The good news is, the problem tends not to be the oven itself, or even the dough or even your chosen toppings. In fact, most of the time it boils down to temperature management and technique that can easily be adjusted. Understanding why your dough is burning before the toppings cook is the first step towards producing consistently great results, so read on to find out more!

Your Stone Temperature Is Too Hot

Most pizza ovens have a temperature gauge which gives you a fairly accurate reading of the ambient temperature of the oven. However, what most of those gauges fail to read (with the exception of the Gozney Dome Gen 2) is the stone temperature, which actually has the greatest influence on how quickly the bottom of the pizza cooks.

If the stone temperature is excessively hot, the undercarriage of the pizza can burn in a matter of seconds. This usually happens when the oven has been heating for a long period or when fresh fuel has recently been added to a wood-fired oven. For this reason, we always recommend infrared thermometers, which accurately assess the exact temperature of the stone prior to launching the pizza. As a rule of thumb, the ideal temperature of the stone should be around 350°C for launching pizza.

Your Dough and Preparation

We mentioned above that technique can have an impact in terms of how easily the dough can burn. One of the most common reasons is excess flour on the underside of the pizza. While flour is useful for preventing sticking during stretching and launching, any excess quickly burns when it comes into contact with a hot stone. This can create a bitter taste and make the base appear burnt long before the pizza itself is cooked. A good way to prevent this is to use a perforated peel when launching the pizza. These allow most of the excess flour to fall through the perforations rather than sticking to the dough. It’s also good practice to give the peel a little shake just before launching.

Another reason dough can burn too quickly is the ingredients used within the recipe. For example, ingredients such as sugar, honey, or excessive amounts of olive oil found in some recipes can caramelise rapidly at pizza oven temperatures. If you’re finding your dough is burning before your toppings have had a chance to cook, it might be worth reverting to a more traditional Neapolitan dough recipe, which tends to use very simple ingredients and rely on fermentation to develop flavour rather than added sugars.

Temperature Management & Cooking Technique

Even with the perfect dough and stone temperature, cooking technique still plays a major role in preventing burnt crusts.

Positioning the pizza too close to the fire can cause one side to char excessively while the centre remains undercooked. Also, failing to rotate the pizza regularly allows one section to absorb far more heat than the other. Turning the pizza every 15 to 20 seconds with a turning peel helps ensure an even cook.

For gas-fired pizza ovens, lowering the flame after launching can also help create a more balanced cooking environment. This gives the toppings more time to cook without exposing the crust to excessive direct heat. This is especially useful when using toppings that have a naturally higher water content, for example, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and peppers. In order for those kinds of ingredients to cook and char, they first have to release their water content, which in turn allows the natural sugars to caramelise. One way to speed this up is to cook off those ingredients first before topping the pizza. This allows those ‘wetter’ ingredients to caramelise in the same time as it takes dough to cook.

Final Thoughts

It’s worth remembering that not all dark spots on dough are a problem. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas often feature small patches of charring, known as leopard spotting, which are considered a sign of a well-cooked pizza. However, if your pizza crust burns before the toppings cook, the solution is usually a combination of better temperature management, improved preparation, and refining your cooking technique through practice. 

By following some of our tips mentioned throughout this article, you’ll be well on your way to making perfect pizza in no time at all.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens and accessories we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post Why Your Pizza Crust Burns Before the Toppings Cook appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

For that reason, it’s so important that you keep the stone in good condition. So many people accidentally damage them through simple mistakes such as using water, cleaning them while they’re still hot or taking them in and out of the oven unnecessarily. The good news is that pizza stone care is actually very straightforward once you know what to avoid.

Using Water and Soap

One of the biggest mistakes people make is treating a pizza stone like a normal kitchen tray or baking dish. Pizza stones are porous, which means they’re not just good at absorbing heat; they’re also good at absorbing moisture, soaps and chemicals too. If moisture becomes trapped inside the stone and the oven is heated before it has fully dried, the rapid expansion of steam can cause cracking of the stone. Even if the stone doesn’t crack immediately, repeated exposure to moisture and the changing temperatures can weaken the material over time.

Using detergents and sprays on the stone is another common mistake. Although these tend to result in less moisture hitting the stone, they do impart chemicals deep into the stone, which can affect the taste of future pizzas. Nobody wants their next Neapolitan pizza tasting faintly of antibacterial spray!

