Excellent video! We've had our Ooni Karu about 4 months now and could not be happier. We use it about once every 7-10 days. We've been using the gas option the last 4 cooks due to 14" of snow and freezing temps. Both options work equally well although it is a more consistent heat with the gas. As soon as it warms up, I'll probably go back to the wood burning option. Also, for meat eaters, we cooked a 2" Rib eye steak with outstanding results. 800° fahrenheit in a preheated, cast iron skillet. Salt, pepper, seasoning, and a layer of olive oil. 4 minutes on first side, 2 minutes on side 2 for a medium rare, unbelievable steak. Charred, crusty outside, tender inside! Can't wait until spring so we can get serious. Again, great video for someone considering purchasing an Ooni. My experience has been exactly as you stated.
Hi Luna, thank you for watching! That rib eye sounds amazing, we will definitely have to give that a try soon. There's nothing better than a good steak. We are also dealing with the snow right now, so the gas attachment will be a staple for us once we can get out hands on it as well! Thanks again! Cheers!
Excellent honest review, I have the Ooni Pro 16 & been using it for 2 years & everything you've mentioned is pretty accurate. You mentioned that the stone takes time to fully heat up & wasn't sure if it was due to cold temps, nope... Made pizza these past few weeks and it has been in the 90F's here in the US, Connecticut. I learned that it takes about 30+ minutes with the closed door to get the oven seriously hot & be able to maintain the heat to make several pizzas. If you're making 1 pizza, then you can get away with a 15-20min pre-heat. But for people like me, who make a minimum of 4 pizzas & typically 6, a long preheat is a must. Also, using a nice hot bed of coal & then topping it with the wood seems to work best. Coal alone doesn't get hot enough & wood alone is high maintenance since you constantly need to feed the oven wood to maintain the fire & temp. Even with the corks, which is more like getting to know your oven like any oven regardless of type, I still love it & I can make amazing pizzas that is simply not achievable in any home oven, believe me, I TRIED lol, I didn't want to ditch out the $600, but ended up doing so & don't regret it. 😎👍
So you can make 4 to 6 pizzas, one after another without losing heat and waiting for it to reheat? Just wanted to clarify that. Is your oven wood or propane? Thanks!
@@singhmaster4 Hi, I use a combo of wood & coal. I 1st set a bed of coal & then start feeding some kindle wood on top of it & then add wood chunks. I heat the oven up with the front door on. Once my oven reaches ~800F-900F, I continue to feed wood as needed to maintain that temp for a minimum of 30-40 minutes. Then I remove the front door & put on the door that has the bottom opening. This allows me to make that many pizzas (4-6) with very minimal recovery time between pies, by minimal I mean by the time I remove one pizza & bring it inside & then stretch out my next dough ball & assemble it, the oven floor is back to temp & ready for the next pie. One detail, I add more wood after I remove the pizza, that helps recover temps quicker. Depending on how the fire is, I will either add kindle wood or chunks or a little of both. It's part of getting to know the oven. Once you get a feel for it, it's not so hard to maintain a hot oven. You also need to keep an eye on the ashes. I use a garden hand shovel to move the wood & coal & then tap the bottom of the screen to drop the ashes down. This is important to allow a good flow of oxygen to the fuel 8n order to keep a really hot fire going. Hope this helps 👍
Rc is spot on, I have the Karu 12. I light a full tray of lump charcoal and get the steel of the fire glowing bright orange. It's screaming hot, then just before I want to cook I add hard wood chunk to get the rolling flame to cook the top. Add a little more charcoal when it comes out to maintain temp, then a little hardwood chunk when the pizza is ready to go in. I make 4-6 pizza's every time.
Fair video, but as pertains to some of your criticisms, the Ooni Pro (a larger model, but very similar) is the 3rd outdoor oven I've purchased, and I appreciate the fact they didn't include (and upcharge) me for basic pizza making tools. The first two did, and now I just have a pile of peels that I no longer use or need. If you stick with the hobby over time, you'll much rather have extra cash to spend on other pizza making luxuries, like a dough proofing box or screens and trays. I'm on year 2 with my Ooni and going strong, and have no problem getting that oven up to a comfortable 800 - 1000 F even once the snow starts. And the gas burner is well worth hunting down - the wood is great for flavor, but gas is far cleaner and if you just want a quick pizza during the week (or you're cooking 20 for friends and don't want to spend the whole night tending fires and cleaning ash), the gas does a wonderful job.
Just picked one up from Lowes. They had a display with all the attachments including peel, gas burner, case, etc. got the entire package. Thanks for the review.
Another thing to consider is that it's not only a luxury item. What if your gas/electric over in the kitchen doesn't work because of reasons? Now you have outside wood propelled oven which can save you so you can serve foods for the kids.
Accurate review. I've had mine for several weeks and LOVE making Neapolitan pizzas. My first pie came out perfect. Once you get you dough process correct, it's easy-peasy...or easy-pizza! My stone will hit 900* OR HOTTER in 15 minutes burning dry, oak splits (I check it with an infrared gun). The trick is using small pieces (1/2" x 5"), not chunks, cross stack them for air flow, and feed the fire part way through as it will burn out. Once it's hot, f I intend to make more than one pizza I will then start adding larger pieces (1-1/2" x 5"), and give them a minute or two to catch. For just one pie, I throw in one or two small pieces, enough to get a flame rolling across the top of the oven if there is not one. Hey, you don't get pots and pans when you buy a stove! And who would want to. Just like your pots and pan choices, you should choose your own accessories. I use a 12" wood paddle to launch. My 10" metal one to turn and retrieve has a dropped handle which I prefer to a straight one. That exact same $24 brush can be purchased for about $5 in any paint department, and I don't have a need for it. Excellent and accurate video for those on the fence!
Hi Alex, I use a wide BBQ spatula to clean the stone between cooks, with the spatula turned upside down, to scrape pushing the ash back towards the fire tray. A wide BBQ spatula cost a lot of lees Pounds, in comparison to the wire brush Ooni cleaner. Also, a BBQ spatula is normally a lot wider in comparison to the Ooni cleaner, meaning cleaning is quicker between cooks. One major reason I do not use the Ooni brush is that I do not like using a wire brush on any of my BBQs, if a spike falls off and then gets caught into the pizza dough, it can be painful when eating. That's the only tip I can give, Cheers!
Hi Martin! Thank you for commenting, that’s really good advice! Good to know there are better options out there. We will be picking up a BBQ spatula this week! Cheers!
Thank you very much! That’s very exciting, I hope you all enjoy it, we have loved using it over the last few months, and we’re excited to use it in the nicer weather!
Great video and unbiased review. So glad you like it, I just ordered mine. I was annoyed that nothing was included AND I feel their sales team/website is missing the opportunity to upsell those items that people need. And their pricing isn't much worse than comparable amazon items. Also, I am still waiting for the gas burner to become available.
Southwest Ontario. Assuming your near Detroit, pack the oven and visit friends nearby in Michigan (if they are nearest friends/relatives in the states). Once at friends have a good multi pizza party with Karu at the center. Allow it to cool down. Pack it up with your new gifted cleaning brush from your friends to take back to Canada. Voila!
I can add a bit about the portability of this oven. We got our Ooni Karu in June of 2020. We live in Utah but have travelled with it to California, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming x3. We love cooking pizzas for our friends and families on our camping trips and it is always a hit. Very easy to travel with.
Very creative and thoughtful video. From what I see, Ooni is very outright in stating what comes with the oven. I would prefer not to get everything in a complete package for it would give me some redundant tools and increase the price. I would also probably not like the tools they would include and probably go for a higher spec'd peel. As far as your concerns with pricing, exchange rate, and exorbitant taxes; I think that is part of being in a third world country. You can't compare yourself to the US. The same can be said for getting this oven in Mexico. Yes, we are still waiting for a gas burner as well, but this is probably due to the pandemic. Smaller specialty companies like this take a bigger hit with materials and transportation. Thanks for the honest review and good explanations. Looking forward to the next video.
@@coachleo10 Please don't take this as a dig towards Canada. It is just a different socioeconomic country. The exchange rate is favorable for us, but poor for those who import items into their country. I have been to both coasts of Vancouver and Montreal/Toronto where a huge tourist industry exists. There is much beautiful land in between the two coasts, but mainly that. The manufacturing and medical industries just can't compare to that of the US.
