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Bertello Outdoor Review

A powerful pizza oven with the special capability to cook with gas and wood simultaneously
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Bertello Outdoor Review (The Bertello Outdoor has a sleek profile and produces great pies no matter what fuel source you prefer.)
The Bertello Outdoor has a sleek profile and produces great pies no matter what fuel source you prefer.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Price:  $280 List
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Manufacturer:   Bertello
By Aaron Rice ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Feb 14, 2022
74
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#7 of 16
  • Cooking Performance - 30% 8.0
  • Output Power - 30% 9.0
  • Control - 25% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 5.0

Our Verdict

Accomplished as both a gas-fired and wood-fired oven, the Bertello Outdoor is a great multi-fuel pizza oven. It is one of the few models capable of generating the extreme temperatures necessary to turn out a Neapolitan-style pizza in less than 90 seconds in its gas-powered form. A portable version of the Tuscan-style vaulted barrel oven, the design of the Bertello promotes excellent airflow. This effect results in an attractive rolling flame that effectively cooks 12" pizzas and adds a certain level of charm to this compact powerhouse. Though it would benefit from some design tweaks to improve control, this oven offers serious capability at a reasonable price point that is an excellent supplement to a well-equipped kitchen. To see how the Bertello compared to other top ovens we tested, see our full review on the best pizza ovens.
REASONS TO BUY
High-fire temperatures
Amazing airflow
Multi-fuel option
REASONS TO AVOID
Dangerous flame blowback
Awkward attachment of the gas adaptor
Editor's Note: The Bertello Outdoor review was updated on February 14th, 2022, with additional notes on which ovens we would buy and more help comparing products.

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Bottom Line For those who can't decide between gas- or wood-fired pizza, this oven allows you to work with bothThis price point pizza oven performs well above its weight class in terms of power and performanceAn affordable, but impressive indoor option for those not interested in investing in a new applianceA convenient multi-fuel system that excels as both a gas- and wood-fired ovenThis steel is perfectly suited to create NY-style pizzas, just don't expect it to produce a Neapolitan-style pie in your oven
Rating Categories Bertello Outdoor BakerStone Original NerdChef 3/8" Steel... Ooni Karu 12 The Original Baking...
Cooking Performance (30%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
Output Power (30%)
9.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
5.0
Control (25%)
6.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
Ease of Use (15%)
5.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Specs Bertello Outdoor BakerStone Original NerdChef 3/8" Steel... Ooni Karu 12 The Original Baking...
Fuel Type Wood, Gas (w/ conversion) Gas N/A Wood, Gas (w/ conversion) N/A
Maximum Pizza Diameter 12" 13" 14" 12" 14"
Average Pizza Cook Times 1.6 min 4 min 3.1 min 2.8 min 5.6 min
Average Stone Temperature 777 °F 732 °F 686 °F 736 °F 479 °F
Average Oven Temperature 668 °F 780 °F 637 °F 746 °F 497 °F
Size of Firebox 97.5 cu. in. N/A N/A 135 cu. in. N/A
Power Output Not listed 25,000 BTU N/A 15,350 BTU N/A
Footprint 301 sq. in.
441 sq. in. (w/ gas attachment)
345 sq. in. 228 sq. in. 368 sq. in. 228 sq. in.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Like some other fantastic products we've tested here at GearLab, the Bertello Outdoor was launched with crowd-sourced funding, which tends to lend credence to the quality of a product. This multi-fuel oven comes standard as a wood-fired oven (you can also use charcoal and pellets) but can easily be converted with a gas burner attachment. The distinguishing feature of this conversion is that it still includes a wood-burning tray. This addition lets you preheat the oven and light the wood using the propane burner, and then bake 12" pizzas as a wood-fired oven.

