As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of pizza ovens in both professional and personal settings. In this article, I’ll be comparing the Halo Versa 16 and the Carbon Pizza Oven, two excellent ovens I’ve tested in my kitchen. I’ve evaluated them based on quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and finally conducted a real pizza cooking test to see how they perform under real-world conditions.
If you’re curious about the detailed process I use to test pizza ovens, feel free to check out my separate article on the subject.
The Halo Versa 16 is a propane-powered, versatile pizza oven designed for consistent, high-performance cooking, offering an excellent balance between convenience and precision. On the other hand, the Carbon Pizza Oven is a hybrid oven that allows you to use both wood and propane, delivering a robust wood-fired flavor with the convenience of gas when needed.
This article features a thorough comparison between the Halo Versa 16 and the Carbon Pizza Oven based on my personal tests.
At the end of this comparison, it’s entirely your choice which oven suits your needs best. If you decide to purchase either of these