Essential Guide for using Glowen ovens

1. Welcome

Glowen Raptor was carefully developed by pizzaiolo, who wanted to prepare the best dishes from the brick oven anywhere. The baking plate, ceramic insulation, and flame shape create ideal conditions for baking a wide variety of foods, but above all, authentic Neapolitan pizzas that you will be proud of.

Cooking with Raptor is extremely easy, fun, and unique. This Cooking Guide will improve your cooking skills and give you ideas for a delicious lunch or dinner, whether you are a beginner or a professional.

Thank you for becoming a part of the Glowen community. Enjoy cooking – we know you will!

Grega Ivančič & Team

2. Important Safety Guidelines

Your safety is most important, therefore read the attached instructions carefully and save them for later use.

3. Quick Start Guide

You want to start baking as soon as possible. Are we right? We recommend that you read the instructions and general baking guide carefully. But for those who are too impatient, here is information that needs to be considered.

• Raptor installation – the oven is suitable for outdoor use; place it on metal, stone, or wooden surface
• Fuel insertion – if you are going to bake on wood, insert firewood; if with gas, connect the oven to a gas cylinder
• Ignition – preheat the oven for 45 minutes before first use, but for each subsequent baking, 15 minutes on wood and 20 minutes on gas
• Food – for the best Neapolitan pizza, preheat the baking plate to 420 °C and then insert the pizza with enough fermented dough. Start turning the pizza with a metal rocker once the edge is browned next to the fire
• Repeat – the more times you repeat the process, the better

4. First Baking

You want to start baking as soon as possible. Are we right? We recommend that you read the instructions and general baking guide carefully. But for those who are too impatient, here is information that needs to be considered.

4.1. Find the right place for your Glowen Raptor

The Glowen Raptor can be placed practically anywhere, but it must be sheltered for optimal performance. The oven weighs about 24 kg, so putting it on a durable table with metal, stone or wooden surfaces is essential. Choose the right place on the terrace, summer kitchen, or balcony, take photos and send them to info@glowen.si – we like to look at your ingenious locations.

Glass or plastic tables are not recommended.

4.2. Pre-baking

Before the first use, fire up the oven and burn it at the highest temperature for at least 45 minutes. The process is called pre-baking. After that, allow the oven to cool down and wipe the inside with a dry cloth. This disinfection process will burn oils and coatings left over from manufacturing. In this step, it smokes harder from the oven since the paint coatings must burn completely onto the stove. Now the range is ready for cooking food.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to write to us at info@glowen.si. You can also share photos of the Raptor oven or dishes with us.

5. Baking, Cooling and Storing the Ovens

Always check if you have dry firewood before firing with wood, but if you are firing with gas, check all gas connections, tanks, pipes, and regulators to avoid gas leakage risk.

5.1. Achieving appropriate temperatures

Glowen Raptor is designed to reach temperatures above 500°C. The perfect cooking temperature depends on the dish you want to prepare. For Glowen dough pizza, a suitable temperature of 420 °C is in the middle of the baking plate.

5.2. Cooling and storing the oven

After baking, it is essential to put out the fire. If you fire with gas, just turn off the gas in the regulator, but if you use firewood, wait for it to burn to the end, discard excess ash in a metal container with water, and wait for the oven to cool. Do not use water to cool the range.

It is recommended to clean and move the oven when it has cooled down (approximately 2 hours after the end of firing). Glowen Raptor must be stored in a dry and closed place to protect against weather influences.

6. Glowen Accessories

Always check if you have dry firewood before firing with wood, but if you are firing with gas, check all gas connections, tanks, pipes, and regulators to avoid gas leakage risk.

7. Glowen Bases & Tables

8. Glowen Dragon

GLOWEN DRAGON CHARACTERISTICS

The oven can remain outdoors year-round, but we recommend using a cover to keep it in top condition after winter.

*Avoid direct exposure to rain and snow.

True Outdoor Baking

The Glowen Dragon brings the full outdoor baking experience. From pizza and bread to steak, fish, or desserts, it handles every dish with ease.

Power and Precision

With advanced airflow, bottom insulation, and a low center of gravity, it's stable and ready in just 15 minutes. Reaching 480 °C, it bakes a Neapolitan pizza in 60 seconds.

Designed to Perform

The rolling flame keeps your food in view for perfect control. Proudly designed and made in Slovenia/EU.

9. Glowen Raptor

GLOWEN RAPTOR CHARACTERISTICS

Complete your Raptor setup with the optional Glowen Raptor Door (sold separately). The oven can remain outdoors year-round, but we recommend using a cover to keep it in top condition after winter. *Avoid direct exposure to rain and snow.

