Vennoe Trailfire 12 Review: Wood or Gas? You Decide

There's been a quiet rumble about the Vennoe Trailfire 12 (formerly Vennoe T01) ever since it hit Kickstarter. Not the sort of deafening hype you get with some outdoor gear launches — more of a persistent murmur among people who take their pizza seriously. You know the type. They've got favourite 00 flour and strong opinions on basil placement.

Vennoe's idea was simple: build a genuinely portable outdoor oven that doesn't force you to pick between wood-fired flavour and the convenience of gas. Most ovens make you choose upfront, then you're stuck with that decision for years. The Trailfire 12 lets you start where you like and change your mind later — no new oven required.

Anyway. The oven's here now, selling for £289 direct from Vennoe. I've been giving one a proper going-over for a few weeks. Here's what I make of it.

What You're Actually Getting

Pull it out of the box and the first thing that hits you is how unfussy the whole thing is. Here's a quick spec rundown:

• Roughly 36 cm wide, 32 cm tall (70 cm including the chimney), and 50 cm long – about the size of a small carry-on suitcase.

• Weighs just around 10kg, so you can genuinely pick it up with one hand (though I'd use two to avoid a very expensive accident).

• Build quality is solid without being showy: powder-coated steel body with an insulated shell. No flimsy corners or rattly bits.

• The stone inside is 12 inches across – cordierite, the stuff that can handle thermal shock without cracking. That's standard for pizza ovens, but worth mentioning because cheaper stones can shatter if you look at them wrong.

• The front door has a glass viewing window — a small touch that turns out to be surprisingly practical. You can check the pizza without opening the door and losing all your heat. More on that later.

One thing you notice up close: there isn't a single visible screw anywhere on the body. The panels meet at sharp, clean angles — no soft curves, no plastic trim hiding seams. The Vennoe branding is embossed directly into the metal, not a sticker that peels off after a hot summer. Even the vent slots are cut with the kind of precision you'd expect on something twice the price.

It's the sort of build quality that makes you want to run a hand over it.

Wood, Charcoal, or Both at Once

Getting it to temperature takes about 15–20 minutes. Not lightning fast, but entirely reasonable. Once it's properly hot, the stone can hit close to 500°C (900°F in old money). At that sort of heat, a pizza cooks in about 60 seconds. I managed 70 seconds on my first go, which I was unreasonably smug about.

And that rotatable stone? It's the clever bit. Instead of you having to reach in with a peel and manually turn the pizza — always a gamble when everything's that hot — there's a knob on the side that spins the stone. One hand on the peel, the other turning the knob. Your pizza gets an even bake without the usual wrestling match.

It took me a couple of tries to get the rhythm, but once you've got it, you'll wonder why every oven doesn't do this.

Gas Is an Option, If You Pay Extra

Wood-fired pizza has a particular flavour that's hard to beat. But sometimes you just want to cook without the faff. The Vennoe Trailfire 12 can run on gas, but only if you buy the separate Gas Burner for Vennoe Trailfire 12. That's another £109.

Now. Let's talk about that.

The base oven at £289 is fairly priced for what you get. Add the burner and you're at £398, which puts it alongside dedicated gas-only ovens in the £300–400 bracket. The difference is that the Vennoe gives you fuel flexibility — you're not locked into one fuel type on day one.

The burner is an investment in convenience, not a mandatory add-on. If you mostly cook with wood and only want gas for the occasional midweek quickie, you can always add it later.

Installing the burner is dead simple — it slots into the back where the fuel port normally sits. The flame is clean and adjustable. Temperature control is more precise than with wood. If you're cooking for a crowd and don't want to babysit the fire, gas makes life much easier. You lose a bit of the theatre, though. And the flavour isn't quite the same, obviously. No smoke.

The Cooking Experience

Here's where the Vennoe earns its keep.

The window — I mentioned it earlier — turns out to be properly useful. You can watch the crust blister and the cheese bubble without opening the door and venting all your hard-won heat. For a newbie especially, that's reassuring. You're not poking at things blind.

The rotating stone does about 70% of the work. You still need to launch the pizza properly, and a wooden peel helps with that. The Vennoe 12" Pizza Peel is available from their site (no price listed at the time of writing, but budget around £25–40 for a decent one). If you've already got a peel, it'll probably work fine — just check it fits the 12-inch stone without jamming.

One thing that caught me out: the oven's compact size means the door opening is a bit snug. If you've made a pizza with a thick, puffy cornicione — and you should — it can catch on the top edge if you're not careful. A quick shimmy of the peel sorts it, but it's worth practising with a cheap dough first. Don't learn this lesson with a pizza you actually want to eat.

Clean-up is minimal. Once everything's cooled, you brush the ash out of the back. The stone is self-cleaning, more or less — the high heat incinerates any stuck-on bits. Occasionally you might need to flip it and let the underside burn clean. That's it.

What's Not So Good

No product is perfect, and the Vennoe has a few rough edges:

• The fuel port at the back is a smart idea, but if you're using larger wood chunks, you'll need to break them down smaller. That's not a dealbreaker — it's just an extra step you'll forget until you're standing there with a log that won't fit.

• The glass window soots up after a few cooks. You can wipe it, but you'll need to wait for the oven to cool completely. During a long session, visibility drops. A bit of soot isn't the end of the world — you can still see enough — but it's mildly annoying.

• At £398 all-in for the gas version, you're competing with some seriously good ovens. The Vennoe's portability and multi-fuel capability give it a unique spot, but if you'll only ever use gas, there are simpler options for less money.

• The oven comes with a basic manual. It's clear enough, but there's no recipe guide, no dough tips, no suggestions beyond the fundamentals. If you're new to pizza making, you'll be on YouTube within ten minutes. That's fine. Just don't expect much hand-holding.

