When cooking pizzas at home, it can be difficult to gain restaurant-level quality without a pizza oven. Pizza ovens are designed to reach the high temperatures needed to achieve the classic mottled, leopard-spotted crust and bubbling toppings, with domestic models now able to reach over 400C \u2013 much higher than your standard kitchen oven.<\/p>\n
Ooni and Gozney are two of the biggest names in the world of pizza ovens. Both brands can be credited with the rise in popularity of at-home pizza-making in recent years. The trend gained popularity in 2020, likely due to lockdown, but is showing no sign of slowing down with pizza parties taking over from summer barbecues.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t decide between the different styles of the two brands, it can be hard to know which would better suit your needs \u2014 both have models at a variety of price points and all the models we\u2019ve tested have been high quality.<\/p>\n
Our experts have tested a range of Ooni and Gozney pizza ovens using olive recipes<\/a>. Read on to find the right pizza oven for you.<\/p>\n Jump to:<\/strong><\/p>\n Tom Gozney first launched the pizza oven company in his own name in 2010. After starting with building a pizza oven in his own back garden, Gozney now makes pizza ovens for both commercial kitchens and for homes.<\/p>\n The two main domestic models of Gozney pizza ovens available in the UK are the Dome<\/a> and Roccbox<\/a>. The Dome is a large, professional-scale pizza oven which isn\u2019t portable, and sold out in under eight hours when it first launched.<\/p>\n The Roccbox is Gozney\u2019s answer to the portable pizza oven, with high quality design. The model is multi-fuel so you can use either wood or gas.<\/p>\n Ooni was launched in 2012 when husband-and-wife team Kristian Tapaninaho and Darina Garland found that their domestic oven wasn\u2019t hot enough to keep up with their hobby of pizza-making.<\/p>\n Noticing a gap in the market, the company launched the first portable pizza oven of its kind which could be used in a domestic setting to reach temperatures of over 400C. Since the original launch Ooni has made a number of different models, including gas-powered or multi-fuel options where you can use wood, charcoal or gas.<\/p>\n We tested the pizza ovens for the following criteria:<\/p>\n There are also a number of other factors to consider when deciding which pizza oven might be right for you.<\/p>\n Size<\/strong>: Depending on the outdoor space or garden you have, size is important to consider when purchasing a pizza oven. Some come with stands or have stands which you can buy as an accessory, while others will need a sturdy table to rest on. You don\u2019t have to have a large garden to have a pizza oven \u2014 some are compact enough that a well-ventilated balcony will suffice. There are also models, like the Ooni Volt 12<\/a>, that can be used indoors \u2013 although it\u2019s worth noting that we found this model needed a lot of ventilation to avoid the smoke detectors being set off.<\/p>\n Weight<\/strong>: Weight is an important factor to consider if you\u2019re interested in a portable pizza oven (like the Gozney Roccbox<\/a> or one of the Ooni models). Depending on where you\u2019re planning to take your pizza oven you might have to carry it for considerable distances, for example if you\u2019re heading to the beach.<\/p>\n Fuel type<\/strong>: Some pizza ovens run off gas and need to be connected to a canister, like the Koda 16<\/a> and Koda 12<\/a> from Ooni. Others are wood-fired which bring an authentic flavour to the pizzas such as the new Ooni Fyra 12<\/a> which uses wood pellets or the Gozney Dome<\/a> which uses logs or kindling. Indoor pizza ovens, like the Volt 12<\/a> from Ooni, are electric and will need to be plugged in. There are also multi-fuel options which offer maximum versatility and can be used with gas or wood to achieve the cooking result you want.<\/p>\n Price<\/strong>: Pizza ovens are complicated pieces of kit requiring a lot of different parts, and for the most part their prices reflect that. The most affordable option from Ooni is \u00a3314, with the Volt 12<\/a> being the most expensive model at \u00a3799. For Gozney, the least expensive option is the Roccbox<\/a> at \u00a3399, while the Dome<\/a> is a much more premium option and will set you back \u00a31,799. It\u2019s also important to consider that there are some accessories you often you need to buy separately from the original machine.<\/p>\n Aesthetic<\/strong>: Both brands make sleek, stylish pizza ovens. It\u2019s important to buy a cover if you\u2019re planning to leave your pizza oven outside for extended periods of time, and many of the portable models will benefit from being brought under cover for the colder months. The Gozney Dome<\/a> has a fairly different aesthetic from the other Gozney and Ooni models. It comes in a choice of cream or green, with an attractive storage section to keep kindling and small logs.