Gozney caught my interest when they released their new pizza oven last March of 2021. I am also in awe of how fast Ooni releases new models of pizza ovens.
That is why I wondered which is better, the Ooni pizza ovens or the new Gozney Dome?
I have been a fan of Ooni ever since their first release in 2012. They claim to have the first-ever portable wood-pellet-fired pizza oven and it was amazing.
In 2016, Gozney released the Gozney Roccbox and it was also impressive, especially the insulation. It was made from ceramic so it is heavy but it can really maintain the heat inside it.
In hindsight, Gozney has an advantage since it can cook with less fuel as it maintains high temperatures for a very long time, but is it really better than the Ooni pizza ovens?
What are the features of the Ooni pizza ovens that make it better than the Gozney Dome?
There are great features that are fitted in these small and portable pizza ovens that are worth talking about.
Gozney was also able to do that with their pizza ovens so comparing the two brands is not as easy as looking at the models.
That is why this post contains a great comparison between the Ooni pizza ovens and then Gozney Dome and some surprising things will unfold as the post goes on.
Quick Verdict-
Ooni Pizza Ovens- Perfect for home use, small, and relatively portable.
Gozney Dome- Perfect for commercial use or even personal use if you have a larger space.
An Overview Of All Ooni Pizza Ovens
All pizza ovens from Ooni can get up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit which allow them to cook pizzas within 60 to 90 seconds. This is one important similarity between all Ooni pizza ovens.
What sets them apart from each other are the sizes of pizzas that can be cooked in them, the different features, types of fuel they use, and the overall portability of each pizza oven.
Ooni Fyra
What sets the Ooni Fyra apart from the rest of the pizza ovens from Ooni is that it can only be used with wood pellets. This allows it to put some smokey flavors on the pizza cooked in it.
The Ooni Fyra is the first pizza oven to be released by Ooni back in 2012 and one of the smaller models. It is powerful like the bigger ones but it can only cook 12-inch pizzas at a time.
Its small and lightweight stature is also beneficial since it can be brought on camping and tailgating trips. It is very portable and can be carried in a bag for long-distance travel.
Ooni Koda 12
The Ooni Koda 12 is the only pizza oven from Ooni that uses only propane gas for fuel. It does not have other options aside from propane gas but it does not make it less powerful.
Just like the Fyra, the Ooni Koda 12 can cook 12-inch pizzas in 60-90 seconds.
I think this is actually the most portable pizza oven from Ooni because it is small and does not have a chimney.
When the legs are folded, the Ooni Koda 12 is basically a shell that can be placed in a bag and carried anywhere. It is only 20.4lbs so it can be easily carried by one person.
Ooni Pizza Ovens Comparison Chart
This chart is pretty much inspired by the Ooni website, since I loved how they had this comparison chart that showed you all the pizza ovens at a glance, I thought of making one too for our readers so they get an idea about each pizza oven and how they are different from each other.
| Karu 16 | Karu 12 | Koda 16 | Koda 12 | Fyra 12 | Pro 16 | |
| Fuel Type | Wood Charcoal, Propane, Natural Gas (With optional adaptors) | Wood Cahrcoal, Propane (With optional adaptor) | Propane Gas And Natural Gas (with optional conversion kit) | Propane Gas | Wood Pellets | Wood Charcoal, Propane (With optional adaptor) |
| Pizza Size | 16 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 16 |
| Weight | 62.6 lbs | 26.5 lbs | 40.1 lbs | 20.4 lbs | 22 lbs | 48.5 lbs |
| Preheat Time | 15 mins | 15 mins | 20 mins | 15 mins | 15 mins | 20 mins |
| Max Temp | 950 F | 950 F | 950 F | 950 F | 950 F | 950 F |
| Propane Gas Compatible? | Yes, with gas burner. | Yes, with gas burner. | Yes | Yes | No | Yes, with gas burner. |
| Natural Gas Compatible? | Yes, with gas burner. | No | Yes, with conversion kit. | No | No | No |
| Pizza Stone Type And Size | 16.7 inches by 24.5 inches, cordierite stone. (0.6 in. thick) | 13 by 13 inches, cordierite stone. (0.6 in. thick) | 16 by 16 inches, cordierite stone. (0.6 in. thick) | 13 by 13 inches, cordierite stone. (0.4 in. thick) | 13 by 13 inches, cordierite stone. (0.4 in.thick) | 17.7 by 17.7 in., cordierite stone. (0.6 in. thick) |
| Fuel Consumption | 4.9 lbs for 10 pizzas. | 3.3 lbs for 10 pizzas. | 1.3 lbs for 10 pizzas. | 0.9 lbs for 10 pizzas. | 2.5 lbs for 10 pizzas. | 5 lbs for 10 pizzas. |
Ooni Karu 12
The Karu 12 is the first portable multi-fueled pizza oven from Ooni. It can cook pizzas using wood, charcoal, or propane gas with the help of a gas burner attachment.
Within 15 minutes, it can heat up its interior to the maximum temperature of 950 degrees Fahrenheit and is able to cook 12-inch pizzas.
