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My Honest Review of the My Forno Bread Oven: Is It Worth It for a Sourdough Micro Bakery? | Episode 122

  • Mar 26
  • 5 min read


If you’re building a sourdough micro bakery, there comes a point where you start asking a really important question:

Can my current setup keep up with where I want to go?


I’ve been there. I baked out of a home oven for years. I made it work. I grew a real, profitable business from it. But eventually, my oven became the limiting factor—not my demand, not my skills, but my equipment.


In this post, I want to walk you through my experience after four months of baking with the My Forno bread oven. This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s an honest look at what changed, what improved, and how to think about whether an upgrade makes sense for your bakery.


My Original Setup: Growing with a Home Oven

Before upgrading, I baked in residential ovens for about two and a half years.

Here’s what that looked like:

  • Started with a standard home oven using Dutch ovens

  • Transitioned to open baking with one baking steel (4 loaves at a time)

  • Upgraded to a used double oven ($250 from Facebook Marketplace)

  • Eventually invested in a new double oven with multi-rack capability (~$2,500)


At my peak with that setup:

  • 4 baking steels per oven

  • 16 loaves per bake

That setup allowed me to grow in a big way. It made scaling possible without a massive upfront investment.

But it came with trade-offs.


The Reality of Baking in a Residential Oven

Even though I could bake a high volume, my process was very hands-on.


Every bake required:

  • Manually spraying steam with a garden sprayer

  • Reopening the oven multiple times

  • Rotating loaves to avoid hot spots

  • Constant monitoring every 5–7 minutes


There were also consistent challenges:

  • Hot corners that over-browned loaves

  • Regular product waste (at least one loaf per bake)

  • Limited ability to step away during baking

  • Longer bake days due to constant attention


What This Meant for My Workflow

I was tied to the oven.

I couldn’t:

  • Prep other items

  • Clean efficiently

  • Work ahead on the next day’s bake


Everything revolved around managing the oven.

And while that worked for a season, I knew it wasn’t sustainable long-term.


A Key Reality: Upgrading Requires Infrastructure

Before we even talk about bread ovens, there’s one practical piece that matters.

Any larger oven—residential or commercial—requires a 220-volt outlet.


That means:

  • Hiring an electrician

  • Planning for installation costs

  • Accepting this as part of scaling your business

There’s no real workaround here. It’s simply part of growing beyond a basic home setup.


Transitioning to the My Forno Bread Oven

After years of baking in residential ovens, I upgraded to the My Forno.


Here’s what changed immediately:

  • Baking capacity: 12 loaves per batch

  • Bake time: ~20 minutes steam + ~15 minutes dry heat

  • Learning curve: about 3–4 bakes to adjust

At first glance, it actually looks like a downgrade.

16 loaves before → 12 loaves now

But the real difference isn’t batch size.

It’s efficiency.


The Biggest Shift: Time Freedom

This is the most important change.

With the bread oven:

  • Load the oven

  • Set the timer

  • Walk away


No:

  • Re-steaming

  • Rotating

  • Constant checking


Instead:

  • 20-minute window → prep, mix, clean, or package

  • 15-minute window → same freedom


What This Looks Like in Practice

During bake time, I can:

  • Scoop cookies

  • Mix dough

  • Wash dishes

  • Talk to customers

  • Prep for the next day

That shift alone has changed everything.


Efficiency Over Batch Size

I’ve always tracked loaves per hour.

Here’s the comparison:

  • Home oven: higher batch size but constant supervision

  • Bread oven: ~18 loaves per hour with minimal involvement


The difference is not just output.

It’s how much of your time that output requires.

Efficiency creates sustainability.


Quality and Consistency Improvements

This is the second major upgrade.

With the bread oven:

  • Even browning across all loaves

  • No hot corners

  • No burnt bottoms

  • No product waste


Previously:

  • At least one unsellable loaf per bake

  • Inconsistent browning

  • More variation between batches


Now:

  • Every loaf is consistent

  • Every loaf is sellable

  • Oven spring is reliable

That consistency builds confidence in your product.


Steam: A Major Upgrade

In a residential oven:

  • Steam is manually added

  • Oven is not designed to retain moisture

  • Long-term wear is a concern


With the bread oven:

  • Steam is built-in

  • Distribution is even

  • No hesitation or workaround needed


This creates:

  • Better crust

  • Better expansion

  • More reliable results


Flexibility in Baking

One benefit of the double oven was the ability to bake different items at once.

The My Forno still allows for flexibility:

  • Multiple decks at different temperatures

  • Ability to turn decks on/off

  • Bake different products simultaneously


I’ve successfully baked:

  • Bread

  • Cookies

  • Scones

  • Granola

  • Crackers

  • Cinnamon rolls

Everything transfers well.


Why I Chose the My Forno

This decision came down to a few key factors:

1. Analog Design

  • Fewer digital components

  • Less risk of failure

  • Simpler operation

2. Build Quality

  • Manufactured in Italy

  • Same company builds large commercial ovens

  • Long-standing expertise (60+ years)

3. Longevity

  • Built for heavy use

  • Designed specifically for bread baking

  • Fewer moving parts to fail

4. Customer Support

  • Direct connection to a U.S. representative

  • Reliable communication if needed


When You Should NOT Upgrade

A bread oven is not the next step for everyone.

You may not be ready if:

  • You’re still learning your baking process

  • Your customer base isn’t consistent yet

  • You’re not selling out regularly

  • You’re still defining your menu


Better Alternatives

  • Open baking on steels

  • Used double oven setup

  • Smaller, lower-cost upgrades

A bread oven will not fix:

  • Lack of demand

  • Inconsistent sales

  • Unclear business direction


When It IS Time to Upgrade

You’re likely ready if:

  • You’re consistently baking 60–100+ loaves per week

  • Your oven is limiting your time or capacity

  • You want to grow sustainably

  • You feel the strain of inefficiency

At this stage:

Your equipment directly impacts your business.


The Bigger Picture: Efficiency = Sustainability

This is the core takeaway.

If your process is inefficient:

  • Your days are longer

  • Your energy is drained

  • Your growth is limited


When your equipment supports you:

  • You gain time

  • You reduce stress

  • You improve consistency

  • You enjoy your business more


Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need It—Until You Do

You can absolutely build a successful sourdough micro bakery without a bread oven.

I did that for years.


But when your business is already working…

When demand is there…

When you want to grow without burning out…

That’s when an upgrade can change everything.

For me, the biggest difference hasn’t just been output.


It’s been:

  • Freedom during bake days

  • Consistency in every loaf

  • A process that feels sustainable


And that’s what we’re really building.

A business that works for your life—not one that takes it over.



Links to things you might like!





  • Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including the dough bins I mentioned, packaging, pans, and more in my Amazon Storefrom! www.carolinebower.com/amazon





 
 
 

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