Ooni Karu 16 Portable Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven

So I have been wanting a pizza oven for a couple of years now, but knew it was a luxury item not a necessity and so the thought process was put to one side as we have been planning to emigrate from the UK to Australia for a few years now and so money was tight and also it didn't make sense to buy one in the uk prior to moving. So once we were in Australia (since Aug 2022) I have stepped up my research as to which one to get. I had always been leaning towards the Ooni, but was trying to work out which one to get. After lots of research I decided to go for the Karu 16 due to the extra size and also the multi fuel option for flexibility. I am happy with my choice so far as the extra space in the oven a) makes turning the pizza's much easier, b) allows for bigger ... MoreSo I have been wanting a pizza oven for a couple of years now, but knew it was a luxury item not a necessity and so the thought process was put to one side as we have been planning to emigrate from the UK to Australia for a few years now and so money was tight and also it didn't make sense to buy one in the uk prior to moving. So once we were in Australia (since Aug 2022) I have stepped up my research as to which one to get. I had always been leaning towards the Ooni, but was trying to work out which one to get. After lots of research I decided to go for the Karu 16 due to the extra size and also the multi fuel option for flexibility. I am happy with my choice so far as the extra space in the oven a) makes turning the pizza's much easier, b) allows for bigger pizza's to be cooked, c) allows for larger items (taller) to be cooked also and d) I find that having more area to move the pizza around in the oven allows me to move further away from the flame if need be, or move to a hotter part of the stone if I feel the need depending on what is happening with the cooking. Especially if I'm doing lots of pizzas. The larger area at the back for the wood/coal is great and allows you to put plenty of fuel in of varying sizes depending on what is required at the time. The quality of the oven is excellent, and it looks very impressive. I've already had admiring comments from friends. I would like to add a few comments about the seller also. This was ordered along with some accessories from The Pizza Oven store, and they have been nothing short of incredible when it comes to customer service - be it keeping me in touch about my orders, making a suggestion re my orders which ultimately saved me a delivery fee and just been honest, polite and passionate throughout. There was an issue with the delivery of my oven which was really down to the demand due to the black Friday weekend sales. Throughout this delay they constantly kept me updated and were very apologetic about the situation. I even had personal contact from the CEO of the company which was very impressive, but I would say that this passion ran through everyone at the company I had contact with. I'd easily say they have demonstrated the best customer service I've ever experienced. I will definitely use this company again if I need any future items.Re the oven and it's operation, I am new to Pizza oven's and have used Gas bbq's for the last 10 years or so, so I am a very inexperienced user of wood and coal for fires, yet even I have had no issues getting the oven up to the very high temps required for Neapolitan pizza's on each occasion I have used it. There is a knack to doing it and to maintain the temp but I have found that following Ooni's instructions re not over filling the fuel tray and adding little but often is the best way. I also feel that using lump coal as a base heat but with wood in addition seems to be the best way to get a consistent high temp with the required flame rolling across the top of the oven. Great Oven, Great company to buy from.

After having a large built

After having a large built in oven for around 4 years my new Ooni Karu 16 gives the same equality pizza at haft the time and half the running cost, The oven is built well and so easy to use. The assembly time is minimal with the tools needed to build it. I but ours together Christmas morning so we could use it that day to make garlic breads for the starter. I have used the oven with friend cooking a large amount of pizza one after another with no problem. I am going on holiday in the Uk this year and cant wait to take this oven with us to enable us to have nice pizza when getting back to the house on the evening. My old oven is really good but the amount of wood I was using to enable us to cook pizza for our family was expensive but the new oven uses less than half ... MoreAfter having a large built in oven for around 4 years my new Ooni Karu 16 gives the same equality pizza at haft the time and half the running cost, The oven is built well and so easy to use. The assembly time is minimal with the tools needed to build it. I but ours together Christmas morning so we could use it that day to make garlic breads for the starter. I have used the oven with friend cooking a large amount of pizza one after another with no problem. I am going on holiday in the Uk this year and cant wait to take this oven with us to enable us to have nice pizza when getting back to the house on the evening. My old oven is really good but the amount of wood I was using to enable us to cook pizza for our family was expensive but the new oven uses less than half the amount and will pay for its self with no time. I did purchase the gas burner but haven't used this yet as the oven warms up quickly with the wood. I had read that the oven can be hard to open when warmed up but I believe the door just requires lifting a little to get the over the holding bracket, I haven't had any problems. My old oven was meant to be big enough to cook 2/3 pizza at once but the speed the pizza cooks I haven't ever found that I can cook more than one at at time anyway. The space with the new oven is good and allows a large pizza to be cooked and the space to turn the pizza with out removing it. If you like cooking out doors I would say this would be a great buy for you. The cover that needs to be purchased separate is of good equality and easy to fit once the oven cools down, its got a easy to use strap and elasticated skirt to keep the cover on in windy weather which works really well.

