There’s something magical about baking your own bread at home, especially when it’s a beautifully crusty loaf of sourdough. As a sourdough enthusiast, I’ve experimented with countless tools and methods to perfect my bakes, from different ovens to clever steam hacks. After years of trying various setups, I finally found a game-changer: the Simply Bread Oven, a high-performance artisan bread oven designed for home and micro-bakery use.
I’ve been using this oven for over a year, and after baking thousands of loaves, I’m ready to share my honest opinion. While this article isn’t sponsored by Simply Bread, I am an affiliate, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through my link. The good news? Using my link SIMPLYDUFFY25 gets you free shipping and $250 off, making it a great deal if you’re considering upgrading your bread-baking setup.
Plus, if you want to see the oven up close, check out my YouTube unboxing video, where I walk through its features and first impressions.
In this review, I’ll take you through my personal experience, highlight the oven’s key features, and share helpful tips for getting the most out of it. Whether you’re an experienced home baker or just starting your sourdough journey, this guide will help you decide if the Simply Bread Oven is right for you.
The Simply Bread Oven is a specialized, high-performance artisan bread oven designed for home bakers who want to produce bakery-quality loaves. Unlike standard home ovens, which can have uneven heat distribution and lack proper steam control, the Simply Bread Oven functions like a deck oven for home baking, built to help bakers create perfectly crusty, golden-brown bread with a tender, airy crumb.
Crafted from high-quality materials, the Simply Bread Oven combines the precision of professional baking equipment with the convenience of home use. While its compact design makes it smaller than a full-size professional bread oven, it still requires a dedicated space in your kitchen and special electrical connections. Don’t let its size fool you—this oven delivers consistent heat and steam, two key factors for successful artisan bread.
Key Benefits of the Simply Bread Oven:
When it comes to baking high-quality bread, the Simply Bread Oven offers features that rival those of a professional bread oven while remaining accessible to serious home bakers and micro-bakery owners.
Consistent Heat Distribution: Thanks to its powerful heating elements and well-insulated design, this artisan bread oven maintains steady, even heat throughout the baking process. This ensures your loaves bake uniformly, with no overcooked tops or underdone bottoms.
Built-In Steam Function: Steam is critical for developing a crisp crust and proper oven spring. Unlike traditional home bread ovens, the Simply Bread Oven includes an integrated steam generator, eliminating the need for manual steam hacks.
Compact but Spacious Design: While the Simply Bread Oven offers a spacious interior, it’s still more compact than large commercial deck ovens, making it a perfect fit for micro-bakeries or serious home bakers.
Its thoughtful design bridges the gap between a home bread oven and a full-size professional bread oven, making it ideal for anyone who wants bakery-quality results at home.
Whether you’re baking a classic sourdough boule, a soft sandwich loaf, experimenting with enriched doughs like brioche, or producing delicate, airy panettone during the holiday season, the Simply Bread Oven provides a reliable, high-quality baking environment. I’ve personally baked over 1,000 panettone in this oven over the past few years, and its consistent heat and steam control make it perfect for high-volume production of these notoriously tricky bakes. Its thoughtful design bridges the gap between professional results and the simplicity of home baking.
Why I Chose the Simply Bread Oven for My Baking
My situation is a bit different from most home bakers. I run a baking studio where I host workshops for everyone—from beginners learning the basics of artisan baking to advanced bakers perfecting their craft. Whether it was micro-bakery workshops, artisan bread 101, pizza, or sourdough, I needed a micro-bakery oven that could keep up with my demanding schedule.
Beyond teaching, my wife and I also run a small micro-bakery and regularly participate in events, showcasing a variety of breads. If you’re considering starting a micro-bakery, the Simply Bread Oven can deliver a fast return on investment because of its high capacity and consistent results. It’s the ideal artisan bread oven for bakers who want to produce more without committing to the cost and space of a large commercial setup.
Interested in learning more about baking through my workshops or getting exclusive tips straight to your inbox? Join my newsletter, where I share baking techniques, upcoming event updates, and recipes designed for both beginners and experienced bakers. [Sign Up for My Newsletter Here].
While traditional methods like Dutch oven baking or open bakes in a standard oven can yield good results, nothing compares to the precision and consistency of a real deck oven. The Simply Bread Oven gives me that same high-quality output but with the convenience of a smaller footprint. I love that it allows me to bake in volume—because, as any baker knows, the more you bake, the better you get. Being able to shape and bake 10 loaves instead of 2 in one go is a game-changer for both practice and production.
Another reason I love this oven is its versatility. We’ve used it not just for bread, but also for cookies, pizzas, and countless other baked goods. Its ability to handle a wide variety of products makes it invaluable in my studio and micro-bakery.
