The Best Pizza Oven (16" Edition) | The Best Outdoor Pizza Oven to use At Home

Go to sponsr.is/zbiotics_thebarbecu... and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using my code THEBARBECUELAB at checkout. Thanks to ZBiotics for sponsoring today’s video!
12" Pizza Oven Comparison Video - • 12” Pizza Oven Smackdo...
We take the best 16" outdoor pizza ovens we can find and put them in a head-to-head battle to see which ones are worth your hard-earned money.
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Featured Products
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► Alfa Moderno- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni Karu 16- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni Koda 16- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Camp Chef Artisan- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Halo Versa 16- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Cru 32- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Blackstone pizza oven with stand- blackstone-products.sjv.io/xk...
► Blackstone Cleaning Brush - blackstone-products.sjv.io/XY...
► Blackstone pizza rocker- blackstone-products.sjv.io/B0...
► Ooni Karu 16 gas burner- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni pizza oven brush- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni Slotted Peel - thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni Turning Peel - thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni pizza dough balls- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni medium table- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ooni Toppings Station- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Thermoworks IR Gun - thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Alfa Tool Set - bbqguys.sjv.io/3ejbjk
► Cru Ovens Ember Rake - bbqguys.sjv.io/21jnja
► Dough Tray Kit - amzn.to/3Nhv77Z
► GrillGun by GrillBlazer- thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Lodge cast iron round griddle- amzn.to/43ORw3E
► WPPO ash vac- amzn.to/3XgfaTS
► Ash brush- amzn.to/42OcJt8
► Dust pan- amzn.to/3Pjqvko
► Shop our favorite products:
thebarbecuelab.com/shop/
Outdoor Cooking Appliances
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► Pellet Grill: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Offset Smoker: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► XL Kamado: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Gas Grill: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
Accessories
_________________________________________
► GrillGrates: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Grate Cleaning Brush: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Grill Cleaning Spray: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Grilling Gloves: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Nitrile Gloves: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Apron: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Grill Tools: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Large Spatula: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Cooler: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
Fire Starters
_________________________________________
► Electric Fire Starter: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Lump Charcoal: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Smoking Pellets: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Fire Starter: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Kindling Cracker: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
Outdoor Kitchen
_________________________________________
► Doors & Drawers: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Refrigerator: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Ice Maker: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Griddle: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
► Pellet Grill: thebarbecuelab.com/recommends...
0:00
0:47 Rules of the Test
1:17 The Contenders
2:02 Assembly
2:52 Build Quality & Stone Thickness
3:25 Exhaust
3:46 Countertop vs Cart
4:53 Insulation
6:00 Fuel Types
6:37 Can it Cook a 16” Pizza?
9:37 ZBiotics Ad
11:09 Time to Temperature
13:43 How Fast Can It Cook Pizza
17:00 Learning Curve for Beginners
21:24 Cooking Other Foods
22:23 Cleaning
24:37 Portability
26:48 Warranty
27:05 Who is it Best For?
31:08 Where to get the Best Price

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Go to sponsr.is/zbiotics_thebarbecuelab and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using my code THEBARBECUELAB at checkout.

[@dorus2828]

You are the first with a review of alfa portable! Do you plan to do a longer review with the Alfa?

[@AnthonyJarrah]

This is the best review of any product I've ever seen! You covered every aspect of every oven. Amazing work!

[@jeffmancuso2715]

Yup Agreed

[@kdk82007]

Ditto

[@FuRoSh1]

what about taste? Did you get which taste the best here aspect?

[@surfingonmars8979]

He’s pretty good, huh!

[@jameshenderson8615]

Underrated channel for outdoor equipment reviews. Especially love your pizza oven reviews.

[@mattd697]

This kind of review content is incredible! Keep up the great work.

[@freeforall825]

Just what I was looking for. Thanks for all the info.

[@kappatvating]

Fantastic video I absolutely just subscribed. I love how you broke down each pizza oven in great detail with pros cons price and had independent novice testers really well done.

[@user-mn2rb4yc1h]

This is by far the best review and comparison video I have ever seen for anything. Extremely well thought out with pertinent decision making information. I am only writing this comment to inform future viewers of your platform of the value that you bring. Thank you.

[@deanmcdonald6812]

Great thorough review. Enjoyed all the specs and details.

