They Call Me the 'Pizza Pro' in the Office — I Never Thought I'd Like Any Pizza Oven More Than My Ooni, Until I Tested the Gozney Arc XL

In the world of stylish, lustworthy pizza ovens, there are two main contenders: Ooni and Gozney. Having owned and loved an Ooni pizza oven for years, I considered my answer to which was best a foregone conclusion, and didn't expect Gozney or any other brand to change my mind — that was until I tested Gozney's Arc XL.

After building an oven in his garden, founder and designer Tom Gozney's obsession with making the perfect pizza changed his life, and the Gozney brand was born, offering at-home pizza ovens that deliver restaurant-quality pizzas. My husband and I know all about the obsession with making the perfect pizza, having fine-tuned our pizza-making process over the years (through a lot of trial and error, might I add), but could the Gozney model change our years-long love of our Ooni?

I tested the Arc XL for months, and while there were a couple of niggles, I was overarchingly impressed. So if you're debating, 'Is a pizza oven worth it?', I can assure you that they are. This is everything I discovered throughout the testing process, from the cooking area to the lateral flame, that will put your debate to rest.

Debbie Black

Debbie Black is Livingetc's deputy editor (digital) and has worked in the publishing industry for almost 20 years. She has a passion for interiors and design and has worked for titles such as ELLE Decoration, World of Interiors, ELLE, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, and Glamour, among others. She also has a passion for homemade pizzas, making them at home with her family on a weekly basis. Having owned an Ooni pizza oven for the past three years, she is well-versed in the trials and tribulations of homemade pizzas.

Style

My first impression of the Arc XL, aside from its size (my Ooni Koda 12 looks dinky by comparison), was that it's an incredibly stylish model. As far as portable pizza ovens go, this looks and acts the most like a built-in version that I've come across, offering the performance of a restaurant oven in an at-home model that makes top-quality pizza-making easy.

The model almost reminds me of a motorbike helmet, which seems quite apt, as its hard outer shell protects the glorious pizza inside as well as the brain of the process: the lateral flame. Better yet, the shell is also high-temperature-painted, water-resistant, UV-stable, and chic.

If you have an outdoor kitchen, the countertop pizza oven can be placed wherever you want it (though a booster is recommended); if you don't have a dedicated cooking station outdoors, the Arc XL Stand, suitable for both the Arc XL and smaller Arc model, creates your own portable outdoor kitchen on wheels, with foldable wooden wings and hanging hooks for ultimate convenience.

Quality

There is no doubt that the Gozney Arc XL is a top-quality model, with every element of its design carefully considered, right down to the high-quality cardboard packaging it arrived in (no polystyrene in sight, thankfully), to the straightforward instructions that made it quick and easy to assemble.

The Arc XL Cover also looks great and works really well — using the toggle to pull it tightly around the oven, the heavy-duty fabric made from water-repellant materials adequately protects it from the elements, making us confident to leave it outdoors, worry-free.

All of the Gozney pizza accessories we tested are of high quality, too — I am particularly fond of the Balance Placement Peel, as the holes ensure all the excess semolina is removed from the base of the pizza before you put it in the oven (you need to put semolina under the base of your dough so that it easily slides into the oven, otherwise it will likely get stuck and I can't tell you how disappointing it is to scrape a sticky dough off an oven to have to start over again).

Testing

I was very excited to get a pizza in the oven, but I must say, the main downside of the Arc XL is the length of time you need to wait for the pizza stone to heat up — it is a large cooking space, made of 20mm thick cordierite stone, after all. Granted, we also kept the oven outside, so it's already starting at a lower temperature than if you were to store yours in a shed or garage, for example.

To get to the desired 450-degree cooking temperature, we needed to wait just under 37 minutes — plus, in the bitter winter months, this will likely be slightly longer. However, this is your prime time to get prepping your pizza doughs and ingredients, so that when the oven is ready to go, you are, too.

You also need to ensure you constantly monitor your oven's temperature — if you let it go past the desired temperature, it will keep going, and you'll also have to wait for it to come back down, which is another time element you don't want to have to factor in. But I love the built-in digital thermometer — our Ooni pizza oven doesn't have one, and it makes such a difference.

My husband and I are a dream team when it comes to our pizza-making process, having gotten it down to a fine art over the years. Whether we're using frozen pizza doughs for ease (The Northern Dough Co.'s Neapolitan Pizza Dough Balls at Amazon, or possibly even your local supermarket, are our favorite) or making fresh doughs from scratch, we each have our roles that make it an easy and enjoyable experience, and I have to say that the Arc XL definitely made it easier and more enjoyable.

I love the way the flame goes over the top of the pizza rather than being heated from the back — designed to replicate a wood fire, it definitely helps with heat distribution and even cooking, and I much prefer the pizza crusts. Plus, if you're on top of your temperature monitoring, you'll have a restaurant-worthy pizza ready to be devoured in 60 seconds: unreal.

Slight downside in the Bone color pizza oven is that there is slight staining at the top of the shell after cooking (the majority of it can be wiped down after each pizza-making session, so as long as you stay on top of keeping it in shape, it isn't too much of an issue, but some discoloration will remain), however, choosing the Off Black Pizza Oven would also solve that issue — though, personally, I prefer the look in Bone.

All in all, my husband and I were thoroughly impressed and couldn't quite believe that we had been converted from an Ooni pizza lover to a Gozney pizza lover! The pizzas are delicious and the style is so design-forward that you'll be inviting all your friends round for pizza nights every week (or else they'll be asking).

Top Tips

• Always keep a close eye on your temperature — Once it goes over the desired temperature it will continue to increase for a while, so you will need to wait for it to come back down, which can take some time; equally, if you let it drop too much, you need to factor in time for it to reach temperature again, so it pays to keep a close watch.
• You need a turning peel — If you buy one pizza accessory, let it be the turning peel. You can get away with other kitchen paraphernalia for the majority of the process, but I can't think of another item that could replicate the turning peel in a standard kitchen items list. This is what helps you maneuver the pizza once it's in the oven, and considering the whole pizza is cooked in 60 seconds, you need to make that quick and easy! Gozney's Balance Turning Peel does exactly that.
• Do NOT omit semolina — Your pizza-making process will categorically go wrong if you don't include this supermarket item in your list (or you can buy something like this Natco Fine Semolina at Amazon). It stops the dough from sticking to your peel, both when launching into the oven, as well as when turning and retrieving it, and without it, you have a sad, soggy mess of a situation you would much rather be without, trust me. Cornmeal and regular flour might help, but I personally found semolina to be superior for avoiding the dreaded 'stick'.
• Frozen dough balls are an absolute game-changer — No time to make fresh dough? No problem. We swear by The Northern Dough Co.'s Neapolitan Pizza Dough Balls at Amazon when we're time-poor, as they are so close to the real deal.

Shop Gozney Pizza Accessories

Gozney has a vast selection of pizza oven accessories, but if I were starting my pizza-making journey from scratch, these are the three items I wouldn't be without.

So while there are a couple of small downsides, overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the Arc XL, as well as Gozney as a brand, and, of course, the delicious pizzas that we've been able to create. Yes, it’s on the pricier end of the spectrum, but you’re getting what you pay for in quality, design and end results.

For other Ooni alternatives, I have listed the competing brands that are big on both style and function.