Chicago Brick Oven CBO 750 Hybrid Countertop (Residential) review

The residential CBO 750 Hybrid Countertop is the preassembled, skirted format in Chicago Brick Oven’s 750 Hybrid-R family. It is not the wood-only CBO 750 Countertop and not the Hybrid DIY shell. The exact U.S. listing pairs a 38-by-28-inch hearth with a two-burner gas system, wood firing and an included decorative skirt. The name “countertop” describes the oven package, not a compact kitchen appliance: its specification sheet lists a 980-pound oven weight, before the supporting structure and site work.

What the countertop package includes—and what it leaves to you

The product page describes a preassembled six-piece oven with dome, three-piece hearth, arch and decorative door. Its skirted configuration adds the anchor plate, insulation boards and blanket, chimney pipe, stainless cap and mortar accessory. A pizza peel, brush and handheld infrared thermometer are also listed. The skirt is an exterior finish component; it is not a countertop, cabinet or complete outdoor kitchen. The page specifically says to plan separately for the supporting counter or base, utility connections and installation labor.

That distinction matters before purchase. The 980-pound figure belongs to the oven, not the completed counter or finished installation; I found no published minimum capacity for a built support in this exact Hybrid countertop sheet. Have the current installation drawing reviewed by the installer and design the noncombustible support, gas connection, chimney route and access around the actual oven. Do not substitute the 625-pound support figure published for a different wood-only countertop model. If you want the oven itself already paired with a support, the Hybrid-R stand variant is a separate native product and lists an oven-with-stand weight of 1,051 pounds. If you want the most construction flexibility, compare the Hybrid-R DIY kit and its own supporting enclosure plan.

Wood and gas, but the gas choice is not a later conversion

The Hybrid-R page describes wood firing and a paired ambient and under-hearth infrared gas burner system. Natural-gas inputs are listed as 39,000 BTU for each burner; propane inputs are 35,000 BTU for the ambient burner and 34,500 BTU for the infrared burner. Those are manufacturer input ratings, not cooking tests, warm-up times or independent performance results. The controls operate the rear ambient and under-hearth burners, not separate left and right pizza zones. Wood remains a manual live-fire routine that needs tending and hand turning.

The native listing offers Copper Vein, Silver Vein and Solar Black finishes, with four gas/altitude variants for each: natural gas or propane, each labeled for installation up to 3.99K feet or over 4K feet. Select the exact gas supply and altitude before ordering; the manufacturer says gas type is factory configured and not convertible in the field. A wood-firing mode does not make those factory burner identities interchangeable. Confirm the exact SKU with the dealer and installer, particularly at the stated elevation boundary.

Hearth size is useful, not a throughput guarantee

The page illustration shows two 12-inch pizzas on the CBO 750 hearth. The manufacturer calls its layout examples rather than maximum-capacity ratings. That supports planning around the pictured two-pizza arrangement, but does not establish three 10-inch pies, a larger maximum diameter, or a number of pizzas per hour. The floor does not rotate automatically. The included infrared gun lets the cook check a point manually; it is not a built-in display, food probe, phone monitor, thermostat, preset program or remote flame controller.

Those facts make the Hybrid Countertop appealing to an outdoor-kitchen owner who wants the choice of wood flavor and a fixed NG or LP cooking routine, a substantial hearth, and a finished skirt around the oven base. It is a poor fit for an indoor kitchen, a rental patio, a buyer who expects the skirt to include a counter, or anyone who needs plug-in controls or effortless automation. “Residential” does not mean indoor: the current Hybrid-R manual says residential operation is outdoors only.

Installation is part of the cooking plan

The Hybrid-R manual specifies 10 inches at each side, 10 inches at the back and 18 inches above, over a noncombustible floor or counter, and asks that the area in front of and above remain clear for combustion and ventilation air. Those measurements are directional requirements, not an all-purpose 18-inch bubble. Gas fitting, chimney installation, local code review and the full drawing still belong in the project. The manual should reach the qualified installer before the counter is designed. Follow its curing instructions for the selected fuel and do not treat the maker’s high-heat claims as independently measured results.

Who should choose this format?

Choose the skirted Hybrid Countertop if you want the assembled outdoor Hybrid-R oven, gas-or-wood flexibility and a deliberate finished edge, and already have a plan for a robust noncombustible support, utilities and chimney. Choose the recessed/no-skirt version if your design calls for the installer to finish the counter around the oven without its decorative skirt. Choose the stand edition if you prefer the manufacturer’s included stand, or the wood-only countertop if the gas system is unnecessary. None of these formats is a light portable oven; compare the actual weight and installation drawing rather than relying on the shared “750” label.

Manufacturer references: CBO 750 Hybrid Countertop (Residential); countertop specifications; current Hybrid-R residential manual.