Review: Witt Piccolo Rotante 13” Pizza Oven
If you’re a fan of good pizza (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?), but don’t fancy wrestling a full-sized oven into your back garden or campsite, Witt’s new Piccolo Rotante 13” pizza oven might just be the answer to your dough-flinging dreams. Inspired by its bigger sibling, the Etna Rotante 16”, this compact gas-fired beauty promises top-tier pizzas with minimal effort. But does it deliver the goods? Let’s find out.
Size Matters… Sometimes
One of the biggest selling points of the Piccolo Rotante is its size. Okay, it isn’t tiny, but neither is it huge. Not everyone has a sprawling patio or a countryside estate to dedicate to an outdoor kitchen. Some of us are squeezing barbecues and pizza ovens onto tiny terraces or fighting for space on an already cluttered back yard. The Piccolo Rotante is designed for those of us working with tight spaces, think apartment balconies, small patios, or even the back of a campervan or your 4x4.
But don’t let the Piccolo in the name fool you, this thing is still packing a punch. It’s considerably more compact and lighter than the original Etna Rotante, making it easier to lug about should you fancy a change of scenery (or need to hide it from the weather after one too many British summers).
Rotating Stone: Because Nobody Likes Half-Burnt Pizza
We’ve all been there, you’re trying to cook a pizza in a traditional pizza oven, but unless you’ve got the reactions of a ninja and the patience of a saint, you end up with one side burned to a crisp and the other still looking like a crime scene from CSI: Dough Edition. Or, if you're anything like me, you’ll slide in the pizza paddle, only to push your lovingly crafted pizza straight to the back of the oven resulting in a proper mess.
The Piccolo Rotante solves this age-old problem with its rotating stone, ensuring even cooking without the need for constant manual turning. It’s a simple but genius bit of tech that makes life easier.
Ease of Use: Light It, Load It, Love It
Gas-fired, the Piccolo Rotante is easy to use and takes around 15 minutes to heat up - the right amount of time to prepare your pizza, unless you’re using frozen pizza, then that’s just cheating!
The design also means there’s less babysitting required. Once your pizza is in, the rotating stone does its magic, letting you crack open a beer without the fear of ending up with a charcoal frisbee instead of dinner.
Performance: How’s It Cook?
Impressively well. It doesn’t just talk the talk, the Piccolo Rotante walks the walk, producing restaurant-quality pizzas in 60-90 seconds. The even heat distribution, automatic rotation and C-shaped burner means you get that elusive crispy-yet-chewy base, beautifully melted toppings, and none of the usual stress.
Any Drawbacks?
Nothing’s perfect, and the Piccolo Rotante does have a couple of minor niggles. The 13” size, while great for saving space, does mean you’re limited to smaller pizzas. Also, I mentioned earlier that it’s designed for those of us working with tight spaces, but it isn’t actually that small, or lightweight. It measures 53.5cm x 65cm x 44cm and weighs in at 26kg, so it isn’t something you’d want to carry a long distance.
Whilst it does have inward folding legs to aid transporting, they don’t shorten the height much, I keep them in place when in the back of a car to keep it stable.
At £399 (Amazon), it isn’t exactly cheap, but it does make cracking pizzas!
Final Thoughts: Should You Buy One?
If you love proper pizza but don’t have the space for a full-sized oven, the Piccolo Rotante is an absolute winner. It’s compact-ish, stupidly easy to use, and delivers excellent results every time. The rotating stone is a game-changer, and the gas-powered design makes the whole process fuss-free.
Yes, it’s a little smaller than its big brother, and yes, you won’t get that “I built this fire with my own two hands” satisfaction, but if the goal is to eat amazing pizza with minimal effort, then it’s hard to fault. Whether you’re a seasoned pizzaiolo or just want to enjoy a pizza on the beach, or campsite, this little oven is worth a look.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got more “testing” to do. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.
Website: https://www.wittpizza.com/products/witt-piccolo-rotante-pizza-oven
