I love pizza! Up until recently, I decided that I wanted to up my pizza-making game and get a dedicated outdoor pizza oven for my patio.
The problem?
There are a lot of different brands and models on the market, so it is hard to pick just one. However, after careful consideration, I did decide on the Ooni. And I love it!
But which Ooni is the best for me, and which Ooni pizza oven did I choose for my outdoor space? The Ooni Karu 12!
Before I tell you why I chose this model, I wanted to introduce all the options. You might have different requirements because I decided on the Ooni Karu 12 for my top pick. I did a ton of research on all six models before buying mine.
Contents
* Two quick notes about this article. You’ll notice that each oven has a number, 12 or 16. This represents the size of pizza that the oven can cook. 12 means a 12-inch single pizza, and 16 means 16-inch pizzas. Also, if you click on any of the links provided below and purchase your own Ooni, I may receive a commission. Thanks!
Ooni Pizza Oven 2022 Models Chart
| Model | Fuel Type | Who It Is Best For | Flavor Of Pizza You’ll Get | More Detailed Info | |
 | Ooni Karu 16 | Multi (wood, charcoal or gas) | Someone wanting Ooni’s top of the line option that is easy to set up and use. | Delicious wood fired flavor if you are cooking with wood. | Jump to review |
 | Ooni Karu 12 | Wood and charcoal, but there is an optional gas attachment. | Someone looking for excellent authentic wood-fired taste. | Delicious wood fired flavor. | Jump to review |
 | Ooni Koda 16 | Gas | Someone looking for a convenient and easy to use option with no fuss. | No wood fired taste but still delicious. | Jump to review |
 | Ooni Koda 12 | Gas | The same as the Koda 16, but you are looking for something that costs a bit less. | No wood fired taste but still delicious. | Jump to review |
 | Ooni Fyra 12 | Wood pellets | Someone looking for a budget option that can still make a great pizza. This is Ooni’s least expensive option. | Delicious wood fired flavor, but more subtle wood taste than the Karu and Pro. | Jump to review |
 | Ooni Pro 16 | Multi (wood, charcoal or gas) | Someone looking for the best option for not only cooking pizzas, but other things as well. | Delicious wood fired flavor if you are cooking with wood. | Jump to review |
My Top Ooni Pizza Oven Choice
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
An excellent choice for people looking for the authentic wood-fired taste experience without breaking the bank.
The oven cooks a great pizza with great crust every time (after I got over the learning curve – to be honest, I messed up a few pizzas in the beginning, but that is part of the fun in learning).
Why did I choose this one over the rest?
- The price was right at my budget.
- I mainly wanted a wood-fueled oven, but I like that I have the option to switch to gas in the future if I want. And I can switch back and forth based on what I have available for fuel.
- I wanted the authentic wood-fired taste.
What is in the box:
- The oven and oven door.
- Pizza stone.
- Chimney and chimney cap.
- Fuel tray and door.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni gas burner attachment.
- Ooni modular table.
- Carry cover with a handle for easy transport.
Pros:
- The flame comes only from one direction at the back. As the fire burns, it licks up the ceiling of the oven. This makes it reasonably easy to get an even cook by making smaller rotations on the pizza.
- Very portable. Looking forward to taking this on upcoming camping trips!
- Very easy to use and set up. Just unfold the legs, insert the chimney, add the fuel and light.
- The price is reasonable.
- Heats up fast – 15 to 20 minutes. Just enough time to get your pizza ready to cook.
Cons:
- Small opening limits pizza size, but you can fit a 12″ no problem!
- You will have to cut your wood up relatively small to fit it in the oven.
- If you want gas, you have to buy the gas attachment separately.
- With wood cooking, you have to wait longer than you would if using gas for the oven to cool down after use.
The Rest Of Ooni’s Outdoor Pizza Oven Lineup For Perfect Pizzas
Now, I understand that other people may have different preferences. When I was looking at which one I wanted to buy, I took a lot of notes and did a ton of research. Here are my findings on each of the other models.
Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
If you are looking for the top-of-the-line option, this is the one for you!
