Wood-fired vs gas: The best outdoor pizza oven for you
Now the weather’s starting to warm up, it’s time to turn your attention to cooking outdoors. And we’re not just talking about boring, bog-standard barbecues with burnt bangers and cremated burgers – we’re talking pizza. Home-made, flame-grilled, crowd-pleasing pizza. But where do you start when it comes to choosing a portable pizza oven?
Will you go wood-fired or gas-powered? Or even multi-fuel? Do you need a cover? How about accessories? Fear not. TheOoni rangeof outdoor pizza ovens andaccessorieshas got all your pizzaiolo aspirations covered, and you can find out everything you need to know to choose the best Ooni pizza oven for you below.
We’ll be talking about theOoni Fyra, theOoni Koda, and theOoni Karu. Plus all theaccessoriesyou’ll need to get the best out of them at your outdoor gatherings. Good pizza, no,greatpizza, starts here.
Why are outdoor pizza ovens so popular?
谁不喜欢披萨呢?尤其是维苏威火山热的自制咖啡，它可以在户外的阳光下很快做好。你可以用厨房的烤箱做披萨，但事实是，它根本达不到完美披萨所需的高温。这就是Ooni户外烤箱每次都能胜出的地方——它们可以带在任何地方，易于安装，易于使用，加热迅速(大约15-20分钟)，每60秒就能做出完美的披萨。还有什么比让家人和朋友聚在一起分享披萨片和故事，并思考这个古老的问题——菠萝应该和披萨放在一起更好的吗?The answer is…?
Wood-fired vs gas: does it really make a difference?
当然，这最终取决于个人喜好，但用燃气和燃烧木屑点燃披萨炉是有区别的。
Wood-fired pizza ovens burn wood pellets at high temperatures to give you that authentically smoky artisan taste.
But if it’s simplicity and convenience that floats your pizza boat, it’s gas-powered all the way.
为什么选择木质的?
First and foremost – taste. You just can’t beat that natural smoky, ‘campfire’ flavour that cooking pizza in a wood-fired oven imparts. Plus you can subtly change the flavour by choosing different kinds of wood. And you don’t have to lug a gas bottle around with you either.
Of course, there is a downside to cooking with wood. And that’s clearing up the ash afterwards. You’ll also have longer to wait before you can start cleaning too – the ash has to burn out and cool down first.
Happily, if you still want that authentically artisan flavour without so much mess, theOoni Fyra 12uses Ooni’s special hardwood pellets. Sustainably sourced, they maintain the consistent high temperatures needed for perfect 12” pizzas. They’re easy to light, burn efficiently and produce hardly any ash so you get a long, clean burn every time.
The other disadvantage of a wood-fired oven compared to a gas-powered oven is it is more difficult to maintain a consistent temperature over longer periods of time, plus there’s a little bit more setting up involved before you can tuck into that first slice. And a wood-fired oven needs a little bit more attention than gas to keep it burning.
What is the best type of wood for a pizza oven?
简单地说，就是任何燃烧得很热却不会产生很多灰烬的木材。Like theseWoodletswood pellets. Made from FSC-certified wood from UK forests, they burn with a super-hot, clean flame and leave behind very little ash, so there’s hardly anything to clean up when you’re done cooking. Ooni also produce their own long-burning hardwood logs, which are free from any chemical additives. Basically, any dense, dried hardwood is suitable for your oven, including ash, beech, sycamore, birch and oak. And if you want to impart some subtle extra flavour to your cooking, you can mix in some fruitwood like apple or plum with your hardwood.
Why choose gas-powered?
首先，燃气披萨烤箱更干净，也更容易安装——你只需要把燃气燃烧器连接到燃气瓶上，然后你就可以关掉了——它们往往比木柴烧的更快一点。
如果你出门在外，之后又没有烟灰需要清理，那么在开始做饭之前就没有必要去捡柴火了。Plus you won’t have to make space for a wood store in your back garden to keep your oven fuelled.
Simple to light with piezo ignition, the heat is easier to control and keep consistent with a gas-powered oven too, which is useful if you’re cooking things other than pizza in your oven.
Gas-powered ovens do tend to be a bit more expensive up front, but if it is convenience you are looking for, then they are hard to beat.
How about a multi-fuel oven?
If you want keep your cooking options open, then multi-fuel is the way to go. Ooni’s multi-fuel Karu 12 and 16 can both be used with wood, propane gas or charcoal, giving you lots of flexibility and control over what you’re cooking. You can even combine charcoal and wood on some models.
Ultimately, it’s up to you which Ooni you choose – but thanks to their Flame Keeper technology, which keeps the heat in and maximises fuel use, you can rest assured that they will all turn out perfectly cooked pizza, time after time.
