Derek Gaughan
The world’s sexiest pizza oven now comes in a more affordable model. Many of you know how much I love the original dual-fuel Dome, manufactured by Gozney; the beautiful rolling flame, tons of cooking space, great insulation, and of course… the looks.
And all of these features were retained in the new Gozney Dome S1. What you don’t get is the option to cook with wood. But with a ~$500 price cut, this is huge for those who tend to cook with gas anyway.
In this Gozney Dome S1 review, I’ll quickly walk you through the unboxing and setup of the pizza oven before diving into the juicy details: performance; complete with preheat tests and cooking multiple styles of pizza. Let’s do it.
I buy the majority of the ovens reviewed on this site. And I can use your help.
Unboxing & Design
Because of the size (24.9″ H x 24.7″ D x 28.7″ W) and weight (107lb) of this oven, a freight team delivers it instead of your typical UPS or Fedex. An unexpectedly nice touch was the white glove service, not only putting it where you want but unboxing and setting it up for you.
I really contemplated sending them on their way, since I like to show the unboxing process in my reviews. But did I mention it weighs 107lbs? I opted to watch some football.
An hour later, they went on their way and I had this beauty ready to go. All I had to do was a quick leak test.
The stand is really impressive – cohesively completing the look and providing some mobility to the heavy oven, thanks to smooth-rolling caster wheels. Unless you have an outdoor kitchen with plenty of counter space, you’ll want to grab one of these.
And the dome itself is as beautiful as ever. A new digital thermometer located on the left measures ambient temperature, but you’ll still want to use an infrared temp gun to check stone temperature.
The gas dial and ignition is the smoothest of any oven I’ve used. Just turn it and it ignites. No holding in a dial for 10 seconds and praying it stays lit.
And the flame…
The flame is mesmerizing…But let’s turn that down for now; the manual says to cure the oven on low heat for 30 minutes before letting it cool. It seemed to take a long time to cool down, which says a lot about the insulation.
Performance
Preheat Test
I tested the temperature in 5 minute intervals on a cold, windy, 38 degree fahrenheit day. It topped out around 850F degrees when measuring the center of the stone. This isn’t too bad considering the temperature outside, but it may hinder the performance a bit since the top flame is so powerful (a good balance of stone temp and overhead heat is what makes a great pizza oven).
What I found interesting is that the stone on the opposite side of the burner was nearly just as hot. It shows how great of a design this oven really is. The flame rolls across the top of the dome efficiently heating the whole area.
Neapolitan Test #1
I launched my first Neapolitan when the center stone read 814 degrees and baked it for 90 seconds. I liked the top results, with a nice crust and melted cheese, but the bottom needed more heat.
So I let the stone climb up to 858, and my goodness. The pizzas cook so fast in this oven. If you like leoparding on Neapolitan crust, this is the oven you need. But once again, with the cold temperatures outside, I would have preferred another 10 or 15 seconds on the bottom.
I buy the majority of the ovens reviewed on this site. And I can use your help.
Neapolitan Test #2 (Neapolitan Arch)
So, to give you the best review possible, I ordered the Neapolitan arch accessory. Since I’m testing mid-winter, the smaller mouth opening should help it reach higher temps. The installation takes 30 seconds, and it also comes with a flue extension. I believe it’s a regulatory thing where they have to sell the extension with the arch, but they claim it also improves air flow.
I tested the temperature again on an even colder 32 degree day, and here are the results. The stone temperature actually increases in between pizza bakes. I launched a pizza at 900 degrees, and by the time I made two more, the stone read over 1,000 degrees.
So, how long does it take to bake a Neapolitan at this kind of heat?
55 seconds. Absolutely bonkers. This was a quick dough I threw together the night before, not my typical poolish. And it still turned out amazing with a great bottom as well. And this was in freezing temperatures.
So, if you plan on using the Dome in cold weather, the Arch is a must. But if you only plan on using it in warm temperatures, it won’t be necessary.
New York Style Test
With such a huge flame, I thought cooking new york styles would be near impossible. But the design blew me away again. On low heat, you can cook an amazing crispy-bottomed New York over the course of 5 minutes, without any fear of burning the top. With ample space inside, it’s really easy to maneuver a full 16 inch pie.
Not to mention everything else you can make in this, like bread, salmon, and slow roasted chicken.
I buy the majority of the ovens reviewed on this site. And I can use your help.
Dome S1 Accessories
Gozney sells quite a few accessories that really improve the cooking experience. Some are more of an option, while some I feel are required. Let’s talk through a couple to see if they’re worth buying.
Placement and Turning Peels
I know what you’re thinking: “Duh. Of course I need a peel!” But I wanted to call out that the Dome / Dome S1 peels have a much longer handle, and this IS required in order to have the best (and safest) cooking experience. I tried using the Roccbox peel, and the heat from the Dome opening is a lot more intense. Also, the longer turning peel really makes maneuvering pizzas a breeze.
These peels cost a pretty penny, but they work great. The placement peel resists sticking while also removing excess flour through the holes.
Rope Sealed Door
This is very much an optional accessory; in fact, I find it more practical on the original Dome oven because the rope sealed door cannot be used with the gas burner on. You can still use it with the Dome S1 to lock heat in and slow bake some food, but only after heating the oven and turning the gas off. Whereas this door can be used with woodfire (original Dome).
Neapolitan Arch & Flue Extension
Earlier in this Dome S1 review, I detailed just how important the Neapolitan Arch accessory is for cooking in cold climates. It’s remarkable how much of an improvement this offered. Getting an oven over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit while in freezing temps still blows my mind. But depending on where you live, it could be overkill.
Dome S1 Mantel
Typically, I make a shout out to any oven manufacturer that offers a mantel. A small shelf in front of the stone (especially on portable pizza ovens) really helps with retrieving and launching pizzas. But I’ll be honest, with the amount of space inside the Gozney Dome S1, I really didn’t think it was necessary. Maneuvering pizzas is already crazy easy.
Dome Cover
Clearly we all need a cover for our pizza ovens. But one thing I want to mention is that the Dome S1 is shipped with a really lightweight white cover. In fact, I might call it a dust jacket rather than a cover. It’s not anything I’d want protecting the oven form the elements.
The real tan-colored outdoor cover comes in two sizes: a standard size to fit over the Dome S1 oven itself, or a larger size that fits over the Dome S1 oven AND the stand.
Is Gozney Dome S1 Worth The Money?
What else can I say. This is an incredible oven. Every design choice was made for a reason, which positively affects the performance. The price of this Dome is higher than what I typically review, but man. I don’t see how anyone could regret this purchase. If it fits your budget, you’ll be getting one of the best pizza ovens on the market.
