Alfa Nano Pizza Oven Review

The Alfa Nano (formerly known as Alpha One) is a small outdoor pizza oven crafted by Italian manufacturer Alfa Forni. This company has been known for designing stylish, durable pizza ovens for over 40 years.

If you love authentic wood fired pizzas at home, then the Alfa Nano won’t let you down. This oven is one of the best pizza oven and can cook delicious pizzas in minutes. In this article, I am reviewing the wood-fired model, not the gas-fired one. Though gas makes cooking easy, I preferred the wood version because I wanted that wood flavor in my pizzas.

So let’s dive into the Alfa Nano review.

Key Specifications

Build Quality and Design

The Alfa Nano is a wood-fired outdoor pizza oven that is handcrafted in Italy with a solid construction. The body of the Alfa oven is made from reinforced stainless steel, which is very durable and built to last for years.

The cooking floor is made from thick firebricks and heats up really well when cooking. It makes your pizzas cook evenly on all sides, without burning one side or overcooking.

There is also a small window on the door, and I found it helpful. It helps me closely monitor the food and see how it’s being cooked.
The insulation is just exceptional. The double layer of ceramic fiber insulation holds the heat really well, and even when I opened the door, the temperature didn’t drop too quickly. 

Alfa Nano oven has a special feature called the “Patented Alfa Forninox technology”. In simple terms, this technology helps the alfa nano pizza oven heat up faster, stays hotter for longer, and uses less fuel (wood). This feature makes cooking much easier and helps save money, time, and effort.

Unboxing and Setup

The setup is rapid and easy, not much into it. When I received the Alfa Nano countertop wood-fired pizza oven, everything was neatly packed inside. The Alfa Nano wasn’t too heavy, weighing over 50 kgs. Though I could have assembled it all by myself, I still called my friend over to help.

All I had to do was screw the legs to the four corners and attach the chimney in its place. There was a protective film on the stainless steel parts of the oven, but it was easy to remove. You won’t need any special tools to assemble it. It took me 10 minutes to do so, but if you are thinking of making it alone, then it might take a while.

Overall, the setup was quick and hassle-free.

Heating Performance

I started by preparing the woods. So I used hickory because it provides long-lasting heat and produces a strong, smoky flavor, perfect for my wood-fired pizzas.

Then I used a few firelighters between the small pieces of wood and lit them with a lighter. I let the fire burn for some time until it was strong enough, then added the larger logs.

Alfa Forni claims that the Nano pizza oven can reach 1000°F (500°C) in just 20 minutes. But when I tested it, it took about 40 minutes to reach 900°F (482 °C). However, please note that the heat timing may vary depending on factors such as the type of wood, outdoor temperature, fire management, and other factors.

Then I kept adding small pieces of wood to it, and the oven held the temperature really well. And the heat retention is excellent as it didn’t take me to use a lot of wood, so you can say it is very efficient.

Once the Alfa Nano gets fully hot, it cooks pizzas very quickly, just within 60 – 90 seconds. 

Cooking Performance

I have cooked various kinds of pizzas with the Alfa Nano, as well as other dishes. Though it took me some time to get used to fire management, in the end, it worked out perfectly for me.  

Neapolitan pizza test

I started with 65% hydration, made with 00 flour, for my Neapolitan-style pizza dough. I added a little yeast and a bit of salt. Then I mixed it, let the dough rest overnight to develop the texture and flavor.

As for the toppings, I added some crushed San Marzano tomatoes, salt and a drizzle of olive oil for the sauce. For the cheese, I put some fresh mozzarella on top. I kept the toppings light because a Neapolitan pizza style is simple, so the less the better.

Later, I stretched the dough with my hand into a 12″ round shape, so that I could get it light and puffy. I didn’t use the rolling pin to shape the dough because it pushes out the air, making my crust flat. 

Before sliding the pizza into the oven, I made sure to sprinkle a little flour on the peel so it wouldn’t stick. Since the oven was already hot enough, I slid the pizza in and rotated it every few seconds to ensure even cooking.

It took me only 2 minutes to cook a pizza, but if you are cooking multiple pizzas, make sure to add the next one immediately.
In the end, my Margherita pizza came out just great. The crust was soft and light, with a few char spots, and the cheese melted perfectly, just as I expected. 

I added some fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil for extra flavor and aroma. After resting for about a minute, I finally sliced and served it to my friends. Everyone was excited and enjoyed it.

New York Style Cheese Pizza Test

After cooking a Neapolitan pizza, I decided to go with the New York-style Cheese pizza. But the oven was really hot, so I waited a while for the stone to cool down a bit.

I actually wanted the temperature to be around 600 – 650 °F, which is perfect for cooking a New York-style pizza.

As for the toppings, I added a thin layer of cooked tomato sauce, shredded low-moisture mozzarella, and a bit of dried oregano with a bit of olive oil for extra flavor. I kept it classic and avoided overloading it with heavy toppings. A proper New York-style will give you the best result if you add the right amount of cheese and sauce.

Then it was time to cook. So I slid the pizza into the stone and rotated it in time so that the cheese and the crust cook perfectly. The whole cooking process took me about 3.5 minutes. 

When the cooking was done, I got my cheese pizza with a crispy bottom and chewy crust, just like an authentic New York slice. The cheese also melted nicely, with small golden-brown spots, exactly the way I wanted.

One thing you have to make sure of is that the Alfa Nano gets really hot, so watch the temperature, because a small mistake can burn the bottom in an instant. And don’t make the toppings too heavy, like adding too much sauce and cheese, for the New York pizza. It should be light and easy to fold.

Basic Tools you will need for the Alfa Nano Outdoor Pizza Oven

• Infrared thermometer

• Pizza peel

• Turning peel (optional but helpful)

• Heat-resistant gloves

• Brush or scraper for cleaning ash

Final Thoughts

The Alfa Nano countertop is an excellent wood-fired pizza oven with a well-made design. It heats up very quickly and can cook pizzas with a wood-fired taste, whether you are cooking Neapolitan or New York style.

What I liked most about this wood fired pizza oven is that it doesn’t use too much wood to run, and once it’s fully hot, it stays steady for a long time.

However, for a beginner, the fire management might be tricky, but that is entirely normal for wood-fired ovens. After a couple of cooking sessions, you will get the hang of it.

Overall, the Alfa Nano is definitely worth it if you are looking for a premium backyard pizza oven for your home use. Though the price can be overwhelming for some people, the quality and performance are reliable.

Frequeuntly Asked Questions (FAQS)