You can use many items (Wire brush) to clean the stone.. key don't burn the cheese on it also you can clean the stone in the oven it burns off and is not hard to clean. It is not expensive.. a Pizza Stone is not cheap either.. You can use gas to heat it up and then switch to wood..If you have a cottage it is not expensive ... Go with a Traeger and pizza stone not any cheaper but can smoke meats..And for the accessories what do you get when you buy a grill.. A grill brush works also for cleaning.. after brushing and burning dampen a rag (wring water out) wrap it around a peel, spinner, spatualar and wipe the stone..
@@alexandramichelle7710 I was going to suggest for a brush alternative a stainless steel wire brush from a hardware store but I looked up the specifications on the ooni and they use a natural fiber. Amazon sells some alternatives I don't know if they are offered in Canada.
@@RussBuss27 I believe a commenter earlier mentioned that Canadian Tire sold a natural fibre brush that fits inside the Ooni, ill have to check the difference between the amazon one and the Canadian tire one!
I also was thinking the candle was a cup of coffee, I thought your chair back was against the computer desk wiggling it, and was holding my breath thinking it would spill & ruin the mouse!
That music reminds me of my boy at pizza ramblings! Awesome video and really informative review!! I hear you on the peels and turning peels. Oonies products arent cheap,either! I’m at a crossroads between this oven and the roccbox! They both look like amazing products. Thanks again!
They should clearly state what accessories arent included and what should be bought. I personally think its fine to not include any accessories, since many people might already have scrapes and pizza peels. I hope my parents will buy one of these for the summer! I live in a flat and arent allowed to cook any food on my balcony :D Im also currently unemployed, so cant afford to throw in a few hundred euros for a pizza oven... (Thanks Covid!) Been obsessed with homemade pizza for the last couple of months. Sadly you cant get a pizza nowhere near as good in a electric home oven as you would in a real pizza oven like the Ooni. Thanks for the review btw! Need to show these reviews to my parents, since they are slightly skeptical whether that actually works or not :D
To be fair they do say on the website what comes with it, thats why I didn’t want to dock them too much in the review! But I totally agree, a lot of people who would buy a pizza oven likely love pizza already, thats a great point! I hope you and your family decide to purchase one, or one like this! We just love ours so far, and we can use it for lots more than just pizza! Good luck convincing your parents!
2:45 Preheating an oven can be a question of patience, it can also be a question of planning. If you know how long it takes for your oven to preheat, you can just start the process and do other things in parallel. It won't feel like waiting.
the only thing you need to do to clean the stone is to just use the other side every time you use the oven then the "dirty" side will be cleaned by itself because of the heat ;-)
Alex, you may not read this, but have in mind pizza stones take time to heat. In normal oven it is recommended at least 45mins to an hour of preheating. Industrial ovens are heated gradually, although they are never really cold as one night is not enough to cool it. 20-25 minutes of pre-heating 1.5cm stone is not a negative, but rather the opposite. What I do not like though is no insulation on the bottom. If the bottom was insulated, this will improve the preheating time and also the "cooldown" between pizzas. You cannot throw them one after the other, it is better to give 1-2 minutes between each pizza to reheat the stone. Pizza ovens of any kind rarely has accessories included. Yes it may be inconvenient, but it is what it is. Logistics wise I cannot comment. I do have some suggestions for you though, never again use the wax cubes. They provide toxic smoke inside the oven and the stone is porous. I do use wax cubes to light a charcoal chimney in my weber kettle, but never in the Kamado grill for example. Use tumbleweed starters. I see the oven performs better with bed of lit lump charcoal and wood on top 1 minute before the pizza and top up when needed with wood. And the brush cannot really clean the stone it only brushes the ash. Same with the broom you can remove the ash, but if you want your floor to be clean you use the mop. Pizza ovens are cleaned the same way. Wet towel wrapped around the turning peel or whatever you think of and quickly brushing the stone out of fine ash particles. This is the only way to ensure your pizza is safe to eat.
Thank you so much for commenting, you have some great tips! I will absolutely try them out, and another commenter also agreed with you about the wax cubes being unsafe. We have switched since then but I appreciate you also bringing it up! You clearly have a ton of knowledge on this so I appreciate you giving advice!! Cheers!
Well yes, but also no. I do not own a pizza oven an am only researching the one of choice (karu 12). I am a sucker for food knowledge though. Have spent thousands of hours on food and around а hundred on pizza only. I went to professional pizzerias, took paid courses on pizza, talked with pizzaiolos, you name it. I do know what I am talking about, but no on-hand experience, yet. Back on topic - pizza brush is used to brush the chunks, embers and coarse ash to the side of the oven in professional environment and a wet towel to clean the plates themselves. The first time you do, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Wax cubes are done. Lighting the oven with lump will take more time, than what you are used to with wood chunks. The coals needs to ash all over. If you see mostly black, not ready yet. Re-using the lump is possible, but the BTU output is times lower, so I will suggest fresh coals for max temp. This will probably take 20-25-30 minutes, depends on number of starters, quality and quantity of the lump. And you need additional 10 minutes of wood flame to ensure the stone and the oven are screaming hot. So this will increase your 20-25 minutes starting time, to 30-40, but seeing the others using this method, give the best results. Ooni themselves suggest that in their official channel. The rest is true, a chunk or two of wood 1-2 minutes before adding the pizza. This will not only evaporate and set the wood ablaze, but it will help with wood crackling and sparking ash and small embers in the oven an on top of your pizza. No one wants to eat ash an coal. I saw some videos, where the people throw the wood chunk, go directly for pizza, and get a massive wood debris on the pizza. the stone is cleaned just before placing the pizza. In this oven I would wait 1-2 minutes with closed door however as the stone is not thick enough and wetting it will decrease the temperature. I hope this helps even though it is long to read. Cheers to you and good luck! P.S. You can increase the said times if you have a cheap torch, even one from Creme Brulee will help and also add some wood chunks along with the lump. If you get them on fire with the lump underneath them, you do not need starters and this will reduce the time significantly.
I have one, just get the gas attachment. It's much more practical and very easy to use. Took me about twice to get it down with perfectly cooked pizza.
Why do you believe you need the Ooni branded peel? I have 2 peels, wood for launching and steel for pulling, both fit great. You can find a lot of peels on Amazon and I do believe they deliver to Canada. I have these tools as I have baked pizza on a stone in my home oven for years. I believe most people who buy an expensive pizza oven will have some experience making pizza.
Good question! I didn’t need a specific brand of peel, however at the time I purchased the oven the only ones available in my region were sold out. So my comment was more towards wishing they had some in stock for purchase, which I’m sure they do now! We now have 2, one is slightly too large but that’s on us! Thanks for commenting, Cheers!
Absolutely! The 900 degrees was more so based off of the claims the website makes. The classic Neapolitan style pizza does best at that temperature with a basic dough, but I would love to play around with other doughs too. Cheers!
Nice review. I have an old Ooni 3 that I bought in 2016 (called Uuni back then), bought the gas attachment when it was available. I also recently bought a Koda 12... And then a Koda 16 (long story lol). The change a few years makes... I don't know where you live in Canada, but in my part of the country (Quebec), Pizza ovens and peels and the like are now mainstream! Heck, got my Koda 16 at Tanguay (a big corporate furniture store) and local Costcos sells the Koda 12, with an included peel for 400$. When I got my first Ooni, like you, I had to either drive a few hours to find one of the three Ooni dealer in Quebec or buy online. I was considered a lunatic to go through all this "just" for pizza (they don't know what they are missing!!!). The look I got from the neighbours, when in february, at -30C I baked a delicious Napolitan style pizza in 60 seconds.... Nowadays, a local ride to your Costco or furniture store and you get your oven at drive home with Oven and Peel. A few words about fuel choice... When you'll get the gas burner, I don't think you'll go back to wood. Gas makes it so easy, fast, and frankly... It tastes the same. That is the reason I ended up going the Koda route and not Fyra or Karu, Having an option is great, but in the end, just like a river, you end up taking the path of least resistance. Great review. Making real pizza in a pizza oven definitly has a learning curve. But when you've get the hang of it, you end up with the real stuff and aside a few restaurants, your pizza will taste hundred times better!
Thank you for your review eh. If I was going to spend that much money, I bought buy the propane model which is easier to clean and control the temperature.
I don't understand why you didn't order a basic peel or brush from anywhere knowing they didn't come with it. btw you can use the back of a cookie sheet or pizza pan as a peel. I imagine a large percentage of their customers aren't new to pizza making and already own numerous peels.
