Jessica DeMay

Ooni Pizza Oven Comparison (Which Ooni is the Best One For You?)

New Ooni Karu 16
  • Reaches 950 F in just 15 minutes
  • Hinged glass door with ViewFlame™ technology
  • Built in stone thermometer
Ooni Karu 16" Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Ooni Pro
  • Makes a crust to die for
  • Wood-oven taste
  • Very high build quality
Ooni Pro Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda 16
  • Has the newer L-burner
  • Out-of-this-world results
  • Can run on natural gas
Ooni Koda 16" Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda 12
  • Very affordable
  • Heats up in 15-20 mins
  • Portable
Ooni Koda 12" Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Ooni Fyra
  • Very compact
  • Lightweight
  • Incredible results
Ooni Fyra 12" Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
Ooni Karu 12
  • Heats up in 15 minutes
  • Cool-touch handle
  • Built-in thermometer
Ooni Karu 12" Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven

Which is the Best Ooni Pizza Oven?

The Best Ooni Pizza oven is Ooni Karu 16

The Ooni Karu 16 is our best overall pick among the six Ooni pizza ovens we have compared and reviewed. Ooni Pro holds the second place right now, followed by the Ooni Koda 16.

Ooni pizza ovens make it easy to create restaurant-quality pizzas at home, but how do you know which Ooni Oven is suitable for you? We took an in-depth look at all six Ooni pizza ovens to determine which one stands out from the others and which one is most worthy of your time and money.

Imagine being able to make homemade pizzas in less than 60 seconds, right from your backyard. Now imagine that those handcrafted pizzas are so incredibly delicious, your taste buds are convinced you are dining at an authentic pizzeria.

We can confidently declare that once you get your hands on an Ooni pizza oven, your pizza-making will never be the same.

Oven Wood Gas Portable
Ooni Karu 16 Yes Yes Yes
Ooni Koda 16 No Yes Yes
Ooni Koda No Yes Yes
Ooni Fyra Yes No Yes
Ooni Karu Yes No Yes
Ooni Pro Yes Yes Yes

Best Overall: Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Oven

Overall rating (1-5): 5
Price: $799
Portable: Yes
Includes: ViewFlame™ glass oven door, Cordierite pizza stone, Ooni Karu 16 chimney, Chimney cap, Burner tray & grate, Draft Defender Plate, Fuel hatch, Digital thermometer, Essentials guide
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 15 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 5
Build quality (1-5): 5
Best suited for: Pizzas up to 16 inches, steaks, fish, vegetables, bread

Good 👍

  • Design – The new full-glass hinged oven door and front-mounted digital thermometer are unique to the Ooni Karu 16. The glass oven door makes it easy to monitor your pizza while it bakes without having to open the door and let heat escape. The mounted digital thermometer removes the need for a separate temperature measuring device and provides a constant, accurate reading of the internal oven temperature.
  • Versatility – The Ooni Karu 16 allows you to cook with wood and charcoal. You can also cook with gas if you buy the Ooni Karu 16 Gas Burner (sold separately).
  • Professional Grade Performance – It reaches cooking temperature in just 15 minutes, and it cooks a typical Margherita pizza in 60 seconds.

Bad 👎

  • Price – Since its release, the flagship Ooni Pro reigned as the most expensive Ooni pizza oven. The new Ooni Karu 16, which retails for $799, has replaced the Pro to become the Ooni pizza oven with the highest price tag. That said, the Karu 16 performs like an authentic brick pizza oven that would cost at least several thousand dollars more to build.

Read the full Ooni Karu 16 Review

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Karu 16

The Karu 16, the newest pizza oven by Ooni, is large enough to handle massive 16-inch pizzas and gives you the option to choose between cooking with wood, charcoal, or gas.

The Ooni Karu 16 comes with new features like a digital front-mounted thermometer and a hinged, full-glass oven door.

