As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve worked with a wide range of pizza ovens both professionally and at home. In this article, I’ll compare two popular outdoor models I’ve personally used in my kitchen: the Solo Stove Pi Prime and the Ooni Fyra 12. I’ll walk you through how they stack up in terms of quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and of course, a real pizza cooking test to see how long it takes to bake a proper pie.
You can also read more about how I test pizza ovens in my separate article that breaks down my full process.
The Solo Stove Pi Prime is a propane-powered oven known for its sleek stainless-steel build and impressive heat retention.
The Ooni Fyra 12 is a wood pellet-powered oven that’s lightweight, compact, and designed for those who want that traditional wood-fired flavor.
I’ve conducted thorough tests to compare the Solo Stove Pi Prime and the Ooni Fyra 12, detailed in this article.
Although they weren’t ranked in the TOP-5 pizza ovens, these ovens are still great alternatives.
Disclaimer: This article contains referral links that help keep my blog alive. If you decide to buy one of these ovens through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you—and I truly appreciate your support.
Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Quality and Materials
| The Solo Stove Pi Prime is built with durable stainless steel, offering strong heat retention and a premium, solid feel. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 uses powder-coated carbon steel, which is lightweight and weather-resistant but feels thinner overall.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Temperature Control
| The Solo Stove Pi Prime uses a propane dial for steady heat. While it lacks markings, it’s easy to manage with a thermometer. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 relies on wood pellets and manual airflow, which offers great flavor but requires more attention.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Shape
| The Solo Stove Pi Prime features a modern cylindrical design with a flared front, making it easy to launch and rotate pizzas. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 has a compact, boxy shape that promotes great heat circulation, but space is a bit tighter.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: First-Time Usage Impressions
| Unboxing the Solo Stove Pi Prime revealed a sleek, sturdy unit that was easy to assemble and looked great. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 was lightweight and well-packaged, though using wood pellets required some initial learning.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Power Source
| The Solo Stove Pi Prime runs on propane, offering clean and consistent heat with minimal effort. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 is powered by wood pellets, delivering authentic flavor but requiring regular fuel top-ups.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Size
| At 15.5″ high and 30 lbs, the Solo Stove Pi Prime is compact yet sturdy and easy to move. |
Weighing only 22 lbs, the Ooni Fyra 12 is highly portable and perfect for small patios or travel.
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Solo Stove Pi Prime VS Ooni Fyra 12: Ease of Cleaning
| The Solo Stove Pi Prime is easy to clean, thanks to removable baking stones and a simple wipe-down exterior. |
Cleaning the Ooni Fyra 12 takes more effort due to ash and soot buildup, but it’s manageable with care.
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Pizza Cooking Test
We tested both the Solo Stove Pi Prime and the Ooni Fyra 12 using the same Margherita pizza recipe to see how fast each oven heated up, how quickly the pizza cooked, and how it tasted.
The Solo Stove Pi Prime impressed us with its rapid warm-up time—it reached optimal cooking temperature in just 15 minutes. Once preheated, the pizza stone held heat well, allowing us to launch the pizza confidently. Our 12-inch Margherita pizza baked in just 90 seconds. The results were outstanding: the crust had a satisfying crunch with a light char, the cheese was beautifully melted, and the sauce kept its fresh, tangy flavor.
The Ooni Fyra 12 also heated up in about 15 minutes, thanks to its efficient wood pellet system. However, the flame required more active management. Our Margherita pizza cooked in just under 2 minutes, delivering a rustic, smoky flavor that only wood-fired ovens can offer. The crust was airy with light blistering, though rotating the pizza took a bit more effort due to the narrower cooking chamber.
Both ovens delivered delicious results, but the Solo Stove Pi Prime won points for ease and consistency, while the Ooni Fyra 12 shined with its authentic wood-fired flavor.
How We Tested
To compare the Solo Stove Pi Prime and Ooni Fyra 12 side by side, I used the same approach I take in my restaurant kitchen—focused, consistent, and practical.
For each oven, I used the same classic Margherita pizza recipe: fresh homemade dough, San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, and a few basil leaves. I allowed both ovens to preheat fully, monitoring stone temperatures with an infrared thermometer to ensure consistent starting conditions. Each oven was used outdoors under similar weather conditions for fairness.
With the Solo Stove Pi Prime, I evaluated propane setup time, flame control, and heat retention. I observed how evenly the crust cooked, how quickly the toppings melted, and how responsive the temperature dial was during back-to-back bakes.
With the Ooni Fyra 12, I tested how easily wood pellets could be maintained and how steady the flame stayed throughout the cook. I also looked at how well the oven recovered heat between pizzas and how much manual effort was needed to maintain consistent performance.
Each oven was used to cook multiple pizzas in a single session, so I could get a clear sense of performance, consistency, and user experience during repeat use.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, whether you go with the Solo Stove Pi Prime or the Ooni Fyra 12 depends on your personal preferences and cooking style. Both ovens offer great performance, but if you want convenience, propane efficiency, and consistent results with minimal learning curve, I personally lean toward the Solo Stove Pi Prime. If you’re after that authentic wood-fired flavor and enjoy the hands-on nature of using wood pellets, the Ooni Fyra 12 might be your perfect fit.
If you decide to buy one, I’d really appreciate it if you used my referral links—it helps support this blog and keeps it going. There’s no extra cost to you.
Be sure to explore our top pizza oven picks.