[@portdawg66]

Great review! One of the most, thorough product reviews I think I’ve ever seen on YT. Nicely done!

[@CodySharp82]

Great job David, really good info!

[@theunfrailhale]

Awesome review. Thanks for all the insight!

[@jontrewfrombarry]

What a fair and thorough review. Balanced and asks all the right questions. I like how you got beginners to use the product as well as an expert.

[@g.5692]

I've got a starter oven and I'm looking to upgrade. This video is fantastic and very helpful. Thank you for your time, work, and details.

[@rjsewell4844]

Great content brotha! They all look amazing!

[@carmenmarcinkiewicz7149]

This is SUCH an incredibly informative video! Thank you for making it so clear and concise! I really appreciate all the hard work that went into every part of this video!❤❤

[@drrich7]

Great review...thanks for getting to the info quickly!

[@67skypig]

Simply the most detailed and informative review I’ve watched to date. That Alpha may be on my back porch soon.

[@skiman863]

Warning: Any of these pizza ovens can and probably will become addicting. You will start using terms like poolish and biga. When you start sleeping with your turning peel it's time to seek help.

[@czthor1]

You did a great review! first time seeing your work i will watch more from your channel. a NICE TOUCH BRINGING IN TWO NOVICE! The neighbors must of loved this TESTING! YOU COVERED EVERY ASPECT OF THE STOVE THANKS!

[@larrycariglio909]

Wonderful review. The alpha is the one I would want. The biscotti floor allows a great bake without burning the bottom

[@aarontorrence9567]

Great reviews. Well done!

[@fiftyonef1]

that was a really good review. There are so many options available today compared to 10 years ago. I think it really comes down to how much you want to monitor the fire. Thanks

[@pacop1196]

I've had the camp chef for five years now and I fully agree with your review, I have used the oonie and did not like the speed in which it cooks but my son loves the speed that it cooks. When we are making pizza it's a family time so being able to prep and engage with family with out burning your pizza is nice because I typically am the pizza maker in my house. Thanks for the video

[@RC3981RC]

Thank you for this video. I’ve been looking at ovens for a while. After watching this I now know the Cru 32 is what I want. Thank you again.

[@admikewalker]

I’ve used the Ooni Karu 16 and it is really great. I bought it and have loved making pizza steak wings and vegetables in it. I didn’t get the pizza oven door that I saw in this video but I have loved the door that comes with the oven. It allows you to close it and keep the temps up while building you’re next pizza or preparing next dish. Great video. Confirmed what I thought about my purchase choice. ❤

[@leafinitup1]

Fantastic review. I’ve been very happy with my Ooni Karu 16

[@bradleystarcevich2758]

Fantastic reviews! I have been undecided up until now. I will be ordering the Alfa soon. Subscribed. Thanks for this great review.

[@adrianchavez5085]

Informational and easy to follow. Great review

[@SilverShadow2LWB]

Nice review on a wide variety and design styles. I use a non-portable backyard pizza oven but can relate with many of the characteristics you point out. I agree with your analysis and points of view. This is a difficult review to do because there is such a wide spread list of requirements of personal chefs.

[@postandfly]

wow the level of detail of every aspect of the ovens is remarkable, thanks best regards

[@lousekoya1803]

What an awesome video this is ! Big thanks from Quebec !

[@rosestanislawczyk7425]

Thank you for doing this test. Greatly appreciate it!!👍👍👍. Now I can think about which will suit my needs.

[@Von_RX]

This is the consumer reports of pizza oven! Excellent job. I love my Ooni Karu 16. I have the both the natural gas and propane gas burners in addition to enjoying the wood/charcoal fire capabilities. I couldn't ask for more in an outdoor oven. Plus the Ooni customer service is top notch and will help out even after the warranty expires.

[@dflood316]

Wow, what a thorough review! Subscribed.

[@jamkpa]

Great job with the reviews!

[@davy1972]

Your videos are always very thorough and well made. I have the Expert Grill Pizza oven (Walmart). The reason why is I believe these ovens are way too over priced. I paid $117 for my oven and would suggest this for a novice. It's fun to work with and learn, and once you get it done, makes a great pizza. Biggest challenge is keeping the stone hot.

