Home Pizza Oven Guide: Gozney Arc XL Tips & Mistakes
More Australians are swapping takeaway boxes for fresh dough, live flame, and relaxed backyard pizza nights. Home pizza ovens aren’t just a trend; they’re a return to real food and real connection, the kind you create with your hands.
But there’s one thing most new owners get wrong: they expect the oven to do all the work.
If you’ve bought the gear and still feel your pizzas aren’t where you want them to be, this is for you.
Why the Gozney Arc XL Is Changing the Game
If you’re exploring home pizza ovens, Gozney is usually the first name you’ll come across — and for good reason. Their ovens are powerful, reliable, and designed for anyone who loves cooking real pizza at home. We use the Gozney Arc XL in our own masterclasses because it delivers consistent heat, fast recovery, and a cooking experience that feels fun rather than stressful.
What makes the Arc XL stand out:
Reaches 500 °C in minutes
High-retention stone floor ideal for Neapolitan-style dough
Gas-powered lateral flame that performs like woodfire without the effort
Generous 16-inch cooking surface with room to launch and turn
Precision flame control that removes guesswork
There are different models in the Gozney range, and each suits a slightly different cooking style. We love the Arc XL for its balance of space, control, and high-heat performance — but whatever model you choose, a Gozney oven will only show its full potential when your dough is strong, well-fermented, and handled the right way.
Great oven, great results. Great dough, unbelievable results.
If you want to learn how to make proper pizza in your Gozney oven at home, I can come to you and teach the full process. You don’t need to figure it out on your own.
Common Mistakes Home Pizza Cooks Make
Even with a top-tier oven, these issues can ruin a bake:
Not heating the stone long enough
Many people assume the oven is ready the moment the temperature display hits target, but the stone is what cooks your base. Give the oven a full 20–25 minutes of total preheat time so the stone is properly charged. A hot stone means a crisp base, fast cook, and no pale bottoms.
Over-topping the pizza
Too much weight and moisture create a soggy centre. Keep it light and let the dough shine.
Sticky peels
A cool, dry, lightly dusted peel is essential. Warm peels stick. Wet peels stick. Panicked launches happen.
Weak or rushed dough
Poor fermentation or rough handling will undo all your effort. Even the best oven can’t fix broken dough.
Bad ergonomics
Low or unstable surfaces make stretching, launching, and turning uncomfortable, sometimes unsafe. Set your station first.
The Overlooked Element Most People Miss
A pizza oven is only one part of the system. The real magic happens in your process.
Consistent, restaurant-quality results come from:
A well-set station
Understanding fermentation and dough texture
Knowing when to launch, turn, and remove
Toppings chosen for high-heat cooking
The oven is a tool. The dough is the craft. When those work together, everything changes.
For Home Cooks Who Want to Get It Right When Making Pizza
If you’ve invested in a home pizza oven, the next step is learning how to use it to its full potential.
My private masterclasses on the Gold Coast are designed to teach you exactly that. I bring everything — ingredients, dough, equipment, and the oven (unless you have your own! I can show you how to use it or explain how you can cook pizza in your conventional kitchen oven) — and guide you through each step in your own space. From mixing to stretching to launching, you learn by doing, not watching.
Whether it’s a backyard event, a birthday, a poolside afternoon, or a quiet night with mates, you’ll finish with the confidence to cook proper pizza at home, consistently.
Final Thoughts
Home pizza ovens are here to stay. They make hosting better, meals more meaningful, and weekends more fun. But the oven is only as good as the dough you feed it, the setup you create, and the techniques you learn.
Got a Gozney Arc XL? Learn how to make it sing.
Got a backyard? Let’s turn it into a pizzeria.
Ready to cook pizza the right way? Book a masterclass and I’ll bring the fire.
Mini FAQ — Gozney Arc XL & Home Pizza Ovens
How hot does the Gozney Arc XL get?
Up to 500 °C, perfect for 60–90 second pizza.
Is the Arc XL suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. The controls are intuitive and the cooking surface gives you room to work comfortably.
Why does my pizza stick to the peel?
Warm peels, wet dough, and delays cause sticking. Keep the peel cool and dusted, and launch quickly.
What dough works best in a Gozney oven?
Well-fermented dough with the right hydration. A strong dough is the difference between “good” and “proper.”
How long should I preheat the stone?
Heat the oven for 20–25 minutes total. That’s usually all a Gozney oven needs for both the chamber and the stone to reach proper cooking temperature. The base cooks from the contact heat of the stone, so giving it that full preheat ensures your dough hits a hot surface and cooks evenly.