If you’re considering starting a micro-bakery, the Simply Bread Oven can deliver a fast return on investment (ROI) because of its capacity to produce high-quality bread in larger batches. I’ll go into more detail on how it helps with ROI in a section below, but suffice it to say, it’s been an essential part of my baking business.
Key Features of the Simply Bread Oven for Artisan Baking
The Simply Bread Oven offers features you’d expect from a professional bread oven but with a more accessible design for serious home bakers and micro-bakery owners. Whether you’re baking artisan sourdough loaves, enriched doughs like brioche, or even large batches of cookies or pizzas, this artisan bread oven is designed to deliver consistent, high-quality results every time. Let’s dive into its key features:
1. High-Volume Baking Capacity
One of the biggest advantages of the Simply Bread Oven is its ability to handle high-volume baking. Whether you’re running a micro-bakery or hosting workshops, being able to bake up to 10-12 loaves at once is a game-changer. This capacity allows bakers to increase output without sacrificing the quality of each bake. If you’re considering starting a micro-bakery, this oven is a practical solution that lets you scale up your production while keeping costs manageable.
2. Advanced Digital Controls with Wi-Fi Connectivity
The Simply Bread Oven comes equipped with advanced digital controls, giving you precise control over temperature and steam. What sets it apart is its Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows for remote monitoring and easy diagnostics. With regular firmware updates provided by the manufacturer, this feature ensures that your oven always runs at peak performance. This high-tech convenience makes it similar to using a deck oven for home baking, but with added modern capabilities.
3. Built-In Steam Injection for Artisan Bread
Achieving the perfect crust and oven spring is crucial for artisan bread, and the Simply Bread Oven excels in this area with its built-in steam injection system. Unlike traditional home bread ovens that require manual steam hacks like water pans or sprayers, this oven offers professional-level steam control at the push of a button. This feature makes it one of the best ovens for sourdough and other artisan loaves, ensuring that each bake has the perfect crust and texture.
4. Excellent Customer Support & 24-Hour Service
When you’re relying on equipment for baking workshops or micro-bakery operations, downtime can be costly. Fortunately, the Simply Bread Oven offers 24-hour support and has built a reputation for fast, reliable customer service. Whether you need troubleshooting help or general advice, their support team ensures you’ll get back to baking as quickly as possible.
5. Versatile Baking Capabilities
While the Simply Bread Oven excels at baking bread, its versatility allows bakers to explore beyond loaves. You can use it to bake cookies, pizzas, bagels, and even delicate holiday bakes like panettone. This versatility makes it a great all-around tool for those who love experimenting with different baked goods.
6. Energy Efficiency
Designed with high-quality insulation, the oven minimizes heat loss and improves energy efficiency. For bakers who run multiple baking sessions throughout the day, this can help reduce energy consumption and keep operational costs lower.
7. Durable Build and Design
Built with premium materials, the Simply Bread Oven is designed to withstand heavy and frequent use. Whether you’re baking every day in a micro-bakery or using it for workshops, the oven’s sturdy construction ensures it will last for years.
8. Compact for a Deck Oven (but Requires Dedicated Space & Electrical Setup)
Compared to traditional deck ovens, the Simply Bread Oven offers a relatively compact footprint. However, it’s still a large piece of equipment that requires a dedicated space in your kitchen or baking studio, along with special electrical connections. If you’re serious about baking in high volume and have the space for it, this oven is a worthy investment.
Summary of Features
The Simply Bread Oven combines high-volume capacity, advanced digital controls, steam injection, and excellent customer support, making it one of the best ovens for serious bakers. Its versatility, durability, and energy efficiency ensure that whether you’re baking sourdough, panettone, or pizza, you’ll get consistently great results.
My Experience: Baking Artisan Breads with the Simply Bread Oven
After using the Simply Bread Oven extensively for over a year, I can confidently say that it’s an incredible tool for serious bakers. Whether I’m baking sourdough, pizza, cookies, or even large batches of enriched doughs, this oven has proven to be reliable and versatile. (If you’re looking to experiment with flavorful artisan bread, try my Jalapeño Cheddar Bread Recipe for a delicious twist on traditional loaves!)
Want to see the Simply Bread Oven in action? Check out my YouTube video below, where I walk through how I bake with it and share useful tips for getting the best results.
Preheating: Plan Ahead to Save Time
One of the first things I noticed was that the oven takes a while to preheat—about 2 hours to reach optimal temperature. This isn’t unusual for deck ovens, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to bake early in the morning. To solve this, I bought an electrical timer that automatically turns the oven on at a set time. Now, when I wake up, the oven is fully preheated and ready for baking.
