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I’m one of those people who took up baking sourdough bread during Covid-19. I also built a greenhouse, repurposed old wood patio furniture into planters, and found the perfect pizza dough recipe. In the ensuing years, I’ve had to regrow my sourdough starter several times, and I gave the greenhouse away, but not once have I used a different dough recipe.
Yet, no matter how good any recipe is, the end product can only be so great if you don’t have the right equipment. Even with a baking stone and our indoor oven cranked, I couldn’t get the crust as bubbly, crisp, and chewy as I wanted. Enter the Halo Versa 16 pizza oven—an appliance I didn’t know I needed but now don’t want to make pizza without.
We tested the Halo pizza oven for the first time on a beautiful spring evening and were instant fans. It’s fun to use, easy to clean, and makes absolutely delicious pizzeria-quality pizza. Though testing this product took place after we published our best outdoor pizza ovens guide, I’d put it up as the best propane pick in a heartbeat.
Halo Versa 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven: At a Glance
Rating: 5/5
SPECS
- Fuel source: Propane
- Type: Portable
- Maximum temperature: 950 degrees Fahrenheit
PROS
- Heats to a max temp of 950 degrees Fahrenheit in 12 minutes or less, with stone temps reaching 650 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit
- Pizzas go from raw to perfectly cooked in about 5 minutes
- Hinged lid makes cleanup easier and adds convenience during pizza retrieval
- Open flame plus infrared burner system and rotating cordierite cooking stone ensure an even bake
CONS
- Portable unit reaches an incredibly high temperature, thus requiring placement on a noncombustible surface for safety
- Propane or natural gas (conversion kit is sold separately) only; not compatible with wood, pellets, or charcoal
Get the Halo pizza oven at:
What is the Halo pizza oven?
The Halo pizza oven is an outdoor propane pizza oven. It’s easy to set up, incredibly user-friendly, and makes outstanding pizza. Though fairly priced, I’d consider it a higher-end model due to its ability to reach an impressive 950 degrees Fahrenheit, its 16-inch capacity, and its quality design.
The Halo is constructed of high-temperature powder-coated cold-rolled steel and 430 stainless steel. It comes with a quick-connect propane adapter, and Halo also sells a natural gas conversion kit separately. Its included cordierite stone automatically rotates during cooking, and its dual-burner system produces an excellent product.
While pizza ovens are traditionally used for pizza, the Halo’s low, medium, and high settings and built-in thermometer are also great for searing steaks, grilling chicken, roasting vegetables, and baking pastries. Given its quality and versatility, the Halo is a fantastic appliance to add to any outdoor kitchen.
Halo Pizza Oven Setup
This pizza oven requires minimal setup. We had it together and ready to fire in under 30 minutes. You will need some tools and batteries: a Phillips-head screwdriver, two D batteries (for the motor), and two AA batteries (for the turntable). If you prefer electricity to power the motor, the unit comes with an AC adapter.
Basic assembly steps for the Halo are as follows:
- Unbox, remove turntable, and turn over
- Attach legs, insert motor and turntable batteries, and connect motor
- Flip upright and attach oven knob
- Insert cooking shield, turntable, and cooking stone
- Use quick-connect hose to attach either a 1-pound propane canister or a 20-pound tank
One other integral aspect of setup is ensuring you set it on a noncombustible surface during use. We recently had a propane hose crack and burst on another piece of outdoor cooking equipment, and it caught on fire within seconds. With this oven capable of reaching such high temperatures, it’s important to use it only on an appropriate surface like Halo’s portable collapsible table. Safety first!
Using the Halo Pizza Oven
We made two perfect pizzas the very first time we used the Versa 16. You might not be as successful if you aren’t used to using a pizza peel, as that’s by far the hardest part. Halo makes a great stainless steel peel as part of their cook and serve set, which also includes two bamboo cutting boards (that double as peels), a slice server that’s also a peel handle, pizza-specific tongs, and a mezzaluna pizza cutter.
The oven’s hinged lid is a simple but effective feature for both cleaning and pizza retrieval. Silicone tabs keep the lid closed but unlatch in seconds if needed. While removing one of our pies, we pushed it back too far in the oven to reach. By opening the lid, it was easy to grab it and get it out. If you resort to this technique in a similar situation, be sure to turn the oven off first.
This pizza oven has an easy-to-read built-in thermometer, a dual-burner system with three settings, and an automatic rotating turntable. The front opening is about 3 inches high and not covered in any way. This is awesome for watching the pizza cook, but watch out for curious little ones who may want to reach in to touch the pizza.
Post-pizza cleanup is easy: Simply open the lid and remove the stone and turntable before wiping things down. The stone also requires a bit of maintenance, but cleaning a pizza stone is quick and much less involved than most baking implements.
The Best Homemade Pizza I’ve Ever Had
As mentioned, we’ve been making our own dough for some time. We also make our own sauce. But still, the homemade pizza we’d been making until now has always been good but not great. The Halo oven’s dual-burner system is the ingredient we’ve been missing.
This pizza oven has a combined 21,100 British thermal units (9,600 for the back burner and 11,500 for the infrared one) for a balanced cooking consistency. By pairing open-flame cooking with infrared heat, it can cook a 16-inch pizza in just 5 minutes. The included pizza stone retains heat during operation while pulling excess moisture from the dough, delivering crisp toppings and a chewy yet crisp crust.
Is the Halo pizza oven worth the money?
If I had to do it all over again and choose between the Versa 16 pizza oven and a smaller or slightly less impressive model, I would definitely choose the Versa 16. Most retailers offer it for around $450, which is reasonable for the quality and design of the machine.
Many lower-priced ovens fit pizzas with either 10-inch or 12-inch diameters, while the Halo accommodates 16-inch pies. It’s made of durable high-temperature powder-coated cold-rolled steel and 430 stainless steel, as opposed to stainless steel alone. Its hinged lid opens, making it easier to clean and use. It also features a built-in thermometer and an automatically rotating turntable. Cheap pizza ovens typically don’t open for cleaning and require you to manually rotate the pie while it cooks.
Should you buy the Halo pizza oven?
If you enjoy making homemade pizza, I can wholeheartedly say, “Yes! You should buy the Halo pizza oven!” It delivers an excellent product and has all the bells and whistles a pizza oven should have.
Plus, watching pizzas cook is fun! For us, it quickly became an outdoor experience our whole family enjoyed before leading to a shared meal full of happy eaters. It’s an appliance we will, without a doubt, use very consistently. Though portable, we’ve already ordered a pizza oven cover to keep it outside and at the ready.
Where to Buy the Halo Pizza Oven
Get the Halo pizza oven at:
Meet the Tester
Michelle Larson is an associate editor at BobVila.com, where she spends her days providing structure for product reviews and asking questions about commas. She’s been a writer and editor for more than 10 years in the fields of health, business, and the home. Because she’d rather spend a little more up front than buy a tool or appliance twice, she strongly believes in the power of research and reviews for finding quality items that are meant to last.
