The Firepod pizza oven review
If you want the taste of homemade pizza without investing in a clay or brick oven, portable gas pizza oven, The Firepod, may suit your needs. Read our Firepod review to see how it fared in our tests.
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The Firepod pizza oven
Pros: easy construction, simple to clean, professional results, comes with equipment, versatile, pretty design and colour
Cons: white pizza slate, time to heat up, can’t keep outside, oven door
Star rating: 3.5/5
Available from:
The Firepod (£399 – with accessories)
The Pizza Oven Shop (£329 – oven only)
Read our round-up of the best pizza ovens
This versatile pizza oven, without accessories, costs £329, which is relatively affordable compared to the blowout buys at the top end of the market. Along with its stylish design, the Firepod can be used for pizzas and as a barbecue, making it well-suited to family holidays. The only difficulty is trying to find the right bottled gas, but it comes with a hose and a regulator for ease.
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What are your first impressions of The Firepod pizza oven?
Although the Firepod is lightweight, ours also came with additional accessories which made the box extremely difficult to lift. However, once removed from packaging it was indeed, lightweight (25kg, if you count that as light). The packaging wasn’t excessive and most of it was either cardboard or polystyrene.
How easy is The Firepod to assemble?
The manual was brilliant – very clear with big writing and short straightforward instructions about what you need to know, with nothing extra. The rest could be found on the website. It explained how to set up, how to install the gas, even with UK and US regulators. It didn’t explain what each of the accessories were for, but that could be found on the website.
The Firepod took under 10 minutes to assemble, as all you had to do was screw on the two handles, remove the packaging and place around four different pieces together. It should be noted that you need a Phillips screwdriver head to attach the handles.
How easy is The Firepod to use?
Adding the gas was easy thanks to the clear instructions. The temperature goes up to an incredible 600F, and though we cooked the pizzas a little cooler to prevent a burnt base, it's a bonus to have the option of cooking on a high heat. It did take more than 25 minutes to get to the right temperature, but worth it, as it maintained the heat well.
How many pizzas does it fit?
The Firepod fits one pizza in at a time. The pizzas only take a few minutes to cook so it’s not a big problem, however if you have many people around to eat, the pizzas would have to be staggered. Once the oven is up to temperature, the pizzas cook in 4-5 minutes.
How easy is it to add a pizza?
We found it was very simple to get the pizzas in and out of the Firepod. Depending on which package you choose to buy, the one with the accessories comes with an amazing 12” pizza peel, which if you dust lightly with flour before putting the pizza on it, makes taking it in and out of the oven simple.
How hot does the outside get?
The outer gets relatively hot, and the vent at the top is extraordinarily hot – we would advise keeping young children away from it. A bonus is that the door shuts when you’re cooking the pizzas, which makes it safer for family use. However, the door to the oven is tricky to use and can be difficult to open and close.
Does it come with additional pizza tools?
In the exclusive bundle, the Firepod comes with some really helpful accessories. The pizza stone is essential, the fire-proof gloves, which although not necessary, are helpful to add an extra level of protection. It also comes with a pizza peel which makes getting pizzas in and out of the oven easier.
Can The Firepod be used for anything other than a pizza oven?
The Firepod works well as a barbecue. It gets up to high temperatures, and the temperature gauge ensures everything is cooked through without burning on the outside.
What else can you cook in The Firepod?
The inside space is large enough for a whole chicken. You can also remove the lid, put the black grate down and cook things like paella in a pan over it. It's versatile for its size and would stretch to fitting in a small/medium roasting tray.
Is it all-weather or does it come with a cover?
This isn't an all-weather pizza oven. The wood could go mouldy over time if it gets damp and the paint is not suitable for being outside, so this would have to be stored indoors.
How easy is The Firepod to store?
The Firepod could easily be stored in a shed, or, if you’re taking it away, in a caravan. It has built-in legs, so it's easy to stand up and its footprint is small – it doesn’t take up more than a square metre.
How easy is The Firepod to carry around?
This oven is very portable. Two handles make it easy to pick up. Although its lighter than most pizza ovens, it's still around 25kg (heavier with the pizza stone inside) – we had to lift it in two separate parts.
How was the finished pizza?
The finished results were incredible, 9/10. It was one of the best homemade pizzas we'd ever had. The top got a lovely colour and the base wasn’t burnt but crisp, the dough puffed up and the cheese melted and turned golden.
How long does The Firepod take to cool down?
It took around hour to cool down fully before we could handle it.
Who would The Firepod be most useful for?
People that like to go on camping or caravan holidays due to its versatility and portability. It would also be great for someone who wanted a visually attractive, retro product and didn't want to buy a pizza oven and barbecue separately.
What was your favourite thing about The Firepod?
As well as the attractive, retro style and manageable size, we loved the simplicity. It’s easy to understand and the temperature gauge is easy to read, meaning even a beginner can make perfect pizzas.
What didn't you like about it?
The main negative was the pizza stone’s white/cream colour – after its first use, it was already stained from soot and burned cheese. However, this is purely an aesthetic point and didn't affect how well the product worked.
The Firepod pizza oven star ratings
Ease of assembly 4/5
Overall build quality 2.5/5
Ease of use 3.5/5
Packaging 4/5
Value for money 4/5
Cooking results 5/5
Ease of storage 1.5/5
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Available from:
The Firepod (£399 – with accessories)
The Pizza Oven Shop (£329 – oven only)
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This review was last updated in May 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
