ItaliaForno Fornello Compact Gas Pizza Oven

Description

The ItaliaForno Fornello pizza oven is the compact gas oven with the five sided dome, built for a townhome patio, a small outdoor kitchen counter, a deck or a balcony where a full size oven would take the whole space. It is 21.7 inches wide and 22.4 deep, 100 pounds, made in Italy, and it runs on a standard propane tank through a 23,900 BTU burner across the back wall. It cooks one pizza at a time, rated by ItaliaForno for 12 to 13 inch pies, in about 90 seconds at 800°F once the floor is up to heat.

What you get for $1,695 is the oven body with its angled black dome and stainless front, the propane burner, the chimney and cap, the door, the refractory floor, a thermometer in the front face and the adapter that connects it to a US propane tank. The price is set by ItaliaForno and is the same at every dealer, so where you buy comes down to who you would rather deal with once the box is on your doorstep.

The Fornello pizza oven is one of three ItaliaForno compacts. The Fornello, the Allegro and the Bambino share the same floor, the same burner, the same door and the same price; what you choose between them is the shape of the dome. The Fornello is the five sided one, the profile of a traditional Italian oven drawn with straight lines, and the shape that sits between the Allegro's curve and the Bambino's facets.

It is gas only and propane only, with no natural gas option today, and it is an outdoor oven with a two year residential warranty that asks for one thing: cover it when it is not in use. Those facts come first because they decide whether this is the right oven before the rest of the page does.

The rest of this page covers the small space case first, then the five sided dome and its two siblings, how a rear burner cooks, what the floor does, cooking on it, flame control and propane, cover and care, how the Fornello compares with the other gas ovens we carry, and buying it from Crustify. The spec table, the factory drawing, the manuals and three videos follow the description.

Built for a Townhome Patio or a Small Outdoor Kitchen

A townhome patio is usually a slab the width of the house and eight to twelve feet deep, and a small outdoor kitchen is a grill, a counter and nothing spare. The Fornello pizza oven is built for both. At 21.7 by 22.4 inches it takes the end of a counter or the corner of a patio table, and at 100 pounds one strong person can lift it onto a counter and two can carry it through the house. The chimney and cap lift off in seconds, dropping the height from 44 inches to 18.4, so it fits under a bench cover for the winter.

The rules are the part nobody puts on a product page. ItaliaForno's manual asks for 8 inches clear of walls on all sides, 20 inches each side of the chimney and 40 inches above it, outdoors in the open. Most apartment and condo fire codes limit or prohibit propane on a balcony, and many HOAs have their own line on it, so check both before you buy any gas oven for one. Where propane is allowed and the sky is open, a townhome patio, a counter beside the grill, a deck or a rooftop is where the Fornello pizza oven belongs.

What it is not is an indoor oven. The manual's carbon monoxide warning covers a garage, a tent, a screened porch and any partially enclosed space, and the warranty excludes indoor or enclosed installation. If the only outdoor space is under a roof with walls on three sides, the honest answer is that no propane oven fits it, and we would rather say so here than after delivery.

The Five Sided Dome: Which Compact Is the Fornello

ItaliaForno makes the compact oven in three shells. The Fornello pizza oven is the five sided dome, two straight walls and a peaked top in textured black steel meeting a stainless front, the silhouette of a traditional brick oven cut in flat planes, which is why ItaliaForno calls it the one that is classic and modern at once; the Allegro is the rounded barrel dome, the softest shape and the one that reads smallest; the Bambino is the octagonal dome, the one with the most presence. Same floor, same 23,900 BTU burner, same door, same $1,695. The choice is the look, and ItaliaForno says so on its own pages.

The five sided dome is the shape to pick when the oven has to sit beside a grill and look like it belongs there: the straight sides line up with a counter, a cabinet or a wall the way the round and octagonal domes do not, and the peaked top reads as an oven from across the yard. Made in Italy is stamped into the body beside the knob, above, and it is on every one that leaves the factory.