Thankfully, the use of water, detergents and chemical sprays isn’t needed at all to effectively clean a pizza stone. In fact, it’s best to let the oven’s heat do most of the cleaning work for you. After you’ve taken out the last pizza, keep the oven on a high heat for 10 minutes after cooking. This carbonises any stuck-on residue such as dough, cheese or sauce. Then once the stone has cooled, just use a pizza oven brush to remove the carbonised debris.

Cleaning the Stone While It’s Still Hot

After you’ve taken the last pizza out of the oven, it can often be tempting to start cleaning the stone straight away. However, cleaning a pizza stone while it’s still hot is one of the quickest ways to damage it.

As mentioned above, getting any water or moisture involved isn’t necessary at all when it comes to getting the pizza stone back to prime condition. Once you’ve run the oven on full power for a few minutes after finishing cooking, let it cool down sufficiently so you can touch the stone without burning yourself. At this point, you can start scraping any stuck residue that might have resulted from any stray toppings or less-than-successful launches! Once it’s carbonised, just sweep out the carbonised debris. It’s also really important to avoid aggressive scrubbing or using metal tools that could damage the surface unnecessarily.

Forgetting About Long-Term Maintenance and Storage

Long-term maintenance and proper storage can make a huge difference to the condition and performance of your pizza stone. You now know to what degree moisture is the enemy, but it doesn’t just come from cleaning. Leaving an oven uncovered outside or storing the oven in damp environments such as cellars can allow moisture to slowly soak into the material. Then, when the oven is fired up, that trapped moisture can lead to cracking issues.

If you keep your pizza oven outdoors all year, using a protective cover is a smart investment. It’s also worth ensuring the stone is completely dry before cooking, especially after long periods without use or after wet weather.

Finally, it’s important to give the stone a quick visual once over to check for cracks. Hairline cracks are fairly common and often harmless, but if you notice anything larger or any loose pieces of stone, it might be time for a replacement.

Final Thoughts

A pizza stone doesn’t need to look brand new to perform effectively. In fact, a few marks and signs of use are often proof of plenty of successful pizza nights. But by avoiding a few common mistakes, you can help extend the life of your pizza stone and keep turning out incredible pizzas for years to come.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post Pizza Stone Care: Common Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Your Gluten Hasn’t Had Time to Relax

Every time you knead, fold, or shape your dough, you’re building up the gluten network, which is what gives the pizza its structure and “chew”. The problem is that past a certain point, all that gluten development makes the dough tight and elastic rather than soft and workable, and elastic dough just wants to spring back to its original shape the second you let go of it.

The fix is simple: rest the dough! Stretch the dough as far as it’ll comfortably go, then leave it alone for 10-15 minutes before coming back to it. You’ll usually find it stretches much further the second time round with barely any resistance. It’s also worth pressing and pushing the dough outward from the centre rather than pulling or tugging at the edges, which puts less strain on the gluten and gives you a more even stretch.

Your Dough Might Be Under (or Over) Proofed

Proofing is one of those things that’s easy to rush, but it makes a big difference to how your dough behaves. Underproved dough tends to be dense and tight, and it’ll fight back when you try to stretch it. Overproved dough goes the other way. It gets fragile and can tear or collapse rather than stretch smoothly.

The fix is mostly about timing. If your dough’s been in the fridge, don’t go straight into stretching. Instead, give it a proper time out of the fridge to come near to room temperature. An hour or so should do it, but it’s really important to keep the dough covered so it doesn’t form a crust from exposure to the air. 

Hydration Level Matters

Sometimes the issue isn’t technique at all, rather, it’s your ingredient ratios. Standard bread flour with a lower protein content can behave almost like rubber compared to a proper pizza flour like a ‘00’ flour, simply because the protein (and therefore gluten) content is different. If you’ve tried everything else and your dough still won’t cooperate, it might genuinely be worth switching out to a different type of flour. We recommend Dallagiovanna La Napoletana Flour ’00’.

Hydration plays a big part too. Doughs with a bit more water in them tend to stretch out more easily, even though they can feel stickier and trickier to handle at first. It’s a trade-off, but one that’s usually worth it once you get used to working with a wetter dough. We usually aim for around 62% hydration for our dough, which is a great balance in terms of workability and structure.