Who's This Actually For?

The camper, the caravanner, the person with a tiny garden who still wants proper wood-fired pizza. The Vennoe Trailfire 12 is absurdly portable. Chuck it in the boot next to the tent and you're the most popular person on the campsite.

It's also ideal for anyone who can't decide between wood and gas — you can start with wood and add the burner later if the novelty of fire management wears off.

If you've got a big garden and a dedicated outdoor kitchen setup, you might want something larger. A 12-inch pizza is perfectly generous for one or two people. You can bang out several in a row — the stone recovers heat quickly — but if you're feeding six hungry adults, you'll be on your feet for a while. That's true of any small oven, to be fair.

The Vennoe's real trick is that it doesn't feel like a compromise. You're not sacrificing much for the sake of portability. The insulation is good, the stone rotation is genuinely useful, and the build quality suggests it'll last years if you look after it. Store it somewhere dry and it should shrug off regular use.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

Not much to say here, which is a good sign.

The stone doesn't need seasoning or oiling — just let it heat up and burn everything off. The exterior can be wiped with a damp cloth. Avoid abrasive cleaners on the glass. That's about it.

One tip: if you're cooking with charcoal, use lumpwood rather than briquettes. Briquettes produce more ash and can clog the air vents over time. Lumpwood burns hotter and cleaner. It's also easier to top up through the small fuel port.

The gas burner attachment needs very little attention. Check the jets occasionally for blockages, especially if you've had the oven stored for a while. Spiders love gas jets. A quick blast of compressed air sorts it.

Five Reasons People Choose the Vennoe Trailfire 12

1. Rotating Stone. Most ovens at this price point make you reach in with a peel and manually turn the pizza. The Trailfire 12 has a knob on the side that spins the stone. Even heat, no wrestling.

2. Multi-Fuel. Wood, charcoal, or gas — you decide. Start with wood for weekend feasts, add the gas burner later for weeknight convenience. Few portable ovens in this price range offer all three.

3. Lightweight. At around 10kg, it's genuinely portable. Chuck it in the boot for a camping trip or move it between the shed and the patio without needing a second person.

4. Nearly 500°C Heat. It hits proper pizza-oven temperatures in about 15–20 minutes. That's the heat you need for a 60-second Neapolitan with a blistered crust and a soft centre.

5. Future Gas Upgrade. The oven is gas-ready out of the box. Buy the burner now or in six months — the oven doesn't care. That flexibility is rare.

6. Precision Build. Hidden fixings, embossed branding, and crisp angular panels. This isn't a stamped-tin barbecue — it's machined to a standard that looks and feels premium.

Vennoe Trailfire 12 vs Competitors

*With the optional Gas Burner for Vennoe Trailfire 12 (£109).

FAQ

Can you use the Vennoe Trailfire 12 indoors?

No. The Vennoe Trailfire 12 is designed for outdoor use only. It burns solid fuel or gas, and using it indoors would create a serious fire and carbon monoxide risk. Stick to a well-ventilated patio, garden, or campsite.

How long does it take to heat up?

About 15–20 minutes to reach pizza-ready temperatures. Once it's properly hot, the stone can hit 500°C, and a pizza cooks in roughly 60 seconds. The rotatable stone helps ensure an even bake without needing to manually turn the pizza.

Is the gas burner worth the extra £109?

If you want precise temperature control without tending a fire, yes. The burner turns the Trailfire 12 into a weeknight warrior — on, hot, cook, off, zero messing about. At £398 all-in you're in the same bracket as dedicated gas-only ovens, but you keep the option of wood-fired cooking whenever you fancy it. That flexibility is what you're paying for.

What size pizza does it make?

The stone is 12 inches across, so you can cook pizzas up to about 12 inches. That's enough for one or two people per pizza. You can cook several in a row because the stone recovers heat quickly, but feeding a crowd will take a few rounds.

How easy is it to clean?

Very easy. Once the oven cools, brush out the ash from the back. The stone is self-clearing – the high heat incinerates any stuck-on bits. Occasionally you might flip the stone and burn the underside clean. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth, and avoid abrasive cleaners on the glass.

How does the Vennoe Trailfire 12 compare to gas-only ovens?

The Trailfire 12's biggest advantage is flexibility. Most gas-only ovens do one thing well, but you're locked in. With the Trailfire 12, you can cook with wood on Saturday and gas on Tuesday — same oven, no extra kit beyond the optional burner. The rotating stone, which you don't typically find in this price range, means you're not manually turning pizzas with a peel in a 500°C oven. For outdoor cooks who want options rather than a one-trick appliance, that's the difference.

The Verdict

At £289 for the wood-only setup, the Vennoe Trailfire 12 is cracking value. You're getting a well-insulated, thoughtfully designed oven with a feature — the rotating stone — that you normally don't find at this price. The ability to add gas later is a nice bit of future-proofing.

Should you buy it? If you want a portable pizza oven that can run on wood, charcoal, or gas without being a faff to carry around, yes. It's a clever bit of kit. Gas-only buyers working to a strict budget may find slightly cheaper dedicated propane options elsewhere, but they won't get the rotating stone or the ability to switch fuels later.

For everyone else, the Trailfire 12 earns its place. The glass window and rotating stone genuinely make the cooking process less stressful. That alone is worth the entry price for anyone who's ever torched a pizza while fumbling with a peel.

The Trailfire 12 isn't the cheapest option, but it offers a level of flexibility that's hard to find elsewhere at this price point. And for a lot of people, that's exactly what they're looking for.

Ready to make wood-fired pizza anywhere? Explore the Vennoe Trailfire 12 and optional Gas Burner to build the setup that suits your style of cooking.

*Prices correct at time of writing. Check individual retailer websites for current pricing.