Chefman Home Slice Indoor Electric Pizza Oven Review: A Compact Kitchen Companion?

Are you a pizza enthusiast with limited kitchen space? Then the Chefman Home Slice Indoor Electric Pizza Oven might be the perfect solution. This compact countertop oven promises restaurant-quality pizza from the convenience of your home. Boasting a powerful 1700W heating element and dual independent temperature controls, it reaches impressive temperatures of 800°F, ensuring perfectly crisp crusts and evenly cooked toppings. With preset options for various pizza styles, from classic New York-style to thin-crust Neapolitan, the Chefman Home Slice simplifies the pizza-making process, offering consistent results every time.

This review delves into the capabilities and performance of the Chefman Home Slice, evaluating its ease of use, temperature accuracy, and overall pizza-baking prowess. We'll explore the effectiveness of its preset settings and explore whether it truly delivers on its promise of delivering delicious, restaurant-quality pizzas without the need for a bulky, space-consuming oven. We'll also assess its ease of cleaning and overall value for the home pizza chef. Prepare to discover if this compact oven lives up to the hype!

Pros And Cons

Chefman Home Slice Indoor Electric Pizza Oven
  • Compact size for countertop
  • Lightweight and easy to store
  • Excellent results with New York style pizza preset (good undercarriage, browning)
  • 5-minute bake time is fast compared to home ovens
  • Independent top and bottom temperature controls
  • Double-pane window makes it easy to monitor cooking
  • Neapolitan preset didn't produce ideal results (top not browned enough)
  • Long cool-down time after self-cleaning
  • Self-cleaning didn't remove all debris
  • Produces steam during baking
  • Door doesn't create a tight seal

Read more: PIEZANO Crispy Crust Pizza Oven: A Comprehensive Review

Unboxing and First Impressions

The Chefman Home Slice arrived well-packaged and ready to use. Its compact size is a definite plus for smaller kitchens. Setup was incredibly straightforward; everything needed was included, eliminating the need for extra accessories. The oven itself looks sleek and modern, a nice addition to any countertop (though space constraints in my kitchen meant I had to store it elsewhere).

Chefman Home Slice mini oven cooking
Chefman Home Slice mini oven cooking
Chefman Home Slice pizza oven
Chefman Home Slice pizza oven

The controls appear intuitive, offering both manual settings and several preset options. The digital display is clear and easy to read, making temperature adjustments a simple process. The double-paned glass window provides a clear view of the cooking process, allowing for easy monitoring without opening the oven.

Chefman Home Slice pizza oven cooking
Chefman Home Slice pizza oven cooking

New York Style Pizza Performance

Using the New York style preset, I baked several pizzas using my homemade dough. The results were impressive. The pizzas cooked evenly, with a perfectly browned crust and a nicely blistered bottom – the hallmark of a good New York-style pie. The 5-minute bake time was significantly faster than my conventional oven.

Delicious New York-style pizza
Delicious New York-style pizza
Infrared thermometer checks pizza oven temp
Infrared thermometer checks pizza oven temp

The temperature accuracy was slightly off (closer to 500°F than the indicated 550°F), but this didn’t negatively impact the final product. Cleaning was relatively easy, although some residual charring did remain after baking several pizzas.

Delicious New York-style pizza
Delicious New York-style pizza

Neapolitan Pizza and Other Observations

The Neapolitan setting proved less successful. While the bottom cooked well, the top remained undercooked, requiring additional baking time and adjustments. I lowered the top temperature to 200°F lower than the bottom temperature, and it produced a better result, but not true Neapolitan style.

Pizza baking in countertop oven
Pizza baking in countertop oven
Pizza baking in countertop oven
Pizza baking in countertop oven

The oven produced a significant amount of steam during baking. Although the gasket on the door appeared to be well-designed, it didn’t create a completely airtight seal. This might be an intentional design element to facilitate ventilation and prevent excessive heat buildup.

Countertop oven bakes uneven Neapolitan pizza.
Countertop oven bakes uneven Neapolitan pizza.

Dessert Pizza and Self-Cleaning

I experimented with dessert pizzas, and they turned out beautifully. Par-baking the crust was key to prevent the sweet toppings from burning. The oven’s high temperature and clear view made it easy to monitor the cooking process.

Making dessert pizza with Nutella
Making dessert pizza with Nutella
Dessert pizza baking in countertop oven
Dessert pizza baking in countertop oven

The self-cleaning function required a 30-minute bake at the maximum temperature. The cool-down process was lengthy, and the manual warns against unplugging it during this time. While the oven didn’t become completely spotless, it did remove most of the debris, requiring only a quick cleaning using a cleaning brush.

Self-cleaning oven after dessert pizza bake
Self-cleaning oven after dessert pizza bake

Conclusion

The Chefman Home Slice Indoor Electric Pizza Oven excels in producing delicious New York-style pizzas. Its compact size, ease of use, and relatively quick cooking times are major advantages. While Neapolitan pizzas require more experimentation to achieve perfection, it’s still a versatile option for various pizza styles.

Pepperoni pizza on Chefman pizza oven peel
Pepperoni pizza on Chefman pizza oven peel

The oven’s steam production and the self-cleaning function are noteworthy aspects. Overall, despite some minor drawbacks (temperature inconsistencies and the Neapolitan setting requiring tweaks), the Chefman Home Slice offers a convenient and effective way to enjoy homemade pizza, making it a worthwhile addition to any kitchen with space considerations.

Chefman pizza oven, compact and easy to use
Chefman pizza oven, compact and easy to use