Portable baking oven

A baking oven for a pizza or other food items, comprising

• a food item heating plate having a perimeter edge,
• a base having a heating chamber, said base including a heating plate support means for supporting said food item heating plate above the base's heating chamber,
• a top cover having a moisture vent, said top cover being sized and formed to fit over and to be supported by said base such that when placed on said base the top cover forms a baking chamber above the heating plate, said top cover having a front access opening therein for accessing the baking chamber of the oven when the top cover is in place on said base,
• air passageway means thermally connecting the heating chamber in said base and the baking chamber formed by said top cover wherein heat produced in said heating chamber can circulate up through said air passageway means into the baking chamber above the heating plate, and
• a heat reflector structure in said top cover, said heat reflector structure extending across the inside of said top cover below the top cover's moisture vent and being positioned in said top cover such that, when the top cover is placed over said base, the reflector structure therein faces the food item heating plate, wherein heat circulated from the heating chamber in said base up into the baking chamber formed by said top cover is reflected back down toward said food item heating plate to accelerate the baking of the top of a food item resting on the heating plate,
• said heat reflector structure having openings through which moisture given off by a food item being baked in the oven can pass, whereby the moisture can be vented from the baking oven through the moisture vent in the top cover.

A baking oven for a pizza or other food items, comprising

• a food item heating plate having a perimeter edge,
• a base having a heating chamber, said base including a heating plate support means for supporting said food item heating plate above the base's heating chamber,
• a top cover having a top area and perforations in said top area forming a moisture vent in the top cover, said top cover being sized and formed to fit over and to be supported by said base such that when placed on said base the top cover forms a baking chamber above the heating plate, said top cover having a front access opening therein for accessing the baking chamber of the oven when the top cover is in place on said base,
• air passageway means for thermally connecting the heating chamber in said base and the baking chamber formed by said top cover wherein heat produced in said heating chamber can circulate up through said air passageway means into the baking chamber above the heating plate, said air passageway means being adapted to circulate heat into the oven's baking chamber around the perimeter edge of said food item heating plate, and
• a heat reflector plate in said top cover, said heat reflector plate extending across the inside of said top cover below the top cover's moisture vent and being positioned in said top cover such that, when the top cover is placed over said base, the reflector plate therein faces the food item heating plate, wherein heat circulated from the heating chamber in said base up into the baking chamber formed by said top cover is reflected back down toward said food item heating plate to accelerate the baking of the top of a food item resting on the heating plate,
• said heat reflector plate having perforations substantially evenly distributed over a substantial portion of said heat reflector plate.