Amazing and versatile!

This oven is amazing!! It is everything you expect, and then some. I knew it was going to cook pizzas fast, but you won’t truly appreciate what a 90-second pizza is until you’ve done it. I made pita bread on my second use and WOW! 30 seconds, puff, flip, and done! I’ve also made baked tofu, baked potatoes, all kinds of breads (check out the Ooni baguette recipe and video, it’s really great), and with each use, this oven brings something new to a dish I’ve made so many times! Now I don’t have to waste an hour heating up my kitchen oven (and kitchen). Heats up in about 20 minutes on good charcoal and chunk wood (no lighter fluid). Takes just a little longer to get stone temp above 500°F. You can light the fuel in the oven grate itself, but I switched over to using my ... MoreThis oven is amazing!! It is everything you expect, and then some. I knew it was going to cook pizzas fast, but you won’t truly appreciate what a 90-second pizza is until you’ve done it. I made pita bread on my second use and WOW! 30 seconds, puff, flip, and done! I’ve also made baked tofu, baked potatoes, all kinds of breads (check out the Ooni baguette recipe and video, it’s really great), and with each use, this oven brings something new to a dish I’ve made so many times! Now I don’t have to waste an hour heating up my kitchen oven (and kitchen). Heats up in about 20 minutes on good charcoal and chunk wood (no lighter fluid). Takes just a little longer to get stone temp above 500°F. You can light the fuel in the oven grate itself, but I switched over to using my standard chimney lighter because it’s super fast and reliable. Use a good charcoal like acacia and quality wood chunks, not chips. I can’t stress this enough. The Ooni can handle whatever you use, but makes a huge difference in flavor, flame, and feed. Switching between charcoal and the gas attachment is a breeze - I love the (QUICK and EASY change over) versatility. The thought Ooni put into that fuel swap feature alone is what makes this oven the best. Two loosened screws, swap the burners, tighten screws, hook up the gas bottle, and you’re off to the races again! I have taken the oven on a vaca trip, and it is not the easiest to transport. I took out the stones and put them back into the packing they were delivered in to take out some of the weight. The oven is a little awkward to carry/move, but yeah…that’s not supposed to be a norm. It IS an oven. Once it is moved, though, you really can’t beat the quick setup. And after feeding 10 hungry people 8 custom pizzas, the feedback was a resounding “LOVE it and worth it!!” My friends and family helped with the prep, and we had a blast! They loved contributing, and once the pies are in the oven….man, do we get the immediate satisfaction of seeing and tasting what we all just did! The oven cools down when you’re done faster than you’d think, which is so helpful when you’re full. I highly recommend the custom cover. My oven lives under an overhang but is still exposed, so the cover makes sure everything stays right.Bottom line: if you want a pizza oven, quality matters, and Ooni delivers in every way. I looked at other products, and while they will almost certainly make delicious food, the precision, thought, and detail that went into this Ooni ensures consistency and longevity. You’ll want to use it, and you’ll want to take care of it. It has inspired me to recreate old favorites and try new things. Whether a novice or expert, you will love this oven!

