KettlePizza Outdoor Pizza Oven Kit Review and Giveaway

The quest for the perfect homemade pizza often ends in disappointment. While many aspire to recreate the crisp crust, bubbly cheese, and smoky flavor of a classic brick-oven pie, achieving this culinary dream at home typically demands significant investment in a dedicated outdoor pizza oven. However, an ingenious solution has emerged, transforming ordinary backyard grills into high-performance pizza-making machines. This groundbreaking innovation, KettlePizza, has garnered widespread acclaim, earning enthusiastic endorsements from respected culinary authorities like Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen, who have put it to the test and unequivocally recommend it for its ability to deliver authentic, restaurant-quality results.

kettlepizza review - gourmet pizza cooked on a grill

Experience Authentic Wood-Fired Pizza at Home with KettlePizza

Unlock the secret to pizzeria-quality pizza right in your own backyard with KettlePizza, the revolutionary grill insert designed to convert most kettle-style outdoor grills into an outdoor pizza oven. Imagine savoring a pizza with that distinct crisp crust and deep smoky flavor, a taste traditionally reserved for specialized brick ovens, now achievable with unparalleled ease and convenience. Crafted with precision in the USA, KettlePizza kits are engineered from high-quality stainless steel, ensuring durability and consistent performance. This commitment to excellence is backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee, providing complete peace of mind with your purchase.

kettlepizza review - pizza being cooked on a grill insert

The Unmistakable Appeal of Wood-Fired Pizza

There’s an undeniable allure to brick oven pizza. It’s more than just a meal; it’s an experience. The characteristic deep smoky flavor infused into every bite, the perfect char that gives the crust its desired crispness, and the evenly cooked toppings that burst with flavor—these elements combine to create a culinary masterpiece. For years, recreating this ideal pie at home seemed like a distant dream, often requiring homeowners to invest thousands of dollars to install a dedicated, wood-burning pizza oven in their backyard, a luxury few could afford or justify.

From Frustration to Innovation: The KettlePizza Story

This widespread challenge resonated deeply with Al Contarino, an ingenious inventor and passionate home chef. Like many grilling enthusiasts, Al grew increasingly frustrated with his attempts to cook pizza on a standard grill. Each time he lifted the lid to check on his creation or slide the pizza in or out, the precious, stored heat would escape, causing the cooking process to stall. This constant fluctuation in temperature often resulted in pizzas with undercooked tops and overcooked, sometimes burnt, bottoms – far from the desired outcome. Recognizing this common pain point, Al dedicated himself to finding a better way.

Following extensive trial-and-error, countless prototypes, and unwavering determination, Al achieved a breakthrough in 2010. He developed an innovative pizza oven insert specifically designed to fit common kettle-style charcoal grills. This ingenious design allowed users to cook pizzas efficiently without the need to repeatedly remove the grill lid. The result was KettlePizza, a product that masterfully retains the critical high temperatures and flavorful smoke, successfully replicating the results of a traditional wood-fired oven right on your existing grill. This simple yet profound innovation transformed the landscape of home pizza making, making authentic flavors accessible to everyone.

The Science Behind the Sizzle: Why KettlePizza Delivers Superior Results

Achieving truly great pizza hinges on two fundamental principles: an intense, real wood fire and consistently high cooking temperatures. Traditional kitchen ovens typically max out at around 500-550°F, and even gas grills struggle to maintain the extreme heat necessary for proper pizza cooking. KettlePizza, however, when used in conjunction with a blend of charcoal and hardwood, elevates your grill’s temperature to well in excess of 750°F. This blistering heat is crucial for rapidly cooking the pizza, creating that sought-after crispy crust and perfectly melted cheese.

