Tested by Being able to make your own restaurant-quality, stone-baked pizza at home has to be every foodie's dream. And a pizza oven isn't just for summer either. With the addition of some cozy blankets and maybe even a fire pit, they can be used in all seasons. Some are even suitable for cooking indoors as well, for year-round pizza parties.
If you've ever done some digging online into the best pizza ovens, you'll likely have heard of market-leading brand, Ooni. It has eight models, which are powered by a mix of gas, wood and electric. There's also a dedicated range of accessories, making it a one-stop-shop for everything you need to make restaurant-worthy Neapolitan pizza at home.
But with so many options to choose from, which Ooni should you invest in? That's where the Good Housekeeping Institute comes in. Our experts have tried and tested the range to find their favourites. These are the ones that came out on top at a glance, but scroll on for our detailed guide and reviews.
Are Ooni pizza ovens worth it?
It really comes down to how often you think you'll use a pizza oven. Ooni ovens are an investment, ranging from £299 for the portable Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel model to £799 for the Ooni Volt 12 Electric and Koda 2 Max ovens. However, if you want to cook up delicious homemade pizza in just 90 seconds from the comfort of your own patio, these are the gadgets for you.
Ideal for parties or families who love pizza night, you can be serving up a melting margherita in under 15 minutes with some models. The topping possibilities are also endless and clean-up is straightforward, too – no scrubbing necessary.
They can also double up as barbecues, to help you get more use out of them. Speaking of which...
What other dishes can you cook in an Ooni pizza oven?
The ovens can be used with a griddle, skillet or cast iron casserole dish, so you're not just limited to pizza. The Ooni cookbook is filled with inspiration for different dishes, including breads, perfectly-seared steak, chargrilled veg and even desserts.
Here are just some of the recipes the Good Housekeeping cookery team have rustled up in their pizza oven:
If you invest in the right cookware, you'll essentially have a pizza oven and BBQ in one.
What to consider when choosing your Ooni pizza oven
To ensure you're choosing the right model for you, consider these factors before you buy.
Fuel: Aside from the electric Ooni Volt 12, which you simply plug in and pre-heat, most Ooni ovens are fuelled by either gas or wood – or both in the case of the three multi-fuel models in the line-up. Choosing which one to invest in is really down to personal preference and budget. Multi-fuel options are often pricier but you get the best of both worlds; gas tends to be simpler and quicker to use, while wood pellets add an authentic, smoky flavour.
Temperature range: For optimum results, with delicious melted cheese and a chargrilled base, you want your oven to reach a minimum of 380 degrees. Most Ooni models claim to hit a toasty 500 degrees in 15-20 minutes. The exceptions are the gas-powered Koda 16, which takes an extra five mins to reach 500 degrees, and the Volt 12 Electric, which can manage a max temperature of 450 degrees in 20 minutes.
Exacting chefs may want to look for a model with an in-built digital thermometer, like the Ooni Karu 16.
Cooking speed: If speed is very much of the essence, then you want an oven that both heats up and cooks quickly. Our pick? The Ooni Koda 12, which reached a minimum 380 degrees in 11 minutes and cooked our pizza in an average of one and a half minutes. That's definitely faster than Deliveroo.
Size and portability: Are you going to be moving your oven in and out of storage? In that case, you want something lightweight. Look to the gas-powered Koda 12 (9.25kg) or Fyra 12 Wood Pellet oven (10kg). If you're more interested in feeding a crowd, then opt for one of the larger models that can turn out 16-inch pizzas, like the Karu 16 or Koda 16. And if you want to cook multiple pizzas or dishes at once, look to the new 24-inch Koda 2 Max gas-powered oven, the biggest in the range, which comes with two pizza stones.
What accessories come with it?
Sadly, accessories don't come included with your Ooni oven, so you'll need to purchase these separately. As a minimum, you'll want a pizza peel, some fuel (if it's not electric) and a cover for storage (for outdoor models). There are accessory bundles available from Ooni with small savings, but you can also shop around if you prefer.
Ooni Pizza Turning Peel
Ooni Premium Assorted Oak Pack (for Karu 16)
Ooni Pro 16 Pizza Oven Cover
Ooni Bamboo Pizza Peel & Serving Board - 12 inch
Ooni Perforated Pizza Peel - 12 inch
How to use an Ooni pizza oven
If you're a pizza oven novice, don't be put off by talk of fuel and peels. While some models will take slightly longer to set up than others – see our detailed reviews below – the process is quite straightforward. If you're using wood fuel, just fill the canister at the back, light it, wait for the oven to get to temperature, and you're ready to start cooking.
Alternatively, if you're using gas, you'll need to connect your oven to a standard propane gas tank using the regulator supplied. Make sure to fully open your tank's gas flow, then simply push the instant gas ignition and turn to fire up.
Next, you need to perfect your pizza dough. You can try your hand at Good Housekeeping's recipe, or buy pre-made dough from the supermarket (Ooni does its own, too). Brands such as Pizza Pilgrims also do pizza kits if you want something a little more fancy.