Excellent oven with some quality issues - resolved by Ooni

I bought this to upgrade from an older smaller Ooni (Uuni) pellet fuelled oven. The increased size of the Karu 16 is so much better to work with, I can make bigger pizza's, the temperature is more stable than the pellet fuelled one which was always a bit frantic, really glad I made the leap.However, the oven turned up and the door had several marks on it, the alignment of the door was off and always caught on closing, and the black insulation material was damaged around the door with small chips out of it. I went direct to Ooni rather than John Lewis and they couldn't have been more helpful. They've a good customer service tool that allows you to return to the same chat with the history of your conversation all saved.They ended up shipping a replacement body, and ... MoreI bought this to upgrade from an older smaller Ooni (Uuni) pellet fuelled oven. The increased size of the Karu 16 is so much better to work with, I can make bigger pizza's, the temperature is more stable than the pellet fuelled one which was always a bit frantic, really glad I made the leap.However, the oven turned up and the door had several marks on it, the alignment of the door was off and always caught on closing, and the black insulation material was damaged around the door with small chips out of it. I went direct to Ooni rather than John Lewis and they couldn't have been more helpful. They've a good customer service tool that allows you to return to the same chat with the history of your conversation all saved.They ended up shipping a replacement body, and giving me vouchers to compensate for the door.The replacement turned up and it had the same damage to the insulation, plus the temp probe was faulty on the new oven. More vouchers and apologies followed and I ended up picking the body that had the least damage and swapping the working probe.So whilst I love the oven and think the customer service form Ooni was great, they really do need a better quality control process.

Good work horse

We’ve had the Ooni Karu16 for about six months now, and it is not one of those cooking appliances that sits around in a dark corner. We use it almost every week now that I have figured out a Recipe that can handle freezing and thawing.I’m glad we got this big one because we also cook things like salmon and vegetables in it and the results are amazing.Assembly was not difficult or annoying. Sometimes we use propane sometimes we use wood. It’s amazingly efficient using wood and even though this requires more attention I seem to think that the results are better as I can make the heat more even. Still learning.That really is the fun thing about this device. It’s a learning experience, and if you’re that kind of person that likes to Play around with different ways of ... MoreWe’ve had the Ooni Karu16 for about six months now, and it is not one of those cooking appliances that sits around in a dark corner. We use it almost every week now that I have figured out a Recipe that can handle freezing and thawing.I’m glad we got this big one because we also cook things like salmon and vegetables in it and the results are amazing.Assembly was not difficult or annoying. Sometimes we use propane sometimes we use wood. It’s amazingly efficient using wood and even though this requires more attention I seem to think that the results are better as I can make the heat more even. Still learning.That really is the fun thing about this device. It’s a learning experience, and if you’re that kind of person that likes to Play around with different ways of doing things, you’re going to like Ooni culture.The only bad thing I have found so far is that at least on my model the metal edge around the glass door on the inside is pretty sharp and you can cut yourself if you are cleaning the window on the inside. So be careful about that.

Karu 16” Multi-fuel

I love this oven. The first thing I noticed after I assembled it, was the weight and the quality. It is definitely HD construction.So far, I’ve only cooked pizza and calzones in it and I mainly use charcoal with a little bit of hardwood as the fuel source. In my opinion, the charcoal gives the pizza the perfect flavoring.I haven’t cooked any proteins in it yet, but I plan to. I also want to cook some scratch bread in it. I think garlic bread would perfect in it.I’m still experimenting with the temperature settings and that’s what I want to perfect before I start cooking proteins. So far, using charcoal/wood combo, I’ve had the oven up to 820 degrees and last night I was able to keep it at about 450 for the calzones. I think I prefer cooking my pizzas at around ... MoreI love this oven. The first thing I noticed after I assembled it, was the weight and the quality. It is definitely HD construction.So far, I’ve only cooked pizza and calzones in it and I mainly use charcoal with a little bit of hardwood as the fuel source. In my opinion, the charcoal gives the pizza the perfect flavoring.I haven’t cooked any proteins in it yet, but I plan to. I also want to cook some scratch bread in it. I think garlic bread would perfect in it.I’m still experimenting with the temperature settings and that’s what I want to perfect before I start cooking proteins. So far, using charcoal/wood combo, I’ve had the oven up to 820 degrees and last night I was able to keep it at about 450 for the calzones. I think I prefer cooking my pizzas at around 650. It takes about 2 mins per pie, but it seems to absorb that charcoal flavor better.Finally, if there are 2 accessories that are a must buy, I recommend the oven cover and the thermal temp gage. The digital thermometer that comes with it only reads the ambient temp in the oven. You want to make sure you know the stone temp before you throw a pie in there. If it’s cooler than the ambient, the top is going to cook faster before you can get that perfect sear on the bottom.

