Best Ooni Pizza Oven: Guide to All Models

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Last Updated on December 8, 2023

Homemade pizzas are one of the best things in this world. However, homemade outdoor pizzas are just on another level.

That’s why Ooni is dedicated to making the best Ooni pizza oven you can find nowadays. But which oven is the best one? More accurately, is there a major difference between the different Ooni models?

If you’re interested in finding out the answer to all these questions, make sure to keep on reading. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Ooni ovens from A-Z. So, let’s get this pizza party started, shall we?

At a Glance:

• Ooni Karu 16 Pizza Oven – Most Versatile 
• Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven – Best for Beginners
• Ooni Koda 12 Pizza Oven – Best Portable Pizza Oven 
• Ooni Fyra 12 Pizza Oven – Best Wood-Fired Pizza Oven 
• Ooni Karu 12 Pizza Oven – Best for Experimentation 
• Ooni Pro 16 Pizza Oven – Best Mid-Range Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven

Best Pizza Ovens by Ooni in 2022

After testing all the Ooni ovens, I’ve written down all their best features as well as which type of pizza lovers will be most suited for them. They’re listed in no particular order.

1. Ooni Karu 16 Pizza Oven – Most Versatile 

Pizzas made with wood, charcoal, and gas are all delicious. However, the type of fuel can affect the taste. So, if you like to switch up your fuel every now and then, you won’t find a better oven for the job than the Ooni Karu 16.

This baby can be fired up with both wood and charcoal for that smokey, fiery taste. And, if you like, you can also use it with gas by buying the Ooni gas-burner attachment. 

Whichever fuel you use, this oven will reach 950°F (500°C) in 15 minutes, allowing you to fully cook your pizza in 60 seconds or less. 

And don’t worry about getting hot spots. The Ooni Karu 16 cooks quite evenly, and the stone temperature recovers pretty quickly when you open and close the door. Moreover, it has a glass window and a built-in thermometer to help you keep an eye on your pizza. 

Couple all these advantages with its impressive cooking surface and fabulous design, and you’ll understand why the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) recommends this oven for domestic use. 

Pros:

• Multi-fuel pizza oven
• Glass door with ViewFlame technology 
• Heats rapidly and cooks evenly 
• Has foldable legs for easy storage

Cons:

• Most expensive Ooni oven
• Not exactly portable (coming up at 62.6 lbs)

Bottom Line 

The Ooni Karu 16 is an excellent oven for pizza lovers who love pizzas of all shapes and flavors. While it has a hefty price tag, it makes up for it in terms of functionality and versatility.

2. Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven – Best for Beginners

As great as cooking with wood is, it can be difficult to light up and control its temperature. So, to make cooking easier for beginners, the company launched the Ooni Koda 16, which is a gas-powered pizza oven. 

Just by rotating a knob, you can manage the strength of the flame, allowing your pizza to cook at the optimal temperature. And since it’s a gas oven, it won’t produce any soot, making cleanup and maintenance a piece of cake. 

Similar to the Karu 16, the Ooni Koda 16 has a wide cooking surface that allows you to make multiple small pizzas or one large pizza. You can even cook meat, chicken, fish, and veggies in this oven, all thanks to its spacious opening and high dome. 

Still, it’s not quite as expensive or heavy as the Ooni Karu 16. As such, it’s great for outdoor use, especially when cooking for large numbers of people. 

Pros:

• Spacious 
• Large opening allows easy pizza retrieval
• Beginner-friendly 
• Requires minimal maintenance and cleanup 
• Not quite as heavy as the Karu 16 (about 40 lbs)
• Has a thick stone baking board

Cons:

• The L-shaped flame can produce some hot spots

Bottom Line

If you’re a beginner pizza chef with a need for a large oven, then the Ooni Koda 16 will serve you well. Just take care to rotate your pizza every now and then to avoid hot spots in your pizza.

3. Ooni Koda 12 Pizza Oven – Best Portable Pizza Oven 

As the name implies, Ooni Koda 12 is basically the slightly smaller version of the Ooni Koda 16. 

Again, it’s a gas-powered oven that makes flame and temperature control much easier. However, unlike the Koda 16, its smaller size makes turning and retrieving the pizzas much more challenging. So, if you’re not paying attention, you may get some extra burns with this model. 

Still, the considerable price difference makes up for its flaws. And though the smaller size can cause some trouble cooking-wise, it’s absolutely great for portability and storage. 

