In the matchup between the Roccbox pizza oven and the Ooni Koda 12 pizza oven, it is difficult to choose an exact winner. Both portable pizza ovens have their own individual strengths and weaknesses. There are trade-offs between the two products, and the one that you end up with will be more suited to your individual preferences in terms of cooking pizza. However, in regard to overall recommendation, the Ooni Koda came out slightly ahead.
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Roccbox vs Ooni: The Players
In this match off of Roccbox vs Ooni pizza oven, both manufacturers have impressive stories. Neither founder had the initial capital to put its products to market. Each had unique ideas and concepts to take pizza ovens to a new level. However, revenue was the only thing temporarily holding each company back from its vision.
Ooni
Founded in 2012 by Darina Garland and Kristian Tapaninaho, Ooni was birthed out of a desire to create an affordable and portable wood fired pizza oven. However, while the partners had an excellent concept, they didn’t yet have adequate funding.
After running a successful Kickstarter campaign, they received enough funding to produce the original Ooni design. Later, they launched the Ooni Pro after receiving funding through an Indiegogo campaign.
The Ooni Pro was the first oven to be used on a countertop. This Ooni oven could cook a 16 inch pizza using charcoal, gas, wood, or wood pellets for fuel.
Gozney
The Gozney Group that manufactures the Roccbox oven experienced a similar story to Ooni. It too, was founded in the U.K. and made use of crowdfunding to produce its product.
Founded by Tom Gozney, who is the founder and CEO of the company, established a Stone Bake Oven Company during 2010. His goal was to create high-end pizza ovens for hotel chains and restaurants.
It took four years using a grant from Virgin’s Pitch to Rich Initiative to fully develop. The actual construction of the pizza oven was funded from Indiegogo and backers.
Ooni vs Roccbox: The Product, The Similarities
Ooni Koda 12
This impressive pizza oven quickly heats up and cooks a pizza fast for your pizza night, whether you want a Neapolitan pizza or something more complex. One may expect that a meal cooked in such a brief duration may not be fully cooked, taste well, or have a few detriments. However, this is not the case with the Ooni Koda 12.
The Ooni Koda cooked pizzas very well, and thoroughly. Furthermore, the taste was amazing. The benefits of this oven are that it is portable, compact, and small. The largest challenge with this oven is managing temperature and rotating the pizza. New users find the gas regulator to be a bit temperamental, and a doesn’t have a built in thermometer and an infrared thermometer is not included.
Quality of Construction and Portability
The overall build is durable and well-constructed. The shell is a thick carbon steel insulated with ceramic. This ensures a superior heat retention. The under carriage is composed on stainless steel, making it equally durable.
The stone baking board is removable and made from ceramic. Since it’s thinner, you may have to handle it carefully, as it’s fragile.
Ooni Koda 12
The ultra-portable, compact pizza oven that heats up quickly and is easy to use.
Pros
Good price
Sturdy build
Ultra-light weight
Gas Burner built-in
Gets to 900 degrees in fast
Easy to set-up/assemble
Compact
Cons
Temperature can be tricky to manage
Roccbox Gas Fired Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
This multi-fuel pizza oven has two fuel options: gas and wood. Both are included in the base model, allowing it to have more versatility.
Quality of Construction and Portability
The Roccbox is constructed from high-grade 304 stainless steel and weighs 44 lbs. It is durable and folds easily into a compact design, making it very portable.
Gozney Roccbox
A very modern-looking oven with great insulation. This keeps the heat in and makes it safer to the touch on the outside. Has a built-in thermometer for keeping an eye on the internal temperature.
Pros
Easy to use
Good price
Great Insulation
Safer around children
Built-in thermometer
2 Color options
Comes with pizza peel
Cons
On the heavy side
The Winner
The winner, by a slim margin, is the Ooni Koda. While both products are durable and portable, the Ooni Koda packs down flatter, contains less “excess,” and it can fit easier into smaller spaces when not in use. It also weighs significantly less than the Roccbox.
