The Fontana Napoli Pizza Oven Guide
The Fontana Napoli is a premium Italian hybrid pizza oven that combines the authentic flavour of wood-fired cooking with the convenience of gas. Designed and manufactured in Italy, it gives homeowners the flexibility to cook with either fuel source while delivering outstanding heat retention, rapid heat-up times, and exceptional versatility.
Whether you're making authentic Neapolitan pizza, baking artisan bread, roasting meats, or preparing complete outdoor meals, the Napoli offers the freedom to choose the cooking experience that best suits the occasion. Use wood for traditional live-fire flavour or gas for fast, precise, and convenient cooking.
Like every Fontana oven, the Napoli is built with premium materials and excellent insulation to maintain stable cooking temperatures and deliver consistent performance. Its hybrid design makes it an outstanding choice for homeowners who want authentic Italian craftsmanship without limiting themselves to a single fuel source.
This guide explains how the Fontana Napoli performs, who it's best suited for, practical cooking tips, and how to get the very best performance from your oven.
At a Glance
Authentic Cooking
Hybrid Flexibility
Who It's For
Learn how to get the best performance from the Fontana Napoli, including proper preheating, temperature management, and techniques for producing exceptional pizza and outdoor meals using either wood or gas.
Discover the advantages of the Napoli's hybrid design, combining authentic wood-fired flavour with the convenience, precision, and rapid heat-up times of gas-fired cooking.
Find out who the Fontana Napoli is designed for, what it does exceptionally well, and why it's an excellent choice for homeowners who want the freedom to cook with either wood or gas.
The recommendations in this guide combine the published specifications of the Fontana Napoli with practical guidance to help homeowners get the very best performance from their outdoor pizza oven.
Specifications
Fuel Type
Wood or propane
Natural gas with conversion kit
Maximum Temperature
Up to 900°F (482°C)
Pizza Capacity
Up to two 12-inch pizzas
Best for
Families, entertaining, and flexible outdoor cooking
Made In
Italy
Cooking Surface
20 × 24 in. (480 sq. in.)
Heat-Up Time
750°F within 30 minutes or less
Fuel Options
Wood or propane; natural gas with kit
Temperature Control
Wood-fired or precision gas cooking
Installation
Countertop or cart configuration
Why Heat Management Matters
The Fontana Napoli is designed to deliver authentic Italian pizza with the flexibility of both wood-fired and gas-fired cooking. Whether you prefer managing a live wood fire for traditional flavour or the convenience of gas for fast, precise cooking, the Napoli lets you choose the fuel that best suits the occasion.
Using wood creates the authentic flame, aroma, and cooking experience that many outdoor cooks enjoy. Switching to gas provides rapid heat-up times, responsive temperature control, and consistent cooking performance with minimal effort.
The key to exceptional results is understanding when each fuel offers the greatest advantage. The Napoli's hybrid design gives homeowners the freedom to enjoy traditional wood-fired cooking without giving up the convenience of modern gas performance.
Authentic Wood-Fired Flavour
When cooking with hardwood, we recommend premium kiln-dried Sugar Maple, White Ash, or Black Cherry. Properly seasoned hardwood burns hotter, produces less smoke, and creates the clean flame needed for authentic Neapolitan pizza while adding subtle natural wood-fired flavour.
Precision Gas Performance
When convenience is the priority, the Napoli's gas burner delivers fast heat-up times, precise temperature control, and consistent cooking performance. It's ideal for weeknight meals, entertaining guests, or preparing multiple pizzas with minimal waiting.
The Best of Both Worlds
The Napoli's greatest advantage is its flexibility. Homeowners can enjoy the tradition and flavour of wood-fired cooking whenever they choose while having the convenience of gas available whenever speed, consistency, or simplicity are the priority.
Regardless of which fuel you use, allowing the oven to fully preheat and maintaining proper cooking temperatures will produce crisp crusts, even cooking, and outstanding results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fuel
What fuel does the Fontana Napoli use?
The Napoli supports wood or gas cooking. It is supplied for propane; natural gas requires the correct Fontana conversion kit. Follow the manual for your exact model and fuel setup.
How long does it take to preheat?
Fontana states that the Napoli reaches 750°F (399°C) within 30 minutes or less. Check the cooking floor before baking and allow for weather, fuel and your target temperature.
Does the Napoli reach authentic pizza temperatures?
Yes. The Napoli reaches up to 900°F (482°C), supporting pizza, roasting, and baking. Follow the manufacturer’s temperature limits and preheat the cooking floor for your recipe.
Should I cook with wood or gas?
Both fuel options offer excellent performance. Wood provides authentic flame and traditional wood-fired flavour, while Natural Gas or Propane offers rapid heat-up times, precise temperature control, and everyday convenience.
Is the Napoli easy to use?
The Napoli offers either wood or gas cooking, with the setup changed as directed in its manual. For wood cooking, Fontana specifies a burner cover and wood holder. Before returning to gas, remove the wood holder, ashes and burner cover as instructed.
Cooking & Maintenance
What can I cook in the Fontana Napoli?
Far more than pizza. The Fontana Napoli is ideal for baking artisan bread, roasting vegetables, cooking steaks, seafood, cast-iron dishes, and desserts, in addition to authentic Italian-style pizza.
How do I maintain consistent cooking temperatures?
Whether using wood or gas, allow the oven to fully preheat before cooking. When using wood, maintain a healthy bed of embers and add small pieces of hardwood as needed. When cooking with gas, make small burner adjustments to maintain stable temperatures throughout your cooking session.
How often should I clean the oven?
After each cooking session, allow the oven to cool completely before removing ash or brushing away any food residue from the cooking floor. Periodically inspect the burner and interior components to ensure proper airflow and reliable performance.
Ready to Get the Most from Your Fontana Napoli?
Whether you're cooking with authentic hardwood, the convenience of gas, or switching between both, the Fontana Napoli is designed to deliver exceptional outdoor cooking performance. Proper preheating, temperature management, and choosing the right fuel for each cook will help you produce authentic Neapolitan pizza, artisan bread, roasted meats, and outstanding outdoor meals with confidence.
Compare Other Fontana Pizza Ovens
Margherita
A traditional Italian wood-fired pizza oven that's perfect for couples, small families, and anyone seeking authentic wood-fired flavour in a compact design.
Mangiafuoco
A larger wood-fired pizza oven offering increased cooking capacity, making it an excellent choice for families and those who frequently entertain.
Marinara
Fontana's largest traditional residential wood-fired oven, designed for generous cooking capacity and exceptional versatility when cooking for larger groups.
Maestro 40
A compact gas-fired pizza oven that's ideal for homeowners who want premium performance in a smaller footprint.