Which Ooni pizza oven should you buy?

Ooni pizza ovens are some of the most popular pizza ovens. Several models have sold out online for weeks at a time over the past few years.

If you're keen on picking up an Ooni pizza oven and are lucky enough to spot one in stock, it's easy to get lost in a variety of types, prices and cooking experiences.

We've tested every Ooni pizza oven, along with competitors from Gozney, Aldi and more, to find the ones that give a great user experience and cook pizzas sure to delight the taste buds (and perhaps widen the waistline).

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Ooni pizza ovens available, the differences between them, and some of our key insights on each model.

Head to our pizza oven reviews for our latest full test results and top picks from all of the pizza ovens we've tested over the last few years including all Ooni pizza ovens.

Ooni Fyra 12

• We like: Quick and easy to top up fuel
• We don't like: Fuel grate can get clogged up if the oven is used for a long time

The Fyra 12 is fuelled by hardwood pellets that you pour into a hopper at the back. Once the fire's burning you can gradually fill the hopper up, as it automatically regulates the flow of fuel onto the grate to avoid smothering the flames.

It cooks 12-inch pizzas and is fairly light at 10kg, so it's one of the more portable Oonis. You'll need to detach the hopper and chimney to transport it, though, so there's a few separate parts to carry.

There's also a detachable door that you should keep on while the oven's heating up, as it helps keep the heat inside and get the oven up to temperature quicker.

See how the pizzas we cooked in this oven turned out in our full Ooni Fyra 12 review.

Ooni Karu 12

• We like: Flexibility to choose different fuel types
• We don't like: You can't keep an eye on the flames while the oven heats up

The Ooni Karu 12 is one of Ooni's most versatile small pizza ovens, giving you a complete set of options in terms of fuel and cooking experience.

It can be used with real wood or charcoal (or a combination of both), or you can buy the gas-burner attachment separately (£90, available at Ooni) and heat it up with propane-fuelled fire if you want to make it easier to manage the flames.

There's a detachable lid at the back that gives you easy access to the fuel grate, so you can add a few more small logs to the fire if it needs it. There's also a detachable door at the front that'll need to stay on during heating to prevent too much hot air escaping.

At 12kg it's the heaviest of the Ooni's portable pizza ovens by about 2kg, so you might consider getting a carry bag (£35, available at Ooni) for ease of transportation.

We tested this pizza oven using wood, charcoal and gas to compare how it cooks with each fuel type. Read our review of the Ooni Karu 12.

Ooni Karu 12G

• We like: Useful features
• We don't like: Soot can obscure view through window during wood-fired cooking

This is one of Ooni's newest pizza oven models, launched in 2023. 

It's similar in size and build to the original Ooni Karu 12, but it has a viewing window, a built-in thermometer and a larger fuel grate.

The new design and extra features means it does come at a higher price than the original Karu 12, and it's also a few kilos heavier.

It's still one of Ooni's more portable pizza ovens, though. At around 15kg, it shouldn't be too challenging to carry provided you use a carry bag (£35, available at Ooni).

Like the original, it also comes with the same versaility of being able to cook on it using wood fire, gas or charcoal.

See if we think it's worth paying the extra for Ooni's latest model in our Ooni Karu 12G review.

Ooni Karu 16

• We like: Large cooking surface and useful features
• We don't like: The viewing window can get sooty

The largest, heaviest and one of the priciest of Ooni's pizza oven range, the Karu 16 has the gas, charcoal or wood-fired fuel options of the original Ooni Karu 12, plus the few extra bells and whistles you'll find on the Karu 12G.

It has a large cooking surface and oven chamber that can cook pizzas up to 16 inches wide, or you could fit a cast iron pan or roasting tin inside to sizzle joints of meat or vegetables.

There's also a window on the door so you can keep an eye on the flames during heating, and there's a built-in thermometer that'll tell you what the ambient temperature is inside the oven.

Its large size and extra features do mean that this isn't the Ooni pizza oven for those seeking something portable, though.

The gas and wood-fired pizzas cooked quite differently in our tests. Find out how they compare in our full Ooni Karu 16 review.

Ooni Koda 12

• We like: Easy heat control
• We don't like: Pizzas can lack smoky flavour

The portable gas-fired offering in Ooni's pizza oven range, the Ooni Koda is arguably the easiest to use of Ooni's pizza ovens.

The knob on the back allows for consistent and straightforward temperature control, similar to how you control a gas hob, and it has built-in piezo ignition so there's no need to fiddle around with matches when lighting it.

This is the smallest Ooni pizza oven and it weighs less than 10kg, so it may appeal to those seeking to take their pizza oven out and about. Bear in mind you'll also need to transport your gas canister, though.

There's no door on this oven, as gas fire is so consistent that there's no need to incubate the heat that the flames gives out.

A clip-on gas regulator and a 1.2-metre hose come included, which is compatible with propane or patio gas canisters.

We use an infrared temperature gun to track how quickly pizza ovens get up to cooking temperature. Our full review of the Ooni Koda 12 will tell you how fast it heats up.

Ooni Koda 16

• We like: Great view of your pizza while it's cooking
• We don't like: Pizzas can lack smoky flavour

The super-sized version of the Ooni Koda 12, the Koda 16 is larger, heavier, and able to cook 16-inch pizzas.

When ignited, the flames run along the back and left side of the oven, so as you rotate your pizza during cooking the right side and front areas of the oven will be at the coolest temperatures.

Similar to the Koda 12, the Koda 16 also has no door and comes with a clip-on gas regulator and hose.

Unlike the Koda 12, though, the control for the gas is on the right side of the oven rather than the back, so you can adjust the size of the flames without having to go round the back of the oven.

The pizzas from the Koda 16 might be big, but are they any good? Our Ooni Koda 16 review gives the full rundown on texture, flavour and appearance.

Ooni Volt 12

• We like: Preset cooking programs for different pizza types
• We don't like: Takes up a lot of kitchen counter space

Ooni's most expensive and perhaps unique pizza oven is the only electric one in it's range. It was released in 2023 alongside the Ooni Karu 12G, and is Ooni's only pizza oven that's suitable for use indoors.

It does take up a lot of kitchen counter space, so unless your kitchen is large it probably won't be an appliance you can leave set up all the time.

There are three dials on the front: a timer, one for setting the temperature, and one for adjusting the balance of heat between the heating elements above and below the pizza stone.

The oven comes with guidance on which settings to use for cooking Neapolitan, New York, Detroit and other styles of pizza.

Read our full Ooni Volt 12 review to see how pizzas cooked with electricity compared to those made with fire.

Important info to take on board before you buy an Ooni pizza oven

• If you buy your pizza oven direct from Ooni, you get a three-year warranty included and Ooni accepts returns within 60 days of purchase.
• A pizza peel is needed for cooking and it's important to note that Ooni pizza ovens don't come with a peel included. Ooni sells its own range of pizza peels and serving boards, ranging from £35 to £60.
• That's not the only essential tool, though. See five essential tools you need for cooking with a pizza oven to find out what else you'll need to get cooking.