The oven heats to a whopping 932 degrees Fahrenheit (500 C) in 15 minutes and can cook a 16-inch pizza in just 60 seconds. Within two minutes, the oven is preheated and ready to cook the next pizza, which means less waiting in between pizza bakes.

At $799, the Ooni Karu 16 is the most expensive Ooni pizza oven, but its long list of innovative features and impressive performance make it worth every penny.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Karu 16

The Ooni Karu 16 isn’t a cheap appliance, but it features the most impressive, innovative technology you can find in a home pizza oven.

Ooni pizza ovens have been flying off shelves and selling out online for a while now, and the Ooni Karu 16 is expected to be the most popular model to date.

From beginners to professionals, anyone can appreciate and enjoy cooking with the Ooni Karu 16, especially once they bite into the flame-cooked, restaurant-quality pizza it produces.

Best Alternative: Ooni Pro

Overall rating (1-5): 5
Price: $599
Portable: No
Includes: Stone baking board (2 parts), oven door with a built-in thermometer, pizza door with postbox-style entry, wood and charcoal burner tray, Manual, Essentials Guide, Allen key, Ooni pizza oven gloves
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 20 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 5
Build quality (1-5): 5
Best suited for: 16” pizzas, meat, poultry, bread

Good 👍 

  • Versatility – The Ooni Pro is a multi-fuel pizza oven which means it can run on wood, charcoal, or gas (with the adapter, sold separately). You can choose your fuel based on your own preferences or the food you’re cooking since the Ooni Pro can cook so much more than just pizza. 

Bad 👎

  • Price – The Ooni Pro has been replaced by the Ooni Karu 16 as the most expensive Ooni pizza oven, but it still comes with a somewhat hefty price tag. The Ooni Pro retails for $599. But still, you can cook so much more than pizza and it is a lot cheaper than a built-in brick pizza oven.

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Pro

The Ooni Pro is large but impressive. In addition to having enough space for the oven itself, you may need extra space for the propane tank if you opt for the gas bundle. To get the most out of your Ooni Pro, definitely get the gas burner bundle.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Pro

The Ooni Pro has a hefty price tag, but it’s certainly an impressive addition for any household. You’ll find yourself wanting to cook anything and everything you can in it to justify the price you paid. However, you’ll taste the difference once you use the oven to start cooking homemade pizza.

The crunch of the crust that reveals a still soft inner breading and gooey, tasty toppings is the reason you buy the Ooni Pro in the first place. This oven is as close to a real wood-fired pizza oven as you can get.

SummaryThe Ooni Pro is the largest Ooni pizza oven, but it’s an impressive appliance. For $599, you get an Ooni Pro that heats quickly, cooks fast, and can be fueled with wood or gas. Not to mention you can use it for cooking a lot more than just pizza.

Read the full Ooni Pro Review

Best Propane Oven: Ooni Koda 16

Overall rating (1-5): 4.5
Price: $499
Portable: Yes
Includes: Stone baking board, propane gas tank regulator and hose, manual, and Essentials Guide with tips and recipes
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 20 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 4.5
Build quality (1-5): 4.5
Best suited for: Pizzas up to 16 inches, steaks, fish, and vegetables

Good 👍 

  • Temperature control – One of the perks of cooking with a gas-powered oven is the ability to control the temperature easily. You can adjust the temperature inside the oven with a simple turn of a dial.  
  • Minimal clean-up – Upkeep and maintenance are easy with the Ooni Koda 16. There are no ashes left to clean up, and you can wipe down the oven after each use.

Bad 👎

  • No wood - The Ooni Koda 16 is a dedicated propane oven, you can't use wood or charcoal in it.

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Koda 16

The Ooni Koda 16 is as big as the Ooni Pro and cooks just like the Ooni Koda. If you are a fan of either one, the Koda 16 feels like an upgrade you didn’t even know you wanted.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Koda 16

While the difference between the Koda and the Koda 16 isn't huge, there are a few improvements. First, it uses the new L-shaped burner, which cooks your pizzas more evenly. In other words, you only have to turn the pizzas once instead of three times. Another new feature is that the Ooni Koda 16 can run on natural gas, but you will need the separately sold Ooni Koda 16 Natural Gas Conversion Kit.