<\/p>\n Pizza size<\/strong>: The size of the pizza stone inside the oven will determine the size of pizzas you\u2019re able to cook. Some are large enough that you might be able to cook two small pizzas at once, while others will have enough height that you can use your oven to cook other things, for example to roast a spatchcock chicken<\/a>. The ovens with the largest pizza stones are the Karu 16<\/a> from Ooni and the Gozney Dome<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gozney is well known for its premium quality pizza ovens. There are technically four models domestically available, the Roccbox, Dome, Master<\/a> and Core<\/a>. However, as both the Master and Core are only available by request and need to be built into a garden \u2013 we haven\u2019t tested them or included them here.<\/p>\n The Roccbox is Gozney\u2019s domestic sibling to its professional pizza ovens used in the hospitality industry. The portable model boasts the high quality build that you would hope for from a machine costing nearly \u00a3400. Every element feels thoughtfully constructed, with the elegant machine being easy to assemble right out of the box.<\/p>\n It has dual-fuel capacity, and when we tested it using gas it heated up in a quick 20 minutes and was ready to use. Even if you\u2019re not a well-practised dough slinger you\u2019ll likely be able to produce a professional quality pizza with the Roccbox. It comes with a pizza paddle which is essential for inserting and removing things from the oven safely.<\/p>\n This oven only has room for a single pizza, but we found that every time they were cooked to perfection in under two minutes, so you can do a quick turnaround if catering for a crowd. If you\u2019re planning on using the oven regularly we\u2019d recommend buying the protective cover<\/a> so you can leave it outside all summer long.<\/p>\n Buy the Roccbox for \u00a3399 at Gozney<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Gozney Dome is the feather in the cap of Gozney\u2019s range of pizza ovens. When it first went on sale it sold out in under eight hours and, despite other models being released since, its popularity has hardly waned. There\u2019s no getting around the fact that this is a big investment, especially compared to other models covered here. But for your \u00a31,799, you essentially get a professional-grade pizza oven in miniature, with dual-fuel options and immense cooking precision thanks to internal thermometers.<\/p>\n It might be professional grade, but we found you don\u2019t need professional-grade pizza skills to make use of the Gozney Dome. The wide mouth means you aren\u2019t hampered by the precision which is needed with many domestic ovens \u2014 on test we found it really easy to get pizzas in and out. There is room for two small pizzas, although we found that since they cook speedily in under two minutes it\u2019s easier to cook one at a time and devote your attention to the single pizza.<\/p>\n We also really like the versatility of this pizza oven. The size meant we were able to cook a rib of beef and some whole charred aubergines, both of which came out well.\u00a0It would also be able to fit a whole roasted fish or spatchcocked chicken, plus you can buy the specially designed rope sealed door<\/a> which turns the Dome into a bread oven and slow roaster. If you\u2019re looking for inspiration, check out the guide to what you can cook in your pizza oven<\/a> from our friends at bbcgoodfood.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n Buy the Gozney Dome for \u00a31,799 at Gozney<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Ooni now has seven pizza ovens in its range. Most of the ovens have the same powder-coated steel with three metal legs which fold out from the base. The exception to this is the Volt 12 which sits directly on your table or surface. Any Ooni ovens which are multi-fuel or are purely wood-fired have the eye-catching steel chimney.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also a wide range of Ooni pizza oven accessories<\/a> available depending on how prepared you want to be as a pizza chef. This includes the paddle which you\u2019ll need, but you can also buy fuel, cooking tools, thermometers and more.<\/p>\n This pizza oven was released in 2022 and has an impressive versatility with the ability to cook using wood, charcoal or gas. It is larger than many other Ooni ovens with the ability to fit a 16\u201d pizza. On test, we were impressed by how easy it was to assemble and operate and we liked that the glass door meant we could check on how the pizza was cooking without losing heat by opening the door.<\/p>\n A great option if you\u2019re cooking for a crowd, we found the Karu 16 was extremely quick cooking our pizza in under a minute. We enjoyed the pizza which had a fluffy crust with the tell-tale charred spots you can only achieve in a pizza oven.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Karu 16 for \u00a3699 at Ooni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Karu 12 is the same model as the Karu 16, but more compact with room for a 12\u201d pizza. This not only means it\u2019s convenient to store when not being used, but it could also be a good option if you\u2019ve got limited outdoor space but still want to cook your own pizzas. Just make sure that any outdoor space where you\u2019re cooking is well ventilated.<\/p>\n Unlike the Karu 16, this pizza oven doesn\u2019t have a door, but rather just an opening where you can move pizzas in and out.