Ooni Karu 16.

I am a huge fan of everything Ooni, its products and the company.I have recently upgraded from the Ooni Karu 12, which I had for nearly three years, to the Ooni Karu 16.There are obviously some differences between the two which should be aired.Firstly its build quality is second to none, even better than the Ooni Karu12.It's also much larger than its smaller brother which means that you can make bigger pizzas and cook all sorts of other things that maybe you can't cook with the Karu 12 but with that comes a weight issue.I am of retirement age and find it extremely difficult to move or lift the Karu 16 on my own even though I am quite fit and relatively strong for my age, so I have had to build a stand and suitable cover for the oven in order to leave it outside ... MoreI am a huge fan of everything Ooni, its products and the company.I have recently upgraded from the Ooni Karu 12, which I had for nearly three years, to the Ooni Karu 16.There are obviously some differences between the two which should be aired.Firstly its build quality is second to none, even better than the Ooni Karu12.It's also much larger than its smaller brother which means that you can make bigger pizzas and cook all sorts of other things that maybe you can't cook with the Karu 12 but with that comes a weight issue.I am of retirement age and find it extremely difficult to move or lift the Karu 16 on my own even though I am quite fit and relatively strong for my age, so I have had to build a stand and suitable cover for the oven in order to leave it outside permanently.Therefore the weight and size of the Karu 16, in my opinion, means that its portability is in question.Its size would take most of the space in the boot of a normal hatchback vehicle and the weight makes it difficult for one person to carry any distance.I also have to question the exterior temperature gauge. I am aware that it measures the ambient temperature inside the oven and when you get used to it, it MAY help but it is not reliable for testing the cooking temperature of the stone, you will need a lazer gun or good judgement.It is brilliant to have the glass door in order to watch the flames cooking your pizza and to have a good idea of when it needs turning BUT it does tend to either condensate slightly, ( At the beginning ), or black soot can build up on the inside of the glass which needs to be wiped off from time to time.Overall it's a great oven, slightly pricey and needs two people in order to move it confidently, but I would recommend the Ooni Karu 16.

Ooni karu 16 damage/customer service

Hello. As a heads up this review is mainly about customer service. I purchased an ooni karu 16 for my wife’s birthday. As most know 800 dollars just for the oven alone is a big investment. However she’s wanted one ever since I’ve known her and I wanted to treat her to something of good quality. We assembled the ooni yesterday 2/26/2023 and after finishing assembling it and getting ready to fire it up we noticed a dent on the top black half towards the back of the oven on the ridge. I understand sometimes things happen in shipping but it was so very well packaged that it almost had to happen at the factory. Nevertheless I wasn’t going to accept that because of the purchase price of this oven and the supposed “great quality” ooni is known for. So this morning I ... MoreHello. As a heads up this review is mainly about customer service. I purchased an ooni karu 16 for my wife’s birthday. As most know 800 dollars just for the oven alone is a big investment. However she’s wanted one ever since I’ve known her and I wanted to treat her to something of good quality. We assembled the ooni yesterday 2/26/2023 and after finishing assembling it and getting ready to fire it up we noticed a dent on the top black half towards the back of the oven on the ridge. I understand sometimes things happen in shipping but it was so very well packaged that it almost had to happen at the factory. Nevertheless I wasn’t going to accept that because of the purchase price of this oven and the supposed “great quality” ooni is known for. So this morning I started a chat with someone on the ooni site and i initially was only offered either a 10 percent refund or a 15 percent in store credit….🙄…..really guys….not only was this oven expensive, it was a also a birthday gift! After giving a real life example of why this wasn’t acceptable, the person then offered me an exchange or a full refund. Only after giving an example of buying a new car and having it dented and asking how they would feel. I wasn’t offered anything extra for the BS I had to go through getting a damaged oven, getting them to offer me an exchange or what I have to go through packaging everything up and lugging it to a UPS store. Oh and then they go “please send us verification when it’s dropped off”. I ended up doing an exchange and they have a new oven coming for me. My point of this review is to point out their customer service isn’t the best and that is one thing a potential buyer should consider before purchasing one of these ovens. I hope someone finds this review useful

