Why the One Thing Missing from Your College Apartment Is Actually a Pizza Oven

After a long day of work or classes, I sometimes just want to come home and make a quick, easy meal. But when I didn’t have an oven in college, it wasn’t super easy to make a hot meal. So when my college roommate introduced me to the Presto Pizzazz Pizza Oven, I was absolutely hooked. As I experimented with how I could use it, I found out it cooks more than just pizza, and it might even become an apartment staple you never knew you needed.

The Presto Pizzazz Pizza Oven isn’t any ordinary pizza oven: unlike others, you don’t have to waste time preheating it. Instead, it cooks the pizza with a rotating heated surface, so all you’ll do is place your frozen item on the tray, adjust the knob to the right temp (whatever the preheat temperature is in the instructions), and the pizza oven will stop automatically once it has reached the right amount of time to be cooked. 

The tray that holds the fresh or frozen pizza rotates with heat circulating from the top and bottom to ensure even cooking. If you’re really specific about how you like your slice, you can choose top heat only, bottom heat only, or a combination of both, depending on whether you want a crispier crust or a meltier cheese layer.

It requires an electrical outlet, so you’ll need to check whether it’s allowed in your dorm or school apartment. Measuring 15 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 10 inches high, it’s compact enough to fit in many cabinets when you’re not using it, or it can sit right on the countertop, since you’ll probably find yourself using it all the time. 

The Pizzazz Pizza Oven is designed for 7- to 12-inch pizzas, and it’s pretty simple to clean: Wait for it to cool completely, and then remove the tray and wash it with warm, soapy water — you can find full cleaning instructions in the product packaging. 

Despite its name, you can use the pizza oven for all sorts of “frozen convenience foods,” according to the product description, like: “chicken nuggets, jalapeño poppers, fish fillets, egg rolls, cinnamon rolls, cookies and much more.” 

I absolutely loved using my roommate’s Presto Pizzazz Pizza Oven because it’s so simple, and eliminating the need to preheat saved me so much time. I also used it for all types of cooking methods and foods, like melting quesadillas and toasting bagels. It was so handy whenever I needed a quick meal — a game changer when I was a busy, hungry undergrad. 

I was introduced to and used this pizza oven while living in a suite-style dorm, but some schools may not allow these in college housing, so be sure to check with your RA before buying one for your dorm. If you’re moving into your first apartment or live in housing not affiliated with the university, though, this would be a perfect appliance to add to your wishlist.