Ooni Karu 12/16 Pizza Oven – Which one is better?

By Vanessa Richards

January 10, 2024   •   Fact checked by Dumb Little Man

Ooni Karu

Ooni Karu 12/16 Pizza Oven – Which Is Better?

Ooni Karu
Photo:extrabbqsauce.com

Ooni Karu is an outdoor pizza stove company situated in Edinburgh, Scotland. The stoves are designed in Scotland yet developed in China. The organization was established by a couple that desired to offer the typical pizza enthusiast the chance to make restaurant-style pizza at home.

The first Ooni Pizza Oven was unveiled on Kickstarter in 2012, with the product since growing to become one of the top universally acclaimed, multi-award winning brands in the business. Ooni is the only homegrown pizza oven accredited by the Associazione Verace-Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the global body responsible for ensuring the credibility of Neapolitan pizza.

This multi-fuel cooking device merits the batter. The Ooni Karu is an adaptable and simple to-operate pizza stove that is ideal for get-together events and parties. It’s sufficiently lightweight to carry around, and can make a pizza in less than a minute. It comes in two interesting models which are the Ooni Karu 12 and 16.

The Ooni Karu 12 is a compact, open air pizza oven weighing approximately 12kg. When it’s pre-warmed, you’ll have a ready-made stone-prepared pizza in just 60 seconds. The cooking area measures 33cm and features a 15mm cordierite stone preparation board.

The Ooni Karu 16 is also a multi-fuel pizza maker and the most recent stove launched by Ooni. It is useable with charcoal, wood, or gas. Karu 16 is fitted with a complete glass stove doorway, which not only assists with balancing the mixture, but also preserving the temperature levels. You can purchase Ooni’s gas burner connection independently, however it’s made for use with wood or charcoal.

What is the Ooni Karu Pizza Oven?

Product description

Everybody likes quality pizza. Ooni’s creative pizza stoves make cooking quality pizza at home quick, simple and affordable. To make sumptuous pizza, you need exceptionally high heat levels; and Ooni ovens give just that, whereas their stylish design ensures that they look great while being practical. Powered by genuine wood or charcoal, this sleek pizza stove permits you to learn the skill of wood-heated pizza baking. Users can prepare stone-baked pizza in any open air space in only a minute. Additionally, the Ooni Karu is gas friendly — just buy an Ooni Gas Burner connection to expand your fuel choices.

History

Ooni was established by a couple, Tapaninaho Kristian and Garland Darina. Previously, they were running a training institute to advance innovativeness, development and within school networks. With a dream for incredible pizza for the globe and an imaginative model, Kristian and Darina dispatched their original Ooni oven project in November 2012. They soon cleared past their finance hurdles, and Ooni gained a global audience.

It turns out there’s little that joins individuals together more than great pizza! They took people’s breath away to cook mind blowing pizza in only 60 seconds with their own outdoor stove, for an especially moderate cost. The oven immediately drew followers, media and retailer attention from across the globe.

Pros👍

• It’s simple to use, good looking and fantastic quality.

• Can prepare up to 6 pizzas in 60 to 90 seconds, with very little debris/ash from the burner.

• Incredibly efficient- rarely any need for top up. 2 sticks of 10 to 15cm are enough to keep it heated for 15 mins.

Cons👎

• The product doesn’t efficiently warm up to 400 degree!

• Oven doesn’t cook pizza thoroughly from the base.

Cost

As indicated by the official site, Ooni Karu 12 retails at US$349.00 while Ooni Karu 16 retails at US$799.00

Ooni Karu 12 Model Overview

Ooni Karu 12
Photo:breademporium.co.za

Product description

• Weight: 12kg

• Dimensions: 77 x 40 x 80 cm

• Good for Indoor/Outdoor Use

• Designed with an excellent and solid 430 tempered steel

• Fuel: This stove is fueled by natural wood or charcoal. It’s likewise gas compatible.

Karu 12 is a compact, outdoor pizza stove weighing just 12kg. I really like this model in light of the fact that even with its small size, it carries the clout of a larger pizza stove. You can start up this stove with charcoal or wood. In case you prefer gas, you can buy the Ooni Gas Burner independently. This model can reach temperatures of up to 500°C in only 15 minutes. When it’s pre-warmed, you will have a ready-made pizza in a minute. The baking surface measures 33cm and is fitted with a 15mm cordierite stone-cooking board.

