Ooni Koda Review

The Ooni Koda is a gas powered pizza oven that i’ve been using for some time now. Its designed to cook homemade Neapolitan pizza in as little as 90 seconds. It reaches temperatures of over 800°F, allowing you to have the best pizza with the ease of portability. 

It has many unique features to help you produce the best tasting pizza. The L-Shaped Burner, means that it reaches temperature quicker than other ovens. It also means you have to turn it less. 

Ooni Koda Unboxing Video

Its also not just a pizza….

You can cook almost anything in the Ooni Koda, including steaks, fajitas, roasted vegetables and even bread. This is thanks to you being able to control the temperature and reduce the flame. 

If you’re looking for a gas powered pizza oven, the Ooni Koda 16 is the very best you can get!

Is the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven worth the money and is it actually any good? 

I’ve been using the Koda 16 for a few months now and wanted to give it a good go before writing this review. 

One of the great things about the Ooni Koda 16 is that it will heat up in just 15-20 minutes. The pizzas I’ve made with it have been perfectly crispy in just 60-90 seconds. 

So if you’re looking to make your own Neapolitan pizza in just a few minutes, the Ooni Koda 16 is what I’d recommend. 

In this review I’m going to share;

• My honest thoughts on the Ooni Koda 16
• How easy it is to set up
• How my first few cooks went
• Some key features 
• What I liked and didn’t like about it

I’ve also answered some of the most common questions that I had when I first got it. 

So, let’s get on with the review…

First Impressions of The Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

I’ve been using the Ooni Fyra for some time now and it’s a great pizza oven. I love making pizzas with wood and will continue to use it. 

I did however want to invest in a gas pizza oven. Since I’ve had such a good experience with Ooni, I decided to get the Koda. 

Now like I said, there is nothing wrong with wood and I’ll continue using it. I just decided to get gas because; 

• I wanted a bigger pizza oven
• You can just light it and watch it go (no need to add wood)
• It’s great for cooking other things

I wasn’t prepared for just how big the box was, it was huge! I couldn’t wait to get the box opened, unpacked and my first pizza going. 

One of the things that really impresses me with Ooni is how much effort and care they put into packing the products. 

The Ooni Koda pizza oven is available in both 12 inch and 16 inch. The Koda 16 is less portable than the 12, so if you’re looking for something that you can easily move around then id go for the 12. 

It comes with a gas attachment that fits a propane tank. The quality of the Koda is amazing and is worth every penny. 

Setting Up The Ooni Koda

One of the great things about the Ooni Koda 16 (and the 12), is just how easy it is to set up. You can have it running in just a couple of minutes. It really is that easy! 

All I had to do was take it out the box, open up the three legs and then attach the gas. Job done!

I couldn’t believe that it was so easy to set up. No having to follow instructions and not a single bit of building! 

All that was left was to let it burn for 30 minutes and then to cool down and I was good to go to make my first Neapolitan pizza. 

Cooking My First Pizza On The Ooni Koda

Cooking on the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven is incredibly simple and takes no time at all. I love the fact that you simply put the flame on, wait for the oven to get to temperature and then launch the pizza. 

No having to continue adding fuel.

As I said I do still love my wood fired pizza oven and I still use it. However for quickness and ease, gas is the way to go. 

The only thing you do need to be careful, is just how quick it is to cook the pizza. 

I put my first pizza in, I stuck with a simple pepperoni and within about 20 seconds I needed to rotate. The pizza was done in just under 90 seconds. Taking your eye off it for a minute can be the difference between a well cooked pizza and disaster. 

One of the things I love about the Ooni Koda is that there is no door. This does make it harder to get to temperature if it’s a windy day. 

But it’s so nice being able to properly see the pizza cooking, helping you to know exactly when to turn it. (Plus there’s something satisfying about watching the pepperoni curl up) 

What Else Can You Cook On The Ooni Koda 16?

Pizza is not the only thing you can cook on the Ooni Koda 16. 

The great thing about the Koda is that you can control the temperature. This means you can pretty much cook anything you want. 

Below are just a few of the amazing things you could cook. 

• Steak (My personal favourite)
• Fajitas
• Roasted Vegetables
• Fish 
• Slow Cooked Meats
• Potatoes
• Stews & Casseroles
• Many, many more

L-Shaped Burner

One thing that makes the Ooni Koda 16 unique compared to other models and other pizza ovens is the L-shaped burner.

Most ovens just have a burner on the back, the Koda does also have one on the left hand side. This extra burner helps it reach temperature quicker whilst also providing a even bake to the pizza. 