Roccbox vs Ooni Pizza Oven Review: Differences
The designs between the two pizza ovens are different. The Koda enables you to put a larger pizza in it while the Roccbox cooks at higher temperatures.
Structure: Ooni Koda
The appearance of the Koda is very futuristic. It has a stylish and modern shape with round, smooth angles. It retained the conventional outdoor oven’s dome shape without using anything unnecessary. It doesn’t contain a chimney, and the front is open.
The matte black finish combined with the light grey opening make a sharp visual contrast.
The Koda is very light (20 lbs) and isn’t awkward to transport. This single device is easy to move as it doesn’t have any parts, and the three legs easily hold into themselves. Another benefit is that it fits perfectly in small spaces.
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Structure: Roccbox
Its design has a high dome shape with a good amount of insulation built in. The added insulation helps it retain heat much better, but it also makes it pretty heavy. Like the Koda, the legs fold up into the oven creating a smaller footprint.
The pizza oven in lined using calcium silicate. This allows the temperature to quickly rise reaching a maximum of 932° F in one minute. The outside is covered with a commercial grade silicone to offset any dangers from cooking at a high temperature.
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Other Differences
The Roccbox comes with a built-in thermometer and also includes a nice pizza peel.
The Winner
The winner of this round would be Roccbox. Even though the size of the pizza may be smaller, the heat retention makes it more efficient. So you can cook more pizzas in less time and still have a great tasting meal.
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The Winning Pizza Oven Overall
While it is difficult to pick a definitive winner, the pizza oven that comes out ahead would be the Ooni Koda 12. It is lightweight, portable, and compacts easily. Even though it may not cook in as high of a temperature compared to the Roccbox, the Roccbox only cooks at this high of a temperature in ideal conditions.
Ooni Koda is great if:
- You want a pizza oven that is ultra-portable, and you have small spaces.
- You are on a tighter budget.
Use the Roccbox if:
- You want to cook multiple pizzas in a small amount of time.
- You have little kids that are attracted to fire-breathing ovens and want a product that is safer.
FAQ’s
Can the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven be used inside?
No. Use only outdoors. This oven is comparable to a gas-fired grill and should never be used indoors.
Is the Ooni Koda 12 big enough?
The size of the Ooni Koda 12 allows it to be very portable and is big enough to cook a 12″ pizza. That being said, it is nice to have a little more room inside the oven. See our article comparing the Ooni Koda 12 vs Ooni Koda 16 .
Do you recommend an optional infrared thermometer and pizza peel?
We recommend getting this Infrared Thermometer that is made by Ooni so you know you can trust it. We can also recommend a variety of pizza peels.
Can the Koda pizza oven be left outside?
The Ooni Koda should not be left outside as it is not weatherproof. The carry cover that is sold separately would certainly help, but I personally still wouldn’t leave it outside. It’s small enough to carry and store that I would suggest keeping it inside.
How long does the Koda take to heat up?
It only takes 15 minutes to heat up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. You should check the temperature inside with an infrared thermometer to make sure it’s at the correct temperature.
Which table is the safest?
You can set the pizza oven on a folding table, but these ovens do get very hot. The chances of burning a plastic table are there so you may consider getting a dedicated table for your pizza oven. Ooni makes a small table and a large table for the different sizes of pizza ovens that they offer.
Can you use natural gas with the Koda?
No. The Ooni Koda should only be used with propane gas. You can use natural gas on the Ooni Koda 16, but only with the natural gas converter kit sold separately.
Can you use a small propane tank for an Ooni Koda?
Yes, you can use a 1 lb. propane tank. All you need is the proper propane gas tank adapter. If you plan on cooking a lot, you may need multiple gas tanks.
Can you use wood pellets in an Ooni Koda?
No. The Koda is not a multi-fuel pizza oven. You can only use propane as fuel for the Ooni Koda. If cooking with multiple fuel sources is important to you, check out our article Ooni Pro vs Ooni Koda 12.
What other things can you cook with this portable pizza oven?
Yes. You can cook a full menu beyond just pizza including steak, bread or even cookies. Of course you will need a griddle or cooking pan depending on what you are cooking.
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.