Ooni Neapolitan Pizza Dough Mix (725g)
Mutti Classic Pizza Sauce (400g)
Italian Fior di Latte - Napoli Cut (500g)
Once you've loaded on all your favourite toppings (we'll take some burrata and hot honey please), it's all about nailing your cooking technique. Flour your pizza peel slightly so the dough doesn't stick and then slide it onto the hot stone. After 30 seconds, make sure to turn your pizza 180 degrees, so it cooks on both sides.
One side cooked more than the other? Just turn it more quickly next time. Expect a little trial and error before you get your technique just right. The good news? Even your mistakes will still taste delicious.
How we test pizza ovens
Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts review each model based on ease of set-up and use, design, speed and, most importantly, how well it cooks pizzas (we eat well during this test). They prepare three styles of pizza – pepperoni, margherita, and veggie with vegan mozzarella. Afterwards, they also assess how easy each oven is to clean.
The GHI verdict: The best Ooni pizza ovens to buy
Best Ooni pizza oven
Score: 93/100
Key specifications
| Fuel type | Electric |
|---|---|
| Max temperature | 450 degrees |
| Temperature gauge | Yes |
| Weight | 17.8kg |
| Dimensions | 52.9 W x 61.7 L x 27.9 H cm |
| Cooking area | 33.7 x 33.7cm |
| Accessories included | None |
If you want a cooking experience almost as easy as placing your takeaway order, then this is the Ooni for you. It's electric and designed for use inside or out – simply plug it in and start cooking, whatever the weather. There's no assembly required either.
It took the promised 20 minutes to heat up and our 12-inch pizzas were cooked in just over 90 seconds. The crust was airy, evenly cooked and well risen and our toppings had a nice char to them with delicious golden spots on our cheese. The instructions were easy to follow and it was a dream to clean. Our expert's only watch-out? Beware of setting off the fire alarm when you're cooking indoors due to the high temperature.
Best for parties
Score: 91/100
Key specifications
| Fuel | Propane gas |
|---|---|
| Max temperature | 500 degrees |
| Temperature gauge | Yes |
| Weight | 43kg |
| Dimensions | H80 x W72 x D43 cm |
| Cooking area | 24" |
| Accessories included | None |
This oven has a 24-inch cooking area, which means you can make two or three pizzas at once. Our experts found it straightforward to build and it felt robust. It was also easy to attach the fuel and get cooking, plus it has a built-in digital screen so you can see the real-time temperature and control the two gas burners independently if you want.
This oven also connects to the Ooni app, which lets you set timers and will tell you when it's at the correct temperature (it reached 500 degrees in just over 28 minutes, which was quicker than advertised). As for our pizzas, they cooked in 100 seconds and didn't disappoint, with well-risen bases and caramelised toppings. Our only complaints? The legs aren't adjustable and if you want an even temperature across the whole oven, you have to make sure the knobs that control the burners are exactly aligned. It's pricey too, but if you often cook for a large group, it's a good choice.
Most portable Ooni pizza oven
Score: 90/100
Key specifications
| Fuel | Gas |
|---|---|
| Max temperature | 500 degrees |
| Temperature gauge | No |
| Weight | 9.25kg |
| Dimensions | 39 W x 62 L x 29 H cm |
| Cooking area | 33.7 x 33.7 cm |
| Accessories included | None |
Set-up was simple with the gas-powered Koda 12, which has foldable legs for easy storage and portability. You just slide in the stone baking board and attach the gas canister to use. It reached its minimum temperature in a speedy 11 minutes and 21 seconds and cooked our pizzas in an average of 90 seconds, with the flame rolling across the roof for evenly-cooked, beautifully charred results.
The oven's shallow entrance did make it tricky to turn our pizzas and it took us a couple of attempts to light it, but those niggles aside, this offers speedy results and its lightweight design makes it easy to store when it's not pizza day (we know, every day should be pizza day).
Best for authentic Neapolitan pizzas
Score: 90/100
Key specifications
| Fuel | Gas and wood |
|---|---|
| Max temperature | 500 degrees |
| Temperature gauge | Yes |
| Weight | 28.4kg |
| Dimensions | 50 W x 81 L x 83 H cm |
| Cooking area | 42.42 x 42.42 cm |
| Accessories included | None |
Another top scorer, this premium pizza oven impressed our testers. With the ability to make 16-inch pizzas, it is heavier than the two models above and it took a little while to assemble. However, the instructions are clear and the vents and chimney allow you to control the air flow and lock in heat. The extra space also means you have lots of room to rotate your pizza.
It delivered delicious, high quality Neopolitan pizzas in just under 90 seconds (heat-up time was a little longer than advertised, at 20 minutes.) Note that it didn't reach the top 500 degrees claimed, but this didn't affect the results, and it only dropped two marks overall in our cooking tests. It is pricey and you'll need to buy the gas converter separately if you want to change your fuel, but this is an impressive piece of kit.
The Karu and Koda models are also available in different oven capacities so you can choose between 12-inch and 16-inch pizzas – explore the rest of the Ooni pizza oven range below:
Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Ooni Karu 12G Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