What sets this pizza oven apart from other pizza ovens from Ooni is how easily the fuels can be changed. By pulling the attachment at the back of it, the fuels can be changed from wood to charcoal.
Ooni Koda 16
The Koda 16 is unique from the other ovens from Ooni because it uses propane gas but it can be used with natural gas with the help of a separate natural gas conversion kit.
That means that with the conversion kit, the Koda 16 can be easily connected to a natural gas source and cook pizzas at any time.
It does not have a chimney so while it is big and can cook 16-inch pizzas, it is still portable.
Another unique feature of the Koda 16 is it is the only pizza oven from Ooni that has a control knob on the side so it can be reached and controlled easier.
Ooni Pro 16
The Ooni Pro 16 pizza oven can cook with any of the fuel that the other Ooni pizza ovens use except for natural gas. The propane gas option also needs a separate adaptor for it.
It is a spacious pizza oven that can cook 16-inch pizzas and has a very convenient mailbox-type opening on its door. This helps keep the heat inside the oven while still being able to view the interior.
Ooni Karu 16
The latest release from Ooni is the Karu 16 which is the first Ooni pizza oven to have a glass on the door. This allows the oven to keep all the heat inside while also giving a full view of the pizza inside it.
The Karu 16 also has a built-in digital thermometer that can be viewed both when the door is closed or when it is opened. This gives an accurate reading of the temperature inside the pizza oven.
Just like the Pro 16, it can cook 16-inch pizzas using wood, charcoal, and propane. With an additional adaptor, it can also cook with natural gas.
RELATED POSTS-
Ooni Pro 16 Review
Ooni Karu 16 Honest Review
Ooni Koda 16 Review
Ooni Karu 12 Review
Ooni Fyra 12 Review
Ooni Koda 12 Review
How Is Gozney Dome Different?
The Dome is much bigger at first glance and looks more robust than the Ooni Pro 16 and Karu 16 because of the thick insulation.
The Gozney Dome is made mostly of ceramic walls. That is also the reason why it is better at maintaining high temperatures than the Ooni Pro 16 and Karu 16.
It weighs 128lbs or 58kgs which more than doubles the heaviest pizza oven from Ooni which is the Karu 16 at only 62.6lbs.
The Gozney Dome also has more advanced features like the built-in digital thermometer and meat probe.
While the Karu 16 has a built-in thermostat, the Gozney Dome is different from the additional meat probe.
Just beside the thermometers of the Gozney Dome, there is also the storage area for wood chips.
The natural gas attachment for the Gozney Dome is also sold separately, which makes it similar to the Ooni Karu 16 and Koda 16.
The large cooking surface of the Dome allows it to cook large pizzas inside. While the Karu 16, Koda 16, and Pro 16 come close to the size of pizza they can cook, the Gozney Dome also has other differences.
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Fyra
Gozney Dome is much bigger and heavier than the Ooni Fyra. The Dome can cook larger pizzas at a time while also maintaining efficient fuel consumption.
Speaking of fuel, the Gozney Dome is really efficient and can use wood or gas whereas the Fyra can only use wood pellets. (Check the chart below for fuel consumption of the Dome).
There are also more options of recipes that can be cooked in the Gozney Dome compared to the Fyra like steaks, fish, and more.
| Gozney Dome | Ooni Karu 16 | Ooni Koda 16 | |
| Fuel Type | Propane Gas, Wood, (Natural Gas converter yet to be released) | Wood Charcoal, Propane, Natural Gas (With optional adaptors) | Propane Gas And Natural Gas (with optional conversion kit) |
| Pizza Size | 18 to 20 inches | 16 | 16 |
| Weight | 128 lbs | 62.6 lbs | 40.1 lbs |
| Preheat Time | 40 mins | 15 mins | 20 mins |
| Maximum Temp | 950 F | 950 F | 950 F |
| Propane Gas Compatible? | Yes (with the dual-type unit) | Yes, with gas burner. | Yes. |
| Natural Gas Compatible? | Soon | Yes, with gas burner. | Yes, with conversion kit. |
| Pizza Stone Type And Size | Cordierite Stone. 21.9in x 18in. (1.1 in. thick) | Cordierite Stone. 16.7in x 24.5in. (0.6 in. thick) | Cordierite Stone. 16in x 16 in. (0.6 in. thick) |
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Koda 12
The Gozney Dome and Koda 12 can both use propane gas for cooking but the Dome has more options with the wood fuel.
In terms of portability, it is obvious that the smaller and lighter Ooni Koda 12 takes the advantage here since the Gozney Dome is made leaning towards commercial use.
Cleaning and maintenance are easier with the Koda 12 since there is little to no soots from the propane fuel. The Gozney Dome will be tougher to clean with its large interior and soot from the wood fuel.
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Karu 12
The Ooni Karu 12 has more options for fuel than the Gozney Dome. Aside from the Propane gas and wood that they both have, the Karu 12 can also cook with charcoal.
This brings a variety of recipes that can be cooked in it to bring that BBQ flavor from the charcoal. The Dome and the Karu 12 can both cook steaks as long as the steak can fit in the smaller Karu 12.
Both of these pizza ovens have excellent air circulation because of the chimneys that they both have. This allows for cooking the pizza inside evenly.