I found out a lot of cool things about this oven:
- The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana – the authority on Neapolitan pizza – gave it an excellent rating of “Recommended for Domestic Use,” the first and only oven to achieve this.
- Like the Karu 12, it also can be fueled with multiple types of fuelwood, charcoal, or a gas add-on that can be installed.
- A built-in thermometer allows you to easily monitor the temperature inside the oven.
What is in the box:
- The oven and ViewFlame™ oven door that holds in heat very well.
- Two pizza stones that together will cover the entire oven floor.
- Chimney and chimney cap.
- Fuel hatch, tray, grate, and door.
- Digital thermometer.
- Guide book.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni gas burner attachment. Two options – natural gas or propane.
- Ooni modular table.
- Cover for storage.
Pros:
- The fire is the same design as the Karu 12. The flame comes only from one direction at the back. As the fire burns, it licks up the ceiling of the oven. This makes it reasonably easy to get an even cook by making smaller rotations on the pizza.
- The large window in the door allows you to keep a close eye on the pizza while the door is being used.
- The large oven opening means that you can also cook many other foods. Imagine a wood-fired steak in your Ooni on a cast-iron skillet, fish, or bread!
- Almost zero recovery time between pizzas – sometimes with other portable pizza ovens, you have to wait a few minutes between each pizza cook to allow the pizza stone to get back up to temperature – this is not an issue here.
Cons:
- While the thermometer monitors the oven’s interior, it does not give a reading of the pizza stone itself. I’d recommend having an infrared thermometer on hand to check your pizza stone temperature separately for best results.
- When cooking with wood, there is a bit of a learning curve. It has a larger firebox, and if you aren’t careful and load too much wood into the oven, you can sometimes get it too hot and burn the pizza. But, once you get the hang of it, it should never be an issue.
- It is over 60 pounds, so not very portable.
- You need to be careful with the glass front door when moving it.
- It is the model with the highest price.
Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Are you looking for something easy to use, convenient, and can handle larger pizzas? Get this one!
You aren’t going to get quite the same flavor as one of the wood-fired ovens, but the pizza is still excellent.
What is in the box:
- The oven.
- Pizza stone.
- Gas regulator and hose for your propane tank.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni modular table.
- Natural gas conversion kit.
- Cover for storage.
Pros:
- The L-shaped burner covers half of the pizza, so you do not have to rotate the pizza as often during cooking.
- Very quick to heat up without having to mess with fire management.
- Very portable. Just because there is no chimney or door means that there is a lot less weight to carry.
- Efficient. One pizza only burns about 0.2 pounds of gas. You’ll get a ton of pizzas with one propane tank!
Cons:
- It only runs on one type of fuel source – gas. So, if you run out of gas, you are done until you get more.
- With the L-shaped burner, you need to take a lot more care during the cook to make sure you don’t burn it.
- The temperature takes time to rebound between pizzas. Give a few minutes between each pizza. Makes your pizza party a little bit longer – but still fun!
- The limited height on the opening limits the other foods you can cook.
Ooni Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Love the Koda 16 but want to spend less for the experience? This is the right one for you.
The only difference that I can see between the Koda 12 and Koda 16 is the burner design. The 16 has an L-shaped burner, while the Koda 12 only has the burner in the back of the oven. This doesn’t mean that it is inferior to the Koda 16, though! The Koda 12 simply doesn’t need to L-shaped burner because the cooking space is smaller.
What is in the box:
- The oven.
- Pizza stone.
- Gas regulator and hose for your propane tank.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni modular table.
- Carry cover.
Pros:
- The small size means you can take it just about anywhere.
- Since it is small, it doesn’t take too much time to heat up – around 15 minutes.
- Like the Koda 16, it is straightforward to use.
Cons:
- The small oven space means that while it will cook a 12-inch pizza, there is not much room for cooking other foods.
Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
If you are on a budget but still want to make delicious wood-fired pizzas, this one can handle everything!
This oven is excellent for small cooking space, and the compact design means that you can fit it just about anywhere.
What is in the box:
- The oven and door.
- Pizza stone.
- Chimney and chimney cover that can also be used as a pellet scoop.