The Ooni Karu is an ideal match for any picnic, camp excursion, or family fun evening. Because of its 430 hardened steel and glass-supported nylon body, you can anticipate incredible things from this oven for a long time to come. After the review, I was unable to pinpoint much downsides aside from a few customers who find the fire bin to be small.

To forestall heat loss, ensure you watch out for the fuel. Otherwise, it works comparably well and I’m certain you’ll be content with this product. From real Neapolitan-style pizza to impeccably roasted meat, vegetables and fish, simply fire it up with wood, charcoal, or both, even gas – any place your excursions take you. Ooni Karu definitely has you covered. Ooni Karu’s specially crafted fuel plate emphasizes airflow and provides an amazing impact of burning fire – pile it up with genuine wood or charcoal, with no extra debris or ash to clean.

Click here to view product

Product specifications

• Ooni Karu 12 is about making quality flames and heat maintenance easily and speedily. Set to begin cooking immediately, Ooni Karu 12 warms to 950°F or 500°C.

• Developed for use with top notch solid fuels, it turns into a thundering fire so you can bake epic pizza.

• Portable. When we mention versatility, we truly mean it. Carry Ooni Karu 12 with you to any open air space – it weighs a little more than 26 pounds, or 12kgs.

• Powerful. Made from high-grade hardened steel, Ooni Karu’s frame is fitted with ceramic fiber protection, an ultra-thick stone preparation board, and Flame Keeper innovation for great heat retention.

• Ready in a minute – Ignite the Ooni Karu 12 with timber or charcoal straight from the case, or use alongside the Ooni Gas Burner connection (sold independently) to prepare with gas. Ooni Karu 12 pizza will be ready-to-eat in a short time under 950°F – Cooking credible stone-prepared pizza in only 60 seconds, gives you the opportunity to cook more pizzas within the shortest time possible.

• Hot new features – A hand-crafted fuel plate that amplifies air inlet and delivers an incredible impact of searing fire. This allows the Ooni Karu 12 pizza stove to keep up with the ultra-high temperatures – load it up with genuine wood or charcoal, with no overabundance debris to clean.

Click here to view product accessories

Pros👍

a) Quality body and is sufficiently light to carry anyplace.

b) Functions well. Nicely designed. Feels solid and produced using excellent materials.

Cons👎

a) Hard to brown the lower part of the pizza without searing the top. The stone surface doesn’t get adequately hot to thoroughly cook the base.

Ooni Karu 16 Model Overview

Ooni Karu 16
Photo: hiconsumption.com

Description

This model provides everything the 12 offers, with a few exemptions. It is designed with a sturdy, powder-covered carbon steel casing rather than the tempered steel frame of the 12. It additionally fits the 16″ pizza on its cordierite stone baking board, which is different from the 12″ model. The Ooni Karu 16 reaches a maximum temperature of 500°C in just under 15 minutes, and will get your pizza prepared in just 60 seconds. In case you wish to fuel with gas, consider purchasing the gas burner independently.

It is bigger and weighs way more than its Ooni Karu 12 cousin. It’s not as convenient as the 12 since it weighs practically twofold. In any case, the Ooni Karu 16 provides an expert wood-fired experience that’s appropriate for open air cooking throughout the year. You can prepare any food from pizza and meat cuts to veggies or treats.

Ooni pizza stoves consistently sell out for good reason. These flexible outdoor cooking machines are the absolute pizza stoves cash can purchase. With cutting edge technology, a wide scope of elements, and a smooth, modern design, Ooni Karu 16 is a modern, and seemingly the best Ooni pizza stove available thus far. If you need a low maintenance, full flavor, and superior pizza oven, then look no further.

This multi-fuel pizza maker preheats to 932 F (500 C) in only 15 minutes and prepares quality pizzas in just 60 seconds. Additionally, its fixed temperature display and creative glass doorway are only two of the components that make baking with the Ooni Karu 16 superbly simple.

