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ooni pizza oven review: the ooni karu 16 is well worth the investment
this multi-fuel pizza oven is surprisingly one of our most-used appliances
jul 26 2024
6 minute read
if you’re a true pizza lover, you'll love the ooni karu 16.
ooni
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pizza brings joy to just about everyone. it’s versatile, comforting and oh-so-satisfying. it can be simple or complex. almost anyone can make it on a small budget and the simplicity of its preparation makes it accessible and inviting. pop a $5 store-bought pie in the oven for a quick dinner that the entire family will enjoy, or make your own dough using flour, yeast, water, salt and oil for even less. the topping possibilities are endless.
if you’re a true pizza lover like me, i suggest upping your game from an oven-friendly pizza stone and homemade dough to an ooni karu 16 pizza oven — you will not be disappointed. keep reading for my full review.
while the oven heated up, we worked on rolling out our dough.
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ooni karu features
- multiple fuel options: cook with wood, charcoal or gas with the ooni karu 16 gas burner (sold separately)
- temperature: reaches 950 f (500 c) in 15 minutes
- hinged oven door that is easy to use and allows you to see inside the oven
- mounted digital thermometer displays internal ambient oven temperature
- large cooking area: fits up to 16-inch pizzas
- also cooks other items such as steak, seared vegetables and bread
- first pizza oven to be ‘recommended for domestic use’ by the associazione verace pizza napoletana (the acclaimed international authority on true neapolitan pizza)
- shipping and returns: free
- warranty: five years
- great pizza guarantee: 60-day trial period
- price: $1,099
- where to buy: ooni | amazon
ooni karu specs
- cooking surface: 16.7 x 16.7″ (42.42 x 42.42 cm)
- unboxed dimensions: 33 x 32 x 20″ (50 x 81.5 x 83.7 cm)
- unboxed weight: 62.6 lbs (28.4 kg)
- boxed dimension: 37.4 x 24 x 15.75″ (95 x 61 x 40 cm)
- boxed weight: 86.6 lbs (39.3 kg)
- pizza stones: 0.6″ thick (15mm) cordierite
- oven body: made of powder-coated carbon steel and stainless steel
once the dough was rolled out, we topped with our favourite meat, veggies and cheeses.
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ooni karu 16 review
setting up: the box is upwards of 90 lbs, so my partner helped me move it into the backyard. once we were in position, the actual unboxing and setup was shockingly simple. the oven comes in eight pieces that are easy to fit together and a clear instruction manual.
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here are the coles notes for setup:
- unpack the pieces, starting with the body of the oven
- unfold the legs (which come already attached) and screw in the digital thermometer using the included screws and tighten with your fingers or the allen key, also provided
- insert the pizza stones
- attach the door by simply aligning it into place and tightening with the last two screws. twist on the chimney to lock it in place
- insert the fuel tray and you are ready to go
get your pizza into the oven using the pizza peel and a confident flick of the wrist.
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cooking a pizza: the karu 16 is designed for outdoor use, so make sure you’re set up outside on a hard surface that’s easily accessible. make sure to give yourself some space on all sides of the oven — this thing gets very hot!
remove your chimney cap and ensure the baffle is open. place your desired fuel — i use small pieces of wood, but you can also use charcoal — and start your fire.
pop the fuel hatch back on and get your dough ready — this oven only takes 15 minutes to heat up to 500 c.
for my first few tries using the karu 16, i bought fresh pizza dough from my favourite bakery. i didn’t want the added pressure of making my own dough while learning a new tool. i rolled out my dough using lots of flour and then placed my dough on the ooni pizza peel before adding toppings. this is personal preference — you could add toppings on your counter and slide the peel under after. tip: make sure you have lots of flour on your peel to avoid the dough sticking.
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once the oven has reached a temperature of at least 400 c, transfer your pizza from the peel (the large spatula-looking device used to transfer your pizza in and out of the oven) to the oven with a quick shimmy of the wrist — this is where skill comes in. be confident in your wrist flick or the pizza could only make it halfway off the peel. practice makes perfect here. since the oven is hottest at the back near the fuel, i rotate my pizza using the peel every 20-30 seconds for a perfectly even cook.
sixty seconds later and voila — one of the best wood-fired pizzas — and you made it yourself. tip: if you want to level up your pizza, add fly by jing’s sichuan chili crisp oil by the (mini) spoonful — the ultimate pizza topper to bring a spicy, savoury crunch and add that restaurant-quality feel to your pie.
waiting out the 60 seconds of cook time.
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favourite features: i love the flexibility that comes with this particular oven. it’s one of the most advanced at-home pizza ovens on the market, yet it’s easy to move from my backyard to a friend’s house or a camping spot. we end up using it most weekends because of this. i also love the flexible fuel options. being able to switch from wood to charcoal or gas, based on what’s available to me.
i really appreciate being able to see through the door while the pizza cooks, so i know exactly when to turn my pie and get that even cook. this isn’t an option with a lot of the pizza ovens on the market.
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mainly, i love how much fun it is. this oven seems to bring friends and family together — it’s easy to use and everyone likes pizza. the cooking time is so fast, so everyone is able to make their own masterpiece, compare and share.
things to be aware of: i personally found the learning curve to be minimal, but i was already a pizza lover, using fresh dough. for someone who has never made or bought fresh pizza dough, expect a trial and error period when using the ooni karu or any at-home pizza oven.
because of how quickly the oven cooks, you can’t throw a pizza in and walk away. you must stay close during the 60 seconds to ensure your pizza doesn’t burn.
suggested add-ons:
cover for ooni karu 16 — if you plan to leave your pizza outside like i have, definitely spend the extra $69 to protect it from the elements. just like my bbq, i put my cover on once the oven has cooled down and i don’t need to worry about rust or other weather damage.
gas burner for ooni karu 16 — i personally love to cook with wood because of the smokey flavour that gets back into the pizza, but if you’re looking for a low-maintenance way to make an excellent pizza, this gas burner extension allows you to connect to propane gas and cook low and slow. great for different dishes like steak or other meat dishes.
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voila – perfectly cooked homemade pizza.
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my recommendation
i seriously love the ooni karu 16 pizza oven . i would recommend this to anyone who has the available outdoor space (not suited for indoor use) and loves to make, eat and share pizza. at just over $1k, it’s an investment, but well worth it in my opinion. this is one of the most advanced ovens on the market, but ooni offers many options with fewer features and a smaller cooking space at lower prices like the karu 12 at $399 .
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ltaveroff@postmedia.com
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