- Pellet hopper.
- Fuel tray and flamer keeper.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni modular table.
- Carry cover.
Pros:
- Straightforward design – just add the wood pellets, light, and wait for it to get up to temperature.
- It is very portable and easy to set up and get started.
- The big fuel hopper that you can load with pellets at the beginning of the cook and the oven will feed itself from there.
- Most affordable price option.
- Very easy to clean up.
Cons:
- The learning curve. When cooking with wood pellets, fire management is something that you will need to learn. So, there is a bit of a learning curve with this one, and your first pizza or two may be failures if you aren’t too careful.
- Takes a long time to cool down.
Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Are you looking for a more versatile oven that can handle cooking other foods and great pizza? This is the one for you!
What is in the box:
- The stainless steel body oven and door with a built-in thermometer.
- Two pizza stones for full coverage of the oven floor.
- Chimney and chimney cover.
- Fuel tray and door.
- Stone guard.
- Heat-proof gloves.
Options that you can purchase separately:
- Ooni modular table.
- Ooni gas burner attachment.
- Oven cover.
Pros:
- The large opening and larger cooking surface accommodate up to 16″ pizzas or other foods like steak or fish.
- Very well built, like all the other Ooni’s.
- It can take multiple fuel types – gas, wood, or charcoal.
- Super durable.
Cons:
- You need to purchase the gas burner add-on separately to run the gas option.
Standard Accessories You Need With Your Ooni For Homemade Pizza
It has to be noted that when you buy your pizza oven, you will need some things to go along with it before you can start firing up delicious pizzas:
- Pizza peel – I like metal peels, but you can also find other options like a bamboo pizza peel & wooden peel. Any high-quality, lightweight peel should work – just check the dimensions to make sure it will fit inside the oven you choose.
- pizza turner
- thermometers
- torches
- storage for your wood/charcoal if that is your heat source
- propane gas tank if you are using gas
Getting Great Pizza Results With Your Ooni
For best results on any of these – things I learned so far:
- Always check the pizza baking stone’s temperature with a laser thermometer.
- NEVER WALK AWAY FROM IT WHILE COOKING! These ovens will cook a pizza in one minute, so you will want to watch it throughout the entire cooking process and rotate the pizza a couple of times during the cook. Trust me, I learned the hard way!
- When cooking multiple pizzas, allow some time in between each pizza (just a few minutes) for the oven to get back up to temperature before adding the pizza.
- It can take longer for the oven to get up to the right temperature in windy conditions. So, if the outdoor conditions are windy, give yourself more preheating time.
Common Questions About Ooni Pizza Ovens
When I started researching the oven that I was going to buy, I had several questions during my search.
Are Ooni Pizza Ovens Good?
Yes! Ooni pizza ovens are very good. From what I can tell, the craftsmanship is excellent. They are known for being very durable. And they make the perfect pizza for a home/backyard setup. However, I do have one issue with them:
My Only Issue With These Ovens
Potential burns from the little damper lever on the chimney of the hot oven – it can get hot! So when you are adjusting the damper, take care with the heat. Most of the time, you will have it wide open at all times anyway, but there are other times when you might want to adjust it – like baking bread. This is not a problem with the gas-powered ovens because there is no chimney.
Maybe, in future models, they can add a little silicone sleeve on the damper to help with this issue.
Which Ooni Pizza Oven Is Right For You?
If you’ve decided to buy an Ooni oven, you’ll want to consider which of the models listed below is suitable for your needs. Whether it’s just a single best pizza oven when everyone comes together, or if you want more than one oven you can use throughout the summer, we’ve got you covered when you want to leave the kitchen space and cook in the backyard.
You can be the top pizza maker in your area!
If you are cooking larger pizzas, we recommend the Ooni Karu 16 or the Koda 16. The pizza stones that come with these large Ooni pizza ovens can support up to 16-inch pizzas. If you are cooking regular-sized pizzas, we recommend the Karu 12 or Ooni Koda 12.
Regardless of which of the Ooni top portable pizza ovens you choose from for your outdoor kitchen, their entire line of products all come ready to go and exceed your flavor expectations when it comes to convenience and performance.
