The Best Ooni Pizza Ovens in Canada, and Who Each One Is For

Ooni is a Scottish brand that makes compact, reliable ovens, and it brought pizza ovens into a lot of Canadian backyards. Its ovens get hot enough to bake a Neapolitan in a minute or two.

We've sold them for years, we cook on them at home, and every week we answer the same questions: which one, for how many people, and does it work in winter. Here's what we tell people.

Three questions before you choose

• Where will you cook? Balcony, patio or backyard: any of the gas or wood models will do. In a condo with no outdoor space, it's the Volt 2, which is electric.
• How many people? For two to four, a 12 to 14" oven is plenty. If you host often, go 16" or bigger: you'll launch faster, and the pizzas get bigger.
• Gas, wood or both? Propane is simple and consistent. Wood brings the flavour and the ritual. Multi-fuel ovens let you choose night by night.

The Ooni ovens we recommend

Koda 16: our first pick to get started

It's the Ooni we recommend most often as a first oven. It runs on propane, it's forgiving, and the wide opening leaves room for a big pizza, and room to turn it without stress. It's also great for people who host.

Koda 2: more compact and more affordable

It runs on propane and bakes a 14" pizza. You turn it on and cook. A good pick when space or budget is tighter.

Koda 2 Pro: for the obsessed and the big tables

It's gas-fired, with an 18" cooking area: enough space for a family-size pizza or a cast iron dish.

Karu 2 and Karu 2 Pro: wood-fired, with a propane option

Both run on wood, charcoal or gas (burner sold separately). For people who want wood-fired flavour without giving up propane on a weeknight. The Karu 2 is 12", the Pro is 16".

Volt 2: for indoors

The Volt 2 is electric. It plugs into a regular outlet and reaches 450°C (850°F), which makes it the right choice for a condo or an apartment.

Fyra 12: the most affordable

It runs on wood pellets and is light and easy to bring to the cottage or the campsite.

The accessories we add almost every time

• A pizza peel to launch and retrieve your pizzas.
• A turning peel, to rotate mid-bake without tearing.
• An infrared thermometer, to know when the stone is ready. That's the key to a base that's cooked through.

An Ooni in a Canadian winter?

Yes. Plenty of our customers cook outside all year. Just plan on a slightly longer preheat when it's cold, and store the oven under cover (or in its cover) between cooks.

Still not sure?

Our buying guide helps you decide in a few questions. Or write to us: we'll tell you straight which one we'd get in your shoes. And for a second opinion, Quebec's Protégez-Vous magazine has its own pizza oven guide (in French).