The GHI's top-rated Ooni pizza ovens, just in time for summer
There's nothing better than an ice cold drink and a delicious stone-baked pizza straight from the oven on a balmy summer's evening. (Although, we must stress, pizza ovens aren't just for summer. They can be used in all seasons – just add some cozy blankets and a fire pit – and some are even suitable for use indoors and out.)
Ready to start cooking with fire this summer?
If you've ever done some digging online into the best pizza ovens, you'll likely have heard of market-leading brand, Ooni. With seven models available, powered by a mix of gas, wood and electric, along with a dedicated range of accessories, the brand has everything you need to make restaurant-worthy Neopolitan 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, but scroll on for our detailed guide and reviews.
Ooni pizza ovens: What's all the hype about?
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 pizza oven. 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.
What other dishes can you cook in an Ooni pizza oven?
The ovens can also 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 GH 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, such as 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.
What accessories come with it?
Sadly, accessories don't come included with your Ooni oven, so you'll need to purchase these separately. You'll want a pizza peel, some fuel (if it's not electric) and a cover for storage as a minimum. There are accessory bundles available from Ooni with small savings, but you can also shop around if you prefer.
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.
Once you've loaded on all your favourite toppings (we'll take some burrata and basil 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 GHI experts review each model based on ease of set-up and use, design, speed and, most importantly, the quality of the pizzas it dishes out. They prepare three styles of pizza – pepperoni, margherita and veggie with vegan mozzarella. After use, 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
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.
Most portable Ooni pizza oven
Score: 90/100
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 Neopolitan pizzas
Score: 90/100
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 full Ooni pizza oven range below:
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