Pizza ovens saw a meteoric rise in popularity as we all retreated into our gardens during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their popularity, including that of Ooni pizza ovens, shows no signs of waning.
For the last few years, most of Ooni's shiny pizza ovens have been sold out online for weeks at a time.
If you're keen on picking up a pizza oven from this popular brand and are lucky enough to spot them in stock, it's easy to get lost in a variety of types, prices and cooking experiences.
We've tested a wide a range of Ooni pizza ovens, 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.
Or head to our pizza oven reviews to see our full test results and top picks from all 15 pizza ovens we've tested.
Ooni Fyra 12, £249
- 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 successor to the hugely popular Ooni 3, the Ooni Fyra is Ooni's cheapest pizza oven (although, not by much) and is fuelled by hardwood pellets that you pour into a hopper at the back.
Once the oven'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.
Buy it now for £249 from Amazon, John Lewis, Lakeland or Ooni.
Ooni Karu 12, £299
- 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 (£79.99, 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 (£39.99, 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.
Buy it now for £299 from Amazon, John Lewis, Lakeland or Ooni.
Ooni Karu 16, £699
- We like: Large cooking surface and useful features
- We don't like: The viewing window can get sooty
The largest, heaviest and priciest of Ooni's pizza oven range, the Karu 16 has the gas, charcoal or wood-fired fuel options of the Ooni Karu 12, plus a few extra bells and whistles.
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.
Buy it now for £699 from Amazon, John Lewis, Lakeland or Ooni.
Ooni Koda 12, £299
- We like: Easy heat control
- We don't like: Pizzas can lack smoky flavour
The 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 used an infrared temperature gun to track how quickly this oven got up to cooking temperature. Our full review of the Ooni Koda 12 will tell you how fast it heats up.
Buy it now for £249 from Amazon, John Lewis, Lakeland or Ooni.
Ooni Koda 16, £499
- 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.
Buy it now for £499 from Amazon, John Lewis, Lakeland or Ooni.
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 an essential tool 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 £20 to £65.
- Unlike some other pizza ovens, such as the Gozney Roccbox, Ooni pizza ovens don't have heat-resistant shells, so during cooking the outside of the oven gets very hot. Make sure to keep children and pets away during cooking to avoid any risk of burns.
There's one other Ooni pizza oven knocking around, the Ooni Pro 16, which is being phased out and replaced by the Ooni Karu 16. It's mostly out of stock, though, as the last few are being sold through before it's fully discontinued.
Ready to pick an Ooni pizza oven? Head to our pizza oven reviews for detailed advice on which you should buy.
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