Gozney Dome Review: My Absolute Favourite Piece Of Kit In 2023

Folks, grab an ice-cold beverage and settle in for what I promise is the most in-depth Gozney Dome review on the internet.

Outside of those using the Gozney Dome commercially (strapped to trailers at breweries), Matty Matheson, and the man himself, Tom Gozney, I can’t imagine there are too many people who have cooked more pizzas in the Dome than me. I have run the Dome ragged for the past 12 months cooking everything and anything that can fit inside its arched door. On average, I have fired it up twice a week to char vegetables, make focaccia and flatbread, bake chicken, pork belly, and even steak au poivre…the list goes on. And, of course, pizza… hundreds and hundreds of pizzas.

The Gozney Dome is a professional-grade dual-fuel pizza oven designed to elevate your outdoor cooking game. I adore its function, but also its entertainment value – it’s such a lot of fun. It is the fuss-free centrepiece of every event you host, leaving guests gobsmacked (every time), but also the facilitator of casual Monday pizza night with the family. I couldn’t tell you how many times I have taken a bite and thought ‘I can’t believe I just made this at home’.

I had the pleasure of meeting founder Tom Gozney in Sydney, who shared some tips and tricks in this video I shot with him, and also had all the time in the world for my questions. Both Tom and his wife Laura – who is a company director but also plays a crucial role in supporting Tom as the travelling face of the brand – were as genuine a pair as I’ve ever met, humbled to hear of my admiration for what they’d created but also truly appreciative for my support. Yes, I was having a bit of a fanboy moment but that’s because I wanted to heap praise for what is a brilliant product.

Before we dive in I will disclose that I was gifted a Gozney for review, as were many writers, influencers, writers, YouTubers and chefs – a seemingly brilliant (and no doubt costly) marketing move that helped the product sell out in Australia in eight hours, netting $10 million in revenue. Naturally, this means my views will be somewhat biased because I didn’t pay $2,999 for the Dome, or $399 for the stand. That doesn’t mean, however, that I will be glossing over the product shortfalls.

In this Gozney Dome review, I’ll share my experience with the dual-fuel model covering delivery, assembly, design, performance evaluation, temperature control, cooking experience, cleaning and maintenance, price and value, and final verdict.

The Gozney Dome is a versatile outdoor oven that allows you to use either gas or wood to roast, steam, smoke, and bake, and it can reach temperatures well above 500 degrees Celsius (I think the highest I saw mine at was 623), making it an ideal choice for outdoor cooking enthusiasts who love experimenting with different recipes.

The Gozney Dome is designed to be easy to use, with a sleek and premium design that elevates any outdoor space. Upon launch, buyers could choose between a wood-only or a more expensive ‘dual fuel’ option allowing users to choose between a gas or wood-fired oven. Today it looks like only the dual fuel option is in stock, which is no doubt a reflection of what people were buying.

My opening point was going to address the ‘Wood Only’ Vs. ‘Dual Fuel’ option, and a recommendation that anyone buying this product MUST stretch their budget to purchase the Dual Fuel design, given how versatile and hassle-free it is, however, it is redundant now that the wood-only design is no longer an option.

An inbuilt temp dial and digital thermometer connected to the oven make the lighting process and temperature management a breeze when cooking with gas. It’s also quick to heat up under gas power – probably 30-45mins until you have a stable temp for cooking pizza. Whereas if you’re cooking with wood-fire you’d need at least an hour, if not more, to get a manageable and consistent heat source.

The Gozney Dome comprises a 304-grade stainless steel shell, with a 30mm cordierite stone floor and dense insulation between the inner shell and outer casing. The oven is finished with a bonded ceramic-coated outer casing for extra durability. The Dome is water-resistant and UV-stable for year-round outdoor use.

Please note that these measurements are rounded up to the nearest decimal place.

My product was delivered via a local public relations agency and it was accompanied by a fantastic box of groceries from Harris Farm, containing Black Angus beef, organic veggies, premium spices and so on.

I think this says a lot about a brand, going above and beyond to get the very best out of its gifting opportunity. We often say “brands only get out what they put in”, and Gozney delivered brilliantly from the outset.

When I received my Gozney Dome review unit, I was incredibly impressed by how well-packaged it was. My Dome was set up by the delivery team so I am not entirely sure what the process is for regular punters, however, it didn’t seem complicated at all. The oven is ready to go out of the box and comes with lifting straps, making it simple for two people to lift and place on the stand – affixed with a central bolt at the base of the Dome. The instructions ask you to cut the straps off after assembly but as I live in a rental I decided to keep them on for easy relocation down the track.