A Rear Burner Oven: How the Fornello Cooks

The burner in the Fornello pizza oven runs across the back wall of the chamber behind a curved heat deflector, so the flame climbs the back wall and rolls forward across the dome toward the mouth. That is the layout that lets a small gas oven cook like a wood oven: the top of the pizza sees flame and radiant heat from the dome, and the refractory floor, once it has soaked up its preheat, does the crust from below. Turn the pizza a quarter at a time and the side facing the back wall browns first, exactly as it would beside a wood fire.

The peaked dome gives the flame a little more height to roll under than the barrel dome does, which is not a difference you taste, but it is the reason the three shells cook the same pizza: the chamber under each is the same 14.8 inch wide box on the same 15.7 inch floor. The front thermometer reads the chamber air; an infrared thermometer pointed at the tile is the better guide to when the floor is ready.

The 15.7 Inch Floor: One Pizza at a Time, or Two Small Ones

The cooking floor is 15.7 by 15.7 inches of refractory tile behind a door about 13.4 inches wide. ItaliaForno rates the Fornello pizza oven for 12 to 13 inch pizzas, the size that turns easily in the chamber with the burner at the back; a 14 inch fits the floor with less room to turn, and two 8 inch personal pizzas fit side by side. For two people or a family of four that is a pizza every two minutes, the second going in as the first comes out, with the floor holding its heat between them.

That floor is the same size as the Famiglia's. What the Famiglia's $700 buys is a wider, heavier body, 30 inches across and 122 pounds, and a 30,709 BTU burner that runs a 16 inch pizza and recovers faster between pies. If the space is a full backyard, the Famiglia is the fuller oven; if the space is a townhome patio, the Fornello pizza oven is the one that fits it, and the pizza is the same.

Cooking on the Fornello

Preheat is 30 to 50 minutes with the door on and the burner on high, and the Fornello's small chamber is usually ready at the low end of that. The oven will reach 1,000°F; ItaliaForno asks that you cook at 850°F or below for the life of the tiles and the gaskets. Neapolitan style at 800°F takes about 90 seconds with two quarter turns; a New York style pie at 650°F takes four to five minutes; a pan pizza cooks at 550°F with the burner on low.

After pizza, drop the burner to low and the Fornello pizza oven is a small roasting oven for the rest of the night: a skillet of shrimp, a tray of vegetables, two steaks in cast iron, a loaf of bread at 500°F with a pan of water for steam. FoodSafety.gov puts poultry at 165°F and pork at 145°F with a rest, and a probe is the only way to know a roast in a 600°F oven is there.

ItaliaForno's own walk through of a first pizza, from dough to the oven floor. The stretch, the launch and the turn are the same on every oven in the line.

Flame Control, Ignition and Propane

The control knob on the front face, above, sets the burner from a low hold to full output, and a pilot flame with a thermocouple keeps it lit in a breeze. Low is where a preheated floor lives between pizzas; high is for the preheat and for pushing the dome back to color after a pizza has pulled heat out of it.

The Fornello pizza oven is propane only. ItaliaForno does not offer a natural gas option today; if you need one, ask us before you order and we will check current availability with the brand. The oven ships with the adapter for a standard US propane tank, and at 23,900 BTU the burner draws about 1.1 pounds of propane an hour at full output, so a 20 pound tank is roughly 18 hours at full burn.

Ignition is a pilot flame with a thermocouple, lit by a push button spark igniter that runs on a single small battery, included. Open the tank, turn the knob to the spark mark, press and hold it, press the igniter until the pilot catches, hold the knob about 15 seconds so the thermocouple heats, and release. The main burner lights from the pilot. If the flame ever blows out, the thermocouple shuts the gas. Gas only means gas only: wood, charcoal or pellets in the chamber void the warranty, and the Grande Pro Duo is the ItaliaForno that burns wood.

Keeping It Outside: Cover and Care

The Fornello pizza oven lives outdoors, and the warranty's corrosion clause is written for an oven left uncovered through a wet season. Cover it when it is cold, with a breathable outdoor oven cover that fits a 22 by 23 inch body 44 inches tall with the chimney on, or 18 inches with it off; ItaliaForno does not list its own cover yet, and we will point you to one that fits when you order. Take the propane cylinder off for long storage and keep it upright and outdoors, never in a shed or a stairwell.