I was given a pro a few weeks ago. The oven works well. Many items you purchase come without all the components that are the sum of the whole. An example would be an electrical breaker box. All the breakers needed are separate. Actually not all items purchased are always complete. The quality of the Pro and accessories purchased are very good quality. Their pricing seems fair and a good quality for what you get. Amazon is double the price on accessories used for the pizza making and one has the ability to purchase the necessary tools from any vendor of their choosing.
Haha yeah, thank you for mentioning, I appreciate it! I realized only after my mistake. I’m still new to this oven, Mike usually sets it up for me so you can tell when It was me 😂
Excellent video! We just got our Ooni Karu last week and used it for the first time last evening. Though we feel we can get an excellent pizza from this oven eventually, I was disappointed with my dough recipe. Can you recommend a good pizza dough recipe?
Thank you very much! Dough can be difficult for sure! We currently love the recipe from the wood fire pizza chef here on CZcams. He uses 00 flour and I believe is about 60% hydration. We just use active dry or instant yeast with his recipe and it works wonders. I would highly recommend checking him out! We also found that if you can let your dough rest in the fridge for a few hours or overnight it really helps with flavour and stretching. Cheers! Alexandra
Amazing review! I have two questions. Do you find the pizza oven too small to fit a decent sized pizza? Some people say 12 inches is too small, and since I've never used one of these myself I don't really have a good sense of what it would feel like to launch a pizza in a space of that size. Second, how hot does the outside of the oven get? Will you burn yourself if you touch the outside accidentally? Thank you!
Thank you! For the first question, I find that one pizza at this size is the perfect amount for myself, if not, a bit big! Mike, has a fairly good appetite and finds it the perfect size. He usually finishes it and is full after. As for getting burned, it has happened a couple of times and absolutely you will. It gets incredibly hot all around it. Even the legs do get a bit hot so its important to be super careful. Even the little metal part to adjust the smoke stack gets hot, you would need to wear a glove to adjust it while it is going.
Hey! Really enjoyed your video. It answered a lot of good questions. I also live in Ontario and I am considering buying the Ooni karu. Just wondering where you bought your oven from? Also do you find you need to bring the temperature back up after each pizza? Thanks!! 😌
Hello! Thanks for reaching out, I’m glad you liked the video 😊! I was able to pick up this oven from Safe Home Fireplace in Lambeth Ontario. The oven holds its temperature fairly well. We have had family over before lockdown and cooked 5 pizzas back to back. We didn’t have to wait in between each pizza, however because the ash catcher where you place the wood is fairly small, we had to add more wood every 10 minutes or so to maintain the high temperature. I hope this helps!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad I could help! When I purchased ours, it was the last they were stalked until Christmas, and there was a man who wanted to purchase it as I was walking out! They’re gaining popularity! Hopefully they will be more readily available soon!
I love this video. Did you use wood only for your fires? If you've gotten the gas attachment. Do you taste the difference between the wood fires and gas fire in the pizza?
Thank you!! I use a mix of wood snd charcoal recently as it makes it much easier to control the temperature. We just recently were able to get the gas attachment and we love it! I do prefer the taste from the wood but you can't beat the convenience of the gas. I'll be posting a video on the gas attachment soon!
@@alexandramichelle7710 Good catch, Paul. That's probably why it took so long to heat up. I wasn't sure but figured it out (finally put my engineering degree to good use). Too bad Ooni didn't make that clear in their instructions.
Hi sis would you consider the gas burner? Would it make it easier and better for you? I have ordered the Karu and may order a gas burner with it. Thought it may help you reach more consistent temps
Hey there! Yes absolutely! I am very excited to see how the gas burner works out! I think it would allow to quicker clean up and pre heat times. The wood burning is wonderful but I feel like the gas burner will make this a more versatile product! Temperature consistency is a benefit as well as you would not have to deal with adding fuel.
I live in the US and just received the Karu. Do you have any idea if there is size specific wood for this ? As I can not handle chopping the wood myself. Thank you
Congratulations on getting your Karu! There isn’t specific wood available to my knowledge. In canada i have been using the wood from lowes, and for the most part they fit. There have been a few pieces however that have not and we have had to split them. Perhaps amazon may have some that are smaller? Chips are also an option however i feel that they would burn up too fast in the oven. You could always use chips/charcoal mix if the wood at your local hardware store did not fit properly! Hope that helps!!
Great review. Quick question though...you state that using the Ooni cleaning brush makes it " soo much easier" but you say you haven't been able to purchase it yet? I'm confused.
Thanks for asking that! I probably didn’t explain that the best way. What I mean by that is I assume it would be so much easier than using a paper towel as I have been doing, just because of its shape. I haven’t tried it out yet, but intend to soon. But thats just an assumption! Thanks again!
Can the pizza stone be taken in and out easily? If so, preheat it in the kitchen oven and then put it back in the Ooni, better than burning all that wood to preheat it.
Do you really want to manhandle a rather heavy and very hot pizza stone from your oven to the Karu? Theoretically possible, but what tool(s) would you use to transfer the stone? A few sticks of wood is cheaper than a trip to the emergency room. Not a good idea in my humble opinion.
Thank you for the video...I plan on getting one for my birthday in June. One question...does pizza stick to the stone? How do u prevent it from sticking...Second question: I'm also in Ontario...Toronto...who did you buy it from? Thank you!!!! Cheers
Thanks for watching! Thats super exciting, congrats in advance and happy (early) birthday! If you preheat the stone for the suggested 15 minutes, it actually doesnt stick at all! It’s hot enough that it actually cooks the pizza in under 2 minutes, so it makes the crust nice and toasty. I generally turn it at least once in that time. I bought this one from a place in Lambeth Ontario called safe home fireplace, but i think most fireplace/bbq specific stores may carry it! Hope that helps, cheers!!
Granted you keep an eye on the fuel levels, making sure the flame is steady you can cook as many as you wish before the temperature goes down. We use a mixture of coal and wood now and it seems to greatly help the consistency of the temperature.
Thanks for the great review! Question here. I am planning to put in an outdoor fireplace, with a cooking area, and add the pizza oven. The lighting procedure seems a bit of a pain. If I had a fire going in the fireplace, could I use a shovel to just scoop up coals and put them in the unit to get going faster?
Thank you for watching! Yes starting the fire is a bit of a hassle, especially if you are new to building fires as I was. I believe this would be okay if the wood you were using in the fireplace was not pressure treated, and the starter/charcoal you are using is meant for a charcoal barbecue. Let me know how it turns out!
It’s a lot to consider! The Karu model is nice because it gives you a personal sized pizza, and if you try the wood and hate it, the gas attachment is an option. Some stores have floor models you can check out in person, that made my decision easier for sure.
Unfortunately I live in Ontario Canada, so I’m not familiar. Although I will say that I was able to find floor models at my local fireplace store instead of a big box store so I would recommend starting there!
Not sure I see the appeal here - other than being outside. These videos seem to show crust that looks super thick and soft seeing is on a stone and not directly on a rack (not crispy) - is this the case? does this perform better than an indoor oven (super convenient and can cook on the rack) very curious! Thanks!
Thanks for asking! I can see how it would seem like that in the video, we can make another video shortly giving it a sound test to show the crispiness. It really depends on how many toppings you add and how long you cook it for, as well as how thin the dough is. If anything the karu does a wonderful job, it just depends on my experience with the certain pizza. The stone does an awesome job at making it crispy as it preheats with the oven. It ends up getting a nice char! We can show that in the next video too! An oven is a good option too but this oven can get nearly double the temperatures of an indoor oven. Plus the added smokiness from the wood. Though it is a luxury and some may see it as unnecessary. Thanks for asking!!
You make a good point. I've been making pizza in an oven that reaches 550 F. Never tried cooking directly on the rack, but on a stone I've made pretty good NY style pizza. The Ooni ovens are designed to make Neapolitan pizza, which is a different animal. If you're happy with your present method, go with it. As for me, I'm going to see if I can make a decent NY style pizza at somewhere north of 550 F.
The gas is nice for sure, but having the option to use wood/charcoal or gas was the reason that I bought this model. I love the flavour it lends to the pizza or whatever I am making. I’m sure everyone’s needs are different however and I can see why the 16 inch gas oven would be a good option too.
