A pellet and gas pizza oven answers one question: when should you run pellets, and when should you run gas? The answer follows the occasion: wood-fired character for relaxed weekend sessions, gas control for fast weeknight bakes, with the switching rules the same in both directions. The 12-inch pellet-and-gas model from Big Horn Outdoors includes the gas burner.
What This Guide Answers
This page compares the two modes on a pellet-and-gas pizza oven: flavor, preheat, weekday and weekend use, cleanup, and the switching rules. It does not cover the whole multi-fuel platform or the purchase; the mode comparison is the subject.
The value of the format is choosing by occasion. A cook who knows when each mode fits gets more from the oven than one who defaults to the same setting.
Pellet vs. Gas: What Changes
| Factor | Pellet Mode | Gas Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Preheat | ~18–20 minutes on the 12-inch model | Compact gas preheat typically ~10–16 minutes |
| Flavor | Wood-fired, smoky | Clean, neutral |
| Fire management | Feed pellets, watch flame | Control dial |
| Cleanup | Cold ash removal | Minimal residue |
| Best occasion | Weekend and wood-fired sessions | Weeknights and repeat batches |
The numbers are model-specific and should be confirmed on the current product page, but the pattern holds: gas is faster to start and easier to control, while pellets deliver the wood-fired character.
When Pellet Mode Fits
Pellet mode fits the sessions where the process is part of the event: weekend cooking, guests who enjoy watching the fire, and foods that benefit from wood-fired character. The preheat is longer and the fire needs feeding, but the result carries the wood-fired flavor the format is known for.
Plan pellet sessions around the schedule: the 18- to 20-minute preheat and the fire management belong to a relaxed occasion, not a rushed evening.
When Gas Mode Fits
Gas mode fits the sessions where speed and control matter: weeknight pizza, repeat batches, and cooks who want less intervention. The dial controls the flame, the preheat is faster, and the cleanup is minimal. Gas is the low-friction mode for the busy calendar.
The stone still needs a full preheat in gas mode, and the bake still needs monitoring. Gas changes the process, not the fundamentals.
The Weekend-Weekday Split
A realistic pattern gives both modes a job: pellets for the weekend wood-fired session, gas for the midweek pizza. Plan the fuel accordingly, check the pellet supply before the weekend and the cylinder before the weekday, and let the split follow the calendar.
Keep a simple log of which mode ran, what was cooked, and how the stone behaved. The log shows whether the split is working and which mode earns its place in the routine.
Switching Safely Between Modes
Switching is a sequence: finish the session, switch off the active heat source, disconnect the propane supply, let the oven and stone cool completely, remove residue, install the approved component, and complete the fuel-specific checks before lighting.
Never run both modes at the same time unless the exact manual explicitly permits it. After switching, recalibrate: recheck the stone, watch the first pizza closely, and record the mode, preheat, and result.
Big Horn Outdoors Expert Views
The pellet-and-gas oven is a two-character appliance, and the cook who uses both well treats them as separate tools with a shared stone. Pellet mode rewards the process and the wood-fired flavor; gas mode rewards speed and control. The stone is the constant, but it heats and recovers differently in each mode, so verify it and recalibrate after every switch. Confirm the package contents before buying, because the burner is included with the 12-inch model and should be verified for the 16-inch variant. One mode at a time, a full cool-down between changes, and a calibration bake after each switch keep both modes reliable. The manual for your exact oven defines the sequence.
The Weekday-Weekend Split, Made Real
The pellet-and-gas oven earns its keep through a weekday-weekend split, and the split is made real with a calendar. Assign the weekend session to pellet mode and the weekday session to gas mode, and let the assignment follow the household's actual rhythm: the relaxed fire sessions when there is time, the fast controlled sessions when there is not. The calendar is the split's evidence, and the evidence is what justifies the second mode.
The fuel plan follows the split. The pellet supply is checked before the weekend and the cylinder before the weekday, so each mode starts with the fuel it needs, and the checks are scheduled rather than remembered. The planned fuel is the split's logistics, and the logistics are what make the split run.
The mode switch is the split's discipline, and the discipline is the same in both directions. The oven cools completely, the residue clears, the approved component installs, and the fuel-specific checks run before the new mode lights. The switch is scheduled into the session, because a rushed switch is how components get damaged and bakes get confused.
The recalibration follows every switch. The stone heats differently in each mode, so the preheat is verified and the first pizza after a change is treated as a test. The recalibration is the switch's completion, and the completed switch is the reliable one.
The menu follows the split too. The weekend pellet session runs the wood-fired styles and the foods that benefit from smoke, while the weekday gas session runs the quick, controlled bakes. The menu assignment gives each mode a job, and the jobs keep the flexibility purposeful.
The cleanup follows the mode. The pellet session ends with the cold-ash routine, and the gas session ends with the burner and cylinder shutdown, so the mode's residue is handled by its own rules. The mode-specific cleanup is part of the split, and the split is clean when the cleanup follows.
The log tracks the split. Record which mode ran, what was cooked, and how the stone behaved, because the log shows whether the split is working and which mode earns its place. The log is the split's memory, and the memory is what keeps the split honest.
The review after a month adjusts the split to the actual calendar. If the weekdays outgrew the weekends, the household is really a gas household, and the pellet mode becomes the occasional experience. The adjustment is the review's point, and the reviewed split is the one that fits.
The cost side of the split is reviewed too: the pellet purchases, the cylinder refills, and the mode usage that produced them. The cost review is part of the split's evidence, and the evidence is what the household weighs against the convenience.
The final note is the package confirmation. The burner is included with the 12-inch model, and the 16-inch variant's burner is confirmed for the chosen package, because the split's second mode only exists if the component ships. The confirmed package is the split's foundation, and the foundation is checked before the purchase.
The mode comparison completes the split: the multi-fuel pizza oven collection lists the configurations, and the propane gas burner is the compatible conversion component to review.
The split's final check is the package confirmation. The 12-inch pellet-and-gas model from Big Horn Outdoors includes the gas burner, and the 16-inch variant's burner is confirmed for the chosen package, so the split's second mode exists in the box. The confirmed package is the split's foundation, and the foundation is checked before the purchase.
The split's final check is the package confirmation. The 12-inch pellet-and-gas model includes the gas burner, and the 16-inch variant's burner is confirmed for the chosen package, so the split's second mode exists in the box. The confirmed package is the split's foundation, and the foundation is checked before the purchase.
FAQ
Is the gas burner included with pellet-and-gas ovens?
The 12-inch pellet-and-gas model includes the gas burner. For the 16-inch variant, confirm the compatible burner for the chosen package on the current product page.
Which mode preheats faster?
Compact gas preheat is typically faster than the pellet preheat, but the stone must be ready in both modes. Confirm the model's guidance and verify the stone.
Does gas mode produce the same flavor as pellet mode?
No. Gas delivers clean, neutral heat, while pellets add a wood-fired, smoky character. That difference is the reason many cooks switch modes by occasion.
Can I cook with pellets and gas at the same time?
No. Use one approved mode at a time unless the exact manual explicitly instructs otherwise.
How do I switch from pellet to gas mode?
Turn off the oven, disconnect propane or fuel, and let everything cool completely. Remove residue, install the approved component, and complete the fuel-specific checks before lighting the new mode.
Conclusion
The 12-inch pellet and gas pizza oven is best understood as two modes sharing one stone. Compare the preheat, flavor, management, and cleanup, choose by occasion—pellets for wood-fired weekends, gas for fast weeknights—and confirm the included burner for your variant. Switch with a full cool-down and recalibration, and never run both modes at once. The manual for your exact oven defines the switching sequence and care.
