There are diferent kinds of pizza ovens out there, but a unique pizza oven stood out was the BioLite Basecamp Pizza Dome.
In this review we are going discuss how you can make the best pizzas with the Biolite Basecamp Pizza Oven.
One important thing that you should know when cooking pizzas is that it needs a lot of heat. You cannot say that the pizza you cooked in the conventional oven is authentic.
Certain parts, processes, and things need to be included in the pizza to call it authentic. You cannot achieve the authentic taste with a conventional, electric, and gas ovens
That is because it needs the smoky taste and wood-fired oven used in the early years of pizza gave that flavour to a pizza. That makes it authentic, and the crust should always be crispy regardless of the thickness.
That is also why you need to buy an outdoor pizza oven to get that authentic pizza flavour.
How is BioLite Basecamp Pizza Dome Any Different?
BioLite gives us the option of investing in a rather cheap pizza oven that can do everything you need.
The Basecamp Pizza Dome is one of the simpler pizza ovens that is also very portable. However, do not get fooled by the size as it is also one of the most powerful pizza ovens.
It also has one of the most unique features that I have ever seen in a pizza oven. We will talk about all those features later on and see how they can help you cook authentic pizzas.
So if you are interested in a portable pizza oven that you can bring in tailgating trips or campings, then you should read on as we take a look at the Basecamp Pizza Dome from BioLite.
Build Quality of BioLite Basecamp Pizza Dome
When it comes to outdoor appliances, it is important to know the quality of both the materials used and the process that it went through to know if it really can withstand the outdoors.
Made from high-quality cast-iron, the Pizza Dome is efficient in retaining heat. It allows you to put as much fuel in the firebox and not require you to refuel too often.
The stainless steel shell of this pizza dome is also beneficial in resisting any harsh weather situation. That means that it is meant for outdoor use and can withstand rain, sun, and wind.
The Pizza Dome has handles made of an insulated material so it is easy to carry it around. That means that even when the chamber and the firebox are piping hot, you can handle it safely.
How Easy Is It To Set Up?
With an included manual, this pizza dome is easy to set up as you have everything you need. There are not also many processes that you need to do in setting it up.
Within 10 minutes, I was able to set it up with no help from others. The guide was easy to follow despite its small fonts.
What was lacking in the instruction was a step-by-step guide, but then I was a bit familiar with it, so it did not take long. There were no instructions about the pizza stone, so some might get confused.
Firing It Up
You will need to gather small sticks or wood for setting the fire off. The firebox is a bit large, but its entrance is narrow, so big chunks or blocks of wood will not fit in it.
You also need to make space for the air to get in from the entrance. I find it best to put a slightly large wood in the middle and then filling the space with smaller sticks to start the fire.
The large wood usually takes care of the rest and fires up the dome immediately. It will give you more space for the next batch of wood fuel when the fire starts to die down with the wood.
The firebox is found under the dome so you leave some space on the firebox entrance so the air can come in and the fire will climb faster into the dome.
Once you start the fire, it will take only 10 minutes for the chamber to reach the maximum temperature. From there, you can start cooking your pizzas and keep the fire going too.
Ventilation
We have talked about the importance of ventilation underneath the firebox. That is so that the fire can get up to the dome and start heating the interior to cook the pizza quickly.
However, there is also another aspect of ventilation that you need to consider. That is the ventilation inside the dome itself to maintain the heat while cooking the pizza in it.
The lid of the dome has multiple holes in them that allow air to pass through. These holes help you adjust the dome’s temperature.
It can also help speed up the preheating time as it releases the air.
Along with that, the lid also has its built-in thermometer, so while ventilating the interior of the dome, it also accurately measures the temperature inside it to see if it is hot enough to cook.
Special Feature
Aside from cooking the best pizzas, this pizza dome also allows you to charge your phone. Yes, without any electrical source needed, the pizza dome can produce power for other devices.
It makes this oven perfect for camping.
The heat produced in the firebox converts into electricity which is then used to power a fan on the side. This helps to keep the fire going without any effort from the user.
The excess energy from the fan gets stored in a battery pack. This battery pack has a USB port that you can use to charge your devices, which is very handy when outdoors.
Performance
This pizza dome is a truly amazing appliance that you should consider getting it as it performed great in cooking my pizzas. The results are better than most restaurants’ pizzas.
However, there is no such thing as a perfect pizza dome or pizza oven. I had struggles with the pizza dome chamber itself as it goes inwards with no accessible opening to put the pizza in.
That means that I needed to transfer the pizza on the top. If you do not have a pizza peel, this could be a little tricky.
So get a good pizza peel that would help you handle pizzas without getting anywhere close to the HOT oven.
I improvised by using a grill spatula and some paper towels to hold the pizza, this is doable but still hard since the baking stone and the dome’s interior is already piping hot.
Conslusion, you NEED a PIZZA peel.
Aside from that, I did not have any struggles with this pizza dome. It cooked the pizza in just 5 minutes because of its maximum temperature reaching up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
You are limited to cooking only one pizza in this pizza dome since it is quite small. However, it does so well, and the results are a beautifully-charred crispy crust and evenly cooked toppings.
Conclusion
Pizza is a great food that you can eat at home or when you are on the road. You can even bring your own tools in campings or just outdoor trips so you can cook a fresh one to eat.
That is what the BioLite Basecamp Pizza Dome brings to you as it is a very portable pizza dome. It weighs only 22 pounds so you can easily carry it around if you want to.
With a maximum temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, you can cook pizzas in just 5 minutes. You can even charge your phone with this pizza dome when you’re outside.
==> Check out the Biolite Basecamp Pizza Dome HERE!
So you no longer need to bring other stuff on your trips as this pizza dome has it all. If you want something to help you with your outdoor cooking adventures, then this is the perfect one for you!
Something similar to these ovens are the Ooni Pizza ovens that are countertop pizza ovens and yet so portable and lightweight and affordable.
Also, did I mention the Ooni Pizza Ovens cook pizza in under 60 seconds! Do check them out as well!
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