Gozney's biggest pizza oven yet can cook it all

With a Greek partner and me, a pseudo-cultured food lover, one thing we love to do is host. We have always romanticised the idea of backyard gatherings around a gorgeous pizza oven, with free-flowing food, beverages and yaps. We've never quite had the capacity to pull it off without being stuck in the kitchen and away from the socialising action.

That was until we tried Gozney's newest pizza oven, the masterpiece, the Dome XL (Gen 2).

When the Dome XL arrived, it felt less like a 'new toy' and more like a new centrepiece for our entire backyard. It's a beautiful beast in the best way possible. I immediately got lost in the accessories and manuals that come with it, learning all of the tips and tricks and watching the step-by-step guides online. Gozney really want you to make good pizza. 

It's a beautifully sculpted oven that does a whole lot more than just be aesthetically pleasing.

Our first cook: The Sunday lunch test

We decided to test this out with a low-key pre-Christmas Sunday lunch pizza party to perfect our dough recipe, and, my lord, is this new Gozney edition powerful. The oven pre-heats to 400 degrees Celsius within 10 minutes, which you can keep track of with the sleek display screen that shows you the heat of both the internal oven and stone as it heats up. 

Our first pizza, which was extremely slapped together (my workmanship), somehow transformed into a gorgeous wood-fired masterpiece once out of the oven. The Pro Placement and Turning Peel make it super easy to put the pizza in the oven, rotate it once it's in there and then take it out. 

Beyond pizza: This is an oven for feasts

Since that first pizza, we've become obsessed with perfecting the art of both the dough and our pizza design. We've also begun to discover there's not much this pizza oven can't do. Don't feel like pizza? You're in luck, the Dome XL slow cooks and smokes to your heart's desire, with the choice of either wood, gas or charcoal cooking. Add the Dome XL Door attachment, and thermometer probes that connect to the temp display screen, and you can get really high-tech with your slow-roasting and smoking. Our friends and family have already started inviting themselves over.

The ultimate Gozney setup

A great oven is just the start. And once you fire up the pizza oven for the first time, you'll quickly realise that to get the full experience, the accessories are essential. Here's the setup we recommend for the perfect pizza-making and hosting experience.

The oven: Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) is the centrepiece. It's 90 per cent bigger than the original Dome; it can cook one giant 18" pizza, two 12" pizzas, or three 10" pizzas at once.

$3,999 | Gozney

The stand: This oven is a 73kg beast. The custom-built Dome Gen 2 Series Stand puts it at the perfect height, has wheels for moving, and shelves for wood and accessories. It's a non-negotiable.

The peels: You need two tools: one for launching, one for turning. The Pro Placement is perforated to drop excess flour, and the Balance Turning Peels is a round-headed tool for easily rotating the pizza in the flame.

The must-have upgrade: The Dome XL (Gen 2) Mantel is a stainless steel shelf that attaches to the front of the oven. It's the perfect landing pad for resting, seasoning, and turning food.

For roasting: The Dome XL (Gen 2) Door is what you need for everything beyond pizza. It's a twin-walled, insulated door that seals the oven, turning it into a baker or roaster. It even has cutouts for the meat probes.

For protection: Protect your investment with the Dome XL (Gen 2) Cover. This is a custom-fit, weather-resistant cover.

Our final verdict

If you're a casual, occasional pizza-maker, this is probably too much oven for you.

But if you are passionate about food, if you love hosting, and if you want to create restaurant-quality food (from 90-second pizza to slow-roasted lamb) in your own backyard, the Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) is an absolute masterpiece. It's a serious investment, but it completely changes what's possible at home.

Gozney supplied the Dome XL (Gen 2) for the purpose of this review.

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