If pizza is your specialty – but you’re still using that regular old oven – it’s probably time that you upped your game!
However, you may be wondering which is the better pizza oven by Ooni: gas or wood?
Don’t worry – we’re here to guide you through this difficult decision! In this article, we’ll go over the pros and cons of each, including factors such as:
- Taste
- Temperature control and cooking time
- Ease, convenience, and price
- Our top recommendations.
Let’s get cooking!
Ooni Gas vs. Wood Pizza Ovens: What’s The Difference?
Ooni is a world-renowned brand that is tried and trusted by at-home pizza makers. They offer a diverse range of pizza ovens with different fuel sources that include gas or wood.
Both gas and wood variations are wonderful appliances, but there are differences between them that should be considered before jumping into a purchase.
So, Which Tastes Best?
Most foodies, myself included, would vote that wood-fired pizza is far superior to any other due to the smoky and charred flavor it creates.
However, others would argue the opposite – and for good reason. For example, if you are cooking for children, they may be of the latter opinion!
Cooking with gas also makes for a cleaner taste that is perhaps more reminiscent of fast food styles you’ll find at Domino’s or Pizza Hut.
Temperature Control
Temperature control is a difficult task for chefs with little practice cooking with fire. It takes experience and patience to learn how to perfectly ventilate the flame using the built-in vents.
Once this is mastered, heat and smoke levels can then be appropriately managed. If these aren’t properly managed, the results can be messy!
At first, you might end up with a few pizzas that are overly smoky or charred to a crisp. However, some chefs will enjoy the challenge and find success to be a great and tasty reward!
Gas: More precise temperature control
Cooking with a gas-fuelled Ooni oven is just like cooking with a gas stove. Adjust the temperature instantly as required, and you don’t even need to worry about smoke levels!
If you are not the most confident cook and want to achieve great results immediately, I would recommend a gas-fuelled Ooni oven to begin with.
This way, you can avoid the fuss of learning how to deal with fire and instead focus on dough and flavor creation.
Wood: Temperature fluctuations due to fire management.
Temperatures can be extremely hard to manage when using a wood-fuelled pizza oven, particularly if you are new to the art.
A common problem is that pizza can begin to burn too quickly due to high temperatures before the ingredients have had time to properly cook through.
Fluctuations in temperature are generally the cause of this, which can be unpredictable and difficult to correct.
But with any art, practice makes perfect! Once you have learned to manage your flame effectively, you will even be able to slow-cook your pizza to achieve that tender yet crispy result that we all desire.
Cooking Time
Another question you’ll have on your mind when considering which pizza oven to choose is: how long will my pizza take to cook?
With a gas oven, this is a straightforward question. Pizza can cook through in about 60-90 seconds if the pizza oven is thoroughly pre-heated and heat has spread evenly throughout the oven.
But the thing about gas is that you can control the temperature to cook the pizza at any temperature and speed you wish.
This gives you the greatest control over the entire cooking process and the levels of crispiness, caramelization, and flavor.
Gas: Faster preheating and consistent cooking time
If you like to get the job done quickly, you won’t want to be messing about with fire. Gas is the way to go if timing is important to you.
With gas, you can have the pizza oven heated up within minutes!
Wood: Longer preheating and cooking time.
Ooni wood-fire ovens can take around 20 minutes to heat up. This is no issue if you adore that smoky taste. However, if it doesn’t make much of a difference for you, then it’s not worth the wait.
Ooni wood-fired pizza ovens don’t always take a long time to cook your pizza; in fact, they can cook them way too quickly at times!
The key is to learn how to manage your fire and gain control over temperature and cooking time. Once you have, you can cook your pizza as slow or as fast as you desire.
Ease and Convenience
Ooni pizza ovens are all relatively easy and convenient to use, compared to other more outdated or traditional designs.
But within their wide range, there are more convenient designs that may be better suited to your cooking style.
Gas: Easier to use, no need to handle wood.
Gas is a super convenient fuel source as it requires no extra preparation aside from refilling the tank.
It also makes no mess to be cleaned after the cooking is finished, which is a huge plus for those of us who love cooking but despise cleaning!
Wood: Requires more effort to manage fire and wood.
Ooni wood fires are pellet-fed, meaning you can purchase purpose-made pellets at the store to build the fire with.
The fire is also contained in a small and convenient tray which is the perfect chamber for ignition and can be cleaned quite easily.
Some people really enjoy this aspect of the process as it builds a sense of connection with the natural element of fire that’s being used to cook your food. For others, it’s just an additional unwanted hassle that adds more stress to the day.
Price
Ooni have taken into account the extra cost that will be spent on wooden pellets to fuel your wood-fired oven – not to mention the fact that people generally opt for the ease of gas.
For these reasons, you’ll find that Ooni’s gas-fuelled pizza ovens are more expensive.
Our Recommendations for Ooni Gas Pizza Ovens
Affordable: Ooni Koda 12 Gas Pizza Oven
- 60 SECOND PIZZA – Reaching temperatures of up to a massive 950°F – twice that of a normal domestic oven! – The Koda 12 outdoor pizza oven will be ready to go in 15 minutes and can cook authentic stone baked pizza in just 60 seconds – Giving you more time to sit back, relax and enjoy great pizzas!
The Ooni Koda 12 Gas Pizza Oven is an affordable and perfectly practical oven for smaller pizzas of 12” or less.
It weighs only 20.4 lbs, making it a suitable cooker to transport to the beach or on your next family camping trip.
Mid-category: Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
- MULTI-FUEL – Fire up with wood or charcoal right out of the box for a subtle wood-fired taste, or use gas with the Ooni Gas Burner – sold separately – for maximum flexibility in cooking experiences.