On the few occasions I forgot to set the timer, the bread suffered because I had to bake before the oven was properly preheated. If you’re considering this oven, I highly recommend investing in a similar timer to avoid delays and ensure consistent bakes.
Managing Heat and Steam: Critical for Great Results
A key part of using the Simply Bread Oven effectively is learning how to manage the heating elements and steam injection. After firing the oven, you need to turn off the heating elements temporarily to prevent the tops of the loaves from drying out too quickly. If you leave the elements on, the crust can harden too soon, preventing the loaves from fully rising. Once you turn off the elements, you also need to open the damper (steam release) to let out excess moisture. After a short wait, you can turn the elements back on and continue baking.
This might sound complicated at first, but it becomes second nature once you get used to the oven. Managing heat and steam properly is key to achieving consistent results, especially for sourdough loaves and artisan breads.
Customizable Deck Heating: Fine-Tune Your Bakes
One feature I love is the ability to tweak the heating elements on each deck by percentage. While I personally have all my decks set the same and haven’t run into any issues, it’s nice to know that I have the option to fine-tune the heat distribution if necessary. This flexibility is great for bakers who want precise control over their baking environment, whether they’re working with different types of dough or running multiple batches back-to-back.
Loading Efficiency: The Key to Faster Bakes
One thing to note is that the temperature drops significantly when you load the oven, which is common with deck ovens. If you’re not efficient when loading, the temp drop can affect the bake time and delay the oven’s recovery for the next batch. Over time, I’ve developed a routine to load the oven quickly and smoothly, minimizing temperature loss and keeping my workflow steady.
For anyone new to deck ovens, I’d recommend practicing your loading technique. The faster and smoother you can load, the more consistent your results will be—and the faster you’ll be ready for the next batch.
Final Thoughts on My Experience
Overall, I’ve loved using the Simply Bread Oven. It delivers professional-level results in a home-friendly size, and once you get the hang of managing heat and steam, it’s a dream to work with. Whether I’m baking sourdough, pizza, cookies, or even large batches of panettone, the oven has proven to be reliable and versatile. While there’s a bit of a learning curve, mastering it only makes you a better baker—and the payoff is well worth it.
Pros and Cons of the Simply Bread Oven
When investing in a serious baking tool like the Simply Bread Oven, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. After using it extensively for over a year in both my micro-bakery and baking workshops, I’ve identified the key advantages and a few challenges you should be aware of.
Pros:
Durable and high-quality design – Built to last, even with heavy daily use.
Excellent heat and steam control – The steam injection system ensures perfect crusts and oven spring, making it ideal for artisan sourdough baking.
High-volume baking capacity – You can bake up to 10 loaves at a time, which is great for workshops or micro-bakery operations.
Digital controls with Wi-Fi connectivity – Allows for precise temperature control, easy troubleshooting, and firmware updates.
24-hour customer service – Fast and reliable support ensures minimal downtime if you encounter any issues.
Large viewing window – Great for monitoring your bakes and capturing those Instagram-worthy time-lapse videos.
Customizable deck heating – You can adjust the heat on each deck by percentage for fine-tuned control.
Versatility – The oven is suitable for a wide range of products, including breads, cookies, bagels, pizzas, and enriched doughs like brioche and panettone.
Energy efficiency – Designed with high-quality insulation, it minimizes heat loss and helps reduce energy consumption during long baking sessions.
Minimal learning curve – If you’re familiar with commercial deck ovens, adapting to this oven is straightforward, with only a few tweaks required.
Consistent results – Once you’ve mastered the workflow, the oven delivers predictable, high-quality bakes every time.
Reliable construction – Built for long-term use without performance degradation, making it a solid investment for serious bakers.
Motivates production – The large capacity encourages higher output, helping micro-bakers recover costs quickly while improving their skills.
Cons:
Price – It’s a significant investment, but if you bake frequently or run a micro-bakery, you can recover the cost quickly with regular use.
Size – Requires dedicated space in your kitchen or baking studio and won’t fit on a standard countertop.
Weight – At over 300 lbs, it’s very heavy. Moving it required four people and removing the stones to make it manageable.
Long preheating time – It takes about 2 hours to fully preheat, so planning ahead is essential. I recommend using an electrical timer (like the Intermatic HB114) to automate the preheating process and save time.
Manual heat management – After firing the oven, you need to turn off the heating elements temporarily to prevent drying out the tops of loaves. This is manageable, but for me, it means frequent trips up and down to my basement, and on occasion, I forget.