Final Thoughts

If your dough keeps springing back on you, it’s not a sign you’re doing something fundamentally wrong, it’s just the gluten telling you it needs a bit more time. Rest it, don’t rush the proof, and make sure you’re using a flour that’s actually suited to pizza, and you’ll solve the vast majority of stretching problems. If you’re still struggling, it might be worth trying a different flour or upping the hydration percentage slightly.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post Why Your Pizza Dough Won’t Stretch (And How to Fix It) appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Get a Digital Scale

If there’s one upgrade that quietly fixes more dough problems than anything else, it’s this. Measuring flour by cups (or by winging it!) is wildly inconsistent; depending on how packed it is, you could be off by as much as 50%. A digital scale means your dough turns out the same every single time. It also opens the door to baker’s percentages, which sounds fancy but really just means you can scale any recipe up or down without doing maths in your head!

Upgrade Your Peels

This is two small swaps really, but they solve quite different problems. First up is upgrading to a perforated launching peel. This lets excess flour and semolina fall through the holes instead of sitting on your oven floor, where it burns and can make everything smoke and taste bitter. 

Next up is a turning peel. These are small, round, and much easier to slide under a pizza mid-bake than a standard peel. They allow you to rotate your pizza easily, even in smaller portable pizza ovens. Rotating around the 20-30 second mark is what stops one side scorching while the other’s still pale.

Use an Infrared Thermometer

Guessing your oven temperature is one of the easiest ways to end up with an inconsistent bake. An infrared thermometer takes the guesswork out completely and, importantly, it lets you check the floor of the oven, not just the air temperature, which is what’s cooking the pizza from below. You’re aiming for somewhere around 350°C floor temperature and 400°C – 450°C ambient temperature. Once you know what that actually looks like on the thermometer, you’ll start hitting it consistently rather than by chance.

Cold Ferment Your Dough

This one costs nothing except a bit of planning. Instead of using your dough the same day, pop it in the fridge for around 16-24 hours before you cook with it. The slower fermentation does two things. One, it helps to develop flavour, and it helps the crust brown better once it hits the heat. It’s probably the easiest “upgrade” on this list because it doesn’t involve buying anything at all, just changing your dough-making method slightly.

Simplify Your Toppings

We know how tempting it is to pile everything on (especially when you’re starving!), but the best pizzas usually have two or three toppings, not seven or eight. Good quality tomatoes (San Marzano if you can get them), Fior di Latte mozzarella that’s been dried out a little so it doesn’t add extra moisture, and a couple of toppings that actually complement each other. Less really is more here because an overloaded pizza usually just means a soggy base thanks to too much moisture, and flavours that fight each other instead of working together.

Final Thoughts

None of these upgrades requires ripping up how you make pizza and starting again. A scale, the right peels, a thermometer, a bit of patience with your dough, and some restraint with toppings- that’s genuinely the long and short of it. Try one or two at a time rather than all five at once, and you’ll notice the difference pretty quickly. If you’re after any of the accessories mentioned above, take a look at our range by clicking here.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post 5 Small Upgrades That Can Improve Your Pizza Game appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Igneus Minimo Pizza Oven: Was £375 Now £249

If you’re looking for an affordable way to experience authentic wood-fired pizza cooking, the Igneus Minimo is a fantastic option. The majority of portable pizza ovens on the market are gas-powered, meaning you have to take a gas cylinder with you, as well as all the ingredients and accessories. The beauty of the Minimo is it’s powered by wood, and we don’t mean wood pellets either! This thing takes a proper log of hardwood, just like larger ovens. That means a hotter, cleaner and more consistent fire that lasts for longer.

It also comes supplied with a peel and rake, making it feel like a complete starter package straight out of the box. For smaller gardens, patios and occasional trips away, the Minimo offers excellent value for money.

Delivita Diavolo Gas Fired Pizza Oven: Just £199

For anyone wanting quick, convenient, budget-friendly outdoor cooking with minimal fuss, the Delivita Diavolo is a great choice. Being gas-fired makes temperature control straightforward, while the lightweight construction and folding legs help make it easy to move, transport and store when not in use.

It’s available in a variety of different colours including Blue, Green, Red, Mocha, and Black, and comes with everything to get you started, including a peel, thermometer, case and regulator.

The Delivita Diavolo is a practical all-in-one package for those wanting a simple and enjoyable introduction to pizza oven cooking and an entry-level price point.