Pros:

• Effortless storage and placement (29 lbs)
• Reasonable price
• Great for small-sized pizzas 
• Easy to set up, operate, and clean
• Great heat retention due to its powder-coated carbon steel shell
• Can be used with both propane and natural gas 

Cons: 

• The smaller opening makes it harder to turn pizzas
• The heat control knob is at the back, which isn’t an intuitive placement

Bottom Line

If you plan on taking your oven to a lot of places, then buy the Ooni Koda 12. It’s the lightest and easiest pizza oven you can hope to find once you get used to the slightly restrictive opening.

4. Ooni Fyra 12 Pizza Oven – Best Wood-Fired Pizza Oven 

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If you’re a fan of wood-fired pizza and don’t want to pay for a multi-fuel oven, then the Ooni Fyra 12 will be the right fit for you. 

In short, this is a 12″ oven that runs on wood pellets. Since it’s on the smaller side, it’s quite easy to transport, making it an excellent outdoor pizza oven. Moreover, it heats up incredibly fast, allowing you to cook any Neapolitan pizza in one minute or so. Still, it has a learning curve if you’re not particularly adept at cooking with wood. 

To give you an idea about the cooking situation, you’ll first need to add the hardwood pellets to the fuel tray, light them up, then slide the tray back in its slot. After burning those pellets for a while, you should add more pellets through the hopper located at the back of the oven.

It’s important you add the right amount of pellets for the pizza to cook yet not burn. You also need to consider the airflow going through the oven. That’s why the Ooni Fyra 12 isn’t the first recommendation for beginner pizza makers. 

Pros: 

• Affordable
• Great portability 
• Perfect for personal-sized pizzas 
• Has valves to control temperature and cooking time 
• Hopper and chimney can be removed to make storage easier 

Cons: 

• Hopper is a bit small
• Not beginner-friendly
• Needs frequent cleaning

Bottom Line

The Ooni Fyra 12 is the best option for people who love wood-fired pizzas. Once you get the hang of the wood pellets and how to manage them, you’ll be golden. 

5. Ooni Karu 12 Pizza Oven – Best for Experimentation 

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The best thing about the Ooni Karu 12 is how affordable it is compared to the Karu 16. This means you can experiment with different fuels and temperatures without worrying about putting a dent in your bank account.

And if you’d like the versatility of a multi-fuel oven without having to lug around 68lbs every time you go outside, then this one would be your best bet.

As with the Ooni Karu 16, this oven works with wood, charcoal, and gas, though you’ll need to buy a gas-burner attachment and propane tank if you want to cook with gas.

For some reason, the gas burner is located at the back of the oven as opposed to the side placement of the Ooni Koda 16. While this makes using gas a bit annoying, it’s nothing you can’t get used to. 

I also can’t deny that the smaller size does make maneuverability slightly challenging. However, it makes the Ooni outdoor pizza oven much easier to carry and set up. 

Pros:

• Has a baffle for airflow and temperature control 
• Compact and lightweight 
• Can be easily stored
• Affordable multi-fuel oven 
• Comes with an integrated digital thermometer

Cons: 

• The gas burner is located at the back
• Maneuverability is a bit challenging

Bottom Line

The Ooni Karu 12 should be your top choice if you want to switch between wood, charcoal, and gas without paying a ridiculous price. That’s why people who are still experimenting with cooking pizzas are the best candidates for this oven

6. Ooni Pro 16 Pizza Oven – Best Mid-Range Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven 

If the Ooni Karu 16 is too expensive and the Ooni Koda 16 is too boring, you’ll find the best of both worlds in the Ooni Pro 16. This is a 16″ multi-fuel pizza oven that doesn’t compromise on size, quality, or versatility.

To give you an example, this baby has more than enough room for you to turn and take out 16″ pizzas without breaking a sweat. It also has a wide enough opening for putting in a cast iron pan on the off chance you want to roast some meat and veggies.

Interestingly, this oven was made for a Neapolitan or New York-style pizza. It just makes a crust that’s out of this world.

As for its build, it’s made of sturdy, high-quality materials, which, unfortunately, makes it a bit too heavy to carry around. It’s still lighter than the Karu 16, but not by much. So, this oven is more of a permanent fixture than a portable oven. 

Pros 

• Large oven that’s not as expensive as other models
• Runs on wood, charcoal, natural, or propane gas 
• Large opening height for easy cooking
• Can be used to bake bread, cook meats, poultry, etc.
• Comes with a built-in digital thermometer 

Cons 

• Not exactly portable

Bottom Line 

If you’re looking for a mid-range multi-fuel oven, then the Ooni Pro 16 should be your go-to option. It’s a large, affordable, versatile, and easy-to-use oven, but keep in mind that you probably won’t be taking it to many places.

