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The Ooni Karu 12 is unquestionably an oven that was developed with the dedicated pizza maker in mind, just as its namesake in Sanskrit, which translates most directly to “maker,” suggests. This multi-fuel system comes complete with a wood-fired oven, which is the preferred method of cooking for traditional pizza makers in Naples.
The allegedly little wood fire is capable of produce interior oven temperatures that are above 800 degrees Fahrenheit when the appropriate fire tender is at work. These temperatures are capable of transforming your homemade dough and fresh toppings into 12 inch pizzas in as little as two minutes. If, on the other hand, you like the ease of a gas-fired oven over the more leisurely pace of a wood fire, the 15,350 BTU optional attachment will assist you in reaching the same severe temperatures much more quickly.
Ooni Karu 12 Specifications
Ooni’s Ooni Karu 12 is a multi-fueled pizza oven, and in this review of the Ooni Karu 12, we show you how to cook homemade pizzas in under a minute using it. If that seems like the kind of pizza oven you’re looking for, go no further.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Max temperature: | 950ºF / 500ºC |
| Pizza size: | 12-inch |
| Dimensions: | 30.31 x 15.75 x 31.5 inches |
| Weight: | 26.4lbs |
| Wood-Fired | Yes |
| Gas Powered | Yes |
| Ready to Cook | 15 minutes |
| Cooking surface: | 33 cm (13″) |
| Check Price |
Ooni Karu 12: Ease of Use
The Karu 12 is just as easy to set up as any other Ooni oven, both right out of the box and every time you want to bake pizza. Even though this kit has more parts, especially in its wood-fired version, each part is replaceable, making the oven a stainless steel frame that weighs just over 20 pounds and is easy to move. The type of wood you use will likely affect how hard it is to clean, but natural scraps tend to build up more ash inside the oven chamber, which needs to be wiped away often to keep cooking as efficient as possible through reflective heat transfer.
But we all know by now that wood-firing will always take more work than gas-firing, both in terms of getting the wood ready and in terms of cleaning up. It is possible to learn how to handle the wood fire while making pizzas, but converting the Karu 12 to gas will make this process easier because you will be able to heat the oven with the flip of a switch. But, in our humble view, a gas-powered pizza oven will never be as exciting as making pizza over a wood fire.
Ooni Karu 12: Control
We know it’s becoming a trend, but wood-fire power has a higher earning curve. To learn how to use the Karu 12 as a wood-fired oven, you will need to spend more time and have more patience. But as an aspiring chef, you’ll be glad to know that this oven has the best insulation of any oven we tried and more than any other wood-fired oven in this review. The front door is held by two inches of glass-reinforced nylon, and the firebox cover is also insulated with almost an inch of the same material. This oven’s design also makes for great airflow, which moves heat around inside this sealed room and sends very little smoke up and out of the chimney.
Ooni Karu 12: Cooking Performance
Wood-fired cooking is a talent that should not be disregarded just because gas power is more convenient. The Karu 12 is essentially a smaller version of a typical Neapolitan wood-fired oven, with all the same charm and attraction. It will require more time and attention to detail to produce a robust fire in the 135in3 firebox. After 15 minutes, the oven reached about 560°F, but it takes closer to 30 minutes of loading and stoking to reach the ideal temperature of 750°F for the pizza stone.
You should wait three to five minutes in between pizzas to let the oven recuperate and keep the fire burning. Wood-firing will always take longer, but the Karu 12 could still produce exquisite pizzas with golden crusts in under four minutes, even after we ceased stoking and the pizza stone temperature plummeted to almost 500°F.
Ooni Karu 12: Price
The Ooni Karu 12 is one of the cheaper models in the Ooni line. At just $299, £299, or AU$649, it’s one of the best compact pizza ovens from any brand. For this price, you get an Ooni Karu pizza oven with a stone base and a chimney that burns wood and charcoal. If you plan to leave the pizza oven in your garden and are happy to make all your pizzas with wood or charcoal, this is all you need.
Final Words
The Ooni Karu 12 is one of the best portable alternatives available and is a great choice if you want to try your hand at creating pizza at home. Since it can be powered by either gas or wood, the level of difficulty is entirely up to you. Because it is one of the lightest devices currently available, you will have no trouble transporting it wherever you go.
Ooni Karu 12 review: The good and The bad
The Ooni Multi-Fuel Karu requires noticeably more effort on the user’s part than either the propane gas-powered Koda or the wood pellet-fired Fyra.
The Good
- Well-insulated
- Easily broken down for transport
The Bad
- Heat-resistive stone takes long to preheat
Questions and Answers
Almost $1000 is a lot of money, but I think it’s well worth it. This is one of the most advanced ovens on the market, but Ooni has other options, like the Karu 12 for $399, that have fewer features and a smaller cooking room and cost less.
You don’t make 16-inch pies. Instead, you like 12-inch pizzas, which are smaller. You want to be able to take your pizza oven with you.