Until I started researching the product, I had no idea there were this many choices of pizza ovens. Recently, I reviewed the Gozney Roccbox, which did a great job. However, it was during the research that I discovered another popular gas-powered portable pizza oven from Ooni Koda.
Since we are a pizza-loving family and are somewhat limited to going out and picking up one of our favorite restaurant pies, I grabbed the Ooni Koda pizza oven to do a comparison. Here’s what I found out.
About the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven
The Ooni Koda delivers pizzas in a minute. There is no assembly required straight from the box. The gas-tank can also cook other things like fish, meat, and vegetables.
It’s important to note that the Ooni Koda is not compatible with natural gas. The oven works with a large propane tank — (the kind you use with your BBQ grill). This oven also works with the one-pound propane tanks you can grab at a convenience store — but you will need to have an adapter.
Ooni’s designs are unique — the Koda resembles a cool looking drone or small flying saucer, so it’s got the awe-factor working for it. I particularly like the matte black powder-coated steel shell with silver trim (classy) as well as the aerodynamic feel.
What’s Different?
One of the biggest differences compared to the Gozney Roccbox is that the Ooni Koda has a much lower price — nearly $150 less. However, the Roccbox does come with a couple of unique pizza tools.
Another difference is the weight and portability. The Ooni Koda is much easier to carry around, lift, and work with, as it only weighs 20 pounds.
Pros and Cons
There are many pros about the Ooni Koda pizza oven. The oven heats up so quickly to its top cooking temperature of 932 degrees and cooks your pizza in only 60 seconds. Another positive is that there is nothing that needs to be assembled — it looks great and is highly portable — right now!
However, the cooking part was a bit tricky and took some time to master, especially at such high heat. It was also a little difficult to rotate the pizza to cook evenly.
After a few tries, the pizzas came out just like we wanted. I tried cooking other items in the oven, too — like steak and corn. Again — it took a few attempts but it worked well after that. I realized that the ability to cook a variety of menus and the portability — made this ideal for taking on camping trips. A big help was adding their infrared thermometer for $20.
The Ooni Koda didn’t have a protective silicon cover like the Gozney, which made me feel more comfortable having the kids near it. Also, the appliance is not fully weatherproof so it’s important to remember to bring the oven indoors to clean and store when not in use.
In the Box
The Ooni Koda gas-powered pizza oven also comes with a stone baking board, manual, Ooni Essentials Guide with tips and recipes, and propane tank gas regulator and hose. There is also a three-year warranty.
Where to Buy
The pizza oven is available from the Ooni Koda website along with its other pizza oven models for $329 along with free delivery. Williams-Sonoma also has this model in their stores and on its website.
Overall Thoughts
Although the Ooni Koda portable pizza oven is still not the lowest-priced portable pizza oven, it is still a good value and more in the targeted price point range for a special cooking appliance.
If I had tried this oven first — I would have chosen The Ooni Koda over the Gozney Roccbox. The Ooni Koda is so much more lightweight and easy to take with us whether that is to the backyard, park, campsite, or beach.
However, I did purchase the pizza peel, thermometer, and a cover as beneficial accessories to have — which then pushed the price up closer to the Gozney.
