Being an outdoors enthusiast comes with one thing that most people don’t enjoy all that much: packing bulky, heavy gear that never quite fits in the car, especially when it comes to cooking equipment. Currently available on Kickstarter, the Vennoe T01 pizza oven could become a smart addition to a camping setup, helping to solve at least part of that problem.
The founders describe their UK-designed product as the smallest professional-grade pizza oven on the market.
Compact and portable, it can be used for camping, in an RV, or placed in a backyard or on a balcony without taking up too much space. While it's still not light enough for backcountry adventures, it’s claimed to be 15% lighter and 35% smaller than standard pizza ovens. It weighs 10.1 kg (22.27 lb) and measures 500 x 360 x 218 mm (14.2 x 19.7 x 8.6 in).
Setting it up is said to take just over a minute: place the oven on a flat surface, unfold the legs, and attach the chimney. It comes with a multi-purpose tool that works as a handle and opens the front door. Packing it away looks just as easy: all the smaller parts, including the chimney, are stored inside the device, and with the straps, the whole thing can be carried in one hand – just like a bag.
The oven’s capacity is suitable for making a 12-inch pizza, a good portion for two or three people. Preheating to 400 - 500 ºC (750 - 900 ºF) takes 15 to 20 minutes, while baking a pizza takes roughly one minute. The oven runs on natural wood chips, pellets or lump charcoal, with a single load providing around 20 minutes of consistent burn. Although, if you are going to use pellets, you’ll likely have to reload part way through. The oven can be fueled by gas as well, which offers more precise control, but the gas burner has to be purchased separately.
Overall, the oven seems to be pretty efficient at maintaining high temperatures: the enlarged top-loading fuel chamber directs heat towards the front of the oven, where the pizza sits. Because the fire comes only from the back, temperature control can be quite tricky, so you’ll need to rotate the pizza tray frequently.
The Vennoe features an integrated thermometer and an explosion-proof glass window, so you can keep an eye on the food without opening the front door and losing heat. And although the product was designed primarily as a pizza oven, it can be used to cook pretty much anything: roasted vegetables, steak, fish, or even cookies.
The oven is available in two colors: black with a vermillion logo, or green with a golden-brown logo.
Assuming the Kickstarter project is successful, early backers can get a Vennoe T01 of their own for £189 (about US$255), with a planned retail price of £289 (US$390). The standard set includes the oven itself, a pizza stone, and a carrying strap. Optional accessories such as a gas burner, pizza peel (paddle), and wood smoker chips are sold separately, which can easily add another £200 (US$270) to the total cost.
Sources: Kickstarter, Vennoe
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