DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel Pizza Oven review: a desirable, dual-fuel pizza oven for flexible feasts

There has been an explosion in popularity for design-oriented pizza ovens of late, predominantly spurred on by the success of the Gozney’s breakout Roccbox (and subsequent gas-powered models), as well as the best pizza ovens from the likes of Ninja, Witt and cheeky Italian chef Gino D’Acampo.

British brand DeliVita offers a neat line of incredibly handsome domestic pizza ovens that includes the gas-only Diavolo and the Origin wood-fired, which fuses thoroughly modern looks with an undeniably old school method of cooking restaurant-quality pizzas.

The Flow Dual Fuel Oven is arguably the best of both worlds, with the ability to stoke it up with wood pellets and small logs, or opt for the convenience and cleanliness of gas power.

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A large stone can handle 14-inch pizzas, although it general classic design means it’s one of the larger domestic ovens out there. At 45kg, it’s also a bit of a beast to heft around, so best find a suitable location and stick with it.

It is also priced in such a way that it attracts a lot of very accomplished rivals and, by the time you’ve invested in a number of essentials, it quickly becomes a very expensive way to enjoy a slice of pepperoni.

DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: price and availability

At £699 for just the oven, the DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel is £100 more expensive than the gas-only but extremely capable Gozney Arc. Those savings go a long way towards a transportable stand from the rival brand, which makes life with an outdoor pizza oven a lot easier.

Similarly, the smaller but eminently popular Gozney Roccbox ticks the dual-fuel boxes and starts at around £400. For those that can’t be bothered with either gas or wood, there are also options from Ooni (the Volt 12) and the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven to consider.

Plus, it’s worth noting that many DeliVita customers will also want to look at accessory bundles, which start at around £130 for the essential paddle and pizza turner, as well as a cover for keeping the unit clean when storing outdoors.

However, it’s easy to spend the best part of £1,000 when you factor in things like a stand and a wood shelf, which is a worthy investment for keeping embers away from both the pizza and your gas burner outlets.

DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: set up

The DeliVita Flow comes preassembled, so be prepared to take delivery of a very large box. But inside you’ll find everything you need to get started, aside from the low-pressure butane or propane gas, or LPG mixtures, that fuel the thing. You’ll have to pop to your local garden centre or gas supplier to grab a typical patio bottle if you don’t already own one.

DeliVita provides the regulator, which simply pushes on the gas bottle’s outlet. Once in place, DeliVita suggests ‘curing’ the oven for four hours on the lowest heat setting, which rids the clay construction of any moisture and gradually strengthens it.

Admittedly, it’s a bit of a pain and uses up a chunk of gas, which isn’t cheap these days, but this prevents any major cracks or defects from forming on your stylish new pizza oven that could result from bumping it up to max temperatures from the outset.

If you haven’t opted for one of the stands or tables DeliVita will happily sell you, it’s worth finding a sturdy and stable flat surface that can handle 45kg.

The only thing I had to hand was a glass-topped outdoor dining table, which I placed a few large wooden chopping boards on top of to prevent the heat from causing any damage. Not ideal and a bit of a pain to pack away afterwards.

I would definitely invest in a transportable stand with a weatherproof cover, as this allows the oven to be wheeled in and out of a garage or shed.

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DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: Design and features

There is no denying that the DeliVita Flow is a stunning piece of kit, its curvaceous, dome-like shell coming in six eye-catching colours. I went for a more subdued grey, but retina-searing reds and outrageous oranges are also on the cards for more outgoing gardens or patios.

The metallic front fascia adds a nice dose of bling to proceedings and the oven control knob feels chunky and well made. All in all, DeliVita has done a great job of producing an oven that justifies its asking price.

Aside from that, there’s the typical cooking stone, which is large enough to handle 14-inch pizzas, and an ignition (built into the temperature control knob) that provides the spark to ignite the gas burner.

However, many pizza ovens out there (some of which are less expensive) offer a built-in digital thermometer, which gives a visual cue for when the stone is at the correct temperature to perfectly cook a pizza.

DeliVita markets the Dual Flow as a versatile piece of kit that can roast, barbecue and even slow cook a curry, but without the additional infrared thermometer accessory, it is difficult to ascertain the right temperatures to do any of those things.

