Ooni Koda 2 Max Pizza Oven Evaluate

My first outside pizza oven was the Ooni Koda 16. I nonetheless keep in mind my husband excitedly firing it up and the magnificent corn, scallion, and Parmesan Neapolitan-style pizzas we baked in it. The crusts had been puffy and chewy, and the bottoms had that coveted leopard recognizing. It was straightforward to make use of, and the 16-inch opening made it a cinch to launch, flip, and retrieve every pie. 

Whereas greater isn’t all the time higher, Ooni just lately launched a behemoth model of my beloved Koda 16: the Ooni Koda 2 Max. This whopper of a pizza oven is 24 inches vast, comes with two pizza stones, and sports activities a dual-burner gasoline system. This theoretically permits for limitless potentialities and mixtures, like pan pizza on one facet at medium warmth and Neapolitan on the opposite at excessive warmth (although that sounds anxious). It additionally makes it straightforward to launch and switch pizza or cook dinner a number of pizzas without delay. 

To see if this large oven is well worth the area and $1,000 value, I fired it up, burned by way of a tank of propane, and made tons of pizza, together with Neapolitan, Roman, and Detroit-style pies. 

The Checks

• Warmth Check: I timed how lengthy the Ooni Koda took to achieve its highest temperature with each burners on full blast. I used an infrared thermometer to gauge the temperature of the stones and in contrast it to the acknowledged temperature on the show display screen and the Ooni Join app. 
• Neapolitan Pizza Check: With the oven at its highest warmth setting, I made Neapolitan pizzas, noting how straightforward it was to launch, flip, and retrieve every pie. 
• Roman-Model Pizza Check: I made skinny, crispy Roman-style pizza scrocchiarella to see if I might management the oven’s temperature and never bake up blackened pies. 
• Twin Pizza Check: I fired up the oven and adjusted the temperatures on either side to bake two totally different kinds of pizzas: Detroit and Neapolitan. It was a take a look at to see if every burner might be tuned in order that one facet of the oven was considerably hotter than the opposite. 
• Usability Checks: All through testing, I famous how straightforward the oven was to arrange, use, and clear.

What We Discovered 

Extra Area Meant Much less Irritating Throwing, Turning, and Fetching

The spaciousness of the Ooni Koda 2 Max made it straightforward to launch, flip, and take away pizzas.

I’ve examined a number of outside pizza ovens and one of the vital anxious elements of baking up a pie is the takeoff. For those who unintentionally hit the sting of the oven, the pizza results in a tangled heap of sauce, dough, and toppings. I’ve had it occur, and it’s a bummer. 

This was not the case with this oven. It’s a mind-boggling 24 inches vast. Throwing a single 12-inch pizza in it virtually felt like a waste, however on the similar time, it additionally made the entire expertise a lot much less anxious. I might simply throw two 10-inch pizzas, then flip and retrieve them with out the oven cramping my model (actually). It was even straightforward to sidle in a Detroit pizza pan with oven mitts. 

It Heated Up Shortly 

With an enormous floor space and many area, I believed the oven would take ceaselessly to achieve excessive temperatures. Nevertheless it shocked me, hitting 660°F in 11 minutes—that’s fairly quick. It saved climbing and hit 850°F, the place it stabilized, in about 38 minutes. That is spectacular contemplating different a lot smaller ovens we’ve examined take about 30 to 40 minutes to hit this temperature. The Ooni Koda 2 Max could be giant, but it surely’s neck and neck with smaller ovens on the subject of heating occasions. 

…And Cooked Pizzas Quick

Skinny Neapolitan pizzas cooked up in a lickety-split 22 seconds. I truly ought to have turned the temperature down a bit after throwing the pies, since I ended up with a number of ashy pepperoni. As an alternative, I attempted utilizing my turner peel to defend the highest, however the oven’s warmth retention and firepower had been so good that it didn’t do a lot to guard the skinny slices of cured meat. Don’t be like me: Flip that warmth down somewhat after launching so your toppings don’t scorch. The Detroit pizza additionally cooked fairly rapidly, in about 12 minutes at a decrease temperature. 