Performance Comparison


bertello outdoor - while gas is convenient, it is simply hard to beat both the...
While gas is convenient, it is simply hard to beat both the aesthetic and unique flavors provided by cooking with a wood-fire. Fortunately with the Bertello oven, you don't have to draw a hard line between the two options!
Credit: Aaron Rice

Cooking Performance


The Bertello oven is perhaps the most convertible of any we tested. While it blurs the lines between wood- and gas-fired ovens, we thought it best to consider each fuel type individually for unbiased comparison. This model comes standard as a wood-fired oven, which is more forgiving but less convenient to fire.

Slower cook times in the range of five to seven minutes provide more time to learn how to cook pizzas properly and give you more time to prep in between firings. But with average stone temperatures of only 552°F, it is more appropriate to cook low- to medium-fired styles of pizza. Once you feel you have the necessary skills in place, the gas conversion unlocks the potential power of the Bertello oven. With this simple switch-over, average cook times drop down to just 90 seconds, as average pizza stone temperatures rise to an incredible 774°F.

bertello outdoor - shown here with the gas conversion, there are other, more obvious...
Shown here with the gas conversion, there are other, more obvious signs that this oven is firing at incredibly hot temperatures.
Credit: Aaron Rice

The Bertollo is the hottest oven we tested when using the gas attachment, capable of producing perfect Neapolitan-style pizzas within as little as 60 seconds. Many companies market the power of a Neapolitan pizza oven, but Bertello is one of the few that truly delivers. While it is quite possible to achieve perfectly puffy, golden crusts when firing as a gas oven, the wood-fired style is more likely to produce browner, crisper — and sometimes ashier — crusts.

The difference between wood- and gas-fired ovens. Here is an example...
The difference between wood- and gas-fired ovens. Here is an example of the perfectly crisped bottom pulled from the Bertello as a gas oven.
Though just as tasty, here is an example of a slightly underfired...
Though just as tasty, here is an example of a slightly underfired crust as a result of not adequately stoking a wood fire up to optimal temperatures.

Output Power


The Bertello is at the top of the charts concerning maximum pizza stone temperatures as a gas oven. The pizza stone is made with cordierite — the same material used in kiln shelving — which is one of the few materials able to tolerate temperatures above 800°F.

Incidentally, cordierite is also incredibly heat-resistive, which may seem counterintuitive but is actually the reason behind its ability to transfer heat directly into cooking the pizza crust, producing a satisfying crunch when it is time to cut into your meal. Despite a matted exterior, the reflective, stainless steel interior does an excellent job of radiating heat to evenly cook pizzas on all sides — but again, only when the fire is burning.

bertello outdoor - a rolling flame not only casts convective heat over the top of the...
A rolling flame not only casts convective heat over the top of the pizza, but reflective, stainless steel sidewalls contribute to the radiative heat of this oven.
Credit: Aaron Rice

As a result, it is more important to manage the heat output of the Bertello oven because if you let the fire die down, both pizza stone and internal oven temperatures will quickly follow suit. Surprisingly, even internal oven temperatures slump slightly in contrast to the pizza stone. The average operating temperature of the oven chamber hovers around 670°F.

bertello outdoor - while the internal air temperature of an oven needs to be in the...
While the internal air temperature of an oven needs to be in the range of 800F to qualify as a Neapolitan-style oven, these are approaching near-optimal pizza stone temperatures around 750F.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Control


While it may not be as hot as a conventional Neapolitan pizza oven, it can produce quality pies in that style, thanks to a few key factors. The incredibly hot pizza stone gives the crust a quick rise. At the same time, positive airflow directs flames to roll across the low ceiling of the oven chamber, evenly and efficiently cooking your prepared toppings.