Everything is packaged so thoughtfully, and it’s a point I stressed to Tom in Sydney. When you are spending north of $3000 on a product every detail counts and rest assured, whether it’s the Dome itself, the padded cover or the peel, you’re unboxing something really special. However, with that, comes the unavoidable tonne of packaging that needs to be disposed of. I definitely paused for a moment to consider where it was all going, and the sickening amount of cardboard used to produce it.

My Gozney arrived with wood and a gas bottle, which is super easy to connect via the hose that fits into the rear of the Dome. If you have an existing gas BBQ, you could easily swap the gas between the two devices as required, negating the need for another Swap & Go style bottle. After a quick season (an introductory run that cures the interior of the Dome) you’re good to go.

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The Gozney Dome is an outdoor oven that not only delivers on functionality but also on design – both aspects are important to me. As something that will feature so proudly on your deck or in your garden, it simply must look incredible. It’s sleek, stylish, has a wow factor and is offered in two very appealing colours.

The Dome’s exterior is made from high-quality stainless steel, finished in a matte creamy white or green, which not only looks great but also adds to the durability of the product. A removable flue with cover slots into place on the top of the Dome, with a battery-operated thermometer that clips into place via magnets on the left side. A small stainless steel draw catches ash while woodburning and can be pulled out to empty post-use. Gas temperature is adjusted by a nicely machined knob that requires the faintest of touches to increase/decrease.

The Dome stand is an optional extra but if you don’t have an existing outdoor kitchen countertop or aren’t building one specifically to accommodate the dome, I would highly recommend investing. Designed specifically for the Dome the stand ensures your cooking at the perfect height, with bamboo slated shelves and foldable wings to each side for convenient storage. Huge, robust wheels with locks allow the Dome to be moved easily and secured in place.

Tom began designing commercial pizza ovens and assured me it was the Roccbox that challenged him most when it came to functional design. Like a commercial pizza oven, the Dome is designed with a dome-shaped chamber that allows for even heat distribution and excellent heat retention, with a flame that rolls across the roof of the chamber. Naturally, you get a stereotypical, eye-catching pizza oven shape, with a large opening revealing the stone (and your cooking creations), which will undoubtedly impress your guests.

What accessories you require will depend on the type of cooking you want to do, if it’s pizza, the long-handed pizza placement peel plus is the priority. The team sent me the full arsenal of accessories with my Gozney Dome review unit which was a lovely touch and has definitely added to my overall enjoyment. This included:

I would also recommend the Dome Mantel if you plan on using heavy cast iron skillets in the oven frequently, allowing you to pull the pan out of the direct heat without having to find a surface to place it on.

Now the stone. If you’re reading this it’s highly likely you’ve done your research, perhaps joined the Gozney Dome Owners – Australia FB Group and heard stories of the stone cracking. It is absolutely vital you follow the instructions to heat the stone gradually before your first cook. If I had my time again I would have used gas only for the first 5-10 cooks, keeping the oven at max 410 degrees, hoping that would allow the stone to cure better.

Despite following the instructions my stone did crack. There is a left and right side stone that meet in the centre of the Dome, which each have a hole to allow flame in or ash out. It’s these weaker parts of the stone where cracks seem to lead (as per the reports from the FB group) from the central meeting point in the middle.

I reached out to Tom Gozney himself, who shared the following statement on stone cracks.

“Since launch, we’ve seen stone cracking occur in less than 2% of Dome units. Due to the expansion and contraction of the stone as the oven heats and cools, hairline cracks are a normal expectation of the product (as with all traditional stone hearth ovens) and will not affect the performance or longevity of the product. All customers that have experienced cracks larger than a hairline have had their Dome fully replaced as part of our 5-year extended warranty.

As always, we are constantly working on improving all our products and have made several updates to the internal design of the Dome and how it is produced, shipped, and packaged which will reduce cracking rates even further in the future. The Dome is built to last with pro-grade materials and a design informed by our commercial origins. It’s the ultimate backyard centrepiece.”

– Tom Gozney, Founder.

Those updates have already arrived, with current buyers receiving a generation two Dome that features a new shape and size stone vs. first-generation models like mine.

I don’t have too much to say here. Yes, the stone of my Gozney Dome review unit cracked and I would have been frustrated if I paid for it – as any buyer rightfully would – but I didn’t, so I didn’t request a warranty replacement because it makes no difference to the food coming out. From all accounts online, it appears Gozney is replacing cracked Dome units swiftly, which is great, and no doubt doing so with the latest version with updated stone and internals.