Gozney Roccbox Pizza Oven: Was £399 Now £319.99

The Gozney Roccbox has built a huge reputation over the years thanks to its impressive performance and durable build quality. It’s the oven that really got things started for this great, industry-leading brand. As with all things Gozney, it’s designed with commercial pizza oven expertise in mind and combines portability with the ability to produce restaurant-style pizzas at home. It has an impressive heat-up time of just 15 minutes and the ability to switch between gas or wood as its fuel source. It’s primarily a gas pizza oven but there is the option to fit a wood burner too.

Its thick stone floor and excellent heat retention help the Roccbox to create consistent pizza time after time. 

It should be mentioned here that stock is now limited following the discontinuation of Roccbox from the Gozney range of pizza ovens. Here at The Pizza Oven Shop, we do still have a small number left in stock, but when they’re gone, they really are gone!

Gozney Tread Portable Gas Pizza Oven: Just £499

While on the subject of Gozney, we have to talk about the natural successor to the Roccbox, namely the Gozney Tread, which is essentially the ultimate portable pizza oven. Tread was built with adventure in mind and designed for those who truly want to take pizza-making beyond the back garden! It comes in a choice of Gozney’s signature Black and Olive colourways, and a host of accessories to enable on-the-go cooking wherever the adventure is located. 

You can add the telescopic Venture Stand, which is both lightweight & collapsible. There’s also the Tread Roof Rack which attaches to the top of the oven and doubles up as a chopping board, built-in prep area, serving location and a place to set cookware.

For anyone who loves cooking outdoors and adventures, Tread is one of the most exciting portable pizza ovens currently available on the market.

Ooni Koda 2 Range: From £319.20

For those regularly cooking for family gatherings, parties or larger groups, the Ooni Koda 2 Range offers plenty of cooking space and impressive versatility, especially the Koda 2 Pro 18” and Koda 2 Max. They’re the perfect middle ground between true portability and permanent tabletop ovens because they offer a larger cooking area but maintain the element of portability.

The Koda 2 Range also features Ooni’s advanced G2 Gas Technology, which uses tapered dual lateral gas burners to direct more heat across the cooking area, resulting in a stone temperature that’s up to 420% more even than the original Ooni Koda 12, making it easier to achieve beautifully baked pizzas as well as cooking perfect steaks, vegetables and using cast iron dishes, making it a fantastic all-round outdoor cooking option for gardens, patios and entertaining spaces.

The Koda 2 Max, the largest oven in the Koda Range, has the capacity for one 20″ pizza, two 12″ pizzas or three 10″ pizzas, which gives you an idea of the capability of an oven that’s still considered highly portable. 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to choosing the right portable pizza oven, it really depends on how and where you plan to use it most. For example, if your oven will mainly stay at home in the garden or occasionally travel to friends’ and family gatherings, you may not need something specifically designed for off-grid cooking. However, if you enjoy camping, road trips and outdoor adventures, you may prefer a more travel-focused option such as the Gozney Tread Portable Gas Pizza Oven, which has been designed with portability and cooking on the go in mind.

Whatever your style, there are now so many excellent portable pizza ovens available on the market. If you’d like help choosing the right model for your garden, patio or outdoor cooking setup, explore the full portable pizza oven range at The Pizza Oven Shop or speak to our friendly team for expert advice.

You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post A 2026 Round Up of the Best Portable Pizza Ovens appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

But as with anything, as your skills improve and you become more advanced, you might notice your current setup no longer fits the bill. Upgrading your pizza oven isn’t just about size or price; it’s quite often more about giving you the tools to improve consistency, control, and overall results. In fact, here at The Pizza Oven Shop, many of our customers return after a few years to buy their next pizza oven once they’ve outgrown their first. So, if you think you might currently be in that situation, here are five clear signs it might be time to take that next step.

1. You’re Ready for a Different Fuel Type

Before taking the plunge with a large, multi-fuel pizza oven, many people sensibly choose to start small, until they fully decide that a pizza oven is even right for them. Often, that means starting with a compact, portable pizza oven, which might be fuelled by wood pellets, for example. While these are great for getting started and “testing the waters”, your needs can change as you use it more often.

Pellet ovens can be tricky to maintain a consistent flame, which means constantly topping up fuel and managing airflow mid-cook. They also make it difficult to maintain the high temperatures needed to cook pizzas back-to-back, for example, when hosting friends and family.