This is particularly important when heating the oven up with wood or pellets, as this often takes much longer (and requires a lot more effort) than using gas power. Wood-fired pizza lovers arguably need a much tighter handle on operating temperatures.

There are very few fancy features here, just the ability to casually select from the simplicity of gas power to a more complex wood-fired cook-out.

An idiot-proof temperature control knob takes the guesswork out of gas cooking, with a Max mode that gets the stone up to temperature in around 15-20 minutes, while rotating it to the ‘cook’ setting keeps things at the optimal heat for creating delicious pizzas in minutes.

That said, and as previously mentioned, there’s no digital thermometer, but DeliVita will sell you an infrared thermometer that you can point at the oven to determine when it’s ready.

Pizza paddles, turners and cutters are also all optional extras, but you won’t get very far without them, as anyone that has tried a pizza oven will attest to how easy it is to haphazardly flop fully laden dough onto the red hot stone, only for everything to stick and burn, resulting in a calamitous Calzone.

For those that really want to take the guesswork out of pizza production, the Revolve Pizza Oven and the Witt Etna Rotante remove much of the sweaty, flour-laden labour out of proceedings, but it is nowhere near as fun.

DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: Performance

It is worth reiterating here that DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel is a heavy beast, and even the simple act of getting it out of the box and set up in the desired location requires some big guns, or at least some help from a friend.

Because of this, it feels very much like a proposition that you get situated in a preferred spot and leave, likely taking pride of place in a bougie outdoor kitchen set-up, complete with a cover thrown over when not in use to keep it clean.

With that in mind, I’d highly recommend the DeliVita stand with side tables (a £249 extra), as this allows the heavy oven to be wheeled around with ease and stored.

As for the performance, it really is a fantastic piece of kit, getting up to temperature quickly and proving an absolute doddle to use when running on gas. The heat circulates perfectly and cooks fresh pizza in a matter of minutes.

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I found I only really had to turn a pizza once or twice to get a nice even cook throughout, while controlling temperature proved easy with the small dial on the side and when armed with an infrared thermometer to keep an eye on things.

Perhaps the only minor downside is the relatively small aperture at the front of the oven, which means you have to be fairly precise when loading pizzas into the front. I found it easier to slide pizzas into the front of a Gozney Arc XL that I have tested previously, for example.

Cooking with wood also requires a deft hand, not simply to get the thing lit and the oven up to temperature, but I also found that wood takes up a lot of room in the oven itself, meaning you are limited to the size of pizza you can cook.

That said, I did use the method to add some smoky flavour to a couple of short rib recipes, placing a chunky iron skillet on the stone, and it worked a treat. Sweeping all of the embers out afterwards wasn’t quite as fun, though.

DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: Verdict

If you want to make a statement in your garden with a pizza oven that looks like it has been transported from a professional pizzeria, the DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel really is the one to opt for. It’s such a good-looking piece of kit.

Thankfully, it also delivers professional-grade results, with fantastic temperature control and extremely even cooks across a wide variety of recipes, not just gourmet pizzas.

Working with wood can be a bit fiddly, and takes some patience, while the wood itself takes up a fair amount of room inside the oven, but for a beautifully smoky flavour on meats and other barbecue favourites, it’s well worth the effort.

Perhaps one for the budding outdoor chefs, rather than casual pizza-makers.

DeliVita Flow Dual Fuel review: Alternatives to consider

The DeliVita Flow requires a healthy budget and is predominantly aimed at those keen outdoor pizza chefs looking to raise their dough game. As a result, there are plenty of alternatives to consider.

If cooking solely on gas, the Gozney Arc and Arc XL would be our recommendations, but the tri-fuel, second-generation Dome and Dome XL are also state-of-the-art ovens for pizza connoisseurs.

The Gino D’Acampo Carbonio Pizza Oven came out on top for its good looks, excellent build quality and simplicity of use. Plus, it comes in well under budget when compared to DeliVita’s much larger oven.

Finally, it is also worth noting the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven if you want something that is both a little easier to use and arguably offers more longevity.

This ace little gizmo has eight settings, including max roast, gourmet roast, top heat, bake, smoker, dehydrate and keep warm for maximum outdoor cooking versatility.