Product specifications

• Weight: 23 kg

• Measurements: 50 x 80 x 85 cm

• Indoor/Outdoor Use: Ideal for outdoor use only

• Color Options: Black and silver

• Fuel: This stove is powered by natural wood or charcoal. It’s additionally gas viable.

Design and Body Quality

Every one of the pizza stoves from Ooni Karu are cautiously and well suited to improve performance and usability. The Ooni Karu 16 is the newest and most amazing example of the brand’s reliability. The Ooni Karu 16 pizza stove features an extraordinary design to promote air flow. The carbon steel shell and high temperature-safe powder-coated surface offer greater protection and extreme climate protection, so you can utilize your Ooni Karu 16 under different conditions, without agonizing over it delivering quality pizza.

Another element that has been included to the Ooni 16 is the full glass oven entryway featuring ViewFlame™ technology. This pivoted doorway allows you to keep watch of your food as it cooks, without compromising the temperature inside the oven, because of increased protection.

a) The inclusion of a mounted temperature dial and full glass stove doorway got our attention the second the Ooni Karu 16 emerged from the crate. These elements are special to the Karu 16, and improve the cooking experience.

b) The stove is robustly built, yet we actually observed it to be quite versatile. The legs overlay in plus the chimney can be detached so the Karu 16 can be detached promptly.

c) The Ooni Karu 16 preheats quicker than other different ovens.

Pros👍

• Adaptability –allows you to cook with charcoal or wood right out of the crate, or using gas when you get the Ooni Karu 16 Gas Burner (sold independently). Likewise, adding to its adaptability is the versatility and mounted computerized thermometer for temperature control.

• Design –  consists of cutting-edge oven entryway with the brand’s ViewFlame trademark. This full-glass stove doorway allows you to check your pizzas as they cook and balances the internal temperatures with further insulation. The doorway is only one of the numerous improvements added for this new pizza stove that gives it an impressive look.

• Performance – The device features an amazing 932 F (500 C) temperature level that allows for cooking in only 60 seconds.

Cons 👎

• Cost –it has supplanted the lead Ooni Pro as the most costly Ooni Pizza Oven. It costs a whopping $799, so this machine isn’t modest. In any case, it is a top notch pizza stove that works comparably well, or much better than other lower level models.

Click here to view Ooni Karu 16 Pizza Oven

Which Ooni Karu Version is best for me?

Ooni Karu 12 weighs only 12kg, making it quite simple to move. Notwithstanding, don’t let the lightweight frame of this stove deter you from purchasing. Even though it’s lightweight and convenient, you’ll get the clout and heat of a bigger wood-powered oven.

In case you don’t plan to use it so much and require a bigger oven, Ooni Karu 16 is an ideal choice. It has a larger limit which implies you can put a 16″ pizza or two more modest ones. Either model permits you to make something other than pizza – might be flatbreads, fish, meat, or desserts. The greatest distinction between these two is the size. No matter what you choose, remember you’ll get a quality stove that offers quality heat retention.

Experience the Ooni Karu Pizza Oven for yourself to figure out which model is best for you! Myself I prefer the Ooni Karu 12.

Conclusion

In case you intend to travel with your stove regularly, we emphasize the Ooni Karu 12 because it’s the lighter edition. But if you don’t want to move with it so much and are searching for a pizza stove with an enormous cooking surface, you’ll be happy with the Ooni Karu 16. It’s ideal for one enormous pizza or a pair of 8″ pizzas. To the extent that pizza stoves go, Ooni Karu is unquestionably among the top picks. If you need a high-performance, flame powered, contemporary style, and reliable oven for restaurant-style foods, the Ooni Karu can be the ideal baking companion for you!

The upsides and downsides

Pros

•  Multiple fuel alternatives

•  Folding legs for simple transportation

•  Powerful fire and heat maintenance

•  Fast warming and cooking times

•  Can cook something beyond pizza

Cons

·    Pizza bottom may not cook thoroughly

·    High cost

Price

Ooni Karu 16 goes for US$$799, while Ooni Karu 12 retails at US$349.00

Click Here to Get Ooni Karu 12 at a Discounted Price.

 

 

Vanessa Richards

Vanessa is a mom of 3 lovely children and a software geek. Outside of her career as a health and wellness instructor. She enjoys writing and researching on topics such as finance, software, health and culinary.

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