This is often when people start looking at gas, wood-fired or dual-fuel ovens, which offer greater control, faster heat-up times, and a more predictable cooking environment.

2. You’re Cooking for More People

As mentioned above, one of the big appeals of owning a pizza oven is hosting pizza parties and showing off your skills! Once you start hosting for more people, smaller ovens can present a challenge. You might find yourself waiting for the stone temperature to recover, juggling timings, or feeling under pressure to keep everyone fed. This is especially true of portable ovens, which often have a thinner stone to reduce weight and aid portability, as well as less advanced insulation. 

Smaller ovens also limit the number of pizzas you can cook at the same time. This is fine if your needs are predominantly for cooking away from home, for example, on camping trips or at the beach, but when hosting in the garden, they can often become hindersome. 

3. You Want Better Results from Your Dough

One of the main elements that many people become obsessive around is their dough recipes. Adjusting the hydration levels and types of flour in order to achieve the perfect rise, texture and leopard spotting. As you refine your dough recipe and technique, your expectations naturally rise with it. If you’re finding you’re not achieving the expected results from the dough you thought you’d nailed, the limiting factor could be the pizza oven itself. 

Higher-spec pizza ovens are designed to reach and maintain the temperatures needed for true Neapolitan-style pizza, with more even heat distribution. This allows your dough to perform at its best and gives you the perfect cooking environment to achieve the restaurant-quality results you’re aiming for.

4. You’re Starting to Cook More Than Just Pizza

This is a big one. As we always say here at The Pizza Oven Shop, a pizza oven is for so much more than pizza, and although many people start with predominantly pizza, they quickly realise that a pizza oven opens up a world of opportunity for experimenting with different styles and cuisines.

If you’ve started experimenting with steaks, fish, baked pasta, slow-cooked casseroles, bread or even desserts, you might find your current oven lacks the space, control or flexibility needed.

Upgrading can give you far more possibilities. Whether it’s better temperature control, larger cooking areas, or dual-fuel options, a more advanced oven allows you to get the most out of outdoor cooking in general.

5. You’re Using Your Oven More Than You Expected

If this one is you, great! The last thing we want is to sell you an oven you only use once. We want you to fall in love with pizza and outdoor cooking. However, if you’re firing up an entry-level pizza oven every week, or even multiple times a week, it’s a good sign you could be getting more out of your setup by upgrading.

At this point, convenience, durability, and performance become much more important. You may start to notice small frustrations or limitations that didn’t matter at first or when you were only firing up every so often.

Upgrading to a more premium oven can really give you the convenience factor of being able to just turn a dial (for gas-fired ovens) or throw a couple of logs in a wood-fired oven and get cooking within a matter of minutes. 

Final Thoughts

Upgrading your pizza oven isn’t just about buying something bigger or more expensive; it’s about matching your setup to how you actually cook. Whether it’s switching fuel type, cooking for more people, or simply wanting better results, the right oven can make a massive difference.

A premium pizza oven from a leading brand such as Gozney, Ooni, Clementi or Igneus can give you more control, better consistency, and ultimately more enjoyment every time you cook. If you’re starting to recognise any of the signs or trigger points mentioned throughout this article, it might be the perfect time to explore the next step in your pizza journey.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post 5 Signs You’re Ready to Upgrade Your Pizza Oven appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

1. How Hot Should My Pizza Oven Be?

This is the big one. When they first start, most people worry about how hot to get their pizza oven. Getting it to an exact temperature and keeping it there. So, instead of aiming for a precise number, aim for a temperature window. An ambient temperature of between 450-480°C is ideal. Most pizza ovens come fitted with a built-in temperature gauge, which makes assessing the temperature super easy. Where things get a little trickier is assessing the stone temperature. That’s where an infrared thermometer comes in. For the stone, you’ll want to aim for around 350°C. If it gets too hot, the undercarriage of the pizza can stick and burn. Too cool, and the base of the pizza can come out undercooked.

2. How Long Does It Take to Cook a Pizza?

If everything is in the correct window temperature-wise, your pizza oven can have a pizza cooked in as little as 60 seconds. This can come as a surprise to first-time users, especially if you’re used to longer cooking times in a conventional oven. In a pizza oven, pizza cooks from both the bottom up and the top down, which is why it’s important to get the stone temp and ambient temp working in harmony. 