Cleaning is a brush on the floor after each cook, a vacuum around the burner every few weeks so crumbs do not block the ports, and a wipe of the stainless front. A thin film of food grade oil on the steel after cleaning is ItaliaForno's own advice against surface rust, and the flat planes of the dome wipe down faster than a curve. Heat discoloration on the stainless is normal and not covered, and the door, the floor tiles, the gaskets and the igniter battery are consumables.

Which Compact Gas Pizza Oven

Here is the Fornello pizza oven against the other gas ovens on this site that fit a small space, so it is chosen against the others rather than in a vacuum.

The short version: the three compacts are one oven in three shapes, the Famiglia is the same floor in a bigger body for a bigger space, and the Halo is the lighter, cheaper oven for someone who is not ready for an Italian one. If you are between two, contact us with a photo of the space and we will tell you which one fits it.

Buying the Fornello From Crustify

ItaliaForno is a woman owned American brand whose ovens are built in Sicily by a family maker with more than sixty years of oven making, recognized in 2016 with the "Sicilians at Home and in the World" honor. Their line runs from the three compacts through the Famiglia to the Grande Pro Duo, and their own line for it is "One of Italy's Finest Pizza Ovens, Now Made for Your Backyard." Crustify is an authorized ItaliaForno dealer, and every ItaliaForno oven, cart and accessory we carry is on the ItaliaForno brand page.

A private chef, on camera, on why he cooks on ItaliaForno ovens. ItaliaForno's own clip.

The Fornello pizza oven ships boxed on a 48 by 48 inch pallet, 150 pounds crated, from ItaliaForno's warehouse near Houston, Texas, in stock and usually on the truck within 7 business days. Freight is free across the site on orders over $750, and every pallet oven carries the $95 residential liftgate fee at checkout so the driver lowers it to your driveway or building entrance; delivery is curbside, so plan the trip from the curb to the patio. Inspect the box before signing and report any damage to us within 24 hours, which is ItaliaForno's window.

Unused ovens in their original packaging can be returned within 14 days with return freight paid by the buyer. The oven is excluded from every Crustify coupon code because ItaliaForno sets a strict MSRP and enforces it, which is also why our price and theirs match to the dollar.

With the Fornello pizza oven in the cart, the two things it needs are a cover and, if there is no counter or table for it, the ItaliaForno cart, $495; the ItaliaForno infrared thermometer, $49.95, is the cheap upgrade for reading the floor rather than the air. All three are added by chat or email until their pages are live, and they ship on the same pallet. Everything else for outdoor pizza is in our pizza oven accessories collection. Chat and email go straight to the owner and are usually answered the same day.

In stock in Texas, ships boxed on a pallet with liftgate delivery. Strict MSRP, no coupons, and the same $1,695 everywhere; buy it from the dealer you would rather talk to afterward.

KEY FEATURES

• ItaliaForno Fornello pizza oven, the compact gas oven with the five sided dome for a townhome patio, a small outdoor kitchen or a deck, made in Italy
• 21.7 W x 22.4 D inch footprint, 100 lb; 44 inches tall with the chimney and cap, 18.4 inches with it off
• 7 kW / 23,900 BTU propane burner across the back wall behind a heat deflector, flame rolling forward over the dome; knob control from low to high
• 15.7 x 15.7 inch refractory floor; one pizza at a time, rated 12 to 13 inch, a 14 inch fits, or two 8 inch side by side; door about 13.4 inches wide
• Five sided dome in textured black steel with a stainless front; the Allegro (rounded) and Bambino (octagonal) are the same oven in other shapes
• Reaches 1,000°F, cook at 850°F or below; 30 to 50 minute preheat, about 90 seconds a pizza at 800°F
• Pilot flame ignition with thermocouple safety, push button spark on a small battery, battery in the box; thermometer in the front face
• In the box: oven, propane burner, chimney and cap, door, refractory floor, heat deflector, control knob, thermometer and the adapter for a standard US propane tank
• Propane only; gas only, no wood; no natural gas option offered today, ask us if you need one
• Outdoors only, in the open; 2 year residential warranty; cover required when not in use
• Ships boxed on a pallet from Texas, 150 lb crated, free freight with the $95 liftgate fee, in stock, 7 business days