The brilliance of the KettlePizza design lies in its ability to maintain this constant, extreme temperature throughout the entire cooking cycle. Unlike traditional grilling where lifting the lid causes a significant heat drop, the KettlePizza insert allows for easy access to the pizza without compromising the internal temperature. This uninterrupted heat flow means a pizza can be fully cooked in as little as three minutes, ensuring a perfectly balanced pie every time. Gone are the days of frustratingly overcooked bottoms and disappointingly undercooked toppings – KettlePizza ensures an even, consistent bake that yields professional-grade results from your backyard.

kettlepizza review - close up of pizza cooking in grill insert

Designed for Versatility and Quality: KettlePizza Kit Options

Proudly made in the USA, the KettlePizza insert is engineered for adaptability, designed to fit both 18.5-inch and 22.5-inch kettle-style grills, such as the widely popular Weber Original Kettle. This ensures that a broad range of grill owners can upgrade their equipment without needing to purchase an entirely new grill. KettlePizza offers a variety of kits, catering to different budgets and pizza-making aspirations, each crafted with durable, high-quality materials for lasting performance.

  • The Basic Kit: Starting at an accessible price of $139.95, this kit includes the essential stainless steel insert and a sturdy aluminum pizza pan, providing everything you need to begin your wood-fired pizza journey. It’s the perfect entry point for those eager to experience the KettlePizza difference.
  • Serious Eats Special Edition Kit: For the ultimate pizza connoisseur, this premium kit, priced at $429.95, is designed for achieving professional-level results. It features a unique tombstone-shaped pizza stone for superior heat retention and crust development, a specialized firebox insert to push temperatures even higher, and a robust stainless steel stop that channels radiant heat directly above the pizza, ensuring perfectly cooked toppings and a beautifully blistered crust. This comprehensive package is ideal for those who demand the absolute best from their homemade pizzas.

kettlepizza-review-6 - various KettlePizza kits and accessories

Introducing the Best-Seller: The KettlePizza Deluxe USA Kit

While various kits offer fantastic options, the most popular choice among home pizza enthusiasts is undoubtedly the KettlePizza Deluxe USA Kit. This comprehensive package strikes the perfect balance between functionality, quality, and value, making it an ideal investment for anyone serious about elevating their homemade pizza game. For just $199.95, this kit provides a complete setup for crafting authentic wood-fired pizzas.

The KettlePizza Deluxe USA Kit includes:

  • The Robust Stainless Steel Insert: The core component that transforms your grill.
  • An Aluminum Pizza Pan: Perfect for prepping and serving your delicious creations.
  • A High-Heat Cordierite Pizza Stone: Essential for achieving that coveted crispy crust and even cooking, absorbing and radiating intense heat directly to the dough.
  • An Aluminum Pizza Peel: A professional-grade tool that makes sliding pizzas into and out of the hot oven a breeze, preventing accidental burns and ensuring smooth transfers.

This thoughtfully assembled package is available at leading retailers such as Walmart, Crate & Barrel, Amazon.com, and directly from KettlePizza.com. The Deluxe USA Kit represents the perfect synthesis of innovation and practicality, empowering you to recreate your favorite wood-fired pizza experiences right from the comfort of your home backyard. It’s an investment in countless memorable meals and the joy of authentic pizza making.

Beyond Pizza: The Joy of Outdoor Cooking Elevated

While KettlePizza excels at crafting perfect pizzas, the experience it offers extends beyond just one dish. It embodies the joy of outdoor cooking, the satisfaction of making something delicious from scratch, and the pleasure of sharing it with family and friends. The deep smoky flavor imparted by the charcoal and hardwood not only enhances pizza but can also elevate other grilled dishes if you choose to experiment. The consistent high heat means quicker cooking times and more flavorful results, making your backyard gatherings even more special.

Imagine the aroma of freshly baked pizza wafting through your yard, the excitement of pulling out a perfectly blistered pie, and the compliments from delighted guests. KettlePizza makes these moments possible, transforming a simple grill into a versatile culinary tool that promises endless possibilities and unforgettable flavors. It’s more than just an accessory; it’s an invitation to explore the rich tradition of wood-fired cooking in an accessible and enjoyable way.

To celebrate the grilling season and the spirit of innovation, we are thrilled to offer Steamy Kitchen readers an exclusive opportunity to win their very own KettlePizza Deluxe USA kit! Simply enter using the form below and you could be well on your way to mastering the art of homemade wood-fired pizza.

Thanks for supporting Steamy Kitchen!

KettlePizza Deluxe USA Giveaway

KettlePizza has generously provided the product for this exciting giveaway, giving one lucky reader the chance to experience the ultimate in backyard pizza making.