Because pizza cooks so quickly, it’s vital to keep an eye on it as it cooks. Turn it every 15-20 seconds using a turning peel to ensure an even bake and prevent it from burning on one side. 

3. Should I Cook with the Door Open or Closed?

All pizza ovens come with an oven door. This is primarily for use when cooking low and slow, such as roasting meats, fish and vegetables, and even making curries, lasagnes and casseroles. When cooking pizza, always cook with the door off. This allows for proper airflow, helping to maintain a live flame which is essential for cooking the top of the pizza. Closing the door limits airflow and reduces the way the flames roll over the top of the oven roof.

4. Why Is My Pizza Sticking to the Peel?

Getting the pizza into the oven is hands down the area where most beginners hit problems. There are few things more frustrating than preparing a flawlessly shaped pizza, topped to perfection, only for it to stick to the peel or end up a molten mess on floor of your oven. Not using enough flour or semolina on the peel can cause sticking, as can leaving the dough sitting for too long on the peel before launching. Moisture is also the enemy when launching pizza. Any moisture from the sauce or wet ingredients that gets between the peel and the dough will cause it to stick. If you notice this, lift up the pizza from one side and throw a dusting of fine semolina underneath. 

TPOS Top Tip: Give your peel a little shake before attempting a launch to ensure it moves freely.

5. Why Are My Toppings Burning Before the Base Is Cooked?

We can refer all the way back to FAQ 1 for this one. If the ambient temperature of the oven is in the correct window but the stone floor isn’t hot enough, the likely result is burnt toppings and undercooked dough. There are often two main reasons for this in the case of beginners. 

First, not having an accurate method of measuring the stone floor, i.e. an infrared thermometer. Second, not allowing enough time between bakes for the oven to recondition to the correct operating window. Cooking a pizza lowers the temperature of the stone slightly, so allowing 5 minutes for the temperature to rise again is always recommended.

Final Thoughts

Getting to grips with a pizza oven takes a little practice, but these early challenges are all part of the fun. Once you get to know the nuances of your pizza oven and understand temperature control, you’ll quickly start producing consistently great pizza for your guests.

If you’d like to learn more about the range of pizza ovens and accessories we sell here at The Pizza Oven Shop, or have any questions you need answering, our friendly team is here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post 5 Pizza Oven FAQs Every First Timer Asks appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Key Features of the Ooni Halo Pro Spiral Mixer

Dual-Kneading Technology

Essentially, the Ooni Halo Pro has been designed to bring professional-level dough mixing into the home, offering a more specialised approach than traditional planetary mixers. On a conventional stand mixer, the hook rotates around a fixed bowl, whereas the Halo Pro uses a spiral hook combined with a rotating bowl. This helps to mirror the mixing of professional-grade equipment found in bakeries and pizzerias.

The spiral motion helps to develop the gluten in the dough more effectively, which creates a stronger dough and more elastic structure, all without overworking it. The reduced friction because of the rotating bowl results in better temperature control and a more even mix. Essentially, the equipment is gentler on the dough compared to standard planetary mixers. 

Breaker Bar

The detachable breaker bar on the Ooni Halo Pro Spiral Mixer is also a really important feature because it stops the dough from climbing up the hook as it mixes, meaning all the ingredients combine and incorporate evenly, and temperatures remain consistent.

Power & Speed Control

The Ooni Halo Pro comes complete with 58 speed settings, which allow for precision control while making all types of dough, whether that’s for pizza, bread or even pastries. This is vital because it allows the temperature to come up incrementally as the dough mixes. If the dough mixes too quickly at the start of the process, it can overheat the dough and damage gluten formation. 

Intuitive Interface

On top of the mixer, there’s a touch interface which controls the timer, again allowing for precision control. When the timer is set, the Halo Pro will automatically stop once the time has elapsed.

Dough Making Process

1. First things first, add the flour to the bowl. One of the key benefits when it comes to making the dough is being able to easily detach the bowl and place it on the scales to measure your ingredients accurately.

2. Next, add the yeast. If you’re using fresh yeast, crumble it into the flour. For instant yeast, add it directly to your flour. For active yeast, follow the packet instructions and remember to subtract any water used to activate it from the total amount of water required for your recipe

3. Mix on a low speed to bring the dry ingredients together. Then add around 90% of your water. If using sourdough, now’s the time to add your starter. Mix on low until incorporated.

