In recent years, outdoor cooking has become increasingly popular, with our grilling options getting more versatile. We are no longer limited to burgers and hot dogs; steaks, ribs, brisket, and pizzas have become popular outdoor cooking options. Like cooking in the Ooni Karu 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven. It’s safe to say that Ooni is the king of pizza ovens after a sold-out summer. Perhaps it’s because of the low prices, which make these capable pizza ovens a fantastic present for foodies or aspiring pizzaiolos.
Table of Contents
Why Listen To Me?
My name is Joanne Drake, my dad used to own a pizza shop when I was a young girl, so pizza is in my blood. I know what it takes to make great pizza since I’ve been around it more then the average pizza lover.
For this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Ooni Karu 16 Pizza Oven and weigh in on its features.
First Impression
Along the same line as other Ooni oven models, the Karu 16 aims to create a fantastic pizza that is the same if not better than those served in restaurants. Even though the oven is massive, it has a total cooking surface that’s 16 inches across, so it’s bigger than some of the earlier models.
The next thing you need to do in your pursuit of pizza paradise is select the kind of fuel you’ll use for your Ooni after you’ve got it all set up. The Karu 16 can reach temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. It can bake a large pie in less than 3 minutes using either wood, charcoal, or a separate gas burner explicitly designed for use with the Karu 16. The digital thermometer located beneath the oven monitors the temperature as it increases, and the oven’s transparent glass door enables you to monitor the delicious pizza cooking in the oven.
Product Specs
- Fuel type: wood or charcoal, or use gas with the Ooni Karu 16 gas burner (sold separately)
- Pizza size: up to 16″ cordierite stone
- C or F digital thermometer
- Glazed door
- Legs that fold up for convenient storage and transport
- Carbon steel shell with a powder-coated finish that is both durable and insulated.
- Wood or charcoal can be used as a multi-fuel source.
- The temperature in the oven reaches up to 950F (500C)
- 16.7 x 16.7; cooking surface (42.42 x 42.42 cm)
- Dimensions: 33 x 32 x 20 (50 x 81.5 x 83.7 cm)
The Rundown
The Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven delivers innovative technology and the pizza party’s most adaptable Ooni outdoor cooking experience. It cooks large pizzas, roasted meats, seared vegetables, and even fresh bread. With several fuel options, try utilizing wood and charcoal for an authentic pizza experience and a mild wood-fired flavor, or use the Ooni Karu 16 Gas Burner for a low-maintenance cook (sold separately). Make 16-inch pizzas with improved temperature control, more fuel-efficient air flow, enhanced oven insulation, and improved visibility thanks to new design features. With the Ooni Karu 16 oven, you can make flame-cooked pizzas in 60 seconds, flawlessly seared Tomahawk steaks, grilled veggies, and more after only 15 minutes of preheating.
Ooni has a good selection of tables and covers at a reasonable price. The body is well-insulated and durable. The clear-view glass on the door is significant because it allows you to keep an eye on the progress of your pizza without having to open the door, which lowers the temperature. The oven takes about 20 minutes to heat up after being ignited. The slow and steady strategy to getting to temperature pays off, but you could easily hit Ooni’s 15-minute goal by putting in additional wood.
What We Like About It
One of the first things that caught my attention about the Ooni Karu 16 was how simple it was to set up. It was a quick and problem-free process, and it came with an Allen key and a screwdriver, which were the only tools required for assembly. But the simplicity doesn’t stop there-operating the Ooni is also a breeze, and the essential instructions and YouTube videos helped alleviate any fears.
The expansive glass oven door on the Ooni Karu 16 multi-fuel pizza oven improves insulation and heat retention. After launching a pizza, we usually close the door for about 25 seconds, but it remains open for the rest of the cook because the pizza is turned every few seconds. However, after removing the stone-baked pizza, the door closes again to give it a better chance of heating up and being ready for the next pizza. If you want to use the wood-burning feature, you have to start a small fire in the back compartment, which has a removable lid that you can fill with wood chips, or whatever fuel you like.
Price
The Karu 16 is the most costly Ooni model to date, and its base price of $799 doesn’t include extras like a pizza peel, or cover, etc. When purchased through Ooni’s official online store, this price does include free shipping, a warranty that lasts for three years, and the option to take advantage of Ooni’s money-back guarantee that lasts for sixty days.
The Karu 16 can also be purchased from third-party stores, such as Amazon if you want to avoid making the purchase directly from Ooni. If you find that too pricey, the Frya 12 comes in at a much more reasonable price of $349. If you only need gas power, the Koda 16 may be had for $599.
Level-Up Your Pizza Oven
The Ooni Karu 16 is an excellent purchase to make if you want to take your ability to cook outside in the Yard Cave to the next level or if you are someone who enjoys making pizzas. Although it is a large pizza oven, it is easy to store because the legs fold up, and the chimney can be removed. When researching a pizza oven, the quality of the cooking was the aspect that stood out to me the most with the Ooni Karu 16, as this is the factor that is considered to be the most significant. The additional cost is not justified for people who are only interested in a simple pizza oven; however, if you are a foodie who intends to get a lot of use out of your new oven, then the Ooni Karu 16 is the ideal pizza oven for you.
Other Outdoor Pizza Oven Reviews
- Ooni Koda 16 Gas Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Ooni Karu 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Camp Chef Italia Artisan Pizza Oven
- ROCCBOX by Gozney Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Ooni Karu 12 Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Solo Stove Pi Pizza Oven
- Ooni Pro 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Ooni Frya 12 Wood Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven
2 thoughts on “Ooni Karu 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven Review”