How Much Is An Ooni Pizza Oven?
When I was researching these (March 2022), the prices ranged from $349 for the Fyra 12 to $799 for the most expensive option, the Karu 16.
How Does An Ooni Pizza Oven Work?
These pizza ovens are very simple, and all models work the same way:
- Add fuel (wood, charcoal, or gas) to the hopper or gas tank hookup.
- Light the fuel. For wood and charcoal, this would be done manually. For gas, you turn the gas know and click the igniter.
- The fire produced from the fuel heats the oven chamber and pizza stone to the correct cooking temperature while expelling smoke and other gases out the chimney. The best way to monitor the temperature is using an IR thermometer. Be sure to check the temperature of the cooking surface too!
- Toss in your pizza or other food, bake, and eat!
How To Use An Ooni Pizza Oven
One of the first things that I researched was how to use these portable ovens because I wanted to make sure that the cooking process was something I could handle. And yes, it was!
I put together a separate post answering this question in detail – How to use an Ooni pizza oven.
Where Are Ooni Pizza Ovens Made?
Ooni pizza ovens are designed in Edinburgh, Scotland, and made in China. The company is also based out of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Where Can I Buy One?
If you want to buy one today (and you should!), I would recommend getting it direct from Ooni. Click here to see the entire lineup. There also may be a dealer near you, which you can find by using the “Find A Dealer” option on their website.
Things offered with all Ooni’s, if you buy from the official Ooni website:
- Free shipping
- 3-year warranty
- Awesome return policy. Basically, you have 60 days to try it out, and if you find that you cannot make a great pizza in that time, you can return it at no charge.
Do They Make A Built In Ooni?
I always thought it would be cool to have a built-in pizza oven in my kitchen. But, at this time, Ooni does not offer this. Ooni appears to have carved its niche in high-quality outdoor pizza ovens for your backyard. Something that goes well with your BBQ.
Can You Recommend Any Good Pizza Dough Recipes For The Ooni?
There are a ton of recipes online on the internet. My go-to dough recipe of choice that works very well in these ovens is one that I found online from Chef John at Food Wishes. You can find the recipe here.The crispy crust you end up with is impressive!
What Is The Most Popular Ooni Model?
The Ooni Karu 12 unit is what I would consider being the most popular. It is in the mid-range of cost, can be used with multiple fuel types, and is easy to use.
Is Ooni Gas Or Wood Better?
Gas or wood? Definitely wood and this is the best wood for an Ooni pizza ovens here, but using both gives you the best of both worlds. To me, wood flames taste better, but gas is more convenient and easier to use. So, it depends on your preference between taste and ease of use. Either will produce a fine pizza pie meal – crust and all!
Can These Ovens Be Stored Outside?
It depends. If you have used the oven and it is cooling down, I would leave it outside long enough to cool down – perhaps overnight. But, once the interior and exterior is no longer hot, I would recommend bringing it into your garage, shed, or another sheltered area for storage when you want to store it for an extended amount of time. This will help it last longer and not get damaged by snow, rain, too much sun or other elements.
Can These Ovens Be Used In The Winter?
Yes! In my experience, these ovens heat up and work well in cold temperatures. Just be mindful that gas lines can freeze in cold temperatures, so check these before using them.
Other Related Articles About Ooni Pizza Ovens
If you want to learn more about these ovens, we also have more articles you can read on this website:
- How to clean an Ooni pizza stone.
- Do you need to season an Ooni pizza oven?
- Bertello vs Ooni.
- Frozen pizza in an Ooni.
- How to cook Papa Murphy’s pizza in an Ooni.
- Is Ooni cooking too hot?
- Ooni motorized stones.
- Ooni Karu vs Ooni Pro.
- Ooni table alternatives.
Final Words
Ooni makes fantastic outdoor portable pizza ovens for the price, and I would highly recommend any of these ovens, especially the Ooni Karu. They are well made and built to last, reach the right temperature and make great pizzas in minutes of cooking time. You can go on their site and get more information about each oven. I hope this helps! Happy cooking!