4. Now add the salt and slowly incorporate the remaining water. 

Rather than relying on strict timings, it’s important to watch how the dough behaves. As mixing progresses, it will become smoother, more cohesive, and begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl, forming that signature ‘pumpkin-like’ shape. The goal is to reach a stage where the dough is elastic and slightly tacky, often referred to as the “windowpane” stage.

5. Be guided mainly by the temperature of the dough rather than just appearance. You want to aim for 24°C. Once you hit that magic number, stop the mixer and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before removing it from the mixer.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s our verdict on the Ooni Halo Pro?

Put simply, it delivers where it matters most – in the quality of the dough. One of the biggest differences you’ll notice is how the dough comes out smoother and more elastic, making it easier to stretch without tearing, which, of course, is a crucial factor when making pizzas.

The spiral mixing action and dual-kneading tech make the process more consistent, more forgiving, and ultimately produce better results.

For anyone serious about making high-quality pizza at home, the Ooni Halo Pro isn’t just a nice-to-have accessory, but a game-changing upgrade. It sounds simple, but better dough leads to better pizza, and this mixer is designed to help you achieve exactly that.

If you want to find out more about the Ooni Halo Pro, or you’re ready to buy now, click here. Otherwise, we really hope you’ve found this article useful. Don’t forget to tag @the_pizza_oven_shop in your pizza creations on Instagram and Facebook.

The post The Ooni Halo Pro Spiral Mixer Explained appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Design & Build

At first glance, it’s strikingly obvious that the DNA of the Arc Lite is firmly rooted in the rest of the ovens in the Gozney range. It’s built with the same materials, thermal performance and flame dynamics as the Arc and Arc XL. When you take a closer look, though, you’ll notice that the Lite version strips things back slightly over its bigger siblings. There’s no digital thermometer, which in our view results in a clean, more minimalist finish to the overall aesthetic of the oven. One thing that does remain, however, is the precision flame dial, which controls Gozney’s signature lateral gas burner system, engineered to create a powerful rolling flame across the roof of the oven to emulate that of traditional pizza ovens.

The result of all the above is a focused, purposeful, compact pizza oven that sits neatly in the Arc range and gives a lower barrier to entry for anyone who wants to experience industry-leading Gozney design and performance.

What Can Arc Lite Do?

First and foremost, Arc Lite is a pizza oven, designed to cook restaurant-quality pizza in as little as 60 seconds. It’s capable of reaching temperatures of 500°C, making it perfect for those authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas we all know and love. That kind of output places it firmly in premium territory. It’s high-performance insulation locks in heat for steady, reliable performance too, which means it’s capable of so much more than just pizza.

The lateral gas burner, which made the original Arc ovens a worldwide hit, is a big part of the design of the Arc Lite. The burner, which sits in the side of the oven wall, directs flames across the roof of the oven, which, when combined with the 12mm thick cordierite stone floor, creates an even heat environment which allows pizzas to cook from above as well as below.

Naturally, comparisons will be drawn between the Arc Lite and the legendary Gozney Roccbox. Compared to Roccbox, Arc Lite offers increased internal space and a more permanent feel. It’s also a real departure from a design standpoint. The newer Gozney Tread, which launched in 2025, is also an oven worth mentioning in the same bracket, as its internal cooking capacity is very similar in terms of size. However, both Roccbox and Tread are purpose-built portable pizza ovens, which Arc Lite is not. Rather, Arc Lite is designed for any space, irrespective of your home set-up, from balconies to gardens and rooftop gatherings.

Who Is the Arc Lite For?

Arc Lite allows anyone to dive into the lifestyle of cooking with fire. It brings pizza and so much more to a wider audience. Arc Lite opens the door to live fire cooking for people who might not have even thought about it before. It also ticks the box for the space-conscious entertainers of this world. If you haven’t got the footprint for a larger pizza oven, such as a Gozney Dome (Gen 2), or even the Arc and Arc XL, Arc Lite gives you that statement piece of an oven that delivers restaurant-grade performance in a fraction of the space.

It’s super easy to unbox and fire up, too, so if convenience is your thing, you can’t go far wrong with Arc Lite. You’ll literally be cooking like a pro in minutes. Its lightweight design makes the oven convenient, too. It weighs just 12kg, so positioning and repositioning anywhere in your garden is an easy one-person job.

