Neapolitan pizza requires cooking at a very high temperature, with speed and consistency. In this field, IZZO Forni draws on 75 years of experience in the manufacture of professional pizza ovens in Naples. The company combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technologies to provide equipment suited to the requirements of professional pizza makers.
Specialising in electric ovens for Neapolitan pizza, IZZO develops both deck ovens and dome ovens. The brand has become particularly well known for its work on electric Neapolitan pizza cooking and for the development of a dome oven recognised by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.
The history of IZZO Forni
The history of IZZO Forni began in 1951 with its founder, Salvatore Izzo. Based in Naples, the company has been developing ovens for professional pizza makers since its earliest years.
From 1982, Roberto Izzo continued the development of the company. Today, his sons also work alongside him, representing the third generation of the family involved in the business.
This family continuity allows IZZO to maintain a strong connection with its historic know-how while adapting its equipment to the changing working methods of modern pizzerias.
The brand remains closely connected to Naples and to the culture of Neapolitan pizza, while also distributing its ovens across numerous international markets.
Two main families of IZZO ovens
IZZO mainly organises its production around two major families: deck ovens and dome ovens.
Deck ovens represent the company’s historic production, dating back to 1951. They are designed to meet demanding professional production requirements and can be configured for different cooking methods, either directly on the oven floor or on baking trays.
Dome ovens are more specifically designed for Neapolitan pizza, with a construction intended to reproduce the conditions required for very fast cooking at high temperatures.
This combination allows IZZO to meet the needs of different types of pizzerias, production volumes and cooking methods.
The IZZO electric dome oven
In 2013, IZZO developed an electric dome oven specifically designed for Neapolitan pizza. The brand presents it as the first electric dome oven of this type developed for this particular use.
The oven incorporates several features associated with traditional Neapolitan pizza cooking while operating entirely on electricity. It includes an oven floor made from biscotto di Sorrento clay bricks, together with a dome made from refractory materials.
The objective is to provide strong thermal accumulation and an appropriate distribution of heat, allowing Neapolitan pizza to be cooked rapidly.
The model marketed under the name Izzo Napoletano, also known in connection with its approval as ScugnizzoNapoletano, was subsequently tested by professionals and instructors specialising in Neapolitan pizza.
Recognition by the AVPN
In 2020, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana officially approved the electric oven developed by IZZO for Neapolitan pizza.
This decision represented an important step in the development of electric Neapolitan pizza cooking. Until then, Neapolitan pizza had been very closely associated with wood-fired ovens, but this cooking method could now also be achieved using an electric oven recognised by the association under its regulations.
The AVPN assessed the oven’s performance through tests carried out by instructors and pizza makers using the equipment.
This approval applies to the specific IZZO electric Neapolitan oven covered by this approval and does not mean that every oven produced by the brand automatically carries AVPN certification.
Materials suited to Neapolitan pizza cooking
The construction of IZZO ovens places particular importance on the materials used inside the cooking chamber.
On the Neapolitan dome oven, the cooking floor is made from clay bricks approximately 4 cm thick, of the biscotto di Sorrento type. The upper section of the cooking chamber also uses refractory bricks.
These materials play an important role in the accumulation and release of heat. They allow the oven to operate at high temperatures while controlling the transfer of heat between the oven floor and the dough.
The oven also uses nickel-chromium electric heating elements and an electronic control system designed to provide precise management of its operation.
Ovens designed for professional use
IZZO develops its equipment primarily for pizzerias and food-service professionals.
The design of its ovens therefore takes into account several requirements associated with day-to-day professional use, including heat-up time, thermal stability, production capacity, cooking consistency and intensive operation.
The brand’s deck ovens are available in different sizes and configurations. Some models can also be stacked, increasing cooking capacity without significantly increasing the floor space required.
This modularity makes it possible to adapt the installation to the production volume and the space available in the kitchen.
DUO: two independent cooking chambers
IZZO has also developed the DUO, a professional electric oven equipped with two independent cooking chambers.
Each chamber can operate separately and can be adjusted according to its own temperature requirements. This design makes it possible, for example, to cook two different products at the same time or to use only one chamber during quieter periods.
When production volumes increase, both chambers can operate simultaneously.
This architecture provides greater flexibility in service organisation and allows energy consumption to be adapted to the level of activity in the establishment.
Traditional craftsmanship and technology
One of IZZO’s distinctive characteristics is its desire to retain a strong artisanal dimension in the manufacture of its ovens.
The brand highlights individually manufactured equipment, with particular attention paid to materials, finishes and the construction of the cooking chambers.
This traditional approach is combined with modern electronic control systems that allow precise management of temperature and oven operation.
IZZO therefore seeks to combine the thermal characteristics required for Neapolitan pizza with the practical advantages of professional electric equipment.
Why choose an IZZO oven?
Choosing an IZZO oven can be particularly interesting for professionals who want to produce Neapolitan pizza using an electric oven.
IZZO benefits from 75 years of experience in the manufacture of professional pizza ovens in Naples.
The brand specialises in Neapolitan pizza, with equipment specifically developed for high-temperature cooking.
Its manufacturing process retains a strong artisanal dimension, with particular attention given to refractory materials and the design of the cooking chamber.
IZZO offers professional electric solutions that allow pizza makers to work without wood or gas combustion.
Its ovens incorporate electronic control systems designed to make temperature and cooking management easier.
The range includes several configurations, with deck ovens, dome ovens and solutions featuring multiple independent cooking chambers.
The electric Neapolitan oven approved by the AVPN also represents an important recognition of the brand’s expertise in electric Neapolitan pizza cooking.
Conclusion
Since 1951, IZZO Forni has been developing ovens in Naples for professional pizza makers. Over the years, the family business has continued to evolve its equipment while maintaining a strong specialisation in Neapolitan pizza cooking.
The development of its electric dome oven in 2013, followed by its AVPN approval in 2020, notably helped demonstrate that electric cooking could meet the requirements of Neapolitan pizza when supported by appropriate thermal design and suitable materials.
With its historic deck ovens, dome ovens dedicated to Neapolitan pizza and more recent models such as the DUO with two independent cooking chambers, IZZO now offers a range of solutions for professionals looking for performance, precise cooking control and Neapolitan know-how.