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Koda 16
Onto the larger pizza ovens from Ooni, the Ooni Koda 16 can cook 16-inch pizzas but is still smaller than what the Gozney Dome can as it can cook 18 to 20-inch pizzas.
The Koda 16 only has two options for fuel, propane or natural gas. The Gozney Dome also has two options with both propane gas and wood fuel.
The temperature of the Koda 16 can be easily controlled by the knob on the side which allows it to cook more delicate types of food like fish that require less heat.
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Pro 16
The Gozney Dome is yet to have a natural gas converter which makes it quite similar to the Pro 16 as it can only use propane gas.
Both can cook pizzas quickly but the Pro 16, despite its large stature, is more portable because of the detachable chimney and foldable legs.
The Gozney Dome can maintain heat for a long period of time because of its thick insulation while the Pro 16 uses its door to maintain the heat inside it.
These large pizza ovens can both cook steaks, fish, pan pizzas, and other larger types of food because of their large interiors.
Gozney Dome Vs Ooni Karu 16
The Ooni Karu 16 is Ooni’s best bet against the Gozney Dome because it has a larger surface area on the cooking surface, and has the same max temp, and can cook large pizzas as well.
What makes the Gozney Dome better is that it can actually cook slightly larger pizzas.
So instead of just 16-inch pizzas, which the Karu 16 can, the Dome can go up to 20-inch pizzas.
The large surface area of the Karu 16 comes from the rectangular cooking space and firebox while the Dome is able to cook larger pizzas because of its circular cooking surface.
The Karu 16, however, has more options for fuel. It can cook with both propane and natural gas, wood, and charcoal so there are more options when it runs out of one type of fuel.
Is Gozney Dome A Better Pizza Oven?
Yes, in terms of the ability to cook larger pizza ovens and when it comes to retaining heat, Gozney Dome takes first place on my list compared to Ooni Karu 16 and Pro 16.
The ability of the Gozney Dome to retain heat is truly amazing. It makes up for its heavyweight as it is able to cook even after the fuel has run out.
Since the Gozney Dome is also really heavy, it cannot be placed on some simple plastic tables or the table will collapse.
The Ooni Karu 16 is lighter and more portable which is better when it comes to cooking outside like on camping and tailgating trips.
Gozney Dome is a better pizza oven when it comes to cooking for a large group of people as it can cook multiple pizzas at the same time.
How Many Pizzas Can Fit In A Gozney Dome?
The Gozney Dome can fit up to two 12-inch pizzas in the cooking space but it will be a bit tight. A pair of 10-inch pizzas in the Dome will be easier to turn and manage while cooking.
The cooking space of the Gozney Dome is 21.7 inches x 7.5 inches x 18.5 inches so it is pretty large. It can cook a large 20-inch pizza with enough room to turn the pizza easily.
The 7.5 inches in the dimensions is the height of the cooking chamber so it can also cook thick-crust pizzas.
It has a circular cooking surface so it makes sense that it can cook larger pizzas than the Karu 16 and Pro 16 (both rectangular), despite having almost the same surface area.
How Many Pizzas Can Fit In Ooni Pizza Oven?
The largest pizza oven from Ooni is the Ooni Pro 16 and it can cook one large 16 inch pizza. It will be too hard, almost impossible, to fit two personal pizzas inside the Ooni Pro 16.
The Ooni Pro 16 has a cooking surface of 18 inches. The full unboxed dimensions are 21 inches x 19 inches x 31 inches.
That is including the insulation and firebox but the cooking surface is only 18 inches on both sides. That means that it can comfortably cook a 16-inch pizza with space to manage it inside.
Aside from the Ooni Karu 16, Pro 16, and Koda 16, the other models from Ooni can only cook 12-inch pizzas at a time.
What Is Better: Gozney Or Ooni?
Ooni is better as a whole brand because it has more options to choose from than Gozney.
While Gozney has great pizza ovens with amazing insulations and sizes, it only has two options.
Users of Ooni pizza ovens could easily cook pizzas that can be compared to the best pizzerias around town.
That can also be done with Gozney pizza ovens but that is if there are Gozney pizza ovens that can be bought around.
Since Gozney is not as famous as Ooni, it would be harder to find their pizza oven models.
==> Check out the Ooni Pizza Ovens
They are also a lot more expensive than Ooni pizza ovens.
There is no denying that the pizza ovens from Gozney are better at retaining heat, fuel consumption, and recreating the results from when cooking in a brick oven.
==> Check out the Gozney Dome Pizza Oven
That being said, the Gozney pizza ovens are too heavy to bring on camping and tailgating trips so pizzas can be cooked anywhere. Ooni wins in the portability here.
The Gozney Dome is made for professional use or commercial use so it does not really need to be transferred all the time.
It can be used for small pizzerias but not for portable purposes.
Either way, both pizza oven brands have their pizza ovens being able to get up to really high temperatures so your pizza will be cooked in just 1 minute!
It is a matter of preference.
If the pizza oven is intended to just stay in the backyard, Gozney has got you covered but if you want to cook pizzas on trips, Ooni has the best options!
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