Adding an outdoor pizza oven can transform your backyard parties into a whole new experience. Crafting personal homemade pizzas while having friends and family over is a great way to entertain your guests. Just choose your favorite toppings and cheeses and you can make many pizzas within minutes for your whole party. With a high-powered pizza oven, everyone can create their favorite pizzas with their preferred toppings. Both the Solo Stove Pi Prime and the Ooni Koda 12 pizza ovens are two of the highest-rated models available. If you’re thinking about getting a new outdoor pizza oven, both of these ovens will bring authentic and restaurant-quality pizzas to your home. However, which one would be your preferred choice for your outdoor cooking needs? Let’s discuss the differences between these two backyard pizza ovens.
Impressive Cooking Capabilities
At their core, the Solo Stove Pi Prime and Ooni Koda 12 are designed for one main task — achieving exceptionally hot temperatures to cook pizza as quickly as a professional brick oven. And they certainly deliver on that promise. The Solo Stove Pi Prime can preheat in just 15 minutes, reaching high temperatures thanks to its propane-fueled, highly efficient demi-dome heating design. Once preheated, it can churn out deliciously charred pizzas in as little as 90 seconds of cook time. Not to be outdone, the Ooni Koda 12 also features propane gas heating and can hit a max temperature of 950°F after preheating for about 15 minutes. This Ooni oven can fully cook a 12″ pizza in just 60 seconds at full temperature.
While both ovens use propane for their fast heating capabilities, there are some subtle differences in how they funnel and circulate that heat. The Solo Stove Pi Prime has a panoramic opening that allows you to easily spin and monitor your pizza as it cooks. It uses a cordierite stone baking surface, which provides even heat distribution. The Ooni Koda 12 features a commercial-grade carbon steel shell that efficiently traps and reflects heat inwards. The flame rolls across its baking stone, cooking pizzas with heat from the sides as well as the baking surface below.
When it comes to raw power and blazing cooking speeds for pizza, both ovens are incredibly capable. The Ooni Koda 12 edges out the Solo Stove Pi Prime in total cook time by a small margin, but both cook pizzas incredibly fast. Both offer high temps and reach up to 950°, so when it comes to an edge in this category, the Ooni wins for its slightly faster cooking times.
Designed to Stay Outdoors
Withstanding the elements is a must for any outdoor cooking appliance. Thankfully, the Solo Stove and Ooni ovens are constructed with highly durable, weatherized materials that allow them to withstand the elements. The Solo Stove Pi Prime has a sleek stainless steel outer body that’s built to last. It weighs 30 lbs. and is compact enough for patios or small tables. This model does require being set up on a flat, sturdy surface for safety.
The Ooni Koda 12 is the lighter and slightly more compact option, weighing just over 20 pounds with a tabletop-friendly size under 16″ wide and 25″ deep. Its exterior is coated in a powder-cured, rust-proof finish to protect the exterior from the elements. The foldable steel legs and wide stance add stability, even on slightly uneven surfaces.
While their overall shapes differ, both ovens utilize high-grade stainless steel construction to withstand the intense heat output required. The Ooni Koda 12 is built so you can bring it to campsites or cookouts, while the Solo Stove Pi Prime is better kept as a permanent outdoor kitchen fixture. Whichever you choose, it can easily become the centerpiece of any backyard hang. If you’re looking to move your oven around frequently, the Ooni’s lighter weight and compact form give it a slight edge in portability. The sturdy legs are easy to fold and bring with you on the go, making it our pick if you’re looking for a pizza oven you can bring with you.
Propane-Powered Convenience
One of the biggest advantages of both these ovens over traditional wood-fired options is their use of propane gas as the fuel source. Just hook up a propane tank, turn a knob and you’ve got an instant roaring flame ready to cook. The propane flames on both ovens are fully adjustable with temperature control knobs on the exterior. This allows you to easily dial in the perfect amount of heat for your baking needs, whether you’re cooking a pizza at full temperature or making something more delicate at lower temps. The Solo Stove Pi Prime has a front-facing control for easy access.
While there’s certainly a unique experience that comes from a traditional wood-fired pizza oven, having the convenience of propane allows for much quicker preheat and cook times. For easy operation in your outdoor kitchen, both of these ovens have a clear advantage over wood-fired models.
Which Pizza Oven is Right For You?
When comparing these two pizza ovens, the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference and specific cooking needs. For those who value sleek design and compact portability, the Ooni Koda 12 is our winner. On the other hand, the Solo Stove Pi Prime appeals to those looking for a high-performance oven to keep in their outdoor kitchen area. Whichever option you choose, rest assured that both ovens will elevate your outdoor cooking experience and delight your taste buds with delicious homemade pizzas.
Are you looking to give your outdoor kitchen an upgrade and add a new pizza oven to your backyard? Stop in at Abt and see our wide selection of pizza ovens. If you have any questions or need help finding your new oven, our experts are here to help. And be sure to check out our pizza oven buying guide to learn more about both pizza ovens and discover more options that you can use in your outdoor kitchen. Happy pizza-making!
No Comments