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Karu 12 for \u00a3299 at Ooni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Karu 12G is an upgraded model of the Ooni Karu 12. There are a few differences between the two, with the Karu 12G being slightly larger and heavier than the older model. Ooni defines the main difference between the two as energy efficiency \u2014 the new model requires 1.1kg of fuel to cook 10 pizzas, while the original Karu 12 needs 1.5kg to cook the same number.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Karu 12G for \u00a3379 at Lakeland<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Koda 16 is a gas-fuelled pizza oven which means it doesn\u2019t have the distinctive chimney featured on the multi-fuel and wood fired models. This results in a much sleeker look, which makes it an elegant and understated addition to a garden.<\/p>\n Weighing 18.2kg the machine will take some effort to move around. Once you have it in place, the pizza oven uses an L-shaped flame to ensure even cooking, but be aware that when we tested other Ooni models with this same flame technology we found the pizza burnt very easily so it\u2019s best to keep an eye while you\u2019re cooking and turn the pizza as often as necessary.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Koda 16 for \u00a3499 at Ooni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n When we tested the Koda 12 we found it impressive and easy to set up. The oven is modest and compact, with room to cook a 12\u201d pizza, and was lightweight enough for us to move it with ease.<\/p>\n While Ooni claims this oven can cook a pizza in 60 seconds, we found a better technique was to cook for slightly longer with the stone at the lower temperature of 450C which allowed us to have more control of the evenness of the cooking.<\/p>\n Because of the compact nature of this model, the opening of the pizza oven is quite tight, and we found that it required a bit of practice along with a deft flick of the wrist to accurately launch our pizzas. Overall this is an accomplished pizza oven and would make a great addition to your garden especially if you\u2019re limited on space.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Koda 12 for \u00a3349 at Ooni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The first of its kind, the Volt 12 uses electricity rather than wood or gas to reach an internal temperature of 450C and is suitable for indoor use. So if it\u2019s not quite the sunny summer\u2019s day you were hoping for, or if you\u2019d rather avoid the potential mess and expense of wood-fired and gas-fuelled options, this is the pizza oven for you.<\/p>\n The design of the oven is modern and sturdy with a matte shell, tempered glass door and intuitive controls. It is fairly bulky and won\u2019t sit on most standard kitchen countertops, so you will need a designated space with a safe perimeter around the oven.<\/p>\n We were very impressed by the speed of this pizza oven when we tested it. Once it was up to temperature our pizzas consistently cooked in 2 minutes 30 seconds, with an impressively puffed up crust and deliciously crispy toppings.<\/p>\n Buy the Ooni Volt 12 for \u00a3799 at Ooni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n
Gozney vs Ooni pizza ovens: main differences at a glance<\/h2>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Karu-12-pizza-4cd89c7.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div> Gozney<\/h3>\n
Ooni<\/h3>\n
Gozney vs Ooni pizza ovens compared<\/h2>\n
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Gozney pizza oven models<\/h2>\n
Gozney Roccbox<\/h3>\n
![\"Gozney](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Gozney-Roccbox-a5d518d.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Gozney")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nGozney Dome<\/h3>\n
![\"Gozney](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Gozney-Dome-fc1e052.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Gozney")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nOoni pizza oven models<\/h2>\n
Ooni Karu 16 multi-fuel pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Karu-16-caab5b4.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nOoni Karu 12 multi-fuel pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Karu-12-a474739.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div> Ooni Karu 12G multi-fuel pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Karu-12G-c3d0955.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div> Ooni Koda 16 gas-fuelled pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Koda-16-c9d1bca.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nOoni Koda 12 gas-fuelled pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Koda-12-82fae85.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nOoni Volt 12 electric pizza oven<\/h3>\n
![\"Ooni](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/Ooni-Volt-12-launching-pizza-b5e8737-f58d313.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Ooni-Volt-12-launching-pizza-b5e8737\\"\/")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\nOoni Fyra 12<\/h3>\n