Rolling Flame

Our signature Glowen Rolling Flame Technology™ wraps heat around the pizza for even cooking from all sides. No cold spots. Just perfect results, every time.

Quick Recovery

Bake one pizza after another without slowing down. The Raptor's design holds heat efficiently, so the oven is always ready for the next one.

Compact but Powerful

Despite its high performance, the Raptor fits easily on a balcony, terrace, or in a backyard. It's made from 100% stainless steel (AISI 430) for strength, style, and long-lasting use.

10. Glowen Raptor 2

GLOWEN RAPTOR 2 CHARACTERISTICS

Complete your Raptor setup with the optional Glowen Raptor Door (sold separately). The oven can remain outdoors year-round, but we recommend using a cover to keep it in top condition after winter. *Avoid direct exposure to rain and snow.

Rapid Heat-Up Technology

Ready in just 15 minutes, our Raptor 2 reaches optimal cooking temperatures faster than any other oven on the market, thanks to our booster technology.

Zero Recovery Time

Bake one pizza after another without slowing down. The Raptor's design holds heat efficiently, so the oven is always ready for the next one.

Unmatched Cooking Capacity

More room, more food. Easily fit three 10 inch pizza, two 12 inch pizzas or one massive 20 inch pizza. Perfect for parties or family dinners where everyone's appetite must be satisfied.

11. Baking Plate Temperature and Baking Technique

Glowen baking plates and side fireboxes ensure versatile baking.

The plate's temperature is highest at the fire and on the other side of the chamber, where the section is most elevated. The temperature is relatively lower on the bottom and highest on the top. The lowest plate temperature is at the entrance to the oven. The large cooking surface and different plate temperatures allow easy maneuvering of dishes in the oven.

While baking pizza, it is essential to turn the pizza to ensure even baking.

12. Which Fuel to Use?

The Glowen Raptor is designed for use with solid fuels such as wood, but also gas can be used with the addition of a gas burner. Choose the fuel that suits you best. The oven heats up super fast and retains heat. The air circulation is the same as in real masonry wood-burning ovens. The highest temperature is at the top of the chamber, the lowest is where air enters the oven. Burn slowly and observe and measure the temperature if necessary. Before you start cooking again, clean any ash residue with a brush.

13. Firing with Wood

The wood crackling in the fire creates a unique experience, and the smoke adds flavor to the dish. We recommend cooking with completely dry beech wood. For smaller aggressive burning, use smaller pieces of wood; for slower-burning, larger ones. If burning for a long time, remove the ash to a water-filled metal bucket.

Never use treated or painted wood. Wood with a high proportion of resin, such as spruce and pine, can add unwanted flavors to dishes.

14. Connecting the Gas Burner

1. Make sure you have a suitable gas and gas regulator for your country.
2. Make sure to turn the top of the gas burner clockwise until it stops.
3. Push the tube on the top inlet.
4. Please make sure you put the tube to the end.
5. Tighten the clamp in a clockwise direction.
6. Push the tube on the gas regulator.
7. Make sure you push the tube to the end.
8. Tighten the clamp in a clockwise direction.
9. Screw thread gas regulator. Ensure the gas is turned off on the bottle by twisting the handle anticlockwise. While aligning the regulator with the gas bottle, twist the handle and ensure a tight fit has been made.
10. When all connections are made and tested with water and soap, you can open the valve on the gas bottle.

15. Gas Leak

16. First Firing

12. Screw the bolts in three holes like in the picture.
13. Light the lighter outside the oven.
14. Push the lighter into the hole on the gas burner.
15. Make sure the lighter is burning. Then twist the top anticlockwise.

17. Cleaning & Maintenance

For the gas burner to operate at optimum efficiency, we recommend cleaning and inspecting the burner before each use. Remove the cooled burner, clean it with a brush, and blow it out with the help of compressed air.

Protect the oven from adverse weather, including rain and high winds. Do not use chemicals, abrasive methods, and fuse.

General cleaning: Make sure the holes on the picture are always clean from food and other things.

18. Gas Safety

Check the oven and burner before use.

If the device shuts down, reduce the gas supply to the regulator, turn off the gas valve, wait 5 minutes, and try again.

The warranty does not cover damage caused by fat.

If a fat fire occurs, immediately shut off the gas supply to the cylinder and remove all food from the oven.

Check the valves for leaks before each use and each removal.

19. Warnings

20. Tips for Preparing Pizza

21. Tips for Preparing Pizza – Dough

22. Care Instructions

Where should I store the oven?

Glowen ovens are stored in a dry and closed place to protect against various weather conditions. Glowen oven must be completely dry and cooled before storage.

