24 November 2023 , 21:00
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Nothing beats a stone-baked pizza. And making authentic stone-baked pizzas at home was once a bit of a dark art, but recently we've seen a profusion of pizza ovens trickling on to the market.
While they all share one thing in common, a super-hot chamber for cooking pizzas to perfection in minutes, the styles, sizes and heating methods vary. But Haloo's Revolve Pizza Oven has a rather unusual trick up its sleeve. And I can't believe how cheap it is for Black Friday.
Normally, if you order one through Robert Dyas, it's £549.99, but they've cut the price down to £329.99 - that's a saving of £220.
Unlike most pizza ovens, which either need huge chambers to ensure even heat, or rely on the chef rotating the pizza to stop it burning unevenly, the Revolve, as its name suggests, has a revolving pizza stone.
This is done, quite unremarkably, with a detachable motor driven by some AA batteries. Yes, it's that simple. Why haven't I seen such a technology before?
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It means you can be sure of an even cook, and there's no need to constantly pull the pizza out, turn it, and pop it back in again.
It also means the Revolve Pizza Oven can be much smaller than most home ovens, because there's no need for a vast chamber to disperse the heat. This, in turn, makes it more portable, easier to put away, and easier to find space for on an outdoor counter-top.
The oven is heated by a gas burner, and purists will tell you this is the wrong source of heat. But while wood chippings might give a different flavour, the gas option is so much quicker and easier.
It needs to be hooked up to a gas bottle and, if you don't already have one of these, it's a very expensive purchase these days, so do factor that in to your budget.
Standing on three legs, the unit itself is lighter than you'd expect, but it feels very well made. Reaching cooking temperature does take some time, at least 20 minutes or so, but you can leave it to heat up while you prepare your dough and toppings.
Included with the oven you get a pizza peel, an infrared thermometer for checking the temperature of the stone, and a storage bag.
You have to supply your own batteries, but assembly is a doddle, and fitting the gas canister is easy enough, if you get the right one. It's important to study the instructions carefully on that step.
But it won't take you long to get up and running, and crafting gorgeous pizzas on your patio.
Revolve has teamed up with food show host Jamie Bilbow to offer a series of video recipes, but a set of recipe cards are included in the box, and it's not hard to find topping suggestions. There's plenty of help available for the all-important job of getting your dough right.
Overall it's hard to pick fault with the Revolve Pizza Oven. I initially had a problem getting the fire to stay lit, but it turned out to be a dodgy old gas bottle. After we swapped it out, it ran flawlessly.
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If you're after a compact, simple and very clever way to make perfect pizza at home, this should definitely be on your shortlist, especially with that amazing saving. Ooni is another very popular brand of pizza ovens, with 30% off for Black Friday.