Pretty Good Oven

If you only eat Neopolitan style pizza, this oven is a great choice, but it doesn't perform as well as a deck oven for other types of pizzas. If you want to put more than a scant smattering of toppings on your pizza, this oven will either undercook your crust of burn your toppings so this is something to keep in mind. As a former professional pizza cook, I have made literally thousands of pies in a wide range of oven types. I speak from experience and know that there are work-arounds with this oven but beware of manufacturer's claims: 1. It may reach cooking temperature in 15 minutes in Phoenix during the month of August, but here in NW Washington state, plan on waiting for 30 - 40 minutes to get a deck temperature over 400 degrees C. 2. You don't need to fire with ... MoreIf you only eat Neopolitan style pizza, this oven is a great choice, but it doesn't perform as well as a deck oven for other types of pizzas. If you want to put more than a scant smattering of toppings on your pizza, this oven will either undercook your crust of burn your toppings so this is something to keep in mind. As a former professional pizza cook, I have made literally thousands of pies in a wide range of oven types. I speak from experience and know that there are work-arounds with this oven but beware of manufacturer's claims: 1. It may reach cooking temperature in 15 minutes in Phoenix during the month of August, but here in NW Washington state, plan on waiting for 30 - 40 minutes to get a deck temperature over 400 degrees C. 2. You don't need to fire with wood to get a nice smoky taste. The gas burner plus a wood chip or pellet cannister does the trick nicely. 3. The gas burner is temperamental and sometimes has regulator flow problems that require a reset procedure. 4. The chamber thermometer does not have an auto-off function so one must be mindful of this to avoid changing batteries frequently. And by the way, the thermometer housing must be disassembled to replace the batteries. Overall, it is a decent oven and a good value for the price but if you are looking to bake an excellent pie with that perfect chewy crust and deliciously finished toppings, this might not meet your expectations.

SO glad we finally decided to get an Ooni!

I've been eyeing the Oonis for at least a year now and had heard great things, but was still hesitant because it is a big purchase. My dad ended up gifting this to my husband and I as a very generous birthday/Christmas gift, and we couldn't love it any more.We've had ours for about two months now and love it. My husband and I are "foodie" people and love cooking (but mostly just eating) great food. We also love to host friends and spend quality family time at home. Not only does the Ooni cook 10/10 pizzas insanely fast, it's also given us a great way to upgrade our Friday nights in and a fun activity to share with family and friends. Going out for pizza is fine, but nothing beats splitting a bunch of homemade pizzas with friends, especially when we all get to ... MoreI've been eyeing the Oonis for at least a year now and had heard great things, but was still hesitant because it is a big purchase. My dad ended up gifting this to my husband and I as a very generous birthday/Christmas gift, and we couldn't love it any more.We've had ours for about two months now and love it. My husband and I are "foodie" people and love cooking (but mostly just eating) great food. We also love to host friends and spend quality family time at home. Not only does the Ooni cook 10/10 pizzas insanely fast, it's also given us a great way to upgrade our Friday nights in and a fun activity to share with family and friends. Going out for pizza is fine, but nothing beats splitting a bunch of homemade pizzas with friends, especially when we all get to design fun new pies and cook them in less than 2 minutes a piece.From a tactical standpoint, we've found the Ooni cookbook to be helpful in learning about oven temps and the best ways to use our oven. We got the duel model with gas so that it would be easy to use on a quick weeknight, but have actually ended up only using the wood burning option because it only takes about 20-30 minutes to preheat and it takes me at least that long to prep dough and toppings. The wood fire also gives a great flavor to the pizza that we love. We've used a mix of charcoal and wood and find that works really well to preheat the oven with a longer lasting heat (charcoal) and then kick it up a notch with bigger flames from wood.The Ooni has earned a beloved status around our house, and we absolutely recommend!