Suppose you are near the sea or saltwater, store the Glowen oven indoors / sheds so that sea salt does not damage the oven.

How do I clean the oven?

It is recommended to clean and move the oven when it has cooled down (approx. 2 hours after the end of firing). Always wait for the oven to cool completely before cleaning. Cleaning the oven is completely easy. If necessary, clean the inside with a dry cloth. The outer surfaces can be wiped with a damp cloth and must be dried completely before storing the oven.

How do I clean the cooking stone?

Clean the baking plate by firing the Glowen oven at the highest temperatures, and pyrolysis will naturally remove all impurities on the plate. If you need to remove heavier food debris, use a brush. Always clean the plates cold. Make pizzas and dough-based dishes directly on the stone, other dishes in cast iron pans.

Baking plates are not dishwasher safe.

23. Troubleshooting

I can't light a fire in the Glowen oven

If you are burning firewood, it is important to use dry firewood and use smaller firewood to achieve higher temperatures initially. When using gas, check your gas tank and disconnect the gas regulator from your tank if necessary. Also, check all gas connections. Use a mixture of soap and water to check for gas leaks. Apply the mixture to all joints and areas where any cracks appear. If no bubbles appear on the joints, the joints are well sealed. If bubbles appear, the tightness is poor and you need to seal them better.

The gas burner produces strange sounds

If the sound is louder than usual, the gas burner is not installed correctly. Check that the burner is mounted on the oven and, if necessary, tighten the screws on the back.

I smell gas

If you smell gas, turn off the open flame immediately – close the valve on the tank, turn off the gas supply to the regulator, and wait 10 minutes. After this time, check all gas connections.

I notice a change in color on the oven

Glowen oven is made of high-quality painted stainless steel. You can notice some color changes – patina – on the steel after repeated heating cycles, but these do not affect the quality of the oven. Remember to store the oven in a dry and closed place.

The oven temperature is too high

Correcting with fuel is the easiest way to cool the furnace. If it is too hot in the oven, simply do not add fuel (wood) or reduce the flame with the gas regulator and wait for it to cool to a suitable temperature.

I have too much ash in the fireplace

Ash is a natural residue from the burning of natural fuels. Excess ash that accumulates in the firebox can be removed with a metal peel in a metal container filled with water. When removing ash, use heat-resistant gloves to prevent possible injuries and burns.

The oven temperature is too low

The Glowen oven needs to be heated for about 15 minutes, depending on the firing method and the skills of the fireman. Simply add fuel or increase the flame with the gas regulator if the temperature is too low.

Note: If your oven has been exposed to rain or extreme cold, heating may take longer.

The cooking stone cracked

The cooking stones are made of natural material and crack when exposed to a too high temperature too quickly. Pre-baking should be moderate. The stones are consumables and are not covered by the warranty.

The cooking stone looks dirty

The cooking stone in the Glowen oven may change color, but this will not affect performance, such as the ability to bake and accumulate heat. Food residues can be easily and naturally cleaned by pyrolysis by burning the oven at the highest temperature for some time. We recommend that the dishes from the dough – bread, pizza, bake directly on the cooking stone, while for other dishes use cast iron pans or baking trays.

My pizza is raw

Glowen ovens are designed for high and low-temperature baking. For the Neapolitan type of pizza, you need to preheat the oven to high temperatures (the plate should be 420–450 °C). We recommend the purchase of an infrared thermometer for easier orientation in terms of temperatures. The pizza will be perfectly baked if the dough ferments for a long time, the pizza is coated with few ingredients and baked at high temperatures. We need to bake the pizza at lower temperatures if we want a thicker dough. We also use lower temperatures for less time fermented dough as this will not bake as quickly and requires a lower temperature.

My pizza is burnt

If you find that the pizza is burnt, turn it over in the oven more often or lower the temperature. You can move the dish closer to the oven opening where the temperature is lower. Glowen allows you to bake at high temperatures, so it is important not to lose sight of your food during cooking.

Fire

Fire is a process of rapid burning that spreads uncontrollably in space and time. Fire is characterized by the release of heat along with smoke, toxic gases and flames. Most fires are caused by the accumulation of grease (if you use gas) and improper connection to the gas.

Close the valve on the cylinder after each use.

If a fire occurs, close all gas valves first. If possible, use a fire extinguisher. If water is the only fire retardant available, don't skimp on the amount. Do not use a strong jet of water against the oven, as this may cause the fire to spread.

Make sure you stay as far away from the fire as possible.

WARNING: Carbon monoxide is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic, odorless gas. It is the main product of incomplete combustion of carbon and carbon-containing compounds. May cause symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting... Therefore, please note that the oven is intended for OUTDOOR USE and should never be used indoors.