LOL, I did laugh about this comment. What's the reason you're negative about the Karu? It sounds that your frustration comes from not having the skills to work with the Karu. It's not always the product who's to blame that expectations aren't reached, the end user is always responsible for it ;) I got my Karu in january and have used it for the third time and I have to admit if you know what you are doing the karu just nails the perfect outcome, unless you don't know what you are doing ;) Cooking with gas on a woodfired oven feels to me like using a gas bbq instead of bbq with charcoal. You don't need the experience of flame/temperature control and you certainly don't get the taste that comes from chunks of wood as a fuel source.
You're great at this. One of the best reviews I've seen on CZcams. As a bonus, you're a beautiful girl. You touched all bases. 20 minutes is a bit long. Too much to see on CZcams too little time. 10-12 minutes would be better.
Sorry. I hated to say anything negative. The review was excellent. I'm on CZcams a lot and there's so much to view and so little time. I really enjoyed your review and purchased an Ooni this afternoon. Good luck with your channel.
Q&A section being @ the beginning is useful. Probably could have provided the same content in half the time if she didn't ramble. I got impatient half way through and didn't finish listening.
My goodness, what a useless review. You could've saved us all 15 mins by simply saying 'i wish I'd read the description on the website before ordering' and that aside, non of your gripes are about the oven itself, just you're inexperience using this kind of thing
So basically you complained because they didn't include accessories that many people would already have and wouldn't want another. As you said, they're up front about what it includes, and therefore, what it doesn't. Many people don't want a pizza making kit, we just want an oven and that's what Ooni sell. One other thing, I'd love the gas attachment too but its not available in the US either - I suspect it's part pandemic but also because they've been incredibly successful as a company and supply can't keep up with demand. No manufacturer can turn upproduction volumes instantly. Having said this, your rating of 4.8 is OK, but I'm still not sure why you dock off 0.2 points. And on your point about the stone time to heat up, with mine there's been a big difference between warm weather times and cool weather times - I think you'll find in summer the stone will be hot a lot quicker.
Hi Paul and thanks for commenting! The 0.2 off was just my personal opinion on it. I truly believe its an amazing product and I honestly do recommend it! In my personal opinion I believe that there should be a pizza peel with it, and thats why I took off the points, but I of course acknowledge that thats not a fault of their product or transparency as they do state that it doesn’t come with it. And I do believe that once the pandemic starts to ramp down that they will have more stock, so that will solve that issue! I think this is going to be a hot product this year and in the coming years too. But given that a 4.8/5 is a 96% I think it’s truly hard to beat that! As for the stone heating up, yeah I totally agree, we’re going to do a one year review once we have experienced all 4 seasons here in Canada, as well we are supposed to get a storm coming soon, and we want to try it in the dead of winter, just for fun. Who knows, that could seriously impress us and make it a 4.9! All in all I would recommend the product to anyone, but based off of my opinion on the accessories and availability at the time of purchase, thats why I gave it the 4.8. Cheers!
What nonsense. Pretty much all the “wish I knew before buying” points would have been known if they’d actually read what they were actually buying...and then they would’ve actually known! And as for expecting all the accessories to be included 🤯 . Would you expect to get grate cleaners, burger smashers etc etc included if you were buying a bbq? or would you gripe that you couldn’t flip a burger on it “straight out of the box”. If you don’t buy a pizza peel with it, don’t be surprised the pizza fairies don’t include one, then whine about how you have to visit 5 stores in canada IN NOVEMBER before you can get one. BUY A DAMN PEEL WHEN YOU BUY THE OVEN! Really, the staggering lack of foresight is beyond belief. “We’re gonna buy a pizza oven, hon”....”maybe we should get a pizza peel as well...” “nah, it says what comes in the box, but I’m sure they forgot to mention it comes with a peel and all the other accessories’... “ok hon, you know best”.... Honestly, I was expecting the final comment to be expressing disappointment it didn’t come with pizzas included. And as for “I wish I knew how hard cooking with fire was before I bought it” NO. WORDS. Not knowing how to use something shouldn’t constitute part of a negative review. “I can’t drive, and I wish I knew How hard it was going to be before I bought this Porsche and crashed it into a tree” Happy Cooking!
Wow-some people are off their meds-or need some. Clearly stated more then once Ooni made no claims extras were included, in fact she said it stated they didn’t. And has this person ever bought something they didn’t know completely how to use before buying? That’s part of the fun of cooking, try-learn-adjust-try again. It wasn’t even a negative review 4.8 out of 5. Is he pissed it wasn’t a 5?
I hear you! I definitely rambled a bit, it was my first attempt at a review. But thank you for the feedback! I have a 6 month review coming up that will be far less wordy, and properly preheated! cheers!
Excellent video!
We've had our Ooni Karu about 4 months now and could not be happier. We use it about once every 7-10 days.
We've been using the gas option the last 4 cooks due to 14" of snow and freezing temps. Both options work equally well although it is a more consistent heat with the gas. As soon as it warms up, I'll probably go back to the wood burning option.
Also, for meat eaters, we cooked a 2" Rib eye steak with outstanding results. 800° fahrenheit in a preheated, cast iron skillet. Salt, pepper, seasoning, and a layer of olive oil. 4 minutes on first side, 2 minutes on side 2 for a medium rare, unbelievable steak. Charred, crusty outside, tender inside!
Can't wait until spring so we can get serious.
Again, great video for someone considering purchasing an Ooni.
My experience has been exactly as you stated.
Hi Luna, thank you for watching! That rib eye sounds amazing, we will definitely have to give that a try soon. There's nothing better than a good steak. We are also dealing with the snow right now, so the gas attachment will be a staple for us once we can get out hands on it as well! Thanks again! Cheers!
I just bought one and tried it today. It works great. I made small 7 inch pizzas and it was very easy to manage and turn them.
Excellent honest review, I have the Ooni Pro 16 & been using it for 2 years & everything you've mentioned is pretty accurate.
You mentioned that the stone takes time to fully heat up & wasn't sure if it was due to cold temps, nope... Made pizza these past few weeks and it has been in the 90F's here in the US, Connecticut. I learned that it takes about 30+ minutes with the closed door to get the oven seriously hot & be able to maintain the heat to make several pizzas. If you're making 1 pizza, then you can get away with a 15-20min pre-heat. But for people like me, who make a minimum of 4 pizzas & typically 6, a long preheat is a must. Also, using a nice hot bed of coal & then topping it with the wood seems to work best. Coal alone doesn't get hot enough & wood alone is high maintenance since you constantly need to feed the oven wood to maintain the fire & temp.
Even with the corks, which is more like getting to know your oven like any oven regardless of type, I still love it & I can make amazing pizzas that is simply not achievable in any home oven, believe me, I TRIED lol, I didn't want to ditch out the $600, but ended up doing so & don't regret it. 😎👍
Thank you very much!
So you can make 4 to 6 pizzas, one after another without losing heat and waiting for it to reheat? Just wanted to clarify that. Is your oven wood or propane? Thanks!
@@singhmaster4 Hi, I use a combo of wood & coal. I 1st set a bed of coal & then start feeding some kindle wood on top of it & then add wood chunks. I heat the oven up with the front door on. Once my oven reaches ~800F-900F, I continue to feed wood as needed to maintain that temp for a minimum of 30-40 minutes. Then I remove the front door & put on the door that has the bottom opening.
This allows me to make that many pizzas (4-6) with very minimal recovery time between pies, by minimal I mean by the time I remove one pizza & bring it inside & then stretch out my next dough ball & assemble it, the oven floor is back to temp & ready for the next pie. One detail, I add more wood after I remove the pizza, that helps recover temps quicker. Depending on how the fire is, I will either add kindle wood or chunks or a little of both. It's part of getting to know the oven. Once you get a feel for it, it's not so hard to maintain a hot oven. You also need to keep an eye on the ashes. I use a garden hand shovel to move the wood & coal & then tap the bottom of the screen to drop the ashes down. This is important to allow a good flow of oxygen to the fuel 8n order to keep a really hot fire going.
Hope this helps 👍
Rc is spot on, I have the Karu 12.
I light a full tray of lump charcoal and get the steel of the fire glowing bright orange.
It's screaming hot, then just before I want to cook I add hard wood chunk to get the rolling flame to cook the top.
Add a little more charcoal when it comes out to maintain temp, then a little hardwood chunk when the pizza is ready to go in.
I make 4-6 pizza's every time.
