Gozney Dome vs Arc XL

Fuel: dual-fuel against gas only

The Dome is sold to burn wood, and Gozney offers it with a gas burner too, so you can light it on gas on a weeknight and use logs at the weekend. Wood gives real smoke and flame flavour and lets you cook with embers after the pizza is done. It also means more work: lighting, feeding, managing airflow and clearing ash. See how to light a wood-fired oven.

The Arc XL runs on propane only. You connect a bottle, light it and wait for the stone to come up to heat. There is no ash and no wood store to keep dry. For many people, that simplicity is the reason to buy.

Side by side

General points only, because weights and figures vary by version, generation and market.

Thermal mass and cooking beyond pizza

The Dome's thick floor and dome store a lot of heat. Once it is fully hot, it stays hot for a long time, so you can bake bread as the temperature falls, slow roast a joint with the door on, or keep a tray of vegetables going after the pizzas. That makes it closer to a traditional brick oven than any portable model.

The Arc XL heats quickly and is great at what it is built for: pizza after pizza at high heat. You can cook in a cast iron pan, but its lighter build does not hold heat in the same way once the burner is off.

Space, installation and cost of ownership

The Dome is a big, heavy oven. Plan its spot before delivery: a strong stand or a masonry base, clear space around the chimney and shelter from the worst weather. It is not something you carry back to the shed each autumn. A fitted cover is a good idea; see storing a pizza oven over winter.

The Arc XL needs a sturdy table and room for a gas bottle. It is easier to move, store and set up. If you rent, or your garden is small, that may decide it. Our article on pizza oven tables and stands covers safe surfaces.

Living with each oven

A wood-fired Dome session starts 45 minutes to an hour before you want to eat, because the floor needs time to soak up heat. You build a fire, push it to one side, add a split log every few minutes and read the stone before each launch. When the pizzas are done, you can close the door and use the falling heat for bread or a slow roast. It is a full evening's cooking, and many owners enjoy that as much as the food.

An Arc XL session is shorter. Light the burner, wait for the stone to reach pizza heat, bake, turn off the gas and let it cool. Cleaning is a brush of the stone and a wipe of the outside. If you want pizza on a Tuesday after work, that is the oven that will get used. Think honestly about which routine you will keep up in a British summer, and buy for that.

Which to choose

Choose the Dome if you want a real wood-fired oven, plan to cook more than pizza and have a permanent spot for it. Choose the Arc XL if pizza is the main event, you want gas convenience and you value a lighter oven.

For other wood-burning options see best wood-fired pizza ovens and best multi-fuel pizza ovens.

Note:Burn only dry, untreated hardwood. Keep a wood-fired oven well clear of fences, sheds and overhanging branches, and never leave a lit fire unattended.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Gozney Dome worth it over the Arc XL? If you will use wood and cook beyond pizza, yes. If you only want pizza on gas, the Arc XL is simpler.

Can the Gozney Dome run on gas only? Gozney sells a gas option for the Dome. Check which version you are buying, as burners are model specific.

Does the Dome need a chimney extension? Not usually. Gozney sells a flue extension for sites where smoke drifts into seating or neighbours' gardens. See pizza oven doors and chimneys.

Which heats up faster? The Arc XL, because it is lighter and gas fired. The Dome's thermal mass takes longer to soak but holds heat longer.