What we’d leave: Although the presets are a nice touch, they can be a bit restrictive. At the moment, it’s not possible to adjust the oven temperature once it reaches the set temperature. You have to turn the oven off and then back on to set a new temperature, which can be frustrating.
Editor’s note: We mentioned at the top that Ooni’s original excellent electric pizza oven, the Volt, was discontinued. Ooni released the Volt 2 to replace it, and it is an excellent, versatile electric pizza oven. However, the big change between the original Volt and the Volt 2 is that the bulk that made the original suitable for outdoor use was removed (Ooni didn’t think enough people were using its electric oven outside, so that capability was unnecessary). That’s what we recommend the Current here, for its outdoor functionality. If you want to know more about the Volt 2, we chose it as a winner in our 2025 Gear of the Year Awards.
How we tested and evaluated pizza ovens
We made a lot of pizza. For each oven, we started by cooking a basic Neapolitan-style Margherita at the maximum temperature of each oven (between 800–900 degrees), as well as a simple New York–style pie with raw sausage cooked between 600–700 degrees. From there, we played with a variety of different pizza doughs (e.g., sourdough, prefrozen, gluten-free, etc.), temperatures, and toppings to determine overall ease of use, quality of the finished product, and relative value for the price.
What to look for in a pizza oven
Maximum possible temperature
The thing that makes a pizza oven different from your regular oven is that it can get almost twice as hot. At least it can if it’s a good pizza oven. We looked for ovens that could hit close to 900℉ relatively quickly.
Though any individual Neapolitan pizza will only need about 90 seconds of cook time, we want an oven that will hold the temperature on its stone for longer pizza parties.
It should be possible to adjust the temperature of the oven relatively easily, because we don’t always want to be cooking with the heat of 1,000 suns.
Pizza ovens can be frustrating to use. We looked for versions with smart features like a wide opening to easily accommodate pies or burners oriented for consistent cooking.
Other pizza ovens we liked
Ooni 18″ Koda 2 Pro (2nd Generation)
Ooni’s second-generation Koda 2 Pro got some upgrades that really improved the cooking experience compared to the first generation. For starters, the flames are now on opposite sides of the oven rather than in an L-shape in the back, which we found not only helped with heat retention but also cooked the top of the pie more evenly. It also has a larger 18-inch cooking stone, giving it 33% more capacity than gen one. Although it comes with a Bluetooth-enabled digital temperature hub, it was finicky and disconnected when we went inside (but were still within range), so it didn’t end up being as useful as we’d hoped. We also found that the oven had trouble getting above 800℉ even on full power (although Ooni says it can reach 950℉). This didn’t affect pie quality, but it’s worth noting. Our pies came out evenly cooked with tender crusts, crispy bottoms, and bubbly cheese. This is absolutely a great pizza oven, but we enjoyed the Arc XL’s cooking experience, heat retention, and build quality a bit more.
Ooni Koda 16
The Ooni Koda 16 was previously our top pick, but Ooni has since come out with a second-generation option, the Koda 2 Pro, which we tested for this review. We still like the first-generation Ooni Koda 16 for its size, price, and overall performance. The L-shaped burner ignites easily and heats the stone to 950 degrees in less than 20 minutes. From there, the oven can crank out a perfectly charred Neapolitan pizza in just 90 seconds. Like any pizza oven, there’s a learning curve to heat management, though this task was easy with the Koda 16. The 16-inch surface also offers plenty of space for maneuvering or using with a cast-iron skillet to sear and roast steak, chicken, fish, and vegetables. As mentioned, the upgraded Koda has a Bluetooth digital thermometer, which is a nice-to-have, but not essential, so if you’re okay with using an infrared thermometer, the Koda 16 is still a great option.
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