Final Thoughts

The Gozney Arc Lite is set up to occupy that sweet spot between portable pizza ovens and tabletop pizza ovens in the premium gas oven market, offering high-temperature performance, strong heat retention and signature Gozney design. 

If you’re considering the Arc Lite and would like honest advice on whether it’s right for your lifestyle and setup, the team at The Pizza Oven Shop is always here to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.

The post A First Look at the All New Gozney Arc Lite appeared first on The Pizza Oven Shop.

Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh mozzarella is typically sold in brine, and has a soft, delicate texture and high watercontent. It’s the traditional choice for authentic Neapolitan style pizza, but it does require the correct preparation to perform well in a pizza oven. The mistake a lot of people make is using fresh mozzarella directly out of the packaging, which can lead to pooling on top of the pizza and a soggy dough. 

The most commonly used fresh mozzarella for pizza is fior di latte which is made from cow’s milk. It has a clean, milky flavour and a slightly firmer texture than buffalo mozzarella. Another key distinction is that it’s less watery than buffalo mozzarella, and it melts beautifullywhich makes it the ideal choice for the rapid cooking of pizza.

Mozzarella di bufala is, of course, made from buffalo milk and tends to have a higher fat content and a slightly richer, tangier flavour than fior di latte. It does howeve,r have a higher water content which releases when heated. It’s a great choice, therefore, to add after the pizza is cooked, which gives a creamy richness to the finished pizza, without the issue of making the dough soggy as it cooks.

Whichever variety of fresh mozzarella you choose, it’s vital to fully drain and dry it out before using. Slicing it in advance and leaving it uncovered in the fridge for several hours, or even overnight, helps to reduce excess moisture too.

Low-Moisture Mozzarella

In a world of convenience, low-moisture mozzarella ticks all the boxes. It’s firmer, dryer and specifically designed to melt consistently, without the worry of moisture making your pizza soggy and forming pooling. It’s usually sold in blocks or even pre-grated. We urge you not to get the pre-grated stuff though as it’s usually treated with an anti-caking agent to stop it sticking and clumping together. It’s far better to just slice the block of mozzarella into julienne-style strips, which allow it to melt easily and give a more sporadic, traditional finish to the pizza, rather than a uniform layer of cheese you might associate with a takeaway pizza.

If you’re new to the world of making pizza, perhaps starting out with low-moisture would be the best option as it tends to be more forgiving. It provides reliability, structure and excellent melt without the need for careful draining or moisture management.

Choosing the Right Mozzarella

Your oven plays a bigger role than what you might think when it comes to choosing which mozzarella to use. If you’ve got a larger, tabletop oven that’s capable of reaching consistently high temperatures of 450°C, for example, a Gozney Dome (Gen 2), Igneus Classico, or Clementi Original 80×60, properly drained fior di latte works beautifully. Any moisture that’s in the cheese evaporates quickly at high temperatures, even during a short cook. Even buffalo mozzarella can work, but it does demand a little more care and attention in terms of drying out the cheese prior to cooking.

If you’ve got a smaller oven, such as a smaller, portable pizza oven, although capable of reaching the same high temperatures as a tabletop oven, these temperatures tend not to be as consistent, and you might often find yourself launching a pizza into the oven at a slightly lower than ideal operating temperature. This can lead to problems if using fresh mozzarella, so low-moisture mozzarella is often the safer choice. It’s more stable and less likely to release water into the middle of the pizza.

You can even take a hybrid approach, combining low-moisture mozzarella for structure and stretch with small pieces of fresh fior di latte for flavour and creaminess. It’s all about experimenting to find what works best for you and your pizza oven.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t one “correct” mozzarella for pizza, and it often comes down to your oven, your style and your preference. Fior di latte is widely used for authentic Neapolitan pizza; low-moisture mozzarella offers consistency and reliability, and buffalo mozzarella delivers richness when handled carefully.

Understanding how different varieties of mozzarella affect the cook on pizza is often overlooked, but really, it’s just as important as mastering dough hydration and fire management.

We really hope you’ve found this article useful. If you’re just starting out on your pizza journey or trying to hone your craft, you’re in the right place for help and advice. Don’t forget to tag @the_pizza_oven_shop in your creations on Instagram and Facebook.

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