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The Alfa Forni Moderno line is a worthy investment in a growing market of wood-fired and propane pizza ovens. If you are looking to upgrade from your smaller pizza oven or you’re the type of person who likes to host lively pizza parties, then you need to check out these ovens.

This oven was received as a media sample, no compensation was provided for this review. All opinions are our own.

Background

Alfa Forni is an Italian manufacturer of wood-fired and gas ovens since 1977. Their line of ovens range from backyard patio to commercial quality.

The Moderno line is sleek powder coated series of ovens that boast great design and functionality. What truly sets the Moderno 2 Pizze apart is its exceptional cooking capabilities compared to competitor models.

With a spacious cooking surface that can easily accommodate two pizzas at once, this oven reaches temperatures of up to 1,000°F in just minutes. The high heat ensures that your pizzas come out with a perfectly crispy crust and gooey melted cheese every time.

But it’s not just for pizzas—this versatile oven can handle everything from roasting meats to baking bread, making it a multifunctional powerhouse. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a weekend warrior, the Alfa Forni Moderno 2 Pizze delivers professional-quality results with ease, transforming your backyard into a gourmet kitchen.

Model Tested – Moderno 2 Pizze

Alfa Forni has several models to choose from for both domestic and commercial use. We reviewed the Moderno 2 Pizze oven. Below are the primary characteristics of the various models.

• Classico – Built from high-quality stainless steel, the Classico line are built giving a timeless design. They have a larger deck where the oven door sits.
• Moderno – The Moderno line is built with softer curves and fun, vibrant color options. The Moderno line has the most models to select from — a portable version to one that can make 5 pizzas at the same time.
• Futuro – Designed with outdoor kitchens in mind, the Futuro have clean shapes and easy to set in an outdoor kitchen.

The price will vary depending on where you buy it. With a suggested retail price of around $2,799, we’ve seen it as low as $1,999 which puts it on par with the Gozney Dome. Be sure to shop around for the best price and bundles.

Where to Buy

All of the Alfa Forni pizza ovens are sold through local and online independent retailers around the world. They are not sold directly from Alfa Forni.

You can search for a dealer using their dealer locater tool. Be sure to compare retailers to take advantage of any bundles or free set up and delivery options.

Specifications

• Warranty: Two-year limited warranty
• Weight: 174 pounds/79 kilograms
• Door Width: 20.7 inches
• Door Height (Rounded): 7 inches
• Fuel: Propane (or Natural Gas) with an accessory option to burn wood
• Cooking Floor: 28 x 20 inches
• Max Temp: 1000 degrees F/500 degrees C.
• Number of 12-inch Pizzas: 2
• Country Of Manufacturing: Italy

Set Up

Set up was easy and if you purchase from a local retailer it will most likely already be set up for you. Be sure to ask the retailer in advance.

Peel off any protective wrap if it’s there before lighting the oven.

Use a stainless steel cleaning solution or cloth to wipe down the stainless steel stack before the first firing. This prevents hand prints from discoloring or showing up as patina develops on the stack.

Add the included battery (included in the packaging) to the start-up button.

How It Works

Alfa designed the ovens to work similarly to a restaurant pizza oven using convection heat. The primary areas we noted were part of their proprietary Heat Genius technology.

• The unique thicker HeatKeeper fire bricks (versus thinner stone) retain more heat units as you cook multiple pizzas, so they retain the heat better. This is especially important when you are hosting a pizza party and cooking several pizzas in a short period of time. We noticed much more stable stone temperatures over time than the Gozney Dome.
• The Oven is also insulated with wool for better ongoing heat efficiency. Given the size of the oven, this helps save fuel and avoids hot spots in the cooking chamber. We noted this was especially great when we were baking.
• The patented circulation system allows for efficient airflow and convection to bake both the crust and toppings on pizza using a heat shield under the flue/stack to keep heat in the chamber and not just vent out.

You can see more of the process in their description of the Heat Genius.

First Use – Initial Start Up

Be sure you use the correct connection for propane (US) versus natural gas (Europe) when attaching the fuel hose. We recommend using propane for the initial burn.

