheap, and you already have the oven. It won't give you a leopard-spotted crust, but it makes a very good pizza at 65–70% hydration.
Home oven with a pizza steel
A 6–10 mm steel plate conducts heat faster than a stone. The base bakes in less time and the pizza comes out lighter.
The best investment for a home oven. It won't crack, but it is heavy and needs seasoning like a cast-iron skillet.
Cast-iron skillet and broiler
Cook the base in a cast-iron skillet over high heat for 1–2 minutes and finish under the oven broiler on high until the rim puffs up.
No extra equipment, with surprising results. Works for pizzas up to 26–28 cm (10–11 in).
Electric pizza oven
Countertop ovens with heating elements above and below and a refractory stone. They plug into the wall and work indoors.
The most convenient way to get close to real Neapolitan pizza in an apartment.
Portable gas oven
Outdoor propane ovens with a flame along one side. They heat up in 15–25 minutes.
A true leopard-spotted crust. You need to turn the pizza every 20–30 seconds. Outdoor use only.
Wood-fired oven
The traditional Neapolitan pizza oven. It needs 1–2 hours to heat the dome and the floor.
The benchmark flavor and texture, but it takes space, practice and fire management.
How to read the right temperature
The oven thermostat measures the air, not the stone. An infrared thermometer pointed at the center of the stone tells you the real temperature of the base, which is the one that counts.
- Base above 450 °C (840 °F): the bottom burns before the rim is done. Wait a few minutes or turn down the flame.
- Base between 380 and 450 °C (715 and 840 °F): the sweet spot for Neapolitan dough at 60–65% hydration.
- Base between 250 and 300 °C (480 and 570 °F): home oven territory. Raise the hydration to 65–70% and add 1–2% olive oil so the dough doesn't dry out.
The dough adapts to the oven too: in the calculator, choose a higher-hydration texture for home ovens.