Fair video, but as pertains to some of your criticisms, the Ooni Pro (a larger model, but very similar) is the 3rd outdoor oven I've purchased, and I appreciate the fact they didn't include (and upcharge) me for basic pizza making tools. The first two did, and now I just have a pile of peels that I no longer use or need. If you stick with the hobby over time, you'll much rather have extra cash to spend on other pizza making luxuries, like a dough proofing box or screens and trays. I'm on year 2 with my Ooni and going strong, and have no problem getting that oven up to a comfortable 800 - 1000 F even once the snow starts. And the gas burner is well worth hunting down - the wood is great for flavor, but gas is far cleaner and if you just want a quick pizza during the week (or you're cooking 20 for friends and don't want to spend the whole night tending fires and cleaning ash), the gas does a wonderful job.
That’s definitely true! We are still trying to get the gas attachment as I think it will be awesome to have. Thanks for commenting!!
heat discoloration looks amazing dont ever try to get rid of it, shows usage and experience!
Just picked one up from Lowes. They had a display with all the attachments including peel, gas burner, case, etc. got the entire package. Thanks for the review.
Thats a great idea from Lowes! I will have to check them out this season. Thanks for watching!
Another thing to consider is that it's not only a luxury item. What if your gas/electric over in the kitchen doesn't work because of reasons? Now you have outside wood propelled oven which can save you so you can serve foods for the kids.
Accurate review. I've had mine for several weeks and LOVE making Neapolitan pizzas. My first pie came out perfect. Once you get you dough process correct, it's easy-peasy...or easy-pizza!
My stone will hit 900* OR HOTTER in 15 minutes burning dry, oak splits (I check it with an infrared gun). The trick is using small pieces (1/2" x 5"), not chunks, cross stack them for air flow, and feed the fire part way through as it will burn out. Once it's hot, f I intend to make more than one pizza I will then start adding larger pieces (1-1/2" x 5"), and give them a minute or two to catch. For just one pie, I throw in one or two small pieces, enough to get a flame rolling across the top of the oven if there is not one.
Hey, you don't get pots and pans when you buy a stove! And who would want to. Just like your pots and pan choices, you should choose your own accessories. I use a 12" wood paddle to launch. My 10" metal one to turn and retrieve has a dropped handle which I prefer to a straight one. That exact same $24 brush can be purchased for about $5 in any paint department, and I don't have a need for it. Excellent and accurate video for those on the fence!
I know it's two years but what a great review ! Big thanks from Quebec !
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video. Useful hints and tips. Thanks, all the way from the UK 😊
Thank you!
Very, very good straight review. Hit all my questions about the unit.
Thank you very much!
for a minute there i thought your coffee was alive...then i realised it was a candle ;o)
Haha that’s too funny! It does look alive for a second 😂
Hi Alex, I use a wide BBQ spatula to clean the stone between cooks, with the spatula turned upside down, to scrape pushing the ash back towards the fire tray. A wide BBQ spatula cost a lot of lees Pounds, in comparison to the wire brush Ooni cleaner. Also, a BBQ spatula is normally a lot wider in comparison to the Ooni cleaner, meaning cleaning is quicker between cooks. One major reason I do not use the Ooni brush is that I do not like using a wire brush on any of my BBQs, if a spike falls off and then gets caught into the pizza dough, it can be painful when eating. That's the only tip I can give, Cheers!
Hi Martin! Thank you for commenting, that’s really good advice! Good to know there are better options out there. We will be picking up a BBQ spatula this week!
Cheers!
Very helpful video. Wife and kids got me one for Christmas and can't wait to start using it!
Thank you very much! That’s very exciting, I hope you all enjoy it, we have loved using it over the last few months, and we’re excited to use it in the nicer weather!
Great video and unbiased review. So glad you like it, I just ordered mine. I was annoyed that nothing was included AND I feel their sales team/website is missing the opportunity to upsell those items that people need. And their pricing isn't much worse than comparable amazon items. Also, I am still waiting for the gas burner to become available.
I absolutely agree! Congrats on ordering yours! That’s so exciting. Can’t wait for this summer!
This was a really really good video. Well thought out, good delivery.
Thank you very much!
Southwest Ontario. Assuming your near Detroit, pack the oven and visit friends nearby in Michigan (if they are nearest friends/relatives in the states). Once at friends have a good multi pizza party with Karu at the center. Allow it to cool down. Pack it up with your new gifted cleaning brush from your friends to take back to Canada. Voila!
Just got this ordered from Ooni, really excited for it:)
I hope you enjoy it! We certainly are!
thanks ...being from southern Ontario myself i appreciate relative to my location.
I can add a bit about the portability of this oven. We got our Ooni Karu in June of 2020. We live in Utah but have travelled with it to California, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming x3. We love cooking pizzas for our friends and families on our camping trips and it is always a hit. Very easy to travel with.
Thanks for adding that! I love hearing about others’ experiences, we share the love for cooking for our families! Cheers!
Nice review Alexandra! I like checking out what other creators think to the Ooni Pizza Ovens! Keep it up!
Thank you for your support!!
Thank you. Very helpful and informative. Appreciate the attention to detail you put into the video. Confirmed my decision to purchase.
Thank you so much for watching!
Very creative and thoughtful video. From what I see, Ooni is very outright in stating what comes with the oven. I would prefer not to get everything in a complete package for it would give me some redundant tools and increase the price. I would also probably not like the tools they would include and probably go for a higher spec'd peel. As far as your concerns with pricing, exchange rate, and exorbitant taxes; I think that is part of being in a third world country. You can't compare yourself to the US. The same can be said for getting this oven in Mexico. Yes, we are still waiting for a gas burner as well, but this is probably due to the pandemic. Smaller specialty companies like this take a bigger hit with materials and transportation. Thanks for the honest review and good explanations. Looking forward to the next video.
Third world country lol guess you haven't visited Canada.
@@coachleo10 Please don't take this as a dig towards Canada. It is just a different socioeconomic country. The exchange rate is favorable for us, but poor for those who import items into their country. I have been to both coasts of Vancouver and Montreal/Toronto where a huge tourist industry exists. There is much beautiful land in between the two coasts, but mainly that. The manufacturing and medical industries just can't compare to that of the US.
You can use many items (Wire brush) to clean the stone.. key don't burn the cheese on it also you can clean the stone in the oven it burns off and is not hard to clean. It is not expensive.. a Pizza Stone is not cheap either.. You can use gas to heat it up and then switch to wood..If you have a cottage it is not expensive ... Go with a Traeger and pizza stone not any cheaper but can smoke meats..And for the accessories what do you get when you buy a grill.. A grill brush works also for cleaning.. after brushing and burning dampen a rag (wring water out) wrap it around a peel, spinner, spatualar and wipe the stone..
Thank you for your suggestions!
Thanks so much for this well presented and informative video.
Made my forthcoming purchase so much easier.
Love and respect from England UK x
Thank you so much for watching!
Thank you for the great video, you hit a lot of the research points i was looking for before buying one of these.
Thank you! Glad I could help!
@@alexandramichelle7710 I was going to suggest for a brush alternative a stainless steel wire brush from a hardware store but I looked up the specifications on the ooni and they use a natural fiber. Amazon sells some alternatives I don't know if they are offered in Canada.
@@RussBuss27 I believe a commenter earlier mentioned that Canadian Tire sold a natural fibre brush that fits inside the Ooni, ill have to check the difference between the amazon one and the Canadian tire one!
I also was thinking the candle was a cup of coffee, I thought your chair back was against the computer desk wiggling it, and was holding my breath thinking it would spill & ruin the mouse!
My friend shipped to Canada all the time I am wondering if there’s anyway we can slip one on the pallet for you and you can go get it from them
That music reminds me of my boy at pizza ramblings! Awesome video and really informative review!! I hear you on the peels and turning peels. Oonies products arent cheap,either! I’m at a crossroads between this oven and the roccbox! They both look like amazing products. Thanks again!
Haha very true! I think they’ll both be super popular this year, I’m looking forward to seeing more about the roccbox! Cheers!
Canadian Tire sells a pizza stone brush (on sale at the moment) that looks like the Ooni model for a lot less cost and has natural bristles
Oh that’s fantastic! Thank you for posting, I will have to go check that out!!
