First impressions of the Gozney pizza oven
Four years after its release, the buzz around this pizza oven still hasn’t died down - and for good reason. It sold out globally in just eight hours when it first launched and it's continued to earn attention online ever since. What arrives doesn’t disappoint, though be warned: fully boxed, it’s big enough to block the hallway of a reasonably sized house.
- Available from Gozney (£1,799.99)
There was quite a bit of packaging, but most of it was recyclable and all of it felt essential to protect the oven during delivery. It looked smart and on-brand, and I even got unboxing tools to help turn it into a bit of an experience. Once I got through it all, I was left with the most futuristic piece of garden cooking gear I’ve ever seen.
Read our full guide to the best pizza ovens
How long does it take to assemble the pizza oven?
The stand I was loaned (which costs extra) came pre-assembled, and the oven itself was fully built. It took two of us to lift it onto the stand - or you could use a solid garden table - but lifting straps were provided, which we cut away once it was in place.
There were a few small jobs left: fitting the chimney and hooking up the gas. Altogether, it took about an hour. Then it was ready to be heated – first on a low heat for 30 minutes to ‘cure’ the stone floor, then to whatever temperature I needed.
Is the Gozney pizza oven easy to use?
The oven comes in two versions: a cheaper wood-fired model and a slightly pricier dual-fuel one that uses both wood and gas. Whether it’s a pizza oven or a barbecue, cooking with gas is all about ease, while wood gives better flavour. With the dual-fuel version, I got both.
Aside from the ease of use, the main draw here is precision. I’ve not seen anything quite like it before. The oven includes a digital thermometer and two probe sockets for roasting meat – all feeding into the same display panel.
Is it easy to add fuel?
If you’re using gas, it’s as easy as lighting a stove. There’s an ignition switch and a flame control dial. For wood, there’s a section for the fire with airflow channels to help it catch, and an ash catcher that also helps regulate the burn. It felt like every detail had been thought through.
How long does it take to heat up?
That depended on the fuel. With gas, it took just a few minutes. With wood, more like 20. For the best flavour, I found that using both together worked well.
Is the pizza oven fuel-efficient?
Yes. The dual-fuel model felt very efficient - gas got things hot quickly and I only needed a small amount of wood to bring the flavour. When using just wood, it was in line with other ovens I’ve tested. Being able to control the airflow really helped.
How many pizzas does it fit?
It’s technically built for two pizzas, but realistically it’s one large pizza at a time. That said, when your pizza is cooked in under two minutes, you’re not really cooking more than one at once anyway.
How easy is it to add a pizza?
Yes. The wide opening made it simple to get the pizza in. I found that having the oven on the stand helped too - it was right at eye level, so I could see what I was doing. You still need that flick-of-the-wrist technique to launch the pizza, but that’s true of any oven.
How hot does the outside get?
The exterior got hot to touch, but not dangerously so. The chimney got very hot, but there’s no real reason to touch that during cooking. Anything that needed to be handled stayed cool.
Does it come with additional pizza tools?
No, and this is where it gets pricey. Like most ovens in this price range, all the extras - tools, stands, covers - are sold separately. To properly kit yourself out, you’re looking at close to £2k. But if you’re after the most impressive pizza oven out there, this is it.
Is it all-weather or does it come with a cover?
It doesn’t come with a cover - you have to buy that separately. Even with the rain cover, Gozney recommends storing it indoors during wetter months, so I’d say you’ll need a dry corner of a shed or garage.
Does it double up as anything else?
At the time of testing, Gozney had plans to release a door and steam injector to turn it into a multi-purpose oven for things like bread. I tried roasting a rib of beef and charring aubergines in it, which worked well. It’s just about tall enough to fit a whole chicken, and a large fish or fillet slips in easily.
If portable, how easily can it be moved around?
The stand has wheels, which makes moving it around the garden easy. But if you’re thinking about taking it camping, it’s far too heavy. That said, it’s not advertised as portable, so no surprises there.
How was the finished pizza?
Cooked in under two minutes, the finished pizzas had that textbook mottled crust and bubbly top. The gas alone won’t give you a proper wood-fired flavour, but it’s handy for quick cooking. When I used wood, the flavour wasn’t as developed as I’d hoped, but I expect that will come with time as the inside of the oven gets seasoned.
What utensils did you need to use to make the pizza?
Aside from my usual kitchen kit, I just needed a long-handled peel. Nothing special beyond that.
Gozney dome pizza oven: the verdict
If you’ve got the space, budget and interest in wood-fired cooking, this is the most advanced and precise oven I’ve tried - and it looks seriously impressive in the garden.
You can get equally good pizza from cheaper ovens, including some from the same brand, but they don’t have the same wow factor. Once the door and steamer become available, I think this oven will be in a league of its own.
Everything about it works well and the ability to monitor temperature so accurately is a real bonus. It feels like a first-of-its-kind model that could set the standard for high-end home pizza ovens.
- Available from Gozney (£1,799.99)
Gozney Red pizza oven star ratings:
Ease of assembly 5/5
Overall build-quality 5/5
Ease of use 5/5
Packaging 4/5
Value for money 4/5
Cooking results 5/5
Ease of storage 3.5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
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source https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/gozney-dome-pizza-oven-review
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