Bulb replacements – The internal light bulbs are great for monitoring bakes and creating time-lapse videos, but they burn out occasionally and need replacing.
Temperature recovery after loading – The oven experiences a significant temperature drop when loading, so you need to work quickly to minimize heat loss and maintain baking efficiency. With practice, you can improve your loading technique and keep things moving smoothly.
Requires special electrical setup – Since it operates at 240 VAC, you may need an electrician to set up the necessary power connection if your kitchen isn’t already equipped.
Final Thoughts on the Pros and Cons
The Simply Bread Oven offers unmatched quality and versatility for serious bakers, whether you’re a home enthusiast, running a micro-bakery, or teaching workshops. While there’s a learning curve and some logistical challenges like preheating time and heat management, the oven’s benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. If you’re looking to scale up your production and produce consistent, bakery-quality bakes, it’s a tool worth the investment.
Who Should Buy the Simply Bread Oven?
The Simply Bread Oven isn’t your typical home bread oven. It’s a serious piece of equipment designed for bakers who want to take their craft to the next level—whether that’s perfecting artisan bread at home, running a micro-bakery, or adding freshly baked bread to a restaurant or catering business.
If you’re someone who loves baking and is considering turning your passion into a business, this oven is an excellent investment. For anyone thinking about starting a micro-bakery, it’s a perfect stepping stone—allowing you to bake in volume and produce high-quality bread without the massive overhead or debt that comes with opening a full-scale bakery. Its high-capacity design makes it easier to scale up production while maintaining consistency, which is crucial when running a small baking business.
Beyond micro-bakeries, the Simply Bread Oven could also be a fantastic addition to a restaurant or catering business that wants to bake its own bread in-house. Its versatility means it can handle everything from sourdough boules and baguettes to cookies, pizzas, and even enriched doughs like brioche and panettone. For any business looking to serve fresh, high-quality baked goods, this oven offers both consistency and reliability.
In short, the Simply Bread Oven is for:
Serious home bakers who want professional-level results.
Sourdough enthusiasts who bake regularly and want better steam control and consistency.
Aspiring micro-bakery owners looking to launch a business with minimal startup costs.
Restaurants and caterers that want to offer fresh, house-made bread as part of their menu.
If you’re passionate about baking and want to scale up your production without making a huge financial commitment, the Simply Bread Oven is an ideal solution. It offers all the benefits of a professional deck oven in a more accessible, compact form, making it perfect for both serious hobbyists and professionals alike.
Simply Bread Oven vs. Other Bread Ovens
When choosing a bread oven, it’s important to compare the options available. While traditional home ovens, Dutch ovens, and other bread-baking solutions can deliver good results, the Simply Bread Oven stands out for its ability to replicate the performance of a professional deck oven in a more accessible, compact form. Below is a comparison of the Simply Bread Oven with other popular bread-baking methods:
1. Simply Bread Oven vs. Traditional Home Ovens
Traditional home ovens are versatile and convenient for general cooking and baking, but they fall short when it comes to artisan bread.
Heat Consistency: Home ovens often have uneven heat distribution, which can result in loaves with inconsistent browning or texture. The Simply Bread Oven, on the other hand, is designed to maintain even heat throughout the baking chamber.
Steam Control: Most home ovens lack built-in steam injection, which is essential for achieving the perfect crust and oven spring in sourdough. The Simply Bread Oven’s built-in steam system eliminates the need for DIY hacks like using water pans or spraying loaves manually.
Capacity: A traditional home oven can handle only a couple of loaves at a time, whereas the Simply Bread Oven can bake up to 10 loaves in one batch, making it ideal for high-volume baking.
2. Simply Bread Oven vs. Dutch Ovens
Dutch ovens are a popular choice for home bakers because they trap steam and provide a high-heat environment, mimicking the effect of a professional oven. However, they have limitations.
Volume: While Dutch ovens work well for one or two loaves at a time, they’re not practical for baking in large batches. The Simply Bread Oven allows bakers to increase their output significantly.
Ease of Use: Using Dutch ovens requires preheating the pot, carefully loading the dough, and handling hot lids, which can be cumbersome. The Simply Bread Oven simplifies the process with its deck design and steam injection system.
Versatility: While Dutch ovens are primarily used for bread, the Simply Bread Oven can handle a variety of baked goods, from bread to pizza, cookies, and pastries.
3. Simply Bread Oven vs. Open-Deck Ovens
Open-deck ovens, often used in commercial bakeries, deliver excellent results but come with significant drawbacks for home bakers.
Cost: Commercial open-deck ovens are significantly more expensive than the Simply Bread Oven, making them less accessible to small-scale bakers or micro-bakeries.