The gas temperature knob also doubles as the ignition button, which needs to be pressed and turned to spark the gas and create the flame. My ignition function proved temperamental at times, taking longer to spark than usual. Not a deal breaker by any means but occasionally frustrating.

Finally, oil the bamboo slats. Gozney recommends you do, I didn’t. It shows.

The flame-driven performance of the Dome is the heart of the product so I felt it was important to discuss the two main sources of that flame. Wood or gas? Despite what you probably think (and the reason I would have been so bullish telling you to buy the dual fuel over the wood only) I would use gas 90% of the time. It’s just so convenient. Let’s dive in.

Using wood to fuel the oven requires infinitely more preparation time, which is nice for a Sunday lunch but doesn’t work when you have children’s bedtime routines to compete with on a weeknight.

As I described above, the stone has two halves which both have a hole – the left hole allows the gas-powered flame to enter the cooking chamber, and the right allows burnt ash to fall into a drawer for later removal. If you’re running gas, you place a stone puck in the right-hand side hole because there’s no ash to remove (and you don’t want your pizza falling into a gaping hole!). When you run wood, you place the stone puck in the left-hand side hole to protect the gas element beneath it, then place a small grill puck in the right-hand side so coals can sit over it and ash can fall into the drawer beneath.

The wood process begins with a small fire in the centre of the stone, which is then moved to the right-hand side above the grill puck. I would estimate a minimum of 60-75 mins until you have coals that are established enough to shift, and then slowly add to. From there, you need to have a constant source of appropriately sized hardwood – I purchased Ironbark by the cubic metre and store it in my carport – and a place to prepare the wood. This is fine if you have room to split larger logs but for those who don’t, it’s a hassle. Sure, you can buy them pre-cut and sized but it’s a huge extra cost.

The oven is designed to retain heat so the mouth is only as big as it needs to be, which means wood must be sized appropriately, not only to fit in but to give you incremental heat changes. Large logs mean uncontrollable jumps in temperature and it’s easy to be overzealous. It’s vital you take small steps to achieve manageable heat.

Of course, the ceremony involved is great and I love the process of lighting and managing a fire but it does require constant attention – walk away for too long and you’ll likely miss the perfect opportunity to cook. In the case of pizzas, with dough resting, ingredients to prep and layout, accessories to ready, bench to organise, it’s easy to forget how much you’ve got going on, on top of fire management.

Finally, using wood requires constant brushing of the stone during use, and more soot and ash, which means a lot more cleaning.

I reckon Mr. Gozney himself would struggle to determine the difference between wood and gas on a blind pizza tasting. And for that reason, gas is the real hero.

It might not be as ‘authentic’ but being able to arrive home, light the Dome, walk away and prep everything, then return 40 mins later to slide a pizza in, pull it out and then turn it off, is easily the product’s greatest strength. Not to mention running it for hours, throwing 10+ pizzas through it and having it maintain a consistent temp!

When cooking with gas you can actually control the temp, instantly adding to or reducing the flame. It still requires a wait for the Dome to arrive at the desired temp, but with gas, you’re not winging it on the size of a log.

Once you’ve become familiar with using it, you know exactly where the knob needs to be for the temp you desire. It’s so practical that it could realistically replace your kitchen oven, especially once you’ve played around with ambient temps when your oven is off and cooling – a great choice when cooking bread.

Ultimately, the choice of wood or gas is what makes the Dome so great. It’s more rewarding to cook with wood, and those who use it infrequently will enjoy the ceremony of doing so, however, the gas is the game-changer, prioritising convenience and precision temperature control, without the cleanup.

Perfectly charred crust can be achieved with both gas & wood — and anyone who says the flavour is dramatically different just hasn’t cooked (and eaten) enough pizzas out of the Dome..

The temperature gauge doesn’t just read the in-chamber temp, it also has two mini-jack inputs for probes to insert into the meat you are cooking to monitor internal temps. The display will then cycle through the chamber and probe temperature, and you can use two probes at the same time. The probe end and wire get very hot so ensure you’re using gloves when handling it, even after resting your meat, then wipe clean, and store once cool.

Two accessories I haven’t used are the steam injector – which is essentially a water reservoir that sits atop the Dome and drops water in to create steam – and the rope-sealed door. Both accessories are highly regarded for breadmaking and slower cooks that like brisket that benefit from moisture. It’s exciting to know there’s still a whole range of recipes I can explore.

