As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve worked with a wide range of outdoor pizza ovens. In this article, I’m comparing the Camp Chef Italia and Ooni Fyra 12, two popular models I’ve personally used in my kitchen. I’ve tested both ovens side by side, focusing on quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning—and of course, I conducted a real pizza cooking test to see how each performs under heat. If you’re curious about how I test each oven in detail, I’ve also written a separate article that covers my testing process step-by-step.
The Camp Chef Italia is a propane-powered pizza oven that aims to replicate the performance of a traditional brick oven with the convenience of a backyard setup.
The Ooni Fyra 12, on the other hand, is a wood-pellet-fired pizza oven known for its portability, high heat, and distinct wood-fired flavor.
I’ve put the Camp Chef Italia and Ooni Fyra 12 to the test, and this article covers the detailed comparison.
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Winner
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Loser
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Our Rating:
4.4
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Our Rating:
4.2
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Made with stainless steel and has a double-layer ceiling
- Can reach 750°F
- Smooth dome shape
- Thinner metal frame may impact its durability over time
- Requires careful management, especially on windy days
- Took a bit longer to set up
- Propane-only
- Portable but slightly bulkier
- Powder-coated carbon steel
- Dome design but is more compact
- Heats up to 950°F
- Compact and lightweight
- Operates exclusively on wood pellets
- Cleaning the Fyra 12 requires a bit more effort
Lastly, a quick note: this article contains referral links that help keep my blog alive. If you find this comparison helpful and decide to purchase one of the ovens, using my links means I’ll earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Quality and Materials
| The Camp Chef Italia pizza oven is built with stainless steel and features a durable, professional-grade design. Its cordierite ceramic stone helps deliver consistent bakes. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 uses powder-coated carbon steel that’s lightweight and corrosion-resistant. It feels solid but not quite as rugged as the Camp Chef Italia.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Temperature Control
| The Camp Chef Italia offers excellent gas-powered micro-adjust temperature control, making it easy to dial in the perfect heat—ideal for beginners or seasoned pros. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 reaches up to 950°F using wood pellets. While the temperature potential is higher, controlling the heat on the Ooni Fyra 12 takes more practice.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Shape
| With its rounded dome ceiling, the Camp Chef Italia promotes even airflow and heat circulation—perfect for consistently cooked pizza across the stone. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 has an efficient tunnel shape that works well for heat retention, but the smaller space means turning pizzas can be a bit more difficult.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Camp Chef Italia is easy to assemble and intuitive to operate. It’s ready to go out of the box with simple propane setup and clear instructions. |
Unboxing the Ooni Fyra 12 is exciting, but learning to manage wood pellets for ignition and flame control adds a layer of complexity for first-time users.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Power Source
| The Camp Chef Italia runs on propane, providing quick ignition and minimal mess. It’s more convenient for fast setups and repeat cooks. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 is powered by hardwood pellets, giving that classic wood-fired flavor, but requires constant attention to fuel levels and flame stability.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Size
| Weighing 47 lbs, the Camp Chef Italia is compact yet solid. It feels more like a small countertop oven—sturdy and stable for outdoor use. |
The Ooni Fyra 12 is only 22 lbs, making it highly portable. While that’s great for travel, the lightweight build feels less grounded compared to Camp Chef Italia.
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Camp Chef Italia VS Ooni Fyra 12: Ease of Cleaning
| The Camp Chef Italia is easier to clean—just run it hot for 15 minutes, scrape off residue, and wipe down the exterior. No ashes or tricky parts. |
Cleaning the Ooni Fyra 12 requires waiting for cooldown, emptying ash, and wiping soot from the fuel tray and chimney—more steps and tools involved.
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Pizza Cooking Test: Camp Chef Italia vs. Ooni Fyra 12
When it comes to performance, both the Camp Chef Italia and the Ooni Fyra 12 delivered impressive results—but with very different approaches.
The Camp Chef Italia took longer to preheat—around 40 minutes to reach close to 700°F. That said, once it got there, the temperature stayed stable throughout cooking. I baked a Margherita pizza using homemade dough, and it took about 9 minutes to cook fully. The crust had a pleasant crunch without being overdone, the toppings were evenly melted, and the flavor was balanced—classic gas-fired pizza perfection. The heat distribution was consistent, and I didn’t have to rotate the pizza much, which made the whole process smooth and reliable.
The Ooni Fyra 12, powered by wood pellets, preheated in just 15 minutes and reached over 900°F. The Margherita pizza baked in an incredible 2 minutes, which was impressive. The result was a beautifully leopard-spotted crust with a nice smoky aroma. However, the learning curve with flame control and fuel management meant the first few pizzas weren’t as even. When done right, though, the flavor had that signature wood-fired depth that’s hard to beat.
If you want speed and wood-fired flavor, the Ooni Fyra 12 wins in that category. But if you’re after predictability, even cooking, and control, especially in a professional or repeat-use setting, the Camp Chef Italia has a clear edge.
How We Tested
To fairly compare the Camp Chef Italia and Ooni Fyra 12, I tested both ovens side-by-side in my outdoor kitchen at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, where I’ve been running the show for over a decade. The goal was simple: replicate a real-world pizza-making experience with each oven using the same ingredients and setup.
I used identical homemade Margherita pizza dough, same sauce, and fresh mozzarella for consistency. Each oven was given a proper preheat time based on manufacturer recommendations (and then some, if needed), and I used an infrared thermometer to monitor stone surface temperature before baking.
I timed how long it took each oven to reach optimal cooking temperatures, how long the pizzas took to cook, and how evenly they baked. I also assessed ease of use, how much active management each oven required during cooking, and—most importantly—how the final pizzas looked and tasted.
This hands-on approach allowed me to evaluate not just raw performance, but the overall cooking experience, from setup to cleanup.
Final Verdict
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Winner
|
Loser
|
|
Our Rating:
4.4
|
Our Rating:
4.2
|
|
Pros:
|
Pros:
|
|
Cons:
|
Cons:
|
- Made with stainless steel and has a double-layer ceiling
- Can reach 750°F
- Smooth dome shape
- Thinner metal frame may impact its durability over time
- Requires careful management, especially on windy days
- Took a bit longer to set up
- Propane-only
- Portable but slightly bulkier
- Powder-coated carbon steel
- Dome design but is more compact
- Heats up to 950°F
- Compact and lightweight
- Operates exclusively on wood pellets
- Cleaning the Fyra 12 requires a bit more effort
Both the Camp Chef Italia and Ooni Fyra 12 are excellent outdoor pizza ovens with distinct strengths. If you prefer the convenience of gas and more forgiving temperature control, the Camp Chef Italia might be your ideal pick. On the other hand, if you’re after an authentic wood-fired flavor and enjoy the hands-on experience of cooking with pellets, the Ooni Fyra 12 is a strong contender.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to your cooking style and flavor preferences.
If you decide to buy one of these ovens, I’d truly appreciate it if you use my referral links. I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you—and it helps keep my blog alive:
Thank you for supporting my work and happy pizza-making!
Don’t forget to check out the best pizza ovens list.