About Wood Fired Pizza Gear

I’m Ian Armstrong. I’ve been cooking on wood-fired and gas pizza ovens in my back garden for the past four years, and this site is where I put everything I’ve learned.

It started when I bought my first oven — a Gozney Roccbox — after spending weeks trying to find a straight answer online. Most of what I found were vague roundups written by people who’d clearly never actually cooked on the ovens they were recommending. I bought the Roccbox, loved it, got obsessed, and kept going from there. Since then I’ve also tested the Ooni Karu, Ooni Koda, and Gozney Arc in real back-garden conditions — not just unboxing them, but cooking on them week after week across different seasons.

What I test and how

Every oven I review I’ve personally cooked on. That means Neapolitan pizzas at 450°C+, lower-and-slower bakes like focaccia and sourdough, and non-pizza cooking like steak and vegetables. I test preheat times with a laser thermometer, I note fuel consumption across multiple sessions, and I cook in UK conditions — which means rain, wind, and cold nights as well as the occasional sunny weekend.

I’m not a professional chef. I’m a home cook who got serious about this. I think that’s actually more useful for most people reading this, because I’m solving the same problems you are — getting consistent results on a weekend, understanding what’s worth the money, and figuring out what the spec sheets don’t tell you.

Ovens I’ve tested

• Gozney Roccbox — my first oven, still use it regularly. Exceptional build quality and heat retention.
• Ooni Karu — tested the multi-fuel version extensively. Best for flexibility if you want wood, charcoal, and gas.
• Ooni Koda — gas-only, fastest to heat, great for weeknight cooking.
• Gozney Arc — tested more recently. Strong challenger to the Roccbox at a lower price point.

How I make money

Some links on this site are affiliate links, mostly through Amazon. If you buy something through one of my links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is how I fund the testing. It doesn’t change what I recommend — I only link to products I’d genuinely suggest to a friend. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.

Get in touch

If you’ve got a question about a specific oven, a dough problem you can’t crack, or a piece of gear you want an honest opinion on, feel free to drop me a message. I read everything.