Ooni Pizza Oven Review

We tried the Ooni Pizza Oven to find out if this favorite is worth the hype. Read on for our honest Ooni pizza oven review, tips, and recipe. This post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you shop through them. 

Growing up my family made homemade pizza almost every week. I now do this with my family, the way I was taught by my dad. This requires a pizza stone preheated in an oven cranked up as high as it can go.

We’ve been lucky enough to also try some incredible authentic pizza in Italy and even cooked our own pizzas in a 16th century stone pizza oven in Tuscany. 

One limitation in making that perfect crust as you’d get from a pizza oven is that most ovens only reach 550°F, while the optimal temperature is around 850°F. The Ooni Pizza Oven solves this problem with a great little pizza oven that fits in most backyards and reaches 950 degrees in 20 minutes. Like the Blackstone Griddle, the Ooni has a cult following and often a long waiting list. I had to try it! 

Ooni Pizza Oven Review 

Pros 

• Light
• Portable 
• Relatively small
• Easy to assemble 
• Convenient 
• Reaches 950°F (500°C) in 20 minutes 
• Cooks pizza in around 90-seconds
• Designed for Neapolitan style (from Naples) pizza such as Margherita 
• 3 year warranty when you buy on the Ooni site

Cons

• Requires some practice or pizza-making experience to get it just right. Cooking the crust without burning the edges is the biggest challenge. 
• The Koda model can’t be stored outside for extended periods, though some other models can. 
• Shipping can be slow as there has been such high demand for this oven over the past year. 

The Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven Review

I chose Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven model after some research and speaking with my dad who has a 12-inch model. If you’re going to get an Ooni I highly recommend you get a 16, as the 12 can be very tricky to turn pizzas (a must) and will only work for very small pizzas. 

Fueled with propane, the Koda 16 is easy to use and turns on and off with the turn of a button. It comes with a natural gas adaptor if you’d prefer that gas source. The propane fuel provides very even cooking. Some other models such as the Ooni Pro, use wood or charcoal. 

The size is around 2-feet in length and width, while the interior is about 16-inches. It’s easy to move from place to place. You could even take it to a friend’s house or beach for a pizza party. There is an L-shaped flame that runs along the left side and back of the unit. 

Tips for Using an Ooni Pizza Oven

• Let your oven pre-heat for about half an hour to allow the stone to reach around 900°F. You want that stone to be HOT so that it cooks the bottom of the crust quickly. 
• Try our Authentic Italian Pizza Dough and Sauce Recipes. 
• Have your dough and toppings come to room temperature before using it. 
• Roll and/or stretch your dough as thin as possible so that it cooks with the heat of the stone. 
• You will need a pizza peel in order to move the pizza in and out of the oven as well as turn it. 
• Start with small pizzas. I use half of the standard pizza dough for each pizza I cook in this oven. For a 12-inch oven, I would use a third or quarter of the dough for each. 
• Turn down the heat or turn it off completely before cooking if you’re struggling with burnt edges. 
• Watch very closely (but not close enough to burn your face) and turn the pizza very frequently to cook on all sides without burning. 

What Else Can You Cook in an Ooni? 

You can make more than just pizza on your Ooni. Bread, flatbread, veggies, and more can be made. Cast iron skillets are a great way to cook almost anything in your pizza oven. 

Cleaning and Storing 

Wait until the pizza oven has cooled completely before handling it, about an hour and a half. During nice weather, you can leave the Koda model outside uncovered for a few days, but it’s best to place a cover on top to keep it clean and safe from damage. Other models can be kept outside. Ooni has many accessories available, including a handy brush and scraper which works well to remove chared bits from the stone. 

Should You Get an Ooni Pizza Oven? 

While there are several outdoor pizza ovens on the market, I can confidently recommend the Ooni, especially for smaller spaces. The ease of assembly, size, convenience, and quality of the Ooni and the resulting pizzas are excellent. Just know it may take a bit of practice to keep the crust from burning, and it may take over a month to arrive.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR OONI