SPECIFICATIONS

The factory drawing for the Fornello pizza oven, in millimeters with inches in brackets: 552 mm (21.7 in) across the body, 565 mm (22.2 in) deep, 467 mm (18.4 in) to the top of the dome, a 588 mm (23.1 in) chimney of 120 mm (4.7 in) diameter, and a 400 by 409 mm (15.7 by 16.1 in) floor. ItaliaForno's published 22.4 inch depth and 44 inch height include the rear fittings and the cap. The revision notes record the door widened to 34 cm and the pilot and igniter updates. Handmade, so expect small variations.

INSTALLATION GUIDE & USER MANUAL

ItaliaForno's setup video: the oven on its cart, the floor tiles, the propane adapter and its dimensions, the chimney, the igniter battery, the heat deflector and the knob, through to first light.

Unboxing. The Fornello pizza oven arrives boxed on a pallet with the chimney, the door, the floor tiles and the accessories packed separately. Cut the box away, check every part against the packing list and photograph any damage before the oven moves; the claim window is 24 hours. Lift the body by the base, never by the chimney collar or the door frame.

Assembly. No tools. Fit the four feet, or set the oven on its counter, table or cart. Slide the refractory tiles into the floor without forcing them. Seat the chimney in its collar on top of the oven and bend the four prongs of the cap inward to hold it. Push the control knob onto its shaft on the front. Inside the back of the chamber, hang the curved heat deflector on the two studs above the burner with its keyhole slots. Set the door onto its mounting points.

Gas. Fit the supplied adapter to the G1/2 inlet at the rear, connect a standard US propane tank through it with the tank upright and clear of the oven, and leak test every joint with soapy water before the first light. Never test with a flame. Close the tank valve after every cook and never store a cylinder, full or empty, near the oven or indoors.

First light. Knob off, tank valve open slowly, knob turned to the spark mark and pressed in, igniter pressed until the pilot catches, knob held in about 15 seconds, release. The main burner lights. Door on, 30 to 50 minutes to cooking temperature. The first firing will smell as coatings cure; that passes. If the pilot does not catch in 60 seconds, turn the knob off, wait five minutes and start again.

Care. Brush the floor after each cook, vacuum around the burner every few weeks, wipe the stainless front, oil the steel lightly, replace the igniter battery when the spark weakens, and cover the cold oven. Move it only cold, disconnected, with the chimney, door and tiles out. Never burn wood, charcoal or pellets in it.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Term. ItaliaForno warrants the Fornello pizza oven to the original purchaser against defects in materials and workmanship for two years from the date of purchase, for residential outdoor use.

Conditions. The oven must be installed outdoors in the open, on a stable non combustible surface, with the clearances in the manual, connected to propane through a certified regulator by someone qualified to do it, and covered with a protective cover whenever it is not in use. Proof of purchase is required for any claim.

Exclusions. Burning wood, charcoal, pellets or any fuel other than propane; commercial use; installation indoors or in an enclosed space; use in a vehicle; modification of any component; overheating past the rated temperature; corrosion from weather exposure without a cover; normal discoloration of the stainless; cosmetic wear; grease fires and neglected maintenance. The door, the refractory tiles, the gaskets and the igniter battery are consumables and are not covered.

Claims. Contact us first with photos and your order number and we handle the claim with ItaliaForno on your behalf. Shipping damage is separate from the warranty: note it on the delivery receipt or report it to us within 24 hours of delivery.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQ'S

Your Questions Answered Before You Buy

These are the questions we get most often about the Fornello pizza oven, answered straight. If yours is not here, chat or email goes to the owner and you will usually hear back the same day.