Is bigger better or is less more? Find out as we stack these two beautiful ovens side by side.
When it launched in 2019, the Ooni Koda 12 was a great success. With a stylish, sleek, clean lined design, this Ooni pizza oven looks incredible in any setting. Since it is powered by gas, it reaches an optimal temperature of 932°F in 15 minutes. One year later, a modified Ooni pizza oven, the Koda 16, was launched. This Ooni Koda pizza oven was a similar design on a bigger scale. While they look similar, are there differences between the Ooni Koda 12 and 16?
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How Easy Is It to Move and Store?
In terms of weight and size, there is a marked difference. The Ooni Koda 16 is significantly larger. This larger model impacts the portability of the pizza oven as well making it heavier over the Ooni Koda.
Ooni Koda 12
At 20 lbs, the Koda 12 is a more portable oven. This Ooni oven is big enough to cook a 12” pizza but contains a small enough footprint to store in small spaces or to be easily compact. In fact, it is so small that it can fit into the trunk of a small car with minimal effort.
Since this Ooni Koda oven doesn’t contain a chimney, the model is the smallest in the Ooni series of ovens.
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Ooni Koda 12
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Ooni Koda 16
Weighing 40 lbs, the Koda 16 is double the weight of the Koda 12 and larger in size. It can cook a 16”, delicious pizza, whether you want a Neapolitan style pizza or a margherita pizza. Even though it is classified as portable, it is not as light or as easy to maneuver as the Koda 12.
Storing the Koda 16, since it is larger, would require more room. Yet even though more room is needed, it still has the same design, so it packs up in the same fashion.
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Ooni Koda 16
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Burner and Temperature Control
Another difference is the location of the ignition/gas burner and the temperature controls. However, the one thing that both ovens do have in common is the cordierite stones, which absorb moisture, creating a crispy crust and helping to evenly cook the pizzas.
Ooni Koda 12
This model has the temperature control and ignition at the rear of the oven. The burners are also lined up linear along the back. In terms of heating the stones, this smaller model just needs 15 minutes to cook your homemade pizza dough into an amazing pizza.
Ooni Koda 16
The Koda 16 has the control and ignition to the side of the pizza oven. The burners are in an L-shape on the back of the oven and on the side. Since the Koda 16 is larger, the burners need to heat the larger stone at higher temperatures in the same amount of time.
The location plays an integral part in the rotation of the pizza. The Koda 12 needs the pizzas to be rotated every 15-20 seconds to avoid burning, whereas the Koda 16 needs less frequent turning (every 30 seconds).
Which One is Better?
If you are curious about which model makes the best pizza, the answer is they both do. The only difference between the two models is the size of the pizza. The Koda 12 will only cook a 12” pizza whereas the Koda 16 bakes a 16 inch pizza.
While both models cook a pizza very well, the Koda 16 has more room to turn and maneuver the pizza. This means that it is better designed for a person who is new to using their own pizza oven.
Since the opening is larger, it is easier to view your pizza while it is cooking. Even though the temperature is quite high, the flames reaching the top of the pizza are lesser. This means that there is less of a chance of charring the top of the pizza accidentally.
The Winner Is …
Hard to determine, since the main differences between the two boil down to size. A better question to ask is whether, in this case, size makes a difference in a pizza oven. The answer to this is yes … and no.
Size makes a difference if you are a novice. The Koda 16, due to its larger size, is more forgiving for a novice just learning to make the perfect pizza using an oven. There is more room to move the pizza in the opening, and you can watch it more closely.
The flames don’t reach the top in quite the same way as the smaller model. This means that there is less of a likelihood that you will ruin your pizza while learning. Also, there is less rotation time, so there is less of an interval in between turning the pizza. You are better able to tweak this area as opposed to an oven that requires you to be more diligent.
Both models are compact. The foldable legs collapse down into the oven for quick transport. They are both fueled by gas, which means the temperature control and speed reach high temperatures quickly, allowing your food to be cooked in 90 seconds. Since they are small, you can easily store them in an apartment, tiny home, or in small spaces.
Yet, this is where the similarities end. While they are both portable and collapse easily, the Koda 16 has a larger footprint and is twice the weight. You may not be able to maneuver it as easily as the Koda 12, and it will take up more room.
Choose the Koda 12 if you:
- Don’t mind a smaller pizza size
- You appreciate the quick rotation in terms of cooking
- Need a pizza oven that can store in a small place, or you have a smaller location
Choose the Koda 16 if:
- You want to do larger pizzas
- Are newer to using pizza ovens, as the space is more forgiving
- Want a pizza oven that has burners that create more heat to the oven’s front area (pizzas need less turning to obtain the same cook)
The biggest difference between the two models comes down to size and the burners. People like the Koda 12 because it’s smaller and can store easier. Others like the Koda 16 because of the oven space and the fact that the temperatures reach the front of the oven. Which one you choose depends on you. Both are excellent ovens.
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Ooni Koda 12
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Ooni Koda 16
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Want to get even more out of your Ooni Koda? Check out some of our other articles below
Hey there, I’m Greg Palmer, and I’m thrilled to share my story with you. Together with my brother Tim, I run the website GoodLifePizzaOvens.com, and it’s been quite the journey!
Our roots run deep in a beautiful countryside where we spent our childhood surrounded by nature’s wonders. Those were the days of horseback rides, fixing fences, rounding up cattle, and the never-ending quest to catch chipmunks raiding the grain barrel. But among all the adventures, that one special summer stands out, etched in our hearts forever—a time we both cherish dearly.