[@MrBeedub13]

Happy that someone did a review of these ovens. I have owned two Oonis, a Bertello and a Blackstone. As you found, they all heat up well but the temp of the stone is critical. Cooking a bunch of pizzas in a row will be frustrating as the stones do not retain enough heat to brown the second or third pizza without waiting for the stone to heat back up. That being said there are a couple of ovens out there that have a burner for the stone and we will be trying one soon. We prefer the Ooni 16 for overall performance but one has to adjust the burner constantly when cooking a few pizzas. By the way, if you just turn the heat up after cooking, the debris on the stone will turn to ash in about 5 minutes. We use a leaf blower to blow out the interior after it has cooled and looks brand new every time.

[@jeffm8707]

How does the Bertello size up? Narrowing my list down but that one is currently near the top for me

[@Bryan-yq9pz]

Can you comment on the Bertello ?

[@GenoRed63]

I have the Blackstone pizza oven took me a couple tries to figure out exactly how to use it but what a great pizza oven, it heats up fast. Once the oven is heated up, You turn down the flame to about medium each individual person can figure that out. I've learned about 550° to 600° is the best cooking temperature. Once the oven is heated up. You turn down the flame to about medium each individual person can figure that out.

[@d-averion5011]

Really enjoy watching your productions. I can always find good content for what and how I am cooking. I'm a subscriber now. Cheers and Thank you

[@ihateyoutube7566]

Excellent JOB on the video!! Very well put together and full of specs & facts!! Thank you for making!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for the kind words. All the best in your search for a new outdoor oven!

[@kevindu3]

this is one of the best video on pizza oven reviews on the youtube, thanks. Really happy to see Alpha and blackstone match up on a few others.

[@michaelmelling9333]

This is a top-notch Review, thanks!!

[@ZeroCarbDaddy]

Man, I love the effort you made to give a solid review of these pizza ovens. Having the two gentlemen to use and give their opinions was great to see. Very unbiased review process. That’s how it’s done. Thanks for a great video. We loved the approach and your feedback.

[@cryptopeter1]

Zero carb daddy? Wow that's cool if you're really zero carbs.

[@bennymollica629]

I have the black stone pizza oven and I love it works great

[@philipsmith228]

Very detailed. Subscribed

[@MrDingleberry31]

Great review. Thanks so much.

[@tlechem9]

I clean my Koda 16 using pyrolysis. I just block half of the opening with an old cookie sheet or some foil during pre-heat, and turn the oven on full blast. After 45 min or so, the heat has incinerated any mess left over from the previous cook and the stone looks brand new. This would likely work with other ovens too.

[@Hucklebrau]

Very well thought out review! Loved it. I would have liked a few more comparison tables like you did with the warrantee. Nice work.

[@hemabe]

Amazin review, very interesting! Keep up the good work.

[@scotsrule08]

This was the first video from your channel I have watched and I am thoroughly impressed! Excellent content and methodical testing. Thank you!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for stopping by and giving us a watch! All the best in your search for a new outdoor oven.

[@ImpossiblyKosher]

been waiting a while for this!

[@user-si8pl3qs7u]

I love and highly recommend the Alfa oven have had it for 2 years and very happy I chose this brand, I have the wood fire only and really enjoyed learning how to use it!

[@chriskvikstad4980]

Same here. I have the Alfa Forni Ciao model in the wood fire version. 🔥 I got mine 2 years ago and I love it. I chose the Italian yellow version. They say you can make 2 pizzas at a time in mine but I'm not good enough yet with my pizza peel turning skills to manage 2. What's really nice is after we are done making pizzas, I move the fire into the middle of the oven and it serves as an outdoor fireplace. 🔥 At night, with a glass of wine, the fire creates a beautiful ambiance.

[@yummysexyfoods]

Excellent review. Thank you.

[@michaelcollins3628]

I have the Onni Kuda 16 and after a learning curve absolutely love it

[@riccardodanmark6099]

best review that I saw about pizza oven taking into account many details. Greetings from Europe

[@stephanemontour3842]

Impressive review!!!

[@Sven126]

Fantastic review. Very professional, excellent production quality. There was a lot of depth to this and I can't think of what more I would need to know. Great job, I subscribed and look forward to exploring your other vids.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Glad you enjoyed it! More great head to head content on the way, so thanks for sticking around.