Very Canadian, well explained, amazing use of English and logical. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
They should clearly state what accessories arent included and what should be bought. I personally think its fine to not include any accessories, since many people might already have scrapes and pizza peels. I hope my parents will buy one of these for the summer! I live in a flat and arent allowed to cook any food on my balcony :D Im also currently unemployed, so cant afford to throw in a few hundred euros for a pizza oven... (Thanks Covid!) Been obsessed with homemade pizza for the last couple of months. Sadly you cant get a pizza nowhere near as good in a electric home oven as you would in a real pizza oven like the Ooni. Thanks for the review btw! Need to show these reviews to my parents, since they are slightly skeptical whether that actually works or not :D
To be fair they do say on the website what comes with it, thats why I didn’t want to dock them too much in the review! But I totally agree, a lot of people who would buy a pizza oven likely love pizza already, thats a great point! I hope you and your family decide to purchase one, or one like this! We just love ours so far, and we can use it for lots more than just pizza! Good luck convincing your parents!
A very comprehensive and helpful review. Thank you.🍕
Thanks for watching! 🍕
2:45 Preheating an oven can be a question of patience, it can also be a question of planning. If you know how long it takes for your oven to preheat, you can just start the process and do other things in parallel. It won't feel like waiting.
Absolutely!
Nice review, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Thank you very much!
Great
Thanks from the southern shores of Georgian Bay.
Thank you!
I’m from Edmonton and also trying to get my hands on one. Thank you for the thorough review.
You’re welcome, thank you for watching! I hope you’re able to pick one up, they’re a lot of fun!
If you have a looftlighter or heat gun (paint stripping) I would consider using that to get the 1st 100/200 degrees warmed up. Saves a bit of wood.
Great idea! Ill try that out!
the only thing you need to do to clean the stone is to just use the other side every time you use the oven then the "dirty" side will be cleaned by itself because of the heat ;-)
Haha good point!
Alex, you may not read this, but have in mind pizza stones take time to heat. In normal oven it is recommended at least 45mins to an hour of preheating. Industrial ovens are heated gradually, although they are never really cold as one night is not enough to cool it. 20-25 minutes of pre-heating 1.5cm stone is not a negative, but rather the opposite. What I do not like though is no insulation on the bottom. If the bottom was insulated, this will improve the preheating time and also the "cooldown" between pizzas. You cannot throw them one after the other, it is better to give 1-2 minutes between each pizza to reheat the stone. Pizza ovens of any kind rarely has accessories included. Yes it may be inconvenient, but it is what it is. Logistics wise I cannot comment.
I do have some suggestions for you though, never again use the wax cubes. They provide toxic smoke inside the oven and the stone is porous. I do use wax cubes to light a charcoal chimney in my weber kettle, but never in the Kamado grill for example. Use tumbleweed starters. I see the oven performs better with bed of lit lump charcoal and wood on top 1 minute before the pizza and top up when needed with wood. And the brush cannot really clean the stone it only brushes the ash. Same with the broom you can remove the ash, but if you want your floor to be clean you use the mop. Pizza ovens are cleaned the same way. Wet towel wrapped around the turning peel or whatever you think of and quickly brushing the stone out of fine ash particles. This is the only way to ensure your pizza is safe to eat.
Thank you so much for commenting, you have some great tips! I will absolutely try them out, and another commenter also agreed with you about the wax cubes being unsafe. We have switched since then but I appreciate you also bringing it up! You clearly have a ton of knowledge on this so I appreciate you giving advice!! Cheers!
Well yes, but also no. I do not own a pizza oven an am only researching the one of choice (karu 12). I am a sucker for food knowledge though. Have spent thousands of hours on food and around а hundred on pizza only. I went to professional pizzerias, took paid courses on pizza, talked with pizzaiolos, you name it. I do know what I am talking about, but no on-hand experience, yet. Back on topic - pizza brush is used to brush the chunks, embers and coarse ash to the side of the oven in professional environment and a wet towel to clean the plates themselves. The first time you do, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Wax cubes are done. Lighting the oven with lump will take more time, than what you are used to with wood chunks. The coals needs to ash all over. If you see mostly black, not ready yet. Re-using the lump is possible, but the BTU output is times lower, so I will suggest fresh coals for max temp. This will probably take 20-25-30 minutes, depends on number of starters, quality and quantity of the lump. And you need additional 10 minutes of wood flame to ensure the stone and the oven are screaming hot. So this will increase your 20-25 minutes starting time, to 30-40, but seeing the others using this method, give the best results. Ooni themselves suggest that in their official channel. The rest is true, a chunk or two of wood 1-2 minutes before adding the pizza. This will not only evaporate and set the wood ablaze, but it will help with wood crackling and sparking ash and small embers in the oven an on top of your pizza. No one wants to eat ash an coal. I saw some videos, where the people throw the wood chunk, go directly for pizza, and get a massive wood debris on the pizza. the stone is cleaned just before placing the pizza. In this oven I would wait 1-2 minutes with closed door however as the stone is not thick enough and wetting it will decrease the temperature. I hope this helps even though it is long to read. Cheers to you and good luck!
P.S. You can increase the said times if you have a cheap torch, even one from Creme Brulee will help and also add some wood chunks along with the lump. If you get them on fire with the lump underneath them, you do not need starters and this will reduce the time significantly.
I have one, just get the gas attachment. It's much more practical and very easy to use. Took me about twice to get it down with perfectly cooked pizza.
Amazing! We will be picking one up as soon as we are able. It will be convenient having the option for sure!
Why do you believe you need the Ooni branded peel? I have 2 peels, wood for launching and steel for pulling, both fit great. You can find a lot of peels on Amazon and I do believe they deliver to Canada. I have these tools as I have baked pizza on a stone in my home oven for years. I believe most people who buy an expensive pizza oven will have some experience making pizza.
Good question! I didn’t need a specific brand of peel, however at the time I purchased the oven the only ones available in my region were sold out. So my comment was more towards wishing they had some in stock for purchase, which I’m sure they do now! We now have 2, one is slightly too large but that’s on us! Thanks for commenting, Cheers!
Thank you, well presented and a thorough review. Best wishes.
Thanks for watching, best wishes!
Very informative review and, having just got one, I tend to agree with everything youve said.
Thank you!!
Different doughs react differently to temperature. Some are better at a lower temp. Don't get hung up on 900 degrees.
Absolutely! The 900 degrees was more so based off of the claims the website makes. The classic Neapolitan style pizza does best at that temperature with a basic dough, but I would love to play around with other doughs too. Cheers!
Are you Canadian? - the 'about' pronunciation seems to indicate that! (My answer was given later on in the video!) 👍
Nice review. I have an old Ooni 3 that I bought in 2016 (called Uuni back then), bought the gas attachment when it was available. I also recently bought a Koda 12... And then a Koda 16 (long story lol).
The change a few years makes... I don't know where you live in Canada, but in my part of the country (Quebec), Pizza ovens and peels and the like are now mainstream! Heck, got my Koda 16 at Tanguay (a big corporate furniture store) and local Costcos sells the Koda 12, with an included peel for 400$.
When I got my first Ooni, like you, I had to either drive a few hours to find one of the three Ooni dealer in Quebec or buy online. I was considered a lunatic to go through all this "just" for pizza (they don't know what they are missing!!!). The look I got from the neighbours, when in february, at -30C I baked a delicious Napolitan style pizza in 60 seconds....
Nowadays, a local ride to your Costco or furniture store and you get your oven at drive home with Oven and Peel.
A few words about fuel choice... When you'll get the gas burner, I don't think you'll go back to wood. Gas makes it so easy, fast, and frankly... It tastes the same. That is the reason I ended up going the Koda route and not Fyra or Karu, Having an option is great, but in the end, just like a river, you end up taking the path of least resistance.
Great review. Making real pizza in a pizza oven definitly has a learning curve. But when you've get the hang of it, you end up with the real stuff and aside a few restaurants, your pizza will taste hundred times better!
Just received the karu16 multi fuel from ooni bought the package deal came with everything I need to cook a pizza
That is so exciting! Thank you for watching! 🍕
Thank you for your review eh. If I was going to spend that much money, I bought buy the propane model which is easier to clean and control the temperature.
I do love the propane attachment! Such a great option
I don't understand why you didn't order a basic peel or brush from anywhere knowing they didn't come with it. btw you can use the back of a cookie sheet or pizza pan as a peel. I imagine a large percentage of their customers aren't new to pizza making and already own numerous peels.
We do have one now! Thanks for commenting, and great tip with the cookie sheet!
