About Ooni Pizza Ovens
Life just isn’t the same without pizza. How do I know? Throughout the (very few) years I vetoed the cheesy, carb-filled wonder, I developed a pizza shaped hole in my heart and eventually learned to live a little.
The cool thing about pizza? You get to decide what goes on it. The even cooler part? Make it at home and you have total control. But here’s the thing, my home-made pizzas weren’t the same as those from my favorite Italian place.
No brick oven = no flame-kissed taste, but I wasn’t about to install one, and that’s why Ooni Pizza Oven makes so much sense for me and all other authentic pizza lovers out there.
With a line of portable, powerful, and versatile backyard pizza ovens, Ooni allow you to create great pizza without having to spend your life savings. And it turns out I’m not the only one obsessed, considering Ooni has been featured in more than a few times in Forbes and won the Retailers Choice Award in 2015.
Great pizza is just a few scrolls away, so to help you decide if it’s worth the dough, I’ll give you the full scoop in this Ooni Pizza Oven review. Read on to discover details on bestsellers, reviews, promotions, and more.
Overview of Ooni
The story of Ooni starts from a desperate need for authentic-tasting at-home pizza. Sounds familiar.
It was founded in 2012 by by husband and wife team Kristian Tapaninaho and Darina Garland. After searching for an at-home pizza oven and only finding options that were bulky and overly expensive, the duo set out to create their own with the belief that “everyone deserves great pizza.” I’m so happy they did.
Setting out with the mission to make sure that there is an Ooni pizza maker in “the backyard of every man, woman and backyard-owning child everywhere,” the UK-based brand’s high-quality and effective pizza ovens let you whip up delicious homemade pizzas in just 60 seconds.
Drooling yet? Just wait. Up next in this Ooni pizza oven review, I’ll take you through the highlights of the brand, then it’s time to dig in.
Highlights
- Offers a variety of pizza ovens and cooking accessories to choose from
- All ovens are portable
- Innovative technology for easy cooking
- Cook great pizza in 60 seconds
- More affordable than other outdoor pizza oven models
- Powered by gas, wood & coal, or both
- Free shipping on US orders over $35
Now that you’ve got an idea of what’s in-store, the next part of my Ooni pizza oven review will give you some examples of the brand’s best sellers—a mix of their sleek pizza ovens and hottest tools. Let’s fire things up.
Ooni Pizza Ovens
Ooni pizza ovens range in size for pizzas from 12” to 16”. Manufacturing ovens that are compatible with only gas, wood, and charcoal, or a mixture of both. In the sections ahead, I’ll dish out the meat of this Ooni pizza oven review.
Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Ideal for baking large pizzas, the Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is great for outdoor entertaining for large groups. Though, I know a few people who can totally crush a 16” pizza by themselves.
The Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is gas-fuelled, which means it involves a simple hookup to your gas source, like a propane tank, and the oven will be ready to use in 20 minutes. That’s how long it takes to reach the extreme temperature of 950°F. After that, your pizza cooks in just 60 seconds.
I’ve heard that this Ooni oven is also great for BBQing steaks, lobster, and even vegetables. If you want to know more about this, read a little further down in this Ooni pizza oven review.
Back to the Ooni Koda gas pizza oven. Featuring an L-shaped frame, you only need to turn your pizza once when cooking around the 30-second mark. I suggest keeping a timer on—the time goes by fast, and while I like a little charr, a totally scorched pizza isn’t high on my wish list.
When you buy the Ooni Koda, you’ll get the Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven, a cordierite stone baking board, the Ooni Koda 16 Manual and Essentials Guide with tips and recipes. You’ll also get a propane gas tank regulator and hose.
What else do I love about cooking with an Ooni gas pizza oven? The fact that you don’t have to clean up fuel residue, that cooking involves a simple on and off procedure, and that turning the temperature up and down is easy with a dial. The Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is $499.
Ideal for baking large pizzas, the Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is great for outdoor entertaining for large groups. Though, I know a few people who can totally crush a 16” pizza by themselves.
The Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is gas-fuelled, which means it involves a simple hookup to your gas source, like a propane tank, and the oven will be ready to use in 20 minutes. That’s how long it takes to reach the extreme temperature of 950°F. After that, your pizza cooks in just 60 seconds.
I’ve heard that this Ooni oven is also great for BBQing steaks, lobster, and even vegetables. If you want to know more about this, read a little further down in this Ooni pizza oven review.
Back to the Ooni Koda gas pizza oven. Featuring an L-shaped frame, you only need to turn your pizza once when cooking around the 30-second mark. I suggest keeping a timer on—the time goes by fast, and while I like a little charr, a totally scorched pizza isn’t high on my wish list.
When you buy the Ooni Koda, you’ll get the Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven, a cordierite stone baking board, the Ooni Koda 16 Manual and Essentials Guide with tips and recipes. You’ll also get a propane gas tank regulator and hose.
What else do I love about cooking with an Ooni gas pizza oven? The fact that you don’t have to clean up fuel residue, that cooking involves a simple on and off procedure, and that turning the temperature up and down is easy with a dial. The Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven is $499.
Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Wood-fired pizza has an undeniably different, smokey, and unique taste. It’s what I crave from restaurants but can’t seem to replicate at home. On the other hand, cooking with gas is much easier. So what’s a pizza lover to do?
Get the Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven. It gives you the option to do both. Use the gas when you feel like putting in less effort, or opt for the wood/charcoal option if you want to cook the authentic way!
This Ooni Pro pizza oven cooks pizzas up to 16”, so that means you have the ability to cook small or big pizzas, roast meats, and even make fresh bread. Delivering typical Ooni quality, the Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven reaches 950°F in 20 minutes and cooks your pizza in 60 seconds.
As a girl who loves options, I adore that the Ooni Pro has two styles of oven doors:
- Postbox style that slide pizzas in and out
- Full door option for faster heating time and fuller heat retention
With the Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven, you receive the signature Ooni Pro Pizza Ovens body, the Ooni Pro chimney and chimney cap, a cordierite stone baking board (2 parts), an oven door with a built-in thermometer and glass viewing pane (only for wood/charcoal cooks), an oven door for pizza with the postbox-style entry (suitable for all fuel types).
This oven also comes with a wood & charcoal-burner tray, the Ooni Pro Essentials Guide & Manual, an Allen key, and Ooni Pizza Oven gloves. With all of these impressive features and parts, I was stunned that the price is still an affordable $599.
Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
Interested in a traditional pizza cooking experience? You’ll notice the difference in taste when cooking with an Ooni wood-fired oven. Flavors will be elevated and crispy dough pockets will have a fiery taste. Yum.
Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven is the new and improved Ooni 3 Pizza Oven. The Fyra works for 12” pizzas and is completely portable. I love that it weighs just 22lbs—light enough for me to handle on my own. Bring it to your parents house for your next family dinner, or put it in your trunk on the way to your next camping trip.
The Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven heats up to 950°F in 15 minutes and cooks your pizza in 60 seconds flat! How does it work? I found that this oven uses a “gravity-fed pellet hopper” which feeds hardwood pellets down to fuel your oven, keeping the temperature regulated without you having to do it. This is a plus for pizza oven novices like me.
And while I wrote this Ooni pizza oven review, I found in terms of cleaning, the Fyra burns the same way the Ooni 3 Outdoor Pizza Oven did – so hot that you don’t need to clean anything. The Ooni Fyra Portable Wood-Fired Portable Pizza Oven is $299.
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
If you’re someone who loves versatility, like I am, the Ooni Karu Wood and Charcoal Fired Portable Pizza Oven lets you cook with the best of both worlds – wood/charcoal or gas. Another way this oven helps you to switch things up? It’s totally portable.
Weighing in at 25.4lbs, Karu has a custom-designed fuel tray that maximizes airflow and creates searing flames. What does that mean for clean-up? It’s pretty much non-existent.