What to Consider When Buying Ooni Pizza Ovens

Cooking pizzas in the great outdoors has become a piece of cake, thanks to Ooni. Throughout the years, this company has managed to make some of the highest-quality portable pizza ovens, and that’s why its brand is now world-renowned. 

Currently, Ooni only offers the six pizza ovens that I reviewed; the Karu 16, Karu 12, Koda 16, Koda 12, Pro 16, and Fyra 12. Each of these Ooni ovens has its own strengths and weaknesses, as you’ve discovered by now. But, before choosing your future oven, here are a few features you should consider to make the best decision. 

Size

Choosing the size of your oven should depend on how many people you’ll be feeding. Ooni outdoor pizza ovens range in size between 12 and 16 inches.

So, if you’re cooking for a small group, then a 12″ oven should be more than enough. However, if you want to go with a bigger model, keep in mind that the larger capacity comes with a heftier price tag. Not only that, but a bigger oven will also be heavier, affecting its portability. 

Remember that you can make pizzas larger than 16 inches in a 12 inches oven. You just have to divide it into four or more pieces and cook them one at a time. And considering that the Ooni ovens can cook any pizza in less than two minutes, the multiple pieces shouldn’t take too much time to finish cooking. However, the process will require some effort on your part. 

Portability

For outdoor pizza ovens, the general rule of thumb is; the lighter, the better. Who wants to lug around more than 50 lbs each time you decide to cook a pizza outside? 

So, if you’re looking for an oven that’s easy to transport, stick to one that’s 30-50 lbs. However, if you’ll be placing your oven in your backyard with no intention of moving it elsewhere, then go with a heavier oven if it suits your purposes. 

Tip: Since most ovens don’t have a handle for transport, it’s best you buy a cover for your oven.

Fuel Sources

If you’re a fan of homemade pizza but you’ve never used an outdoor pizza oven before, then you should steer clear of ovens using wood and charcoal. 

These types have a learning curve that can only be mastered by professionals, and they usually require a specific type of wood or charcoal to get the job done. Still, if you’re willing to put in the effort and pay a little more, you can get that authentic, wood-fired taste you can’t find in fast-food restaurants. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, a gas-fueled oven is as easy and affordable as it gets. However, it produces pizzas that are pretty average tasting. And unfortunately, Ooni pizza ovens can’t be connected to gas pipelines, which means that you’ll need to buy a gas tank.

Fuel Consumption and Efficiency 

Generally, the less fuel an oven uses to cook a pizza, the better it is. 

Now, most Ooni ovens are pretty efficient, but some are more efficient than others. For instance, the Koda 16 gas-powered oven uses 1.3lbs of fuel to make 10 pizzas, and the Karu 16 uses 4.9 lbs.

While this may not seem that great of a difference, your wallet will definitely get affected in the long run, and so will the earth’s resources. So, if money or the environment is a concern, choose the most efficient oven you can find.

FAQs

How Long Do Ooni Ovens Take to Get Hot?

Depending on the fuel type and size of your oven, preheating can take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes. 

Which Ooni Ovens Use Wood?

Both the Ooni Karu 16 and Karu 12 can be used with wood, and so can the Ooni Pro 16. The Ooni Fyra 12 is the only model that uses wood pellets. If you try to use them with the other ovens, they’ll prevent your oven from getting to the right temperature. 

How Should You Store an Outdoor Pizza Oven?

If you can, move your oven to a dry, enclosed space and cover it with a tarp to prevent dirt from accumulating on it. However, if you can’t move it inside, then wrapping up the oven in a waterproof cover should be enough to protect it from the elements. 

Do You Need to Put Your Ooni Oven on a Special Table?

No, that’s not really necessary. Still, try to stay away from plastic or glass tables, as Ooni ovens can get pretty hot. So, stick to wood, granite, or metallic tables for maximum safety. And if you want, Ooni offers stainless steel tables with hooks and shelves to hand you pizza peels and turners.

Conclusion 

Ooni pizza ovens are some of the best outdoor pizza ovens in the world. They reach their maximum temperature in a matter of minutes, allowing you to cook a restaurant-quality pizza in just 60 seconds or so.

Now, which is the best Ooni pizza oven? The answer to this question depends on your needs and budget. But here are some tips.

If it’s your first time using a pizza oven, then it’s best you go with any gas-powered oven. However, if pizza-making is your hobby, then you’ll greatly enjoy any of the multi-fuel ovens.