Gozney Tread review: I tested the buzzy portable pizza oven to see if it's worth the hype

Pizza delivery prices these days are no joke — especially if you live in New York like I do, where a single pie can rival the cost of a nice sit-down dinner. The good news is that there's never been a better time for pizza-loving rats like myself to start making pies at home. Recent developments in home pizza ovens have made it possible to achieve pizzeria-level pies without shelling out serious dough (pun intended) for delivery.

Enter Gozney . The brand, known for its pro-grade pizza ovens, recently launched its most portable model yet: the Tread. Starting at $500, it's equal parts pretty, powerful and practical. Not only is it fun to use, it's also a money-saver if you're a regular delivery orderer — and, fair warning, it may also make you the designated host for future pizza nights.

For this Gozney Tread review, I put the limited-edition Matty Matheson model — yes, the celebrity chef and The Bear star has his own version — through its paces to see if this buzzy portable oven really cranks out restaurant-quality pies in 60 seconds. Spoiler: It does — though there are a few caveats to know before you buy. But after three years of baking my own pizzas and testing nearly a dozen ovens from Ooni, Solo Stove, Breville and Ninja, I can confidently say the Tread is one of the most flexible options for starting — or expanding — your pizza-making journey. Here's why I think it deserves a spot on your patio (or in the trunk for your next tailgate).

What is the Gozney Tread?

The Gozney Tread is a compact, portable pizza oven that heats up to a blistering 950°F (500°C). Translation: You can cook a Neapolitan-style pie in just 60 seconds — take that, Domino's.

When fired up, the flame arcs from the left side across the oven's dome, circulating heat over the pizza stone. A control knob on the right doubles as the lighter, letting you adjust the flame size and, in turn, the temperature.

One of the Tread's standout features is its oversized top handles. They make the oven easier (and more comfortable) to lift and pack, and they also serve as a mount for the Tread Roof Rack — an optional $100 accessory that moonlights as a serving tray and cutting board.

Like the rest of Gozney's lineup , the Tread blends serious cooking power with stylish design. It comes in black, green or a bold orange decorated with illustrations and branding from actor and chef Matty Matheson, who plays Neil Fak on The Bear . 

Gozney Tread: Key specs

• Weight:29.7 lbs.

• Size:16.5"W x 12.6"H x 19.1"D (12.2"W x 5.9"H 15"D internal) 

• Maximum temperature:950˚F

• Power source:Propane

• Warranty:1 year; up to 5 years if registered within 60 days of purchase

Gozney Tread: What I liked

Near-perfect pizza in 60 seconds

The Gozney Tread delivers on its promise: It heats up very quickly, reaching scorching-hot temps in about 20 minutes, and churns out pies in under a minute that look and taste like they came straight from a pizzeria. 

To put the oven through its paces, I used the pizza dough recipe from EMILY: The Cookbook, which ferments for 48 hours, with a touch of rye flour for extra flavor. I baked six thin, round pies, from a classic cheese to a more experimental Mexican street corn–inspired version topped with cotija, lime and cilantro. Using a laser thermometer and my phone's timer, I tracked:

• Pizza stone temperature differences

• Heat-up times

• How long it took to recover between bakes

Aside from a few charred edges (which I thought added to the flavor), the pies I made were some of the best I've ever produced. The crust was crisp on the bottom, pillowy on top, with perfectly melted cheese and toppings that hit that just-right char. I had no problem achieving leopard spotting either, which made the pies look straight out of a cookbook. Sliding them in and out of the oven was swift and easy.

It's a looker

This is easily one of the most stylish pizza ovens out there. With clean lines and a rounded silhouette, the Tread looks similar to Gozney's other popular ovens, the Arc and the Dome. In other words, like a modern twist on the coal-fired ovens you'd see in high-end restaurants. And the colors make it pop: olive green, sleek black or the playful Matty Matheson edition — a hot orange with quirky illustrations. Just note: while it's a magnet for compliments, soot and fire mean it won't stay pristine forever (mine showed smudges after the first use). 

Actually portable

Plenty of ovens are marketed as "portable," but the Tread is the first pizza oven I've tested that actually walks the walk. The oversized top handles make it way easier to move from garage to patio — or from the back of a car to wherever pizza night takes you. I found it to be lighter than many competitors, and Gozney even offers accessories if you truly want to take it on the road. (For the record, I stuck to my Brooklyn backyard.)

Quick setup, even quicker heat-up

Assembly was a breeze — just pop in the burner guard, add a battery for the ignitor and hook up your fuel source. From there, it only took about 20 minutes to get the pizza stone up to cooking temp, nearly half the time of my first-generation Ooni Volt. Between pies, the Tread recovers fast, meaning you can bake back-to-back pizzas with barely any downtime.

Gozney Tread: What I didn't like

Cooling down takes a while

Heating up is fast, but cooling down? Not so much. In my tests, the stone dropped from 650°F to 400°F in about five minutes and down to 300°F after another five. But it took nearly 45 minutes before the oven was cool enough to safely pack away. Your mileage may vary depending on weather and setup, but patience is required here.

Travel requires a lot of extras

Yes, the Tread is portable — but pizza on the go comes with baggage. While the Tread itself is very portable, you'll also need a pizza peel , something to slice with, a prep surface, a propane tank and ideally the $300 Venture Stand (unless you've got a folding table handy). Don't forget dough containers, toppings and extra flour. It's doable, but definitely adds to the load if you have limited trunk space (and budget).

There's a learning curve

Like any pro-style oven, the Tread takes some practice and an understanding of hot spots. The side of the stone closer to the fire runs 50–80 degrees hotter than the other, so you'll need to rotate pies with your peel often to avoid scorched crusts. And while Gozney advertises 12-inch pizzas, the stone itself is right at 12 inches — leaving little room for error. Smaller pies are easier to make, at least until you perfect your launch technique.

Gozney Tread: Price and value

At $500 (or $550 for the Matty Matheson edition), the Gozney Tread is priced a bit higher than some rivals. For comparison, Ooni's gas-powered ovens start around $400, while Solo Stove's version starts at $450. Whether the premium is worth it for the Tread's design and portability is up to you. Still, it's more affordable than its Gozney siblings — the $800 Arc and the $1,600 Dome — putting it squarely in the middle of the lineup. (It also matches the price of our current top pick for the best pizza oven overall , the heftier Gozney Roccbox .)

Then there's the cost of all the accessories, especially if you're looking to take it on the road. 

Personally, I'm not convinced it's worth hauling all the gear needed for a campsite pizza party. But if you are, the Tread is your best bet. Where it really shines, though, is in the backyard: it's easy to use, thoughtfully designed, solidly built and, most importantly, makes delicious pizzas — no delivery fees required.

Final verdict: Should you buy the Gozney Tread?

If you want to make restaurant-quality pizza at home (or in the wild) without dropping four figures, the Gozney Tread is a standout option. It's thoughtfully designed, genuinely portable, easy to use and can churn out Neapolitan-style pies in about a minute.

Yes, at over $500 it costs a bit more than competitors like Ooni or Solo Stove, and yes, you'll likely need to invest in accessories (and some practice) to master your technique. Cooling down takes time, and it's not exactly a grab-and-go setup.

But if you're serious about ditching delivery fees and upping your pizza game, the Tread is worth considering. For backyard bakers, it's a solid upgrade. For campers and road-trippers, it's one of the few ovens that's actually built to come along for the ride.

Bottom line:The Gozney Tread combines portability, style and performance in a way that makes it one of the most versatile pizza ovens you can buy — and a fun splurge for anyone ready to bring pizza night into the great outdoors (or just the backyard).