Dome Height…High? Or low?

One important aspect of wood fired ovens that should be considered before purchasing is the dome.  Wood fired ovens have been used for thousands of years. Ancient brick ovens have been uncovered in Egypt, Greece and Pompeii. The design has changed very little because the round shape reflects heat evenly across the cooking surface. For all intents and purposes, this may have been the first convection oven.

There are two primary options, high or low domes. Determining which is right for you depends on how you intend to use your oven.

If your answer is…Pizza and only mostly pizza!
A Neopolitan style, or low dome, oven is a good choice for you. Low dome ovens are optimized for flat food. It allows for the high heat and rapid cooking times required for true Neopolitan style pizza. The radiant heat from the ceiling of the oven is very close to the top of the food. As the hearth is baking the crust, the ceiling is cooking your toppings just as quickly. If you put a taller dish in the oven, for example a turkey, the odds of burning the bird are greater because of its proximity to the radiant heat coming off the ceiling.

According to Chicago Brick Oven’s website, the ideal oven mouth is 63% of the height of the top of the oven’s ceiling. This is quite specific and means an oven with lower dome will also have a shorter opening. Sliding in a taller dish, like that turkey, may be more difficult.

Lower dome ovens use less fuel. The oven heats up a little faster and when constructed with the right materials, will provide consistent, intense heat while using less wood.

If your answer is…Pizza, bread, turkey, steaks, potatoes, jalapeno poppers and a thousand other things I can’t dream up right this moment! A Tuscan, or high dome, oven may be best for you. Simply put, a higher dome gives you more versatility. Larger items will fit in the oven because the mouth is larger. The threat of burning the top of your food before the middle and bottom are cooked thoroughly is reduced because the radiant heat source is farther away.

According to Forno Bravo’s website, a higher dome is more efficient at holding heat. When combined with the larger opening, this makes the oven excel at roasting and baking bread along with traditional pizza.

You really can’t go wrong with either dome height. Both have pros and cons depending upon on how you plan to use the oven the most. With a little creativity you can do almost anything in both high and low dome wood fired ovens.