Portable pizza ovens have become quite popular lately. They are super convenient, you can bake restaurant-grade pizzas and it’s fun!
You can pick between a wood-fired and gas-powered way of cooking. Just imagine, a pizza oven that is ready in 20 minutes and it takes 60 seconds to cook a state-of-the-art pizza. And you can carry it around!
That’s exactly what Ooni made – top-of-the-class portable pizza ovens. In this article, I will compare two of the most popular Ooni portable pizza ovens – Koda 16 and Koda 12.
Ooni Koda 16
Best For Large 16 inch Pizzas
Ooni Koda 12
Best For Saving Space & Smaller Pizzas
If you would like to find out EVERYTHING about Ooni, check out our Ooni Review.
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About Ooni
Ooni was founded by husband and wife, Kristian Tapaninaho and Darina Garland. Kristian and Darina weren’t chefs or engineers. They were running an education company focused on solving problems in school communities.
Kristian was also in love with pizza making but he simply couldn’t make a restaurant-grade pizza since his oven couldn’t reach the temperature needed for a perfect pizza. The ovens that met his requirements were outrageously expensive. He started testing and building pizza ovens in his backyard until he finally created the world’s first portable, cost-effective pizza oven – Ooni.
Today Ooni has 5 different types of ovens:
- Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
- Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
- Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
- Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven
- Fyra 12 Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
They are different in size and fuel type, but they have one thing in common – they cook AMAZING pizzas in 60 seconds! If you’re wondering whether they are really that good, WIRED named Ooni The Best Pizza Oven! So yeah, they are THAT good.
Now, let’s have a look at two best-selling ovens – Koda 16 and Koda 12.
| Ooni Koda 16 vs Koda 12 Portable Pizza Oven Comparison | Koda 16 | Koda 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel type | Propane Gas & Natural Gas | Propane Gas |
| Pizza size | 12” & 16” | 12” |
| Dimensions | 24.96 x 23.2 x 14.65″ | 15.7 x 11.6 x 24.8″ |
| Weight | 40.1lbs | 20.4lbs |
| Heat up time | 20 min | 15 min |
| Material | Powder-coated carbon steel | Powder-coated carbon steel |
| Pizza stone type | 0.6″ cordierite stone | 0.4″ cordierite stone |
| Website: |
Ooni Koda 16 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda 16 is a gas-powered portable pizza oven designed to cook 16-inch pizzas anywhere. And not just pizzas, you can cook delicious veggies and even a steak. Since it’s a gas-powered oven, you can choose between a propane tank and a natural gas line.
The bottom of the oven is covered with a large cordierite stone baking board. The innovative L-shaped burner combined with the cordierite stone allows Koda 16 oven to reach up to 950°F (500°C).
Size
Since it’s a portable oven, dimensions and weight matter. Koda 16 weighs 39.2 lbs (17.8kg) and it’s 25 x 23.2 x 14.7″ (63 x 58 x 37cm).
Features
I’ve already mentioned the innovative L-shaped burner with waterfall effect flame along with a 15mm (0.6″) cordierite stone baking board. Since it’s a gas-powered oven, Koda ovens feature built-in ignition for fast and easy cooking.
Speaking of transportation and assembly, all you have to do is unfold foldable legs and there you go – the oven is ready to burn.
PROS
- Reaches up to 950°F (500°C)
- Portable
- 2 fuel options
- 16” baking stone
- Cooks pizza in 60 seconds
CONS
- A bit heavy (40lbs)
Ooni Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda 12 is a smaller type of oven but quite powerful. It fires out mouth-watering pizzas in 60 seconds. The oven reaches the temperature of 950°F (500°C) in 15 minutes thanks to a 10mm cordierite stone baking board and propane-fueled flames. Use the heat control dial to cook pizza in exactly 1 minute as well as roasted fish, veggies, or a steak.
Since it’s smaller than Koda 16 it’s easier to transport and carry around. It features foldable legs and it’s ready to use out of the box.