I was given a pro a few weeks ago. The oven works well. Many items you purchase come without all the components that are the sum of the whole. An example would be an electrical breaker box. All the breakers needed are separate. Actually not all items purchased are always complete. The quality of the Pro and accessories purchased are very good quality. Their pricing seems fair and a good quality for what you get. Amazon is double the price on accessories used for the pizza making and one has the ability to purchase the necessary tools from any vendor of their choosing.
Excellent points! Good analogy too! I hope you enjoy your new pizza oven! 🍕
Great, thorough review. Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
It looks to me like you have your fuel tray in the wrong way. It's supposed to slope down from the back for better airflow.
Haha yeah, thank you for mentioning, I appreciate it! I realized only after my mistake. I’m still new to this oven, Mike usually sets it up for me so you can tell when It was me 😂
Good honest review 👍👍
Thank you for watching!
Excellent video! We just got our Ooni Karu last week and used it for the first time last evening. Though we feel we can get an excellent pizza from this oven eventually, I was disappointed with my dough recipe. Can you recommend a good pizza dough recipe?
Thank you very much! Dough can be difficult for sure! We currently love the recipe from the wood fire pizza chef here on CZcams. He uses 00 flour and I believe is about 60% hydration. We just use active dry or instant yeast with his recipe and it works wonders. I would highly recommend checking him out! We also found that if you can let your dough rest in the fridge for a few hours or overnight it really helps with flavour and stretching.
Cheers!
Alexandra
Amazing review! I have two questions. Do you find the pizza oven too small to fit a decent sized pizza? Some people say 12 inches is too small, and since I've never used one of these myself I don't really have a good sense of what it would feel like to launch a pizza in a space of that size. Second, how hot does the outside of the oven get? Will you burn yourself if you touch the outside accidentally? Thank you!
Thank you! For the first question, I find that one pizza at this size is the perfect amount for myself, if not, a bit big! Mike, has a fairly good appetite and finds it the perfect size. He usually finishes it and is full after. As for getting burned, it has happened a couple of times and absolutely you will. It gets incredibly hot all around it. Even the legs do get a bit hot so its important to be super careful. Even the little metal part to adjust the smoke stack gets hot, you would need to wear a glove to adjust it while it is going.
@@alexandramichelle7710 Good to know! Thank you very much :) Good luck with your pizzas!
Happy Sunday! Let me know if you are considering buying a pizza oven, and if you are, let me know what kind!
Hey! Really enjoyed your video. It answered a lot of good questions. I also live in Ontario and I am considering buying the Ooni karu. Just wondering where you bought your oven from? Also do you find you need to bring the temperature back up after each pizza? Thanks!! 😌
Hello! Thanks for reaching out, I’m glad you liked the video 😊! I was able to pick up this oven from Safe Home Fireplace in Lambeth Ontario.
The oven holds its temperature fairly well. We have had family over before lockdown and cooked 5 pizzas back to back. We didn’t have to wait in between each pizza, however because the ash catcher where you place the wood is fairly small, we had to add more wood every 10 minutes or so to maintain the high temperature. I hope this helps!
@@alexandramichelle7710 thanks that was very helpful!! Been looking around on where I can buy and it seems like it is backlogged until Feb-March!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad I could help! When I purchased ours, it was the last they were stalked until Christmas, and there was a man who wanted to purchase it as I was walking out! They’re gaining popularity! Hopefully they will be more readily available soon!
I love this video. Did you use wood only for your fires? If you've gotten the gas attachment. Do you taste the difference between the wood fires and gas fire in the pizza?
Thank you!! I use a mix of wood snd charcoal recently as it makes it much easier to control the temperature. We just recently were able to get the gas attachment and we love it! I do prefer the taste from the wood but you can't beat the convenience of the gas. I'll be posting a video on the gas attachment soon!
Very good review. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!!
I'd not use a paraffinic starter that can leave some residual on my pizza. Wood or ethanol gel are better.
Ohh great tip, I hadn’t even thought of residue. I’ll definitely be looking into that for our next pizza!
@@alexandramichelle7710 Wish me good luck! Today I'll start using my new Ooni karu.
@@stefano393 so exciting!! Good luck!!
You’ve got your fuel basket grate facing the wrong way. It should slope towards the front of the oven.
Haha, we’re learning as we go! Thanks for commenting!
@@alexandramichelle7710 Good catch, Paul. That's probably why it took so long to heat up. I wasn't sure but figured it out (finally put my engineering degree to good use). Too bad Ooni didn't make that clear in their instructions.
Hi sis would you consider the gas burner? Would it make it easier and better for you? I have ordered the Karu and may order a gas burner with it. Thought it may help you reach more consistent temps
Hey there! Yes absolutely! I am very excited to see how the gas burner works out! I think it would allow to quicker clean up and pre heat times. The wood burning is wonderful but I feel like the gas burner will make this a more versatile product! Temperature consistency is a benefit as well as you would not have to deal with adding fuel.
How far from your house walls to keep away.. I'm short on space !
A foot or two seems to be okay for us! It’s the vent at the top that needs more room.
I live in the US and just received the Karu. Do you have any idea if there is size specific wood for this ? As I can not handle chopping the wood myself. Thank you
Congratulations on getting your Karu! There isn’t specific wood available to my knowledge. In canada i have been using the wood from lowes, and for the most part they fit. There have been a few pieces however that have not and we have had to split them. Perhaps amazon may have some that are smaller? Chips are also an option however i feel that they would burn up too fast in the oven. You could always use chips/charcoal mix if the wood at your local hardware store did not fit properly! Hope that helps!!
Excellent video
Thank you!
Have you tried Bar Keepers Friend on the metal part of the over to bring it back to a decent colour?
I haven’t! Thats a great idea however! We have tried stainless steel polish and that has worked well, but we will definitely give that a try!
@@alexandramichelle7710 I've seen it being used on the Solo Stove fire pits with excellent results.
Nice video thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Great review. Quick question though...you state that using the Ooni cleaning brush makes it " soo much easier" but you say you haven't been able to purchase it yet? I'm confused.
Thanks for asking that! I probably didn’t explain that the best way. What I mean by that is I assume it would be so much easier than using a paper towel as I have been doing, just because of its shape. I haven’t tried it out yet, but intend to soon. But thats just an assumption! Thanks again!
@@alexandramichelle7710 Ahhh I understand. Looking forward to new content! Cheers
Cheers 🥂!
Can the pizza stone be taken in and out easily? If so, preheat it in the kitchen oven and then put it back in the Ooni, better than burning all that wood to preheat it.
It can be taken out easily! Thank you for the suggestion!
Do you really want to manhandle a rather heavy and very hot pizza stone from your oven to the Karu? Theoretically possible, but what tool(s) would you use to transfer the stone? A few sticks of wood is cheaper than a trip to the emergency room. Not a good idea in my humble opinion.
Thank you for the video...I plan on getting one for my birthday in June. One question...does pizza stick to the stone? How do u prevent it from sticking...Second question: I'm also in Ontario...Toronto...who did you buy it from? Thank you!!!! Cheers
Thanks for watching! Thats super exciting, congrats in advance and happy (early) birthday! If you preheat the stone for the suggested 15 minutes, it actually doesnt stick at all! It’s hot enough that it actually cooks the pizza in under 2 minutes, so it makes the crust nice and toasty. I generally turn it at least once in that time. I bought this one from a place in Lambeth Ontario called safe home fireplace, but i think most fireplace/bbq specific stores may carry it! Hope that helps, cheers!!
@@alexandramichelle7710 thank you!! I've been to Lambeth before!! I'm originally from London!!
@@jaymistry3104 oh very nice! I was in london for school, but now we’re back in Hamilton. Lambeth is a sweet little town!
@@alexandramichelle7710 ...I went to HB Beal SS
No way, that’s super close to our old place! Such a small world!
You’re gonna give it a Doug score lol
How many pizzas can you cook before the temperature starts to die down?
Granted you keep an eye on the fuel levels, making sure the flame is steady you can cook as many as you wish before the temperature goes down. We use a mixture of coal and wood now and it seems to greatly help the consistency of the temperature.
The Ooni clones are really good and are much more affordable.
That is great! I will have to give them a try!
use cornmeal on the peel .. just a bit
Yes, this is a great point! Thank you!
The color is were the taste is coming from
Absolutely!
Thanks for the great review! Question here. I am planning to put in an outdoor fireplace, with a cooking area, and add the pizza oven. The lighting procedure seems a bit of a pain. If I had a fire going in the fireplace, could I use a shovel to just scoop up coals and put them in the unit to get going faster?