Its important to still rotate the pizza, although since its cooking on two sides you do not need to turn it as many times. You will need to turn it quicker, since it does get hotter than other ovens. 

Heat Distribution Points

With the L-Shaped burner, this does mean that there are certain areas in the oven that are hotter than others. 

For example the top right closest to the flames is much hotter than bottom right near the opening. This is because it’s more exposed to the cold air and further away from the flame. 

The middle of the oven is normally the best place for the pizza. 

It’s just a good idea to understand these heat points, as you might want to place different foods in certain areas depending on how quickly or slowly you want them to cook. 

You might want steak to cook quickly so move it closer to the flame. However chicken should cook slower, so you might put this further away. 

Temperature Control

As already mentioned, one of the great things about the Koda 16 is the ability to adjust the temperature. 

This allows you to reduce the flame, so you can cook things at a much lower temperature. Perfect for if you want to cook slow cooked meats, chicken or other things that can just burn with a temperature that’s too high.

This makes outdoor cooking even more fun and a lot easier! 

Ooni Koda Specifications

Portability

Depending on how portable you want your pizza oven to be, would determine which one is best. Naturally the 16 inch is bigger and does weigh 18kg, so you might not want to be moving it around too much. (Although compared to many, its still very light). 

If its something you plan to move around alot or take on camping trips, the 12 inch might be more suitable. This is less than 10kg, you just have to bear in mind you’ll need to also carry the gas bottle. 

Ooni Koda 16 Vs Ooni Fyra (and other wood-fired ovens)

Lets get to the point and probably what you are more interested in…

The fact is the Koda 16 can make just as good pizza as a wood-fired oven….

Wood-fired is great as there’s something special about it. (makes me feel like a proper hunter/gatherer) 

There’s also something nice about the smell of wood burning. 

Generally the pizzas do however taste the same. I know some people will be screaming at that statement. 

I’ve used both and still do, the flavour of both is just as good as each other. 

Both the wood and gas pizza ovens do reach the same temperature. Although gas does heat up quicker and is probably a little bit cheaper in fuel. 

Plus if I had a choice between the Koda 16 and one of those clay wood fired ovens, the Ooni Koda would win every time. It’s so much cheaper but you can also use it anywhere thanks to its portability. 

Ooni Koda 16 Vs 12

When I was looking to buy the Ooni Koda, I was debating for a while about which one to get. 

Do I get the 16 inch or the 12 inch?

I already have the Ooni Fyra which is 12 inches, so that was one of the reasons why I went for the 16. 

The other reason is because I wanted to be able to cook more things at the same time. With the 16, I can get steak, potatoes and vegetables in at the same time. 

Although it does depend on your circumstances. 

If you’re on more of a budget and/or you want something lighter and more portable than you might want to go for the Ooni Koda 12. 

The pizzas you can cook are just as good, although since it doesn’t have the L-Shaped burners you do need to turn it more and it will take a little longer to heat up. 

So it really boils down to a few things; 

• Are you on a budget? Get the 12
• Money not an issue? Get the 16
• Need it to be portable? Get the 12
• Not going to be moving it much? Get the 16
• Want to cook more things? Get the 16
• Just want to make nice pizza? Get the 12 or the 16

What I Like & What I Don’t Like

FAQ

Does The Ooni Koda Get Hot Underneath?

Yes, the Ooni Koda can get hot underneath. It heats up to over 900 degrees Fahrenheit. So the sides, top and bottom do get very hot. The Koda does keep itself off the ground with 3 steel legs, these do remain cold. You should never move the pizza oven, whilst on or very hot. 

Can you leave Ooni Koda outside?

Yes you can leave the Ooni Koda outside, I do it all year long. Its important to keep it protected from the rain, so I use a rain cover. If you do get very cold weather then you might want to move inside or at least the pizza stone, so it doesn’t absorb too much moisture. 

How long does it take for the Ooni Koda to heat up?

The Ooni Koda 16 only takes 15-20 minutes to heat up. This might vary if it’s a very cold or windy day.

It will take a good couple of hours for it to completely cool down once it reaches its highest temperature. 

My Final Thoughts On The Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

I’ve been using the Ooni Koda 16 for a few months now and I’m more than impressed with it. If you’re looking for a gas pizza oven, I would recommend this one. 

I was shocked at how quickly it was to set up and had my first pizza out in no time at all. One of the things I love is the fact that you can get your second pizza going almost right away, you don’t need to wait for the oven to reheat like wood ones. 

Perhaps not as easy to move around as the 12, but since I now have lots of space to cook other things such as steak. It’s worth it! 

No matter how much space you have (or dont have). With The Ooni Koda 16/12, you can have homemade pizza in less than 90 seconds!