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If you’ve been following us, you probably know we’ve been at the pizza game a few years but only got our first outdoor pizza oven in early 2023. But we knew we had to up our game with the Ooni Karu 2 Pro Pizza Oven – largely because it’s the only home pizza oven endorsed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) for making true Neapolitan pizzas.
Good enough for me!
But there’s much more to this fantastic pizza oven, so let’s explore what makes this one so great!
This article was originally written to focus on the Ooni Kar 16 which has since been replaced with the new Ooni Karu 2 Pro. Scroll to the bottom of the article to find out how we think the Karu 16 compares to the new Karu 2 Pro.
The company is committed to quality and sustainability, donating 1% of its annual revenue to environmental causes through its “1% for the Planet” partnership, which is pretty cool. And now having more than a decade of experience, glowing customer reviews, and industry recognition, Ooni has become a trusted name in the outdoor cooking world, making it a go-to choice for both pizza lovers and backyard chefs.
While they have a number of models on the market today, we’re talking about the Karu 16, which was introduced in 2021.
As mentioned, the AVPN endorsement for the first (and so far only) pizza oven to be ‘Recommended for Domestic Use’ is a big deal for me. It not only means this oven can replicate the high, intense heat required for true Neapolitan pizza, but it can do it with wood. With temperatures reaching 950°F in just 15 minutes, 16″ Ooni Karu (either the Karu 2 Pro or the Karu 16) can cook a pizza in 60 seconds, giving you that beautiful leopard spotting and puffy crust that’s so iconic to Naples’ pizzas. If you’ve tried making pizza at home but couldn’t quite nail the crust, this oven might be your answer.
We’ve had great experience using this oven with our AVPN pizza recipe – you should check it out for yourself!
Pro Tip: Preheat your oven for an extra 10–15 minutes, so it’s evenly heated and ready to deliver the perfect cook. Much like pre-heating a regular oven, it’s helpful to give it a little more time to get the entire stone to the optimal temperature.
2. Fuel Versatility for Maximum Flavor Control
The Ooni Karu 2 Pro gives you great flexibility. You can fire it up with wood, charcoal, a mix of charcoal and wood (quite popular) or gas (propane or natural). The ability to switch up the fuel type based on your preferences is a big plus.
Wood imparts some of that rich, smoky flavor that makes pizzas taste like they’re from an authentic Italian pizzeria.
Then again, propane or natural gas provides a quick and consistent heat that’s easier to manage and requires a lot less management or clean up.
NOTE: that the propane and natural gas options require the purchase of a separate burner component. It’s rather rare for a pizza oven to allow you all of the fuel options, so despite having to buy another burner, at least you know your pizza oven is adaptable for years to come.
Beginner Tip: Start off using the gas option to give yourself one less thing to worry about as you start your pizza journey.
Experiment Tip: Try a blend of wood and charcoal to get both the smoky depth and the intense heat you need for a fast, even cook.
3. Precision Temperature Monitoring and Control
The Karu 16 has a dial control for gas, which is very helpful for dialing in the optimal temperature. The oven is designed with a built-in digital thermometer, a feature that takes the guesswork out of cooking. With the ability to monitor the exact temperature inside the oven, you can adjust the heat to get the exact style and doneness you want. For those of us who like experimenting with different pizza styles—from thin-crust to thick and chewy—this level of control is a game-changer.
HOWEVER, the thermometer reads the air temperature in the oven and not the stone temperature. Do yourself a big favor and also get their digital thermometer to read the stone temperature.
Fun Idea: Test out different temperature settings for pizzas and even try other dishes like wood-fired vegetables, steaks, or bread for versatility in your backyard. The newest version, the Ooni Karu 2 Pro comes with a food probe thermometer which makes this even easier to do.
4. Roomy Interior for Creative Pizzas
That 10″ pizza looks positively tiny in there!
With a spacious 17.5″ inch wide door and a 16.7″ x 24.5″ primary cooking stone (0.6″ thick), the Ooni Karu 2 Pro (and the older Ooni Karu 16) is a very generous home pizza oven, meaning you’ve got the space to get creative (if you need to go even bigger, you’ll want to look at the Ooni Koda 2 Max).
While we’ve gotten great mileage out of our Solo Stove Pi, it is significantly smaller and limits the maximum pizza size to about 14″. It’s certainly nice to have something with more room to cook and just more room to work.
Pro Tip: If you like thick-crust pizzas, the roomier interior gives you a more even cook, as the heat can circulate better around larger pies.
5. Innovative Design That’s Built to Last
Both the Ooni Karu 2 Pro and Ooni Karu 16 are crafted from high-quality materials like stainless steel and ceramic fiber insulation, so it’s made to stand up to intense heat and frequent use. Its sleek, sturdy design looks great on any patio or backyard.
Without question, the big deal of the Karu models is the door. Very few pizza ovens include a door and that allows a much faster heating time (especially in cold weather) and more versatility for cooking/baking.
Both the Ooni Karu 2 Pro and the Ooni Karu 16 pizza ovens are 62.6 lbs., so while not exactly “portable”, it certainly can be transported if you’ve got a pizza party you need to bring it to!
Care Tip: To keep your oven performing at its best, clean it after every use. The high heat usually burns off most residues, but wiping down the exterior and brushing debris and burnt flour from the stone will ensure it stays in prime condition for years.
The Ooni Karu 2 Pro lists for $799 US but, if you can find it, the older Karu 16 sells for less – typically around $649. You can get a great deal by selecting one of the bundles.
Your outdoor kitchen may require you to buy a stand/table as well.
There are a lot of options that can start to add up in price, but in essence, I think this is a great, very professional option for a dual-fuel pizza oven and one you’re likely to use for many years (especially if you get the cover!).
No, we don’t have the Karu 2 Pro (yet). But the two models are very similar. The Ooni Karu 2 Pro offers some great enhancements over the Karu 16 (especially since they have the same list price).
One of the things I don’t like about the Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven is that the flue controls are steel and can get extremely hot.
The Karu 2 Pro moves the main oven flue from the front to the back and the air control to the outside of the oven – which is a pretty significant safety improvement.
The Karu 2 Pro also adds a plastic handle to the control, which better protects your fingers from a burn. Again, a pretty significant safety improvement.
The modified glass window is more resistant to soot buildup when using wood fuel.
The Karu 2 comes with a food thermometer probe, which is a great addition for cooking things other than pizza.
The door hinge has been changed, which I understand to be an improvement. But I have had no problem with the old design.
The air temperature thermometer has been upgraded and allows connection to your phone through the app. Not a big deal for me, but a lot of people will probably love that.
In my opinion, no. Unless you are cooking consistently with wood and the soot is blacking out the window and/or you are concerned with the hot controls for the flue, I think there’s no reason to upgrade (at least not today).
The Ooni Community
One thing I like about the company is that when you invest in an Ooni, you’re not just buying a pizza oven; you’re joining a community of passionate pizza lovers with great recipes, a company that cares, and that gives back.
I hope you’ll have an equally amazing experience with your pizza oven!
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.
Top 5 Reasons You Need the Ooni Karu 2 Pro Pizza Oven