Size: Open-deck ovens are large and require a dedicated bakery space. The Simply Bread Oven offers similar functionality in a more compact form that fits in a home studio or small bakery.
Ease of Setup: Unlike commercial open-deck ovens, which often require complex installation, the Simply Bread Oven can be set up with a dedicated 240 VAC power source, making it much easier to integrate into a home or small business.
4. Simply Bread Oven vs. Other Small Artisan Ovens
There are other small artisan ovens designed for home bakers and micro-bakeries, but the Simply Bread Oven excels in a few key areas:
Customer Support: The Simply Bread Oven offers 24-hour support and regular firmware updates via Wi-Fi, something that many other small artisan ovens don’t provide.
Steam Injection: Not all small ovens come with true steam injection, which is critical for achieving bakery-quality artisan loaves.
Build Quality: The Simply Bread Oven is known for its durable design, built to handle heavy use over time.
Which Oven Should You Choose?
If you’re a casual home baker, you might find traditional home ovens or Dutch ovens sufficient for your needs. However, if you’re serious about baking, want to increase your output, or are thinking about starting a micro-bakery, the Simply Bread Oven offers professional-level features, versatility, and high-volume capacity that other ovens simply can’t match. It strikes the perfect balance between performance, convenience, and affordability compared to larger commercial ovens.
Where to Buy the Simply Bread Oven + Promo Code
If you’ve been dreaming about starting your own micro-bakery, now’s the perfect time to make it happen. For a limited time, you can get $250 off the Simply Bread Oven with my exclusive promo code: SIMPLYDUFFY25.
There’s never been a better moment to take the plunge and start baking real, artisan-quality bread at home. Use the link below, enter the code, and let your micro-bakery journey begin.
FAQs About the Simply Bread Oven
1. Is the Simply Bread Oven worth it?
Absolutely! If you’re serious about baking and want to produce professional-quality bread at home or in a micro-bakery, the Simply Bread Oven is a fantastic investment. It offers high-volume capacity, consistent heat and steam control, and versatile baking capabilities that make it ideal for artisan bread, enriched doughs, pizzas, and more. While the upfront cost is significant, you can recover it quickly if you’re running a micro-bakery or baking regularly. Plus, with free shipping and a free accessories pack when you use my affiliate link, you’re getting even more value.
2. What types of bread can I bake in the Simply Bread Oven?
The Simply Bread Oven is designed for all kinds of artisan bread, including:
Sourdough boules
Baguettes
Ciabatta
Enriched doughs like brioche and panettone
Soft sandwich loaves Its versatility doesn’t stop at bread—you can also bake pizzas, cookies, bagels, and other baked goods, making it a great all-around tool for any baker.
3. How do I clean the Simply Bread Oven?
Cleaning the Simply Bread Oven is straightforward:
Check the steam vents: Occasionally inspect the steam injection system to ensure it’s functioning properly and free of blockages. By maintaining a regular cleaning routine, you can keep your oven in top condition for years of reliable use.
Remove crumbs and debris: After baking, allow the oven to cool down and use a soft brush to sweep out crumbs and any leftover debris.
Clean the decks: If any dough or baked-on residue is stuck on the decks, gently scrape it off with a deck scraper.
Wipe down the exterior: Use a damp cloth to wipe the exterior surfaces and keep them looking clean.
Final Thoughts: Should You Buy the Simply Bread Oven?
If you’re serious about baking and want to produce professional-quality bread at home or in a micro-bakery, the Simply Bread Oven is absolutely worth it. From its consistent heat and steam control to its ability to handle high-volume production, it’s a game-changer for sourdough enthusiasts, artisan bakers, and anyone looking to turn their passion into a side hustle or full-time business.
What truly sets this oven apart is its versatility. Whether you’re baking sourdough boules, baguettes, or experimenting with enriched doughs like panettone and brioche, the Simply Bread Oven delivers consistent results that rival those of larger commercial ovens. If you want to make the most of your new oven, check out my guide on How to Work with High Hydration Dough, which is essential for achieving airy, open-crumb sourdough loaves.
Yes, the upfront cost is significant, and there’s a bit of a learning curve, but the payoff is more than worth it. If you’re thinking about launching a micro-bakery or expanding your baking setup, this oven can help you scale up without the massive overhead that comes with commercial deck ovens. Plus, if you bake regularly, the return on investment (ROI) can be surprisingly fast.
If you’re ready to make the jump, don’t forget to use my affiliate link and enter code SIMPLYDUFFY25 at checkout to get $250 off the oven as part of the limited-time end-of-summer promo. It’s the best deal we’ve seen yet!