Let’s Discuss About Its Twin Burner System 

An enormous a part of what makes the Ooni Koda 2 Max distinctive is its twin burner system. Once I was doing background analysis, I saved studying about the way it allows you to cook dinner wildly various things without delay. And in case you’re searing a steak on one facet and wish to char some veg on the opposite, I get it. However I used to be skeptical within the case of pizzas: Who’s going to sling Neapolitan pizzas similtaneously a pan pizza? However, for science, I gave it a go and cooked a Detroit pizza on one facet and threw a number of Neapolitan pies on the opposite. The outcomes had been unbelievable: The Neapolitan pizzas had been properly charred and the Detroit pie had the requisite crispy edges and backside and chewy, tender crumb. That stated, adjusting the twin burners to wildly totally different temperatures—aiming for 550°F for the Detroit pizza and 850°F for the Neapolitan—proved unattainable. I wound up throwing the Neapolitan at round 740°F on the correct facet, whereas the left facet hovered at 700°F for the Detroit. Whereas it’s a giant oven, it’s tough to get one facet tremendous scorching and the opposite a extra middling temperature. 

The Thermometer Was Pretty Correct 

Most built-in thermometers—be they on a grill, pellet smoker, or on this case, pizza oven—are inaccurate. That’s why I used to be shocked that the one on the Ooni was fairly on level throughout my warmth take a look at. 9 minutes in, the onboard show stated the temperature was 525°F. My infrared thermometer readings had been 530°F on the left, 545°F within the heart, and 526°F on the correct, for a mean of 534°F, which was solely 9 levels off. Whereas this was spectacular, I’d nonetheless spend money on an infrared thermometer for utmost accuracy when baking pizzas. 

The App Has Potential

The pizza oven connects to the Ooni app, which shows real-time temperatures for either side of the oven. This theoretically allows you to set the oven up and go inside to prep, whereas nonetheless with the ability to monitor temps. It might be a unbelievable characteristic if it didn’t disconnect instantly after I stepped foot inside. Whereas it’s good in case you’re puttering across the yard close to the oven, I want I might see the oven temps from a larger distance. 

The Verdict

For those who LOVE making outside pizzas and have the cash and area to permit for it, the Ooni Koda 2 Max is a good oven. It heated up rapidly contemplating its large dimension, and the spacious opening and cooking space made throwing pizzas stress-free. The proof was within the pudding too: It baked up unbelievable Neapolitan, Roman, and Detroit-style pizzas. 

That stated, in case you solely see your self making pizzas exterior occasionally, I like to recommend a smaller, much less dear Ooni oven. Additionally, whereas the dual-zone temperature management was good in principle, I don’t know the way helpful it’s in follow except you wish to cope with the drama of throwing two pizzas without delay. 

However, total, it’s a unbelievable outside pizza oven that heats up rapidly, bakes killer pizzas, and feels roomy doing it. 

The Professionals

The Ooni Koda 2 Max was straightforward to arrange, ignited rapidly, and climbed to 860°F in 38 minutes, which is kind of spectacular contemplating it’s so giant. Its vast cooking floor and gaping opening additionally made it straightforward to throw and retrieve pizzas. It cooked thin-crust pizzas blisteringly quick, in about 22 seconds, and gave them beautiful leopard-spotted undercarriages. It additionally baked up a wonderfully cooked, crispy-edged Detroit pan pizza, showcasing its versatility. Total, it’s a unbelievable pizza oven that does its job effectively. 

The Cons

Make no bones about it, it’s costly. It’s additionally enormous, and I’d advocate having a big, heatproof outside desk to set it on. It burned by way of propane rapidly, and having a spare tank readily available was helpful. The twin burners had been a pleasant characteristic, however I did discover it tough to residence in on wildly totally different temperatures. Lastly, I’d have cherished it if the app and oven had higher long-range connectivity—because it was, it dropped the sign each time I went inside. 

Key Specs

• Inside width: 24 inches 
• Exterior dimensions: 29 x 16.5 x 25.5 inches 
• Most temperature: 950°F
• Gasoline sort: Propane
• Guarantee: 5 years
• Options: App connectivity, digital temperature hub, twin burner setup
• Comes with: Two stones, two burners, two probe thermometers

FAQs

What’s the distinction between the Ooni Koda and the Ooni Koda 2 Max?

The Ooni Koda is available in two sizes: 12 and 16 inches. Each of those ovens have a single stone and a single burner. The Ooni Koda 2 Max is 24 inches and sports activities two burners and two pizza stones. 

Can the Ooni Koda 2 Max be used indoors?

No, the Ooni Koda 2 Max runs on propane or pure gasoline, and will solely be used exterior or in a well-ventilated space. 

Why We’re the Specialists

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Critical Eats and has been testing kitchen gear for nearly three years.
• She examined the Ooni Koda 2 Max over the course of a month, utilizing it to make Neapolitan, Roman, and Detroit-style pizzas. 

Editor’s observe: We acquired a press pattern of the Ooni Koda 2 Max, however all of our opinions are our personal.