As mentioned earlier, the Dome’s versatility goes far beyond the home-cooked pizza. Ours has cooked all manner of nightshades and vegetables – lots of capsicum – alongside whole chicken, pork belly, shoulders of lamb, Matty Matheson’s Steak au Poivre (many times) and an assortment of cheese and bread from flatbreads to focaccia.

What it does exceptionally well is offer additional char or texture when used alongside a conventional oven. When experimenting with food outside of the pizza realm we generally only use gas as the Dome is extremely hot and can extract moisture quickly (from chicken, for example) thus we want to ensure we can manage the heat in there. It’s often also a last-minute decision to use it.

Alternatively, it can be heated with wood to the desired temperature, and used as the charcoal dies and the Dome cools.

Interestingly some of my favourite pizzas have been the last ones of the day, as the Dome cools. Which moves me to my next point – low and slow is the key.

It’s very easy to get swept up in 500-degree-plus temps and rapid cooks (it’s definitely amazing to watch), and while I don’t mind the resulting pizza style, the base rarely gets the required time on the stone to really develop.

From my experience, the best temperature for pizza is anywhere between 380-410 degrees, however, cooking time will always be variable depending on the thickness of your dough (and resulting size), and the ingredients on top.

One of my favourite pizzas to cook is potato and pancetta with rosemary, which I do with an olive oil base. It always takes less time than a tomato-based pizza because there’s less moisture on the dough.

Not only is the resulting pizza crispier at a lower temp, but the process is also infinitely more relaxed. You can really take your time and study where the crust is developing, and rotate the pizza accordingly. When cooking with gas, the left side of the pizza (which is closer to the flame) cooks quicker than the right. If it’s pumping at 500 degrees plus, you really need to be on the ball, and time your peel right for the turn. There’s no room for error because it’s done in 90-odd secs. At 380 degrees you’ve got twice the time, and some.

As I briefly alluded to, I don’t use the Gozney placement peel as Tom does. He slides it under his pizza, gives it a final shape and then slides the pie into the oven. To ensure a smooth transition it’s imperative the peel is always clean, and that’s just another thing to worry about for me. I prefer shaping my dough directly on a semolina-dusted wooden board and building my pizza there, then sliding it off the board onto the stone. I bought a couple of generic bamboo boards from Amazon which also double as chopping and serving boards, a must if you’re cooking two or more pizzas in the same sitting.

The turning peel on the other hand is a very useful tool. It is levered off the front of the dome, then rolled in the hand and dragged backwards or forwards to rotate the pizza on the stone. It’s a movement that takes a bit of getting used to but is very rewarding once nailed. The smaller diameter peel allows you to manoeuvre the pizza while lifting it slightly to inspect the base.

Dusting your chosen peel or board with semolina or flour often leaves burnt residue on the stone so it’s important to have a wire brush on hand to remove it between pizzas – it eventually burns away. I purchased the softest one I could find from the local hardware store, but you’ll also need a serious pair of gloves to protect your forearm when brushing.

This section warrants its own article, however, I thought it was essential to touch on it as it could be the final roadblock for potential buyers. DOUGH IS EASY. Don’t let the thought of preparing your own dough stop you from buying a pizza oven. Words like fermentation and hydration can sound daunting but it’s a very simple process with a seemingly, always varying, combination of 5 ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil.

At the Gozney event in Sydney, I met Luke Powell from Bella Brutta, and watched him make his famous clam pizza. I also quizzed him on his flour supplier. He said to forget the imported 00 stuff from the likes of Caputo and use a quality Australian single-origin flour – he uses Provenance Spitfire which you can find in 2kg bags or monster 50kg sacks.

I enjoy the Provenance product but it’s not convenient for me, especially when adding 3 days ferments to your lead time (and not wanting to store a 50kg bag). Laucke products are a bit easier to source so their Wallaby, or Pizza flour, quickly became my go-to.

I never freeze dough, I just make what I need for the occasion. Generally, I’d run a 65% hydration (water) so 650ml of water to one kilo of flour with 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil. If I’m making less than a kilo I measure out 180-200 grams of dry flour per pizza allocating 2 grams of yeast per pizza. I believe you get better results when the yeast spends time reacting with the water prior to being mixed into the flour. I also prefer hand-kneaded dough to the dough done in the mixer, and I add the salt once I’ve begun kneading.

There are so many ways to do your dough, which is all part of the fun. I’m yet to try Thomas Straker’s dough, which is slightly more labour-intensive than my method but it’s definitely on my to-do list. Ultimately, it’s time that delivers the best results. You can force the fermentation with a bit more yeast if you’ve got less time on your hands, however, all of my favourite pizzas have been achieved with a 2-3 day cold (fridge) fermentation. I then ball the dough and let the dough balls rest for 2-3 hours before I make the pizza.