Look inside the oven and be sure all the pizza bricks are pressed together tightly. They may have moved slightly during transport.

Propane – Be sure your propane gas valve is on. Then using the left knob on the oven, move to the start-up icon while pressing the knob. Push the start up button while the left knob is pressed in to ignite the pilot light. Let the pilot light run for 15 – 20 seconds.

Then adjust the left valve to the run position. Run on high for the initial burn. Add the door and let the Alfa Forni oven run on high for 45 minutes to burn off any residual material. It should be running around 900 degrees Fahrenheit while doing the initial burn.

After the 45 minutes you are ready to use the oven.

Ongoing Use

Repeat the start up sequence for every time you want to use the oven.

Pizza – Run the start-up sequence and start the knob on high or 900 – 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a good IR Instant Read Thermometer, measure the temperature of the pizza stone.

When the stone reads 700 – 750 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s ready for pizza. Adjust the flame down if the stone runs too hot. The stone should approach this temperature with propane on high in as little as 15 – 20 minutes. Longer if it’s windy or raining.

Using Wood

To use wood it’s strongly recommended you purchase the wood hybrid kit, which contains a gas cover plate for the propane burner and wood holder. You never want to run wood and propane at the same time (no matter what Reddit says!).

1. Place a pizza-turning peel in the hole on the side of the propane plate. Place the plate over the propane burner to protect it from the heat from the wood.
2. Place the wood holder in the center of the oven and then add a few fire starters. Place wood in a log cabin set up over the fire starters. Ignite the starters, which will light the wood. DO NOT USE LIGHTER FLUID! – lighter fluid over time will absorb into the fire brick. So just don’t use it.
3. Continue to feed the wood in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, using the peel push the wood holder to the right side of the oven (opposite side of the propane burner). Continue to feed wood to the fire to establish a strong ember base and flame.

If using wood, the space to make pizzas is cut down to one pizza at a time because the wood takes up a good chunk of space.

Making Pizza

When it comes to making pizza, the functionality and speed at which the oven works really shines. Using propane the stone was ready in 20 minutes at high and temping at 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pizzas are cooked evenly after proper rotation using a pizza-turning peel.

When cooking two pizzas just note that the right side stone is cooler, but the edges of the pizza will crisp up with the design of the domed roof. So it’s a good idea to move the pizzas around if cooking multiple pizzas at the same time.

You read more about how to use a pizza oven where we cover some of the best tips.

Things to note:

• The stone is hotter closer to the propane burner and in the center. As you move toward the right wall the stone will cool a little more. This is important to note if cooking multiple pizzas.
• In extreme wind, you need to adjust the pizza oven so that the wind is coming directly to the rear of the unit. If it’s at an angle the wind may impede the propane preventing it from burning as hot as needed.

Customer Service and Experience

For technical support, Alfa Forni directs you to your local dealer for assistance with any malfunction, breakdown, or spare parts. They also offer a general email as well.

The two-year limited warranty covers failure due to malfunctioning parts, manufacturing problems, or premature wear.

Accessories

There are a number of accessories you can add to you Alfa Forni oven purchase.

• Wood Hybrid Kit – You can purchase the hybrid kit that will cover the propane valve and allow you to run wood. The wood burns on a wood holder elevating the wood and creating strong airflow. It’s heavy-duty 441 stainless steel.
• Pizza Peel Set – Pizza Peels are some of the most important pizza tools you need. You can purchase the four-pack, which includes a turning peel, and standard peel, a wire brush, and an ember rake that pulls out wood and ash. You can adjust the size of the handles to make them longer or shorter based on where you put your oven.
• Stand – There are a few stand options available from Alfa Forni including a standard single stand or a modular table set up. Inventory is going to be based on the dealer. The model comes with feet so you can place on any flat surface.

Overall Experience

We love the Alfa Forni Moderno 2 Pizze oven and its ability to cook multiple pizzas at the same time. The design is beautiful, the heat management is even, and if you are the type of person who loves hosting parties you are going to want this pizza.

Recipe Ideas

Looking for some inspiration? Try our Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough, pizza sauce, and pick from any number of our pizza recipes.

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About Vindulge

Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.