When you buy the Ooni Karu Wood and Charcoal Fired Portable Pizza Oven, you’ll get:
- The Ooni Karu Pizza Oven body
- An Ooni Karu chimney and chimney cap
- A cordierite stone baking board
- The Ooni Karu Oven door
- A wood & charcoal fuel tray with burner grate
- The Ooni Karu fuel hatch, the Ooni Karu draft defender plate
- The Ooni Karu Essentials guide & manual, and an Allen key
Like all other Ooni overs, the Karu reaches 950°F ( 510°C) in 15 minutes, and your pizza will cook in 60 seconds. I learned that this oven is great for cooking other foods too thanks to its controlled airflow. Portable and powerful, you can get this pizza oven for just $349.
Ooni 14” Perforated Pizza Peel
So yeah, I’ll say it. I’ve tried to take a pizza out of the oven with my hands before. Not smart and definitely not something to do with any of Ooni’s ovens. 950-degrees F? No thanks. Grab the Ooni 14” Perforated Pizza Peel and keep your hands burn-free.
It’s seriously professional-looking, and though I’ll admit it’s kind of intimidating, it’s super easy to use, all you need to do is slide tapered edge under pizza bases. Why use this over other peels? The perforations on the peel allow excess flour to fall from the pizza base to give you great pizza time and time again.
The Ooni Pizza Peel is 14”, and that means it’s only compatible with their larger ovens (Ooni Pro & Ooni Koda 16). The peel is made from aluminum, so it’s lightweight and easy-to-use. You’ll be slinging pizzas to and from your Ooni in no time.
To care for your peel, hand wash it only. Take it from me, do not put it in the dishwasher or clean it with any abrasive materials. Store your peel indoors, and don’t expose it to high temperatures for long periods of time. In other words, don’t forget about it in your Ooni! The Ooni 14” Perforated Pizza Peel is $60.
Ooni Infrared Thermometer
Ooni is all about making great pizza, and that means getting the temperature of the stone to an optimal level. Sound tricky? It’s actually easy with the Ooni Infrared Thermometer.
All you need to do is aim it at the middle of your pizza stone with the laser pointer. Although this sounds like a game, pizza cooking is serious business. The stone will be very hot, so it’s important to be extra careful.
Because I want this Ooni pizza oven review to be thorough, I’ve got to note that although it may resemble a typical thermometer, this thermometer is not designed for medical use.
When using it for your oven, the Ooni Infrared Thermometer will display the temperature on the screen. Aim for 752°F This will help get dinner on the table in 60 seconds!
What comes in the box? 1 x Ooni IR Thermometer, 1 x 9v Battery, a leather carry case with a belt loop, and an Instruction Manual for $40.
Ooni 12” Bamboo Pizza Peel & Serving Board
Cooking pizza at home has often left me with a lot of flops. Flopped pizza on the floor, flopped through the oven rack, or pies that simply don’t turn out. Call it a serious lack of skills if you must or a case of the oopsies, I call it a lack of the right tools.
If only I had the Ooni 12” Bamboo Pizza Peel & Serving Board back then. With a smooth surface that prevents your freshly cooked pizza from sticking, you can go from the oven to table in two easy steps, as the paddle also serves as a cutting and serving board!
Wise tip: Be sure not to leave this bamboo serving board in the oven. It’s not designed to outlast extended exposure to extreme temperatures, it is wood, after all.
I’d also recommend hand washing it, just be sure to never use harsh chemicals. To keep the wood board in tip-top shape, take care of it by ensuring it’s dry before bringing it inside. The last thing you want on your pizza is mold.
Serve up some authentic, and delicious tasting pizza on this Ooni 12” Bamboo Pizza Peel & Serving Board for $30.
Ooni Pizza Ovens Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
While browsing for feedback, I discovered a whole forum on Reddit dedicated to posting photos of pizzas cooked in Ooni pizza ovens. It’s very cool (and mouthwatering) to see customer’s at-home results.
Comments alongside the photos include, “absolutely love this thing”, “loving my new oven”, and “beyond impressed”. On Amazon, I saw these numbers for the Ooni Pro:
- 5 stars: 71%
- 4 stars: 15%
- 3 stars: 8%
- 2 stars: 0%
- 1 star: 7%
One customer writes, “easy to put together and simple to use. I’m a novice cook but love pizza. I was genuinely shocked to find I could make fresh pizza that tasted so good (self praise is no praise!). Really love this oven.”
