I’ll admit it upfront: I didn’t expect the Cozze pizza oven to become one of the most-used bits of gear in my backyard over summer. I figured it would be a fun novelty, something I’d fire up a couple of times, post a photo or two, then forget about once the weather cooled. Instead, it’s been running hot pretty much every weekend.
The first thing that stood out was just how easy the whole setup process was. There’s no overthinking it, no fiddly assembly, no YouTube rabbit holes required. In my case, the gas model connected to the bottle just like a BBQ, and within minutes, it was ready to go. For something that delivers genuinely restaurant-style results, the barrier to entry is refreshingly low.
Timing-wise, it couldn’t have landed better. This summer has been made for outdoor cooking, casual get-togethers and feeding people without wanting to stand over a grill all night. The Cozze fits that brief perfectly. It heats up in around 20 minutes, which is just enough time to prep toppings and pour a drink, and once it’s hot, things move fast. Very fast.
After a few sessions, I found a rhythm that works brilliantly, especially when you’re cooking for a group. My go-to move now is throwing in a larger garlic bread-style pizza first. It’s forgiving, it gets eaten immediately, and it helps dial in the heat while people hover around asking how long their pizza will take. From there, you can start knocking out pizzas one after another without any stress. Two minutes per pizza means no one’s waiting long, and you’re not stuck managing a queue all night.
The real star, though, is the crust. This is where the Cozze absolutely delivers. The cordierite stone does its job beautifully, producing a base that’s crisp on the outside, light and airy inside, with just enough chew to remind you that this isn’t something that came out of a standard home oven. You get that slightly blistered finish, the kind of texture that usually requires a proper pizza shop setup. Toppings cook evenly too, with cheese melting properly rather than turning oily or rubbery.
It’s also more versatile than I expected. Beyond pizzas, I’ve used it for flatbreads, wraps and quick snacks that normally wouldn’t justify firing up a full oven. With the optional cast-iron accessories, it easily crosses into steak and chicken territory, which makes it feel less like a single-purpose gadget and more like a genuine outdoor cooking upgrade.
What I like most is that it turns cooking into a social thing. People gather around it. They watch, they comment, they argue about toppings. It becomes part of the afternoon rather than a chore you disappear to handle alone.
After a full summer of use, the Cozze pizza oven has earned its place in my setup. It’s easy, fast, consistently impressive and genuinely fun to use. Not bad for something that was meant to be a novelty.