[@davidk4682]

Excellent review thanks 🙏🏻

[@normrubio]

Great job with the review. Really well done.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Much appreciated!

[@kathleenchisholm4672]

That review, was the most in depth review I've ever seen. So complete and with analysis from the David own use of each. AND to follow up it with 2 novice pizza makers. I'm blown away. Im in the market for an oven and it answered all questions. In the end, I think I'm leaning towards the CRU (wood fired- love the large dome- easy to clean - love the entire floor being covered.) Kinda a no brainer for me. I don't care about the portability because it will only be out in my back yard, next to my pellet grill. Thank you David, it saved me a lot of time.

[@kathleenchisholm4672]

UPDATE: after looking again at the ovens, I"ve decided the OONI Karu 16 with multi fuel option is what I'm going with. Watched Mike & Vito cook up some pizza using it. I"m sold.

[@fattnersgeekfile5478]

i have the blackstone tough to assemble .. looking forward to try it for 1st time ,,, great reviews thankyou

[@kafklatsch3198]

Excellent, you have a gift for presentation and thorough-ness

[@TheBarbecueLab]

I appreciate that!

[@steveh1460]

Great evaluation. Thank you!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Glad it was helpful!

[@EpicConspiracy]

Blackstone is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 easy winner

[@dorus2828]

very good review!

[@thomaswood6113]

Versa 16 is perfect for me thanks for all your reviews

[@polsok44]

This channel is Top Tier, always great review. If i was going to suggest somthing make it better i would like to see maybe a time stamp for diff grills or diff chapters. Id like to see where i can fast forward on the slider to get to what interests me

[@scottfuhrer7488]

We just purchased the Camp Chef--First use we cooked 3 large pizza's in 15 minutes--LOVE IT--For $235.00 at home depot--Great deal, Easy to use.

[@HahaRockgreen]

Thanks for your review, I'm thinking get a Alfa moderno.

[@craigtyau3430]

Thanks for the hard work on creating the informative and polished content. I’ve great advice from the channel. You mentioned that there was a carry bag available foe the Karu 16 but I saw none on the Ooni website. Maybe you meant the other smaller ovens. (Koda 16, Frya 12, Karu 12). I’m contemplating some type of horizontal carrying bag/case for this oven but it’ll be stationary in my backyard for now.

[@Adam13Chalmers]

Impressive analysis. Nice job!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks Adam!

[@marcelledaigle8766]

Great review! Thank you!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thank you for taking the time to watch! All the best in your search.

[@RaysUserName]

Great reviews! Thank you

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for watching!

[@diecastmodelhub]

I'm using 3 halo 16" ovens in my pizza trailer 😊

[@rmtl3140]

I just bought one. Haven't even unboxed yet. You would be a great person to ask: What is the delay time between pizza's?

[@diecastmodelhub]

@rmtl3140 I used it to make pizzas on my daughter's graduation as a test and I rocked out 19 pizzas in a few hours. Recovery is very minimal

[@mjgcm29]

Amazing video... Now I know which one fit for me. Thank you

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SimonSkrbinek]

Hello and thanks for the great video! :)

[@TicklerDude]

Ooni Koda 16. I've had mine for 3 years and I've never had any problems. Always delivers consistent restaurant quality style pizzas.

[@julessiflinger6846]

For me i wanted a large oven room enough for a 18 pizza.After much research i opted for a toscana wood fired oven by la piazza and it is a beast love it and make so many different things in it.

[@robertt9342]

The spinning stone was pretty cool.

[@Siamko]

Blackstone would be the one I would buy. Fits our family needs, style.

[@socomon69]

Still rocking my v1 that is about a decade old but functionally the same as the new one.

[@nicoruski420]

thanks very much for this

[@kevinlytle6215]

Wow, this is perhaps the best comparison video I have seen. I really appreciate the multiple ways you rate these ovens. In the middle of the video I thought ok this one (The Karu) is best for me... At the end I was certain I really need to get the CRU. It just checks all the boxes and isnt the most costly. But that Karo is a good 2nd choice.

[@ukgroucho]

Great review! My twin brother knew I wanted an Ooni so he gave me one for my (our?) 60th birthday present. Still getting the hang of getting perfect results but I really enjoy using it! Garlic shrimp in a Lodge cast iron skillet is fantastic. Not tried steak yet but I will.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

That’s fantastic! First time I tried shrimp on the Ooni Grizzler plate, I mistakenly used butter, and that my friend was quite the fire. Enjoy!

