Why the Best Bakers are Switching to Infrared Deck Ovens
Most deck ovens do the job using the stone and the hot air. It works, but it’s slow. We decided to throw a third player into the mix: halogen infrared bulbs. Instead of waiting around for the air to get hot, these bulbs hit the crust of your bread instantly. It’s like stepping out into the sun on a cold day—you feel the heat immediately.
The secret behind the “pop”
Here is how it actually works. We use tungsten filaments inside quartz tubes. When the power kicks in, they send out shortwave infrared radiation. Now, this isn’t like a normal heater that just warms up the room. These photons fly straight into the dough. It creates this sudden thermal shock that forces the bread to jump. You get a much better oven spring and a crust that actually snaps when you bite into it because the surface moisture vanishes fast.
The nitty-gritty on the gear
If you’re looking at the hardware, we use high-wattage quartz tubes (usually with R7s or SK15 connectors) to keep everything tight and secure. We built these for raw power. If you’re running a 230V or 400V system, the oven ramps up incredibly fast. But a word of warning: that kind of power puts a real strain on your electrics. Make sure your wiring and contactors can handle the peak amperage. You don’t want to be dealing with a burnout in the middle of a morning rush.
The trade-offs (because nothing is perfect)
Quartz is amazing for heat, but it’s fragile. A single splash of water or even a greasy fingerprint on the glass can create a “hot spot.” If that happens, the tube can crack. It’s a pain, but it’s easily fixed by staying on top of your cleaning schedule for the bulb guards. Then there’s the intensity. Halogen heat is powerful—maybe too powerful. If your timing is off by even 30 seconds, you might char the top of your loaf while the inside is still raw. That’s why we use PID controllers. They flicker the lamps on and off rapidly, balancing the heat so the top stays golden brown while the stone finishes cooking the bottom. It’s a delicate dance, but when it works, the bread is perfect.