If you can’t decide between gas or wood-fuelled – not to worry!
The Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven swings both ways so that you can decide in the moment whether you want the simplicity of gas or the taste of woodfire.
You can make pizzas up to 16” on this larger stone, as well as a variety of other foods! You can also cook bread, meats, and vegetables in the Ooni Pro 16 oven.
Premium: Ooni Karu 16 Gas and Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
- MULTI-FUEL – Fire up with wood or charcoal right out of the box for a subtle wood-fired taste, or use gas with the Ooni Gas Burner – sold separately – for maximum flexibility in cooking experiences.
With its unique recommendation for domestic use by the Verace Pizza Napoletana – the ultimate authority on pizza-making – this oven is a clear winner.
Though it comes with a hefty price tag, the Ooni Karu 16 Gas and Wood-Fire Pizza Oven is a thing of beauty. Once you’ve tasted your first mouthful of home-cooked, restaurant-quality pizza, you won’t look back!
This oven reaches 950 °F in just 15 minutes, and with its 16” stone you’ll be making pizzas galore! Plus, it includes the new feature of a hinged glass frontage through which you can watch your creation come to life.
Our Recommendations for Ooni Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens
Affordable: Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
The Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven heats up to 500 degrees Celsius in 15 minutes and cooks pizza in an astounding 60 seconds! This is due to its fuel source: purpose-made wood pellets.
This oven weighs only 10kg and has foldable legs – perfect for transporting to the beach or on the road.
Mid-category: Ooni Koda 16 Wood and Gas Pizza Oven
This is another multi-fuel source oven that works wonderfully to create that smokey flavor from a wood fire or for a quick midweek dinner using gas.
The 16” stone provides ample cooking area for not just pizza, but anything else you’d like to infuse with that fresh, stone-baked flavor.
Premium: Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
The Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven is versatile, practical, and produces deliciously good pizzas in no time at all.
This is a large oven – not exactly suitable for taking on the road – but perfect as a feature fixture in your garden or on the patio.
Benefits of Using Gas in Ooni Pizza Ovens
Faster Preheating
Ooni gas pizza ovens are excellent for midweek dinners when time is limited. They heat up in 15-20 minutes, at which point you can cook pizzas as quickly as you like.
Precise Temperature Control
Gas allows for ultimate control over temperature – and therefore ultimate control over how you cook your pizza!
You can create pizzas precisely to your liking using gas, while wood-fueled cooking does not always achieve desired results.
Clean And Convenient Fuel Source
Wood fires create unavoidable messes of ash and cinders. This must be disposed of and cleaned, which inevitably spreads clouds of ash all over the patio.
Cooking with gas means that you avoid this chore and have minimal cleanup to complete after cooking.
Benefits Of Using Wood In Ooni Pizza Ovens
Smokey And Authentic Flavor
That smokey flavor that I personally adore in pizza can only be achieved using a wood-fuelled oven.
When the right amount of smoke infuses the pizza and the crust gains that charred coloration, nothing can quite compare.
Traditional Cooking Method
Pizza is traditionally wood-fired, so there’s no doubt that Ooni wood-fuelled ovens create a more authentic taste than can be achieved using gas!
No Dependency On Gas Or Electricity
With a wood-fuelled oven, you can let go of any reliance on gas or electricity.
You’ll connect with your fuel source directly by going out into the forest and collecting materials to cook your food with!
Conclusion
There is no definite winner here. Both Ooni gas and wood-fuelled pizza ovens are excellent for producing delicious pizzas quickly, efficiently, and with great ease.
It’s up to you whether you prefer the ultimate ease of gas or the smoky flavor that can only be gained using a wood fire!
FAQs
How do I choose the best Ooni Pizza Oven for my needs?
Think carefully about how the pros and cons of each will work for you, considering your daily life and routine.
After a busy day, do you need the ease of gas for midweek dinners? Or are you a keen chef who would relish the challenge of cooking with fire and savor that smokey, traditional flavor?
Are there any safety precautions to keep in mind when using an Ooni Pizza Oven?
For both Ooni gas and wood-fired ovens, there are a set of safety precautions that must be followed.
Read the specific instructions included with each Ooni oven, as precautions differ from oven to oven.
What type of fuel should I use in an Ooni Pizza Oven?
The answer to this question depends on the type of Ooni oven you purchase. Read the instructions for your Ooni oven carefully before fuelling it.
How long does it take for an Ooni Pizza Oven to heat up?
This depends on which type of Ooni pizza oven you purchase. However, in general, these ovens take around 15-20 minutes to heat up to maximum heat. Once they have reached maximum heat, then it’s time to get cooking!
How do I clean my Ooni Pizza Oven?
It is the pizza stone of your Ooni pizza oven that will collect the most grease and grime during the cooking process.
This can be removed and run under hot water. Chemical cleaning products should not be required, but a brush may be needed to gently scrub off any stubborn dirt.
Are Ooni Pizza Ovens safe for outdoor use?
Ooni pizza ovens should only be used outdoors.
They may be used in roofed patio areas that are perfectly well-ventilated, but be aware of the potential damage that could be caused to the roof due to smoke escaping from the chimney. Read your Ooni oven’s specific instructions for further detail.
As someone from Long Island, New York, Thomas knows what it takes to make a good pizza. He understands that it’s a combination of high-quality ingredients, well-rounded pizza ovens, and a little bit of love. From the dough of a Neapolitan-style pizza to the wood that powers a wood-fired pizza oven, he has you covered. Thomas’ love of pizza is what got him here and he hopes that you’ll enjoy pizza as much as he does soon.