Sauce-wise, I really over-engineered it in the beginning. I would tomato confit with interesting combos on vine and then remove the skins and hand crush, stirring in olive oil and salt. When I met Tom and Luke they both said they use Mutti, straight from the tin with olive oil and salt. I only use Mutti for my Bolognese so it was a perfectly understandable alternative to my confit process.

In conclusion, you can cook anything you like in the Dome with a little practice, master it all. If it’s pizza, expect a game-changing product that will continue to blow your mind every time you use it.

Maintaining and cleaning your Gozney Dome is essential to ensure it remains in good condition and performs at its best, and it’s dead easy. Here are some tips on how to keep your oven in top shape:

Overall, cleaning and maintaining your Gozney Dome is relatively easy and straightforward. By following these tips, you can ensure your oven remains in top condition and performs at its best for years to come.

When it comes to outdoor pizza ovens, the Gozney Dome is really in a league of its own. Yes, the upfront cost is relatively high, but when you consider the price of pizza these days (and where it’s likely headed), the potential savings over time make for a compelling value proposition. With two pizzas from any one of Sydney’s best pizza restaurants setting you back ~$60, you’ll have spent $2,999 in 50 visits (and that’s only if you resist Bella Brutta’s criminal tiramisu).

With ingredients, I’d say you’d break even at 70 odd visits, and if like me you eat pizza weekly, you’ve made your $2,999 (+ ~$1200 in ingredients) back in less than a year and a half.

This is also before you consider the value you get from entertaining with the Gozney Dome. We’ve probably hosted 15 lunches and dinners, of 6 or more guests, and catered exclusively with the Dome, and I can tell you it’s the most fantastic, and affordable way to feed a crowd. It’s amazing how far your dollar can go when you’re buying ingredients for pizza compared to a catering with a premium cut of meat and accompanying sides.

Finally, I think the build quality is incredible for the money, and while there may be cheaper accessory alternatives, I think Gozney can afford to command a premium for them.

I didn’t pay for my Gozney Dome review unit, but I believe it is 100% worth the investment for those who are serious about pizza, and who want to experiment with other forms of outdoor cooking. Insanely versatile, extremely fun and as legit a pizza oven as anyone could ever dream to have in their home.

The Gozney Dome is hands down, the best product I have used in all of my time at Boss Hunting.

Any weekend I don’t get to fire up the Goz is a weekend wasted in my eyes. I absolutely love it, not just because it looks amazing and is exceptionally fit for purpose, but because it’s brings me so much enjoyment, and my family and friends together, and for that reason alone you should consider it.

The Gozney Dome oven weighs 58kg alone and 68kg with packaging. It is lifted out of the box and onto the stand with sturdy pre-attached straps.

While it could possibly accommodate two smaller pizzas when cooking with gas, I wouldn’t recommend cooking multiple pizzas at once. You want to ensure you’re focused on place and turning one pizza to cook it as best as possible plus cooking times are super quick so there’s no point risking cooking two poorly. If you want to cook multiple pizzas to eat at the same time, purchase some additional cutting boards to rest the cooked pizzas, then slide them back in for 30 secs ensure they’re piping hot for when you sit down.

The Gozney Dome is a versatile oven that can be used to cook a wide range of dishes – you’re only limited by your imagination. I would recommend starting with the recipes designed for the Gozney by the likes of Matty Matheson. Once familiar with those, try introducing the Dome into your favourite recipes, shoulders or lamb, pork belly, roast veggies etc. We cooked a lot of foccacia in our Dome, as it’s extremely easy to prep, with no starter required. You can also experiment with different types of wood and charcoal to give your dishes a unique flavour.

Yes, the Gozney Dome is designed to be your backyard centrepiece and can be left outside all year round. However, it is recommended that you cover it when not in use to protect it from the elements. If you are adding it to an outdoor kitchen I recommend building in a chimney, and if it’s sitting on a deck, using gas instead of wood will stop staining on the roof above.

Yes, you can use the Gozney Dome to BBQ. The hybrid model comes with a gas burner that can be used to grill meat and vegetables. However, it is important to note that the Gozney Dome is primarily designed as a pizza oven and may not be as effective as a dedicated BBQ.

I reached out to Gozney about the availability of the wood-only Dome and they did confirm that it is being discontinued.

Yes. Seriously, what are you waiting for, hit the link!