Even though I read some comments describe technical issues, more so, concerns were in regards to the right way to cook and not with the oven itself—aside from one customers who claimed they couldn’t get “the edges not to burn.”
Hitting up Trustpilot for more information, I found that Ooni has 4/5 stars there. One customer wrote, “great company, great products and great customer service! I love the oven and a recent exchange with the Customer Services team reminded me what great customer service was – they nailed it!”
Great pizza, great service. It sounds like it really is possible to bright the authentic Italian experience home.
Are Ooni Pizza Ovens Worth It?
In my search for feedback, I read a ton that praise for the brand and it’s fast, reliable, and easy service. Their customer service is on point, and there is no denying their pizza ovens do an incredible job, for a more affordable price.
Are they worth it? If you’re a pizza lover, I’d say so. You can see it in customer’s results in their Ooni pizza ovens that they create traditional, delicious pizzas. They’re less expensive than other at-home pizza ovens and all of their models are portable.
You can also use Ooni pizza ovens to cook other BBQ dishes, so it could be an all-in-one option depending on your needs and preferences. All items have an Ooni warranty, free for 3 years.
Ooni Promotions & Discounts
I combed through the brand’s site during Ooni pizza ovens review, but didn’t find much in the form of promotions. With that said, qualifying orders over $35 are shipped for free.
Want more? Sign up for their newsletter they’ll send you exclusive Ooni discount codes. Plus, with so many recipes available at Ooni.com, it’s like getting a free cookbook.
Where to Buy Ooni Pizza Ovens
Ooni pizza ovens are available directly from Ooni.com, but you can also find the ovens at tons of stores just use the store locator tool to find one near you. Here’s a list of popular shops for easy reference.
- Cooks Store
- Amazon
- Wayfair
- Williams Sonoma
- Dickson BBQ
FAQ
Can you use Ooni pizza ovens indoors?
All Ooni pizza ovens are designed for outdoor use only. You should never use the ovens inside a building or garage. Make sure to always read the included manual.
What temperature do Ooni ovens heat to?
Ooni ovens reach up to 950°F (510°C), with some ovens reaching this temperature in as little as 15 minutes.
Can you cook frozen pizza in Ooni?
Yes, you can cook frozen pizza in an Ooni oven—make sure that the pizza is defrosted completely for a thorough cook. Also, be sure to select a pizza that’s the right size for your Ooni.
How do you make Ooni pizza?
Ooni offers step-by-step guides for how to cook great pizza. Check out these Ooni recipes I found online.
- Ooni Pizza Dough Recipe
- Ooni Pizza Sauce Recipe
What else can you cook in Ooni?
I found out that you can cook quite a few different things in your Ooni. Meat, fish, and other BBQ items, like vegetables and lobster, are all cookable options. For more information or recipe inspiration, visit their website.
What is Ooni’s Shipping Policy?
Ooni offers free shipping on orders over $35 to the lower 48 US states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). If you place your order before 2 pm PST, your order will be shipped out the same day. Depending on your location, you’ll receive your order within 1-5 business days if the item is in-stock. If it’s not in-stock, the order can take 8-12 weeks to ship.
For Ooni international shipping to Canada, please see options at checkout in terms of price and delivery time. For orders in the UK, Ooni offers free shipping over £25. If your order is placed before 10 am, they will ship it out the same day and will arrive within 3 business days (if the item is in-stock). If it’s not in-stock, Ooni delivery time can take approximately 8-12 weeks.
For Ooni orders in Europe, they offer free shipping on orders over €99. Orders will ship the same day if placed before 11 am if your order is in stock. See below for approximate delivery times:
What is Ooni’s Return Policy?
If you purchase an Ooni pizza oven and it doesn’t produce the quality of pizza you’re dreaming of (even though the brand guarantees it will), you have 60 days to return the oven for free. This holds true for both used, and unused, products.