The best Ooni pizza oven for you
We’ve made it easy for you to choose the right pizza oven for you in our handy at-a-glance guide below – you’ll be cooking all different types of pizza and more in no time. Save us a slice.
The best Ooni for foodies –Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
| Price | £249.00 |
| Reasons to buy |
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| Cons | Ash needs to be cleaned out after use |
| Specifications | Fully assembled 73 x 39 x 72cm H. 11kg. |
Why this Ooni?
If you’re looking for a great little pizza oven that’s easy to set up, easy to use, easy to carry, and gives you super-hot cooking conditions and authentically rustic wood-fired flavour, this is the one for you. And Ooni have engineered the Fyra so it gets really hot and stays really hot (thanks to Flame Keeper technology), so there’s less time lost waiting for it to get back up to a pizza-perfect heat. Because you know how it works – once one person’s got a pizza, everyone else wants one – now!
Easy to set up, ready to use in minutes
只需简单地展开腿，插入燃料格栅和披萨石，添加烟囱并锁好，添加燃料斗，火焰保持器，门和烟囱帽……这些看起来相当多的步骤，但它们都只需要几秒钟，而且有一个非常清晰的步骤指导。
The easiest Ooni to use –Ooni Koda 12 Gas-Powered Pizza Oven
| Price | £299.00 |
| Reasons to buy |
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| Cons | None |
| Specifications | Fully assembled 62 x 40 x 31cm H. with legs extended. 9.3kg. |
Why this Ooni?
Ready right out of the box, Ooni Koda is good to go in seconds – simply flip open the foldable legs, insert the cordierite stone baking board, and connect to a propane gas bottle.
Because there’s no chimney and the legs fold neatly away, it’s really easy to take wherever you want – out to the back garden, round to a friend’s barbecue, or to the beach. And it’s so compact that it’s perfect for anyone whose outdoor space is restricted to a small backyard, or even a balcony.
One-touch ignition for fast, easy cooking
Just link up the integral gas burner to a bottle of gas – it takes standard UK propane gas bottles – and press the one-touch gas piezo ignition. It starts heating up immediately, getting up to a scorching 500°C in just fifteen minutes. The waterfall-effect flame distribution means it heats up evenly, while the built-in flame keeper maximises heat and directs the flame towards food for faster results. The gas regulator gives a constant flame that doesn’t need to be stoked or ‘fed’ to keep it going, and there’s no grate to clean when everything’s cooled down and the guests have gone home. If you want to cook bigger pizzas, try theOoni Koda 16.
The best Ooni for entertaining –Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
| Price | £699.00 |
| Reasons to buy |
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| Cons | Heavy, so less portable than smaller models |
| Specifications | 完全组装50 x 81.5 x 84cm H. 28公斤。 |
Why this Ooni?
The answer to all your pizza prayers, the Ooni Karu 16 makes outdoor cooking even more versatile and brings advanced technology to your pizza party. Offering multiple fuel options, you can use wood or coal for a more purist pizza experience and subtle wood-fired flavour, or if you want your pizza making to be a bit a cleaner and lower maintenance, you can opt for an Ooni Gas Burner (sold separately).
通过乌尼卡鲁16的增强设计功能，您可以制作16英寸的披萨，同时享受更好的温度控制，更节能的空气流动，增加烤箱绝缘和更好的可见度。只需15分钟的预热，你就能在500°C的温度下烹饪，在60秒内做出火烤披萨、完美烤熟的牛排、烤蔬菜等等。If you prefer a smaller oven, try theOoni Karu 12.
Ready to make pizza in 60 seconds?
By now you should have a good idea which Ooni pizza oven will work best for you, but to summarise: for simplicity, compact convenience and easy cleaning, the gas-powered Koda wins hands down. If an authentic wood-fired slice floats your boat, it’s the Fyra every time. But if it’s multi-fuel versatility you’re after, then the Karu ticks all the boxes.
Pizza oven accessories
So now you’ve chosen your shiny new Ooni outdoor pizza oven, you’re going to need someaccessoriesto get the best out of it – our selection ofbundleshelp make choosing easier and save you some money. Consider a long-handledpizza peelfor getting your pizzas in and out of the oven, and for turning to ensure even cooking. Aninfrared thermometerto tell you when your oven is hot enough and pizza-ready. Acarry coverto keep your oven protected when it’s not in use or for when you’re on the road. And if you really want to take things up a notch, apizza topping stationis perfect for outdoor entertaining when you’re making lots of pizzas with different toppings.
So roll out yourpizza dough, spread your sauce, add your favourite toppings and make pizza.
Buon appetito!