Thank you for watching! Yes starting the fire is a bit of a hassle, especially if you are new to building fires as I was. I believe this would be okay if the wood you were using in the fireplace was not pressure treated, and the starter/charcoal you are using is meant for a charcoal barbecue. Let me know how it turns out!
I am thinking to buy one of them but confused which fuel type and what size.
It’s a lot to consider! The Karu model is nice because it gives you a personal sized pizza, and if you try the wood and hate it, the gas attachment is an option. Some stores have floor models you can check out in person, that made my decision easier for sure.
@@alexandramichelle7710 hi, thank you for your reply. I am in NYC. Any store you know of?
Unfortunately I live in Ontario Canada, so I’m not familiar. Although I will say that I was able to find floor models at my local fireplace store instead of a big box store so I would recommend starting there!
You are soooo beautifull. I bought mine this week and i'll burn my first pizza tomorrow ;). Thx for this review.
Thank you so much! Good luck with your pizza!!
Reserves? 😄 Nope, I have no 'reserves' about this product. Maybe a reservation or two, but that's it.
😂 indeed, no reserves for either of us. Cheers!
Not sure I see the appeal here - other than being outside. These videos seem to show crust that looks super thick and soft seeing is on a stone and not directly on a rack (not crispy) - is this the case? does this perform better than an indoor oven (super convenient and can cook on the rack) very curious! Thanks!
Thanks for asking! I can see how it would seem like that in the video, we can make another video shortly giving it a sound test to show the crispiness. It really depends on how many toppings you add and how long you cook it for, as well as how thin the dough is. If anything the karu does a wonderful job, it just depends on my experience with the certain pizza. The stone does an awesome job at making it crispy as it preheats with the oven. It ends up getting a nice char! We can show that in the next video too! An oven is a good option too but this oven can get nearly double the temperatures of an indoor oven. Plus the added smokiness from the wood. Though it is a luxury and some may see it as unnecessary.
Thanks for asking!!
You make a good point. I've been making pizza in an oven that reaches 550 F. Never tried cooking directly on the rack, but on a stone I've made pretty good NY style pizza. The Ooni ovens are designed to make Neapolitan pizza, which is a different animal. If you're happy with your present method, go with it. As for me, I'm going to see if I can make a decent NY style pizza at somewhere north of 550 F.
Probably thier 16 inch gas oven would do a better job than this one. Not sure why folks buy this one?
The gas is nice for sure, but having the option to use wood/charcoal or gas was the reason that I bought this model. I love the flavour it lends to the pizza or whatever I am making. I’m sure everyone’s needs are different however and I can see why the 16 inch gas oven would be a good option too.
@@alexandramichelle7710 I hope it works for you. You made a nice video.
Thank you, and thanks for watching! Cheers!
LOL, I did laugh about this comment. What's the reason you're negative about the Karu? It sounds that your frustration comes from not having the skills to work with the Karu. It's not always the product who's to blame that expectations aren't reached, the end user is always responsible for it ;) I got my Karu in january and have used it for the third time and I have to admit if you know what you are doing the karu just nails the perfect outcome, unless you don't know what you are doing ;) Cooking with gas on a woodfired oven feels to me like using a gas bbq instead of bbq with charcoal. You don't need the experience of flame/temperature control and you certainly don't get the taste that comes from chunks of wood as a fuel source.
You're great at this. One of the best reviews I've seen on CZcams. As a bonus, you're a beautiful girl. You touched all bases. 20 minutes is a bit long. Too much to see on CZcams too little time. 10-12 minutes would be better.
Thank you very much! I agree, thank you for the feedback! I will be doing a 6-month update in just a few weeks and it will be much shorter! Cheers!
Sorry. I hated to say anything negative. The review was excellent. I'm on CZcams a lot and there's so much to view and so little time. I really enjoyed your review and purchased an Ooni this afternoon. Good luck with your channel.
No not at all! I don’t mind one bit, I’m trying to make each video better! I hope you enjoy your new oven!
Q&A section being @ the beginning is useful. Probably could have provided the same content in half the time if she didn't ramble. I got impatient half way through and didn't finish listening.
Excellent feedback, thank you! 😃
@@alexandramichelle7710 "Rambling" makes you human and conversational. Thanks for the video.
Seems like Lara is rambling more than anyone! Excellent review Alexandra!
Reservations
My goodness, what a useless review. You could've saved us all 15 mins by simply saying 'i wish I'd read the description on the website before ordering' and that aside, non of your gripes are about the oven itself, just you're inexperience using this kind of thing
Thanks for the input! Cheers! Opinions are a wonderful thing, my friend. All of my points are summarized in the description box for your convenience.
@@alexandramichelle7710 kill em with kindness eh?? Ha ha I like it ;-) all the best to you both x
Absolutely, you as well! ☺️
My goodness what a useless comment.
It's pronounced plandemic
So basically you complained because they didn't include accessories that many people would already have and wouldn't want another. As you said, they're up front about what it includes, and therefore, what it doesn't. Many people don't want a pizza making kit, we just want an oven and that's what Ooni sell. One other thing, I'd love the gas attachment too but its not available in the US either - I suspect it's part pandemic but also because they've been incredibly successful as a company and supply can't keep up with demand. No manufacturer can turn upproduction volumes instantly. Having said this, your rating of 4.8 is OK, but I'm still not sure why you dock off 0.2 points. And on your point about the stone time to heat up, with mine there's been a big difference between warm weather times and cool weather times - I think you'll find in summer the stone will be hot a lot quicker.
Hi Paul and thanks for commenting! The 0.2 off was just my personal opinion on it. I truly believe its an amazing product and I honestly do recommend it! In my personal opinion I believe that there should be a pizza peel with it, and thats why I took off the points, but I of course acknowledge that thats not a fault of their product or transparency as they do state that it doesn’t come with it. And I do believe that once the pandemic starts to ramp down that they will have more stock, so that will solve that issue! I think this is going to be a hot product this year and in the coming years too. But given that a 4.8/5 is a 96% I think it’s truly hard to beat that! As for the stone heating up, yeah I totally agree, we’re going to do a one year review once we have experienced all 4 seasons here in Canada, as well we are supposed to get a storm coming soon, and we want to try it in the dead of winter, just for fun. Who knows, that could seriously impress us and make it a 4.9! All in all I would recommend the product to anyone, but based off of my opinion on the accessories and availability at the time of purchase, thats why I gave it the 4.8. Cheers!
What nonsense. Pretty much all the “wish I knew before buying” points would have been known if they’d actually read what they were actually buying...and then they would’ve actually known! And as for expecting all the accessories to be included 🤯 . Would you expect to get grate cleaners, burger smashers etc etc included if you were buying a bbq? or would you gripe that you couldn’t flip a burger on it “straight out of the box”. If you don’t buy a pizza peel with it, don’t be surprised the pizza fairies don’t include one, then whine about how you have to visit 5 stores in canada IN NOVEMBER before you can get one. BUY A DAMN PEEL WHEN YOU BUY THE OVEN!
Really, the staggering lack of foresight is beyond belief. “We’re gonna buy a pizza oven, hon”....”maybe we should get a pizza peel as well...” “nah, it says what comes in the box, but I’m sure they forgot to mention it comes with a peel and all the other accessories’... “ok hon, you know best”....
Honestly, I was expecting the final comment to be expressing disappointment it didn’t come with pizzas included.
And as for “I wish I knew how hard cooking with fire was before I bought it” NO. WORDS.
Not knowing how to use something shouldn’t constitute part of a negative review.
“I can’t drive, and I wish I knew How hard it was going to be before I bought this Porsche and crashed it into a tree”
Happy Cooking!
Thank you for your opinion
Wow-some people are off their meds-or need some. Clearly stated more then once Ooni made no claims extras were included, in fact she said it stated they didn’t. And has this person ever bought something they didn’t know completely how to use before buying? That’s part of the fun of cooking, try-learn-adjust-try again. It wasn’t even a negative review 4.8 out of 5. Is he pissed it wasn’t a 5?
@@DrWatson2798 grow up.
She just TALKS TALKS TALK TALKS TALKS & TALKS! I rather watch and hear a different review! Plus she lacks patients preheating the oven!
I hear you! I definitely rambled a bit, it was my first attempt at a review. But thank you for the feedback! I have a 6 month review coming up that will be far less wordy, and properly preheated! cheers!
Damn, excelsciors just talks talks talks! I’d rather read any other comment! Excellent review Alexandra! Keep up the good work.