If there’s one thing I’ve learned about most modern-day pizza ovens, it’s that they’re never quite big enough to cook multiple pizzas in one go – and that’s a travesty.
Often, it means the chef of the household is left prepping one pizza at a time, then cooking it, then prepping another and cooking that, while everyone else tucks in to their efforts.
By the time they’re bringing the third or fourth pizza to the table, the rest of the group are stick-a-fork-in-me stuffed, while the chef just about manages to shovel a single, cold slice into their mouth.
This is usually the case for my other half, who (thankfully) loves cooking for our family.
But when the opportunity came knocking to try Gozney’s Dome XL (Gen 2) – a bigger version of the Arc, which we’ve been using for the past few years – I was curious to see whether this would mean he’d finally be able to sit down and eat with us.
Dear reader: he did! And as for the pizza… it was the tastiest yet.
How big is the Gozney Dome XL?
It’s large enough to cook two 12″ (14″ at a push) pizzas – so, certainly living up to its moniker.
The pizza oven is 946mm wide, 997mm high and 697mm deep. If space is at a premium in your back garden, you might want to give this one a miss, and I’d instead recommend the slightly smaller Arc or even the OG Roccbox (great for camping/very small gardens) – we’ve bought and used both on repeat over the years.
How easy is the Gozney Dome XL to set up?
The Dome XL turned up on a pallet and required four of us to carry it through our house to the back garden, where we screwed it to the stand (sold separately), attached the chimney, adjusted the stones (there are two which sit next to each other), got it hooked up to the gas bottle and turned it on in about 10 minutes.
You need to cure the stone for about 30 minutes before first use. The oven’s digital display comes charged, so you can use it straight away.
How well does the Gozney Dome XL cook?
My first impression of the oven, even before we’ve started cooking, is that it’s really well-made. This is a professional bit of kit – and it looks the part, too. Considering it’s pretty large, it’s certainly not overbearing.
But while it’s clearly made by the pros who know what they’re doing, it’s not pretentious or complex. The Dome XL – just like Gozney’s other pizza ovens we’ve used over the years – is extremely user-friendly.
Beginners would have no issues getting this set up and cooking pizza or any other dishes they’d fancy giving a try. (Gozney’s YouTube has long been a firm favourite of ours to find recipe inspo).
The oven heats up quickly – it takes about 30 minutes to get to 300-degree+ temperatures, and then you can start cooking pizzas or sizzling steaks. The digital screen on the front of the oven gives you insights into the temperature of the oven, the temperature of the stone and even allows you to set a timer for cooking.
It also comes with two meat probes you can use for precision cooking – we cooked steaks on it in a cast iron pan, as well as chips (yes, you can cook fries in a pizza oven!). We’ve also done chicken wings, roasted veggies and more. One of the big plus-sides is that when you’re cooking meat or fish in it, it doesn’t leave your entire home stinking – nor does it set off your fire alarm.
Once you’ve prepped your pizza and shuffled it onto the stone, it could be cooked in as little as 90 seconds – or longer if you prefer a low-and-slow cook.
Nowadays, we tend to opt for the latter so we can prep more to fill the table with pizza, pizza and more pizza.
We’ve cooked lots of different types of pizza on it, from crispier American styles to Neopolitan versions. Toppings have ranged from garlic prawns, Margherita, ’Nduja and honey, to tuna and red onion, pepperoni, chicken tikka and mango chutney, mushrooms and truffle oil, and marinara.
The flame licks up the side and across the top of the oven for even heat distribution – cheese melts instantly, while the dough crust expands like a fluffed up pillow protecting the sizzling toppings. The end product is always restaurant-quality food.
Because it’s so big, you can create two large pizzas with half-and-half toppings so you’re essentially getting four pizzas made in one sitting – ideal for feeding hungry kids or having mates over for a pizza party (the new and improved BBQ gathering, if you ask me).
What about the accessories?
One thing it doesn’t come with, as standard, is a cover or a stand. And in my opinion, you need both (unless you’ve got an outdoor kitchen area or sturdy worktop).
The stand is metal and takes a bit of time to build, however it comes with everything you need to build it – and once it’s up, you’re good to go. It also comes with wheels, which is pretty handy if you want to be moving the oven around your patio.
If you buy the stand, I’d 100% recommend getting the cover that fits over the oven and stand to keep it protected from the elements.
The cover is one of the best garden furniture covers I’ve seen (we’ve had quite a few varieties over the years) – it’s stormproof and fits over the oven, chimney and stand easily. The toggles at the bottom help to keep it from blowing away, which has been very useful given the blustery storms we’ve been having of late.
We’ve also tried the Wood-Fire Control Kit which lets you cook with wood (or charcoal) instead of gas – it’s easy to use and offers a completely different flavour to your food.
Any downsides?
We really had to mull this one over. I think the biggest downside is the cost at £2,499.99. It’s a premium pick, but if you’re serious about outdoor cooking and you’ll use it whatever the season (which we will), it’s worth the investment.
Who would love the Gozney Dome XL?
Pizza-lovers, of course! It’s definitely a great shout for those who love hosting, throwing parties in their back yard, or have more mouths to feed (ie. families).
The Dome XL doesn’t come cheap, but if you spend a lot of time outdoors, love to experiment with your cooking and/or have kids who are just as pizza-obsessed as you are, it’s certainly worth splashing the cash.
And if you’re after something smaller and a lot more budget-friendly, you really can’t go wrong with the Arc XL (£799.99).
