The Fourneau Bread Oven helps you achieve oven spring through heat and steam. Cordierite and cast iron absorb heat from your oven and transfer that energy into the baking chamber. The materials act as a capaciter – storing and releasing the heat at a constant rate – minimizing heat loss when the oven door is opened. The enclosed chamber holds steam allowing the outside of the bread to remain elastic while "springing".

Baking in a steamy environment is key to achieving a thick, crunchy crust. The cordierite base of the Fourneau Bread Oven is resistant to cracking from thermal shock, allowing you to pour water directly into the baking chamber, replacing the dry air inside with steam. Cordierite releases heat at a more moderate rate than iron, helping to achieve great crust formation all around your loaf while avoiding bottom scorching.

It's easier to use because bread loads through the front, not the top. The cloche stays in the oven through the whole baking process and doesn't need to be removed to get at the bread.

The Fourneau Bread Oven safer to use because it stays in the oven through the whole baking process. Bakeware that opens on top needs to be removed from the oven to get at the bread.

Bread is baked in two stages; the springing stage and the browning stage. A cloche is critical for the first stage and provides a hot and steamy environment for bread to expand. Browning can take place in the cloche but it can also be done in the open oven. The Fourneau tray system makes it easy to move hot loaves from the baking chamber into the open oven. Browning in the open oven frees up the cloche for the next loaf nearly doubling throughput.