But the larger cooking surface of the Koda 16 is what makes it worth spending the extra money. If you're flying solo or cooking for two regularly, the Koda will work just fine. But if you have a family to feed or plenty of friends to share pizza with, the Koda 16 is a must-have. We suggest trying other recipes with the Koda 16 to see what it can really do. You'll be pleasantly surprised to discover that the Koda 16 is the new way to cook a steak.

SummaryThe Ooni Koda 16 has a large 16-inch surface area. This portable pizza oven runs on gas and can accommodate pizzas up to 16 inches.

Read the Ooni Koda 16 review

Best Day-to-Day Oven: Ooni Koda

Overall rating (1-5): 4
Price: $329
Portable: Yes
Includes: Stone baking board, propane tank gas regulator and hose, manual and Essentials Guide with tips and recipes
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 15 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 4.5
Build quality (1-5): 4
Best suited for: Neapolitan Pizza, New York Style Pizza, 12” pizzas

Good 👍 

  • Portable – The Ooni Koda 12 weighs just over 20 pounds, making it the most lightweight of all Ooni pizza ovens. It is also the smallest Ooni pizza oven available. It’s easy to transport and can easily fit into smaller outdoor spaces. 

Bad 👎

  • Thermometer not included – When cooking with the Ooni Koda 12, one accessory is a must-have: a thermometer. A thermometer allows you to monitor the temperature inside the pizza oven so you can know when it’s reached cooking temperature. Unfortunately, a thermometer isn’t included with the Ooni Koda 12 pizza oven, so you’ll have to purchase one separately.

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Koda

Elegant and sleek are two words that most people wouldn’t expect to be used when describing a pizza oven. But the Ooni Koda is well-deserving of such a description. The powder-coat steel adds a futuristic element to the overall aesthetic. Its size is convenient and without a chimney, it looks like a pizza oven you would actually want to take with you.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Koda

The design is sleek enough to be a conversation starter at your next gathering, but the pizzas you pull out of it will surely be at the center of attention. It takes 15 minutes to reach the desired temperature and then less than two minutes to cook a 12” pizza all the way through. Unfortunately, it can’t accommodate a pizza that is any larger. However, because of its size, when not in use, it’s easy to store.

The best part? You can easily clean the stone by scraping it with a decently sharp knife.

If you have little to no experience with pizza ovens or want an authentic pizzeria experience at home, the Ooni Koda is a must-have. The price is affordable and it certainly lives up to the hype.

SummaryThe Ooni Koda is a gas-powered pizza oven that is more portable and easier to store than the Ooni Pro. It heats quickly, cooks fast, and can accommodate pizzas up to 12 inches.

Read the full Ooni Koda Review

Best Compact: Ooni Fyra

Overall rating (1-5): 4
Price: $249
Portable: Yes
Includes: Stone baking board, Manual & Essentials Guide with tips and recipes
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 15 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 4
Build quality (1-5): 4
Best suited for: Neopolitan-style pizza, 12” pizzas, meat, poultry, vegetables, or bread

Good 👍 

  • Authentic wood-fired flavor – The Ooni Fyra is fueled by wood pellets. They are usually cheap to buy and easy to find.
  • Affordable – It only costs $299 which makes it significantly more affordable than other comparable outdoor pizza ovens. 

Bad 👎

  • Can only use wood pellets – Advertising the Ooni Fyra as a wood-fired pizza oven isn’t inaccurate. It uses wood as its fuel source, but only a specific type. You can’t rely on the stack of wood that has been sitting in your backyard. To use the Ooni Fyra, you will need to use wood pellets, which are entirely different than standard wood fuel. Fortunately, wood pellets are easy to find and readily available. 

