The Gozney Arc Pizza Oven is an absolute game changer
I’ve always been a bit of a disaster in the kitchen, so the idea of creating delicious Italian cuisine at home seemed like a tall order. However, with outdoor pizza ovens becoming the summer’s must-have item, I was thrilled when Gozney sent me their Arc Pizza Oven and stand to test out in my own garden.
To be honest, I was a mix of excited and nervous, worried that this flashy new cooking gadget might be messy, luckily, I was mistaken. While all these trendy new pizza ovens from brands like Ooni and Ninja share one feature – a super-hot chamber that cooks pizzas to perfection in minutes – the Gozney Arc stands out.
Described as the “world’s most advanced compact oven for creating a 14-inch pizza”, it can reach temperatures of 500°C and has a game-changing burner. According to the Gozney website, the Arc features ‘an innovative lateral rolling flame and burner that replicates the flame of a traditional wood-fired oven’ which helps ensure the heat is distributed evenly.
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As a novice with no professional kitchen experience and a limited relationship with my own home kitchen, I was amazed at how simple it was to create delicious pizza.
Delivered along with a balancing turning peel, a utility peel, a pizza server, a pizza cutter, and an impressive Arc stand and Arc cover. The setup was straightforward, with clear instructions and each box and component carefully numbered.
Fresh pizza in less than 10 minutes – with set-up
Armed with a newly purchased gas canister, we had the Arc connected to the gas and ready to go in less than 10 minutes. While pizza connoisseurs may argue that wood chippings provide a superior flavour, the gas option is quick and convenient, but we did have to purchase a gas bottle, so pizza enthusiasts should consider this when calculating their costs.
The battery-powered (batteries included – yay!) LED display flicked on to show the oven heating up, making it a breeze to monitor the rising temperature. Gozney suggests giving the oven a gentle 30-minute warm-up at low to medium heat upon first use to “cure” it properly.
However, I found it took a tad over 40 minutes to hit north of 400 degrees. This is definitely something to bear in mind if you’re itching to whip up a quick pizza.
This beast is hot, you can sense the sheer intensity of the heat as you stroll by. With our pizza dough rolled out and toppings at the ready, we wielded the hefty pizza peel to launch our creation into the fiery belly of the oven.
And blimey, were we in for a shock at the speed of cooking! In a mere 60 seconds (or maybe even less), the toppings were sizzling with gusto. It was so rapid that I charred one edge due to a moment’s distraction, but our second go was better, yielding a sumptuous cheesy pizza with that genuine Italian pizzeria flair.
Where to buy the Gozney Pizza oven
Chic, superbly crafted, and a top-notch pizza oven – this gadget is no gimmick. I’m all set to dish out pizzas all summer that are so good, I don’t think we’ll bother with takeaways.
The Gozney Arc, a truly innovative outdoor oven that cooks incredible pizza in no time, is available to purchase online for £549.99 directly from Gozney. It’s not the cheapest pizza oven out there, but it does have £50 off the usual price of £599.
And if you fancy the tall pizza oven stand like I do, it’ll set you back an additional £249.99. Of course, there are other pizza ovens out there. The Ooni is probably the best-known brand, with a collection of pizza ovens to suit different diners. The Ooni Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is a best-selling model, currently on sale at Lakeland for £299.
Other Ooni favourites include the Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven, also £299 and the Karu 2 2nd Generation Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven with £30 off at £349.
Gozney vs Ninja Woodfire Electric sale
A new generation of wood pellet pizza ovens are also taking home cooks by storm. The Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven, Artisan Pizza Maker and BBQ S moker for example, has been called a ‘game changer’ thanks to its ease of use and effective design.
Relatively new to the outdoor pizza oven game, writer Narin Flanders reviewed the Ninja Pizza Oven for herself. She called it “the ultimate outdoor gadget for foodies.” For pizza lovers on a budget, the Big Horn Wood Pellet Pizza Oven is £149 on Amazon. With more than 2000 positive reviews, one user called it “a pizza lover’s dream.”
It’s not just me who loves it. One five-star review on the website said: “I wish I could give this oven more than five stars. I bought the Arc model, which is truly a work of art. Even the packaging is beautifully designed. From the moment you open the box, you can see the attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship. I’ve made pizzas and sandwiches in it, and the results have been amazing. This is easily one of the best purchases I’ve made for my happiness.”
A second added: “This oven is a huge step up – heat retention is amazing with thicker stone, and side flame gives great visibility at its hottest point. It looks cool too and gets a lot of love and admiring comments! Awesome”
One user, however, didn’t find it quite so easy to master. They left a three-star review that said: “We are still trying to figure it out. We keep burning our pizzas, or they are uncooked all the way.”
Overall, the Gozney Arc and it’s many accessories are a big hit with fellow pizza fans. Another five-star review summed it up, saying: “Game changer for professional quality pizza at home.”