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Frequently Asked Questions

My fire keeps going out, what am I doing wrong?

Make sure the oven door and flue are open to allow a free flow of air. Closing the door and flue restricts the oxygen supply and will extinguish your fire within a few minutes.

Why am I getting lots of black smoke?

Make sure you are using properly seasoned hardwood, ideally with a moisture content of less than 20%. This type of wood burns hotter for longer periods and produces very little smoke and ash.

Can I use normal firelighters?

No. All firelighters should be free from kerosene or other additives that may soak into the dome of the oven and, in turn, taint the taste of your food.

How long will the oven take to heat up before I can cook?

The oven should take about 30 minutes to heat up to standard roasting/baking temperature. The size and length of the fire will determine the temperature of the oven. The oven is at its optimum when all the black carbon has burned off and you have white charcoal.

How can I tell what temperature my oven is operating at?

Simple, check the thermometer display on the outside of the oven.

How do I put the fire out?

You can just wait for the fire to extinguish naturally. To make it happen faster, you can spread the wood embers. DO NOT use water or sand!

Is this oven only good for cooking pizza?

No. The oven can be used for pizza, bread, cakes, meats, fish and vegetables. A wood-fired oven can cook anything a conventional oven can. The main difference is that this oven can reach temperatures higher than 450°C.

Can I cook meats and fish directly on the oven floor?

We recommend that meat and fish or any dish that will produce fat or liquid from cooking should be placed in a pan or roasting tin to avoid tainting the oven dome. You can also spread the hot coals inside the oven and sit a metal rack so you can cook like you do on a barbecue.

Is the oven weather proof?

Moisture is the worst enemy of a clay oven even though our ovens have been treated with a waterproof sealant. We recommend that once a year, you give the external dome of your oven a couple of coats of a clear waterproof sealant to prolong its waterproofing. Please note this only applies to our clasico, brick and stone range of ovens. If you are planning to install your clay oven outdoors, the easiest way to protect it from the elements is to use a waterproof cover throughout the year. However, leaving your cover on all year round is also not recommended, as condensation can also build under the cover affecting any fire clay surfaces. It is therefore important that on dry days, you take your cover off to allow the oven to breathe and air dry any excess moisture from the surface of fire clay components. Please note, that due to the level of fire clay bricks used in the manufacturing of our brick range ovens, these ovens are more susceptible to absorbing moisture and therefore we recommend that they are installed indoors or under a roofing structure such as a pergola.

If I haven’t used my oven for a while, will it still be okay to use?

Absolutely, although we recommend that you light a small fire to slowly warm the oven before you want to start cooking to “cure” your oven again.

If my oven is wet, will it still be okay to use?

If you haven’t used it for a while or the weather has been persistently wet, it might be a good idea to light a small fire for 3 to 4 hours before you want to start cooking to “cure” your oven again.

Can I paint my oven a different colour?

The finish of the oven is produced during the manufacturing process. Please note that we use artisan brick, stone and tiling to manufacture our ovens. Repainting these may not leave the desired finish and the heat coming from the oven might affect the paint finish.

Can I move my oven when there is a fire burning in it?

No. This is incredibly dangerous and the oven is too heavy to move.

Can I leave the carrying handles attached to the oven?

You can leave them on or unscrew them if you are planning to fit some wood or granite worktop over the base of the oven.

Will the flue pipe be safe to touch when the oven is working?

No. The flue pipe can retain heat for long periods of time even after the fire has gone out.

It looks like some mold is inside my oven, what do I do?

You can light a small fire to slowly warm the oven before you want to start cooking to “cure” your oven again. It is normal for some mold to appear every now and then.

It looks like there are cracks outside my oven?

Heating a wood-fired oven will create small natural cracks and dilatations to appear on the exterior and sometimes in the interior of the oven, particularly on the exterior brick joints. This is a completely normal and natural process due to the thermal dilatation of structures and does not affect the normal functioning of the oven.

How does the delivery of my oven work?

All our deliveries are kerbside. From there, you will have to arrange your oven to be moved to your preferred location. All our ovens are set over a steel reinforced concrete base of 70mm thickness, with steel eye bolts set over each corner of the oven for ease of lifting and positioning. Fuego ovens are a heavy piece of kit, so they will need to be machine lifted during installation. You will need to strap some heavy-duty webbing slings through each eye bolt in order to lift the oven securely.

I would like to place my oven on a stone wall/outdoor kitchen instead of on the stand, is this possible?

Yes. This is the ideal place to place your oven but you will need to plan this in advance. Fuego ovens are designed for outdoor use and do require some building work, so you are able to sit the oven on a stable, levelled surface with a stand structure that can take a weight between 600Kg and 1000Kg (depending on the oven you choose) and complete the installation.

Why is my pizza base sticking to the oven floor?

Remember to sprinkle the pizza peel with flour and make sure your preparation area is also well floured. Don’t wait too long to cook your pizza after adding your topping, as the dough could start to become wet and become sticky. Make sure you don’t have any holes in your pizza base, as these can allow moisture to penetrate and cause the pizza to stick.

Can I position the oven indoors or inside my garage?

Yes, as long as you have installed and commissioned the appropriate flue by an approved installer.

Joe Botham, Owner of Baratxuri Restaurant (Ramsbottom)

My Fuego wood fired pizza oven...

“Our Fuego wood oven has transformed our restaurant! As a piece of kit, it is extremely versatile and controllable, allowing us to roast all of our meats and vegetables in the wood burning oven as well as using it as a charcoal grill during service. The flavour of everything coming out of the Fuego clay pizza oven is incredible due to the amazing smoky, charred tones added to the smell and taste of everything that’s cooked in it. It is not expensive to run as all the kiln-dried wood we use heats the wood fired pizza oven pretty quickly and it retains its temperature really well, only needing to add logs to the fire a few times over the course of service.”

Joe Botham, Owner of Baratxuri Restaurant (Ramsbottom)
Claire & James, Owners of Thrush Nest Luxury Holiday Cottages (York)

My Fuego wood fired pizza oven...

“We wanted a traditional wood oven that ticked lots of boxes, for us it had to be made of brick for the authentic feel, have amazing functionality and great quality. Our Fuego clay pizza oven ticks them all. Our pizza nights are such a fantastic feature for the guests that stay in our holiday cottages and it’s a great way of bringing friends and family together for making those special memories. Highly recommended”

Claire & James, Owners of Thrush Nest Luxury Holiday Cottages (York)
Dominic Reeve, Owner Lord Stones Country Park (North York Moors)

My Fuego wood fired pizza oven...

“The traditional methods used within its construction and the unrivalled ability to retain heat have thoroughly impressed us. It has been a welcome addition to our BBQ and live music events. We cannot recommend the Fuego brand enough and it has been extremely popular with our chefs and customers alike.”

Dominic Reeve, Owner Lord Stones Country Park (North York Moors)