Whether you are firing with wood or propane, this oven produces a rolling and rollicking flame. You are given the ability to overlap the two fuel types, which can be convenient, mainly because the gas burner can backup the wood fire. But the wood tray included with the adaptor is too shallow to build a fire large enough to sustain even cooking one pizza.

bertello outdoor - a direct comparison of heat sources, with the original firebox...
A direct comparison of heat sources, with the original firebox (left) set next to the gas-conversion (right), that still allows for small amounts of wood to be added to its shallow fire pan.
Credit: Aaron Rice

While we won't go so far as to say it's just for show, we'll deem that it may be more for that “wood-fired flavor.” As a result, we suggest firing the Bertello as either a wood or gas-powered oven to avoid the type of multi-tasking where one doesn't end up doing either thing particularly well.

bertello outdoor - the hot bertello oven definitely cooks fast. be ready to turn this...
The hot Bertello oven definitely cooks fast. Be ready to turn this pizza many times during its short baking period to avoid burning the crust.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Ease of Use


As a wood-fired oven, the Bertello is one model that will almost certainly require the assistance of a dedicated fire tender. We feel this is a necessity, at least until you can master the skills necessary to tend to the oven, prep dough, and chop toppings simultaneously. This is the paradox of an efficient wood-burning oven: the fire can burn hot enough to reach the extreme temperatures you desire, but that level of heat means that it can also burn through fuel too quickly. Because of the conflicting performance, this oven earned an average score for ease of use.

While airflow moves in the right direction with the back cap on, whenever you remove this cap to load firewood, you experience a serious — and frankly, dangerous — amount of blowback that results in flames shooting out the back of the oven. Fortunately, both can be avoided by using the more convenient gas burner. Even though the gas-fired option is simplified in a sense, the proximity of the flame to the top of the pizza means you must closely monitor and regularly turn the pizza to avoid it from turning into a blackened lump of coal.

bertello outdoor - the blowback from the firebox can be both surprising and...
The blowback from the firebox can be both surprising and intimidating when you remove the back cap. This flaw makes it difficult to add wood fuel during the stoking phase.
Credit: Aaron Rice

One last criticism is directly related to the size and shape — and thus portability — of the Bertello oven. A compact oven chamber, complemented nicely by folding legs, makes it easy to store and convenient to carry… in wood-fired form. However, the gas attachment adds 10 inches to the length of the oven, hangs awkwardly off the back of the back, and makes the whole package much more delicate to handle and move when compared to the tank-like durability of its original form.

bertello outdoor - compact in its wood-burning format (firebox at the front), the...
Compact in its wood-burning format (firebox at the front), the gas-burner attachment seems unnecessarily long, and makes this otherwise streamlined oven a bit awkward to move around.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Should You Buy the Bertello Outdoor?


The Bertello pizza oven could be considered a “value-added” product. We cannot recommend strongly enough the additional purchase of the gas burner attachment — this will allow you to unlock the true capability of this compact powerhouse. Assuming you purchase the conversion kit, this is a truly versatile pizza oven and is perfect for any chef who does not want to restrict themselves to only one fuel type. This oven presents an exceptional performance at a reasonable price, making it a valuable addition to any outdoor kitchen.

bertello outdoor - regardless of how you decide to fire this oven, you can expect to be...
Regardless of how you decide to fire this oven, you can expect to be mesmerized by this beautifully effective rolling flame.
Credit: Aaron Rice

What Other Pizza Ovens Should You Consider?


The Bertello Outdoor is a fantastic oven that has the potential for true greatness. With a few design tweaks, both control and ease of use could be enhanced to the benefit of the chef. However, the few drawbacks of this model may throw you off. If this is the case, the Gozney Roccbox is worth checking out as an alternative. It is one of our favorite models that can also run on multiple fuel types and needs virtually no tweaking to produce the perfect pizza. The Solo Stove Pi and Ooni Karu 12G Multi-Fuel are also worth a serious look for anyone that wants a multi-fuel option.

bertello outdoor - a hot and fresh pizza from the comfort of your backyard. the...
A hot and fresh pizza from the comfort of your backyard. The Bertello surprised us with its overall performance and the chance for artistry to even novice pizza makers.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Aaron Rice