[@aspjake123]

Nice reviews. I have the Koda 16 with an aftermarket door. Love it! I want to say unscientifically the warm up time is drastically reduced saving propane and time. If I want the smoked flavor I use a stainless vented stainless steel container filled with pellets. Placed close to the side burner works very good. Easy cleanup too.

[@ZoranStefanovskiProfile]

This is the exact setup I have and the door on the Koda makes it a game changer. The pellets in a container is an awesome idea… I’m going to have to see if I can find a good stainless vented stainless steel container….

[@matthewcane2227]

I love my Koda 16, the portability and ease of use were the primary selling points for me. We've packed it up and hosted pizza parties at friends and family multiple times, and not fusing with wood kept the pizzas flowing off the oven.

[@bjjbrawler1]

Agreed! Got a Koda 16 before the price change like 2 years ago and the family loves it! Little bit of a learning curve when dealing with the L shape... but its been awesome.

[@naeledro]

Amazing video!

[@cudaus1]

Great video! I just subscribed. You answered about every question that I have. Looks like I'm leaning toward the Blackstone. I don't need an oven to be portable. Thanks for doing this.

[@cudaus1]

@@user-ij6qy9ys1i Who me?

[@russellapplegate5661]

Wow this is an outstanding video. Thanks

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for watching!

[@toddpeterson1673]

One oven that has not been rated that I can find is the Bakebros 16", true 16" stone, propane, J shaped burner, comes with slotted peel and carrying case for a steal at $399. Check it out....I bought one and works great. Probably comparable to the Koda 16???

[@jeffkerkes1691]

Awesome video... Really appreciate it... getting ready to buy one... only thing I would have liked to seen was how easy is it to hold a consistent temperature in each... Ty Jet...

[@pestalinc]

That was a great and informative review. You hit all the angles even grabbing a couple amatures to for the ease of use and learning curve review. My only question left is how many pizzas did you make that day and did you have enough people on hand to eat them all? I do love my 12' Ooni Fyra (wood pellet). I have taken it camping and over to friends houses for BBQs. Though it goes thorough pellets like a wildfire.

[@SimoneChiaretta]

This content is real Gold! Seems like the ooni is the best one out there. But I’ve a small lawn/deck and I’ve space just for one appliance and I also wanted a grill. I was thinking of the BGE medium since it can also be used as pizza over. I’m an italian living in Belgium so I’d love to be able to do both traditional bbq and making pizza. Did you do a pizza cooking comparison between a real pizza oven and the BGE?

[@jaybman2700]

I have the Blackstone, I have no experience cooking pizza, so I wanted the one where I had to do the least work I’ve only cooked about three pizzas and they just keep getting better with each cook. I’m going to try that 600° stone starting point, great video.

[@jjohnston4195]

I stumbled on this video because I had decided to purchase a pizza oven for my SIL for his birthday and wanted to do a little research. After seeing all the options/pros/cons in this well presented video, I have decided to give him a link to the video on his birthday and let him make the decision before I do any purchasing. Thank you for posting this.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

You’re welcome! Looking forward to hearing what the choice ends up being. Keep us posted, and thanks for watching.

[@peterjameson5523]

Perfect video! Ooni Karu for us. 👍

[@JimmyTheNewBlack]

Wow this was thorough af but didn’t drag on!!! Thank you!!

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for watching!

[@cindyhawkins6238]

We have Solo and love it.

[@ChristianMercadoAcevedo]

You sir, are doing a community service. Thanks!

[@adnans3222]

Yeah I don’t know about a wood fired oven being “relaxing” lol, it’s very involved vs some of the others that seem way more relaxing/less stressful, but agree about the art of managing a fire part. More importantly, the Koda 16 definitely needs more than 1 turn so that’s a bit misleading and is gonna lead to a lot of people burning their pizzas. It’s not a forgiving oven in the slightest. The proximity and intensity of the fire to the pizza makes it really important to turn at the right time(s).

[@frankhawrusik165]

Well designed comparison Ooni koda was what I liked before review but Alfa moderni looks like a great choice too for me