In the world of outdoor pizza ovens, there is often a choice between wood-fired ovens for authentic flavor and gas ovens for convenience. However, Glowen, a Slovenian company rooted in their engineering, aimed to create an oven that could achieve both without sacrificing quality. The result is the groundbreaking Raptor gas burner—a story of innovation, persistence, and exceeding expectations.
From Wood-Fired Only to Game-Changer
Glowen’s pizza ovens were initially designed to be wood-fired. As demand for gas ovens grew, many in the industry doubted whether a single oven could work flawlessly with both wood and gas. Despite the skepticism, Grega, Glowen’s director, remained determined to prove otherwise.
"I knew the market wanted a gas burner," Grega explains. "I wanted to create the best one—not just for convenience but for performance." His goal was to avoid shortcuts and build something exceptional. The real challenge lay in creating a combustion chamber large enough for wood burning, while also powerful enough to accommodate a gas burner.
"Our oven easily adapts to any type of fuel," Grega continues. The spacious chamber ensures efficient wood burning, while the robust gas burner creates the signature rolling flame, delivering consistent high heat and optimal cooking performance.
Struggles and Setbacks
Determined to create the best gas burner in the world, Grega spent half a year experimenting. With little more than welding equipment and duct tape, he retreated to his workshop to design burner after burner. For months, progress felt slow. Components were welded by hand, which consumed significant time and resources. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Grega even began taping parts together to quickly test different ideas. At times, it seemed the idea might be abandoned. Team members encouraged Grega to move on, but he persisted. He understood that for Glowen to remain competitive in the pizza oven market, it needed a high-performing gas burner. He wasn’t just aiming for functionality—he was determined to create the best.
The Breakthrough Moment by the River
After months of trial and error, inspiration struck in an unexpected place. While sitting by the River Drava in Ormoz, Grega observed how the river’s flow changed as it bent. He noticed that the water moved faster on one side of the curve, creating swirling currents and vortexes as the streams rejoined. This observation became the key to his burner design. One of the biggest challenges with gas burners is achieving a perfect mixture of gas and air. Powerful combustion requires a significant gas flow, but without the right air mixture, burning becomes inefficient and leads to soot buildup. That moment by the river led Grega to design a burner with a 90-degree bend. The turn forces the gas into a vortex, mixing it more thoroughly with air and ensuring complete combustion. By adding a diffuser at the beginning, Grega ensured the gas and air blended perfectly, resulting in a burner that operates with incredible power and efficiency.
Glowen Craftsmanship and Simplicity
The Raptor gas burner stands out not just for its performance but for its durability and simplicity. Glowen’s philosophy is straightforward: less is more. The fewer parts a machine has, the fewer things can go wrong. For this reason, the Raptor uses simple, robust valves to control gas flow. Keeping the design simple ensures the burner remains reliable and less prone to failure. Unlike other designs, Glowen’s burner features a strategically placed bend that allows for a much greater intake of both gas and air. This innovative design enhances airflow and ensures a powerful gas-air mixture for optimal performance, all while keeping production costs manageable."We could have taken the easier path and sourced from others," Grega admits. "But we believe there's always room for innovation and improvement."
“We could have taken the easier path and sourced from others,” Grega admits, “but we believe there's always room for innovation and improvement.”
Power and Precision in Every Burner
One of the standout features of the Raptor gas burner is its ability to reach temperatures over 500°C, allowing for the perfect pizza to be baked in minutes. Glowen ensures that each burner is slightly overpowered, providing faster heat-up times and better performance during high-demand use, such as catering events. Whether baking a single pizza or several in a row, the Raptor burner ensures quick recovery times, keeping the oven cooking stone at the optimal temperature. This feature is especially critical in professional settings where downtime between pizzas can lead to inconsistent results.
Glowen Supports Local Charities and Educational Initiatives
Glowen is proud to support both charitable causes and educational initiatives. Recently, the company participated in a fundraising event in Ormoz, aimed at aiding families affected by severe floods. By providing its premier pizza ovens for the event, Glowen helped a local pizzeria deliver delicious pizzas, contributing to a successful day of community support. Additionally, Glowen partnered with a local high school for an engaging pizza-making workshop. This event allowed students to learn about engineering and entrepreneurship through hands-on experience, reinforcing Glowen’s commitment to education. Through these initiatives, the company continues to make a meaningful impact in the community.
Why Choose the Glowen Raptor?
The Glowen Raptor gas burner is not just another pizza oven component—it is a carefully crafted innovation, built for those who value performance and durability. With its innovative gas-air mixing system, the Raptor delivers unmatched power and reliability in the pizza oven market. In a market flooded with mass-produced alternatives, Glowen’s Raptor stands as a beacon of quality, simplicity, and ethical production. Whether for professional catering or passionate home cooking, the Raptor gas burner offers the best of both worlds—wood-fired authenticity with gas-powered convenience.
For more details on why Glowen is the future of outdoor pizza ovens, visit their official website.
Media Contact
Company Name: Glowen
Contact Person: Lan Kokol
Email: Send Email
Country: Slovenia
Website: https://glowenoven.com/