Size
Koda 12 weighs only 20.2lbs (9.2kg)! Speaking of dimensions, Koda 12 is 24.4 x 15.5 x 11.7″ (62 x 39 x 29cm). This oven fits perfectly in any outdoor space.
Features
The oven is propane fueled oven with a heat control dial for ultimate temperature control. It weighs only 20 pounds, making it perfect for easy transportation. Also, it’s quite small and it can fit everywhere.
It’s covered with a high-temperature-resistant carbon steel shell with a powder-coated finish. The bottom is covered with a 10mm cordierite stone baking board. It reaches 950°F (500°C) in just 15 minutes and cooks pizza in exactly 60 seconds.
PROS
- Reaches up to 950°F (500°C)
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Reaches the temperature in 15 minutes
- Excellent price-quality ratio
CONS
- Only propane-fueled option
Head to Head – Ooni Koda 16 or Koda 12?
We’ve got two outstanding ovens from the same manufacturer – Ooni. Koda 16 and Koda 12 are both portable ovens that can reach up to 950°F (500°C) and cook pizza in exactly 60 seconds.
They are beautifully designed and both come with a 3-year warranty if bought through their official website.
Koda 16 is larger and features a 16-inch baking stone allowing you to cook epic 16-inch pizzas. It comes with a conversion kit so you can either use natural gas or a propane tank.
Koda 12, on the other hand, is smaller and you can cook amazing 12-inch pizzas. It comes with a slightly thinner 0.4” cordierite stone (compared to the 0.6” one covering Koda 16) but the oven reaches 950°F (500°C) faster than Koda 16 – it takes only 15 minutes to reach the ideal temperature.
Since it’s smaller than Koda 16, Koda 12 is super convenient and it can fit in any outdoor space. Plus it weighs only 20lbs while Koda 16 is as twice as heavy. Small and lightweight, Koda 12 is perfect for carrying around and having restaurant-grade dishes wherever you want.
Last but not least, Koda 12 costs $200 less than Koda 16.
Essential Add-Ons
Add-ons make your life easier. According to Ooni experts, whether you pick Koda 12 or Koda 16, there are two essential add-ons you shouldn’t disregard – Cover for Ooni Koda 16 and Ooni Infrared Thermometer.
Ooni Covers are waterproof and made of polyester and aluminum. They feature a super snug elasticated edge for a perfect fit. The cover for Koda 12 features padded handles as well for easy carrying. If you want to protect your oven from various weather conditions, the covers are something you shouldn’t avoid.
Now, covers are a protective add-on. They protect your oven from various weather conditions but what about making things easier?
This is where the latest thermometer comes in. The Ooni Infrared Thermometer allows you to accurately measure the surface of your oven temperature. You have to know when it reaches the ideal temperature for a perfect 60-second pizza cooking. Speaking of the ideal temperature – aim for around 752°F (400°C).
Ooni Shipping and Returns
Since both Koda 12 and Koda 16 are designed and built by Ooni, the same shipping and return policies apply. Ooni offers free shipping on orders above $50. That means all ovens are eligible for free shipping.
Speaking of returns, Ooni has a so-called Great Pizza Guarantee meaning that if you can’t cook a perfect pizza in your Ooni oven, you can return it for free in 60 days.
Also, all the ovens come with a 3-year warranty. The standard warranty is 1 year, but if you register via their website, you can extend the warranty to 3 years.
The Verdict – Which Portable Ooni Is For You?
In this article, I compared two amazing Ooni ovens – Koda 16 and Koda 12. Which one is for you? Depends. Koda 16 is larger and heavier. If you have space and an extra $200 there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get Koda 16.
You get to cook epic 16-inch pizzas, you can choose between two types of gas (propane tank or natural gas) and the baking stone is slightly thicker than the one covering Koda 12.
You should get Koda 12 if you don’t need to cook large pizzas and if you’re running low on extra outdoor space. Besides being smaller, it’s as twice as lighter as Koda 16 therefore you can carry it around with ease. Also, it reaches the ideal temperature faster making it a mean machine for firing out mouth-watering pizzas.
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