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Fyra

Ooni hit it out of the ballpark with the Fyra. This portable pizza oven creates authentic stone-baked pizza in 60 seconds. The Fyra has a removable chimney and is light enough to take wherever you want to go. Best of all, the Fyra runs on energy-efficient, sustainably sourced wood pellets.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Fyra

The Fyra is a pizza lover's favorite for many reasons. Starting with the reasonable price tag, Ooni created the ultimate at-home stone-baking experience for pizza lovers across the world. The Fyra uses a removable two-piece chimney with an adjustable air vent for temperature control. And speaking of temperature, it takes less than 20 minutes, start to finish, to heat up the Fyra and cook a pizza. All with energy-efficient, sustainably sourced wood pellets.

SummaryThe Ooni Fyra is a wood-fired, portable pizza oven and at $249, it is the most affordable Ooni pizza oven. The Ooni Fyra has a removable chimney for easy storage and is fueled by energy-efficient, sustainably sourced wood pellets.

Read the full Ooni Fyra Review

Best Portability: Ooni Karu

Overall rating (1-5): 4
Price: $329
Portable: Yes
Includes: Stone baking board, manual, and Essentials Guide with tips and recipes
Time to heat up to cooking temperature: 15 minutes
Does the outside get hot?: Yes
Easy to use (1-5): 4
Build quality (1-5): 4
Best suited for: 12” pizzas

Good 👍 

  • Multiple fuel options – To use the Ooni Karu 12, you can choose between wood, charcoal, and propane gas. To cook with gas, you will need to purchase the adapter that is sold separately. Of the three Ooni pizza ovens that have multiple fuel options, the Karu 12 is the most affordable at $349. 

Bad 👎

  • Inserting and removing pizza can be tricky – The Ooni Karu 12 is conveniently sized which makes it ultra-compact and portable. As a result, the oven opening is less than four inches tall, which makes it tricky to transfer pizza to and from the oven.

Our First Impressions of the Ooni Karu

The Karu can run on wood or gas, and a gas burner is sold separately. So if versatility you are looking for, the Ooni Karu provides it in a convenient, portable package.

Our Final Verdict of the Ooni Karu

The oven is somewhat large in terms of portable pizza ovens, but the chimney can be removed and the three legs folded up to make it more convenient to store or travel with. To switch to or from gas, you only need a hex key (sold separately). There’s even a dedicated space to keep your key, so you don’t lose it when you’re not using it.

We enjoyed the versatility of the Karu and found that it performed just as well as its Ooni counterparts. It heats up fast and cooks evenly, regardless of the type of fuel you use. If you would rather not be tied down by one specific fuel type, you’ll especially enjoy the Karu.

SummaryThe Ooni Karu is the most versatile of all the Ooni pizza ovens. It is a wood- and charcoal-fueled oven that can also be fueled with gas if you purchase the additional attachment.

Read the full Ooni Karu Review

Ooni Products FAQ

Yes, the exterior of an Ooni pizza oven will get hot. Ooni recommends that customers treat all their pizza ovens like any other barbecue or outdoor cooking product. Customers have reported that quickly touching the exterior of the pizza oven is unlikely to burn you, but it’s far too hot to hold or grab with your bare hands.
Yes, the Ooni Koda 16 offers a separately sold Natural Gas Conversion Kit.
All Ooni products are designed in Scotland, manufactured in China, and sold in the UK, EU, and the US.
Hands down the Ooni Karu 16. It's a real wood fire oven, but if you prefer gas, you can an Ooni Karu 16 Gas Burner (sold separately).
Yes, you can use an Ooni oven in both rain and snow. But when you aren't using it, make sure you store it indoors to maintain its condition.
Jessica DeMay
Jessica is the lead content creator of Dishcrawl. She has lived in Italy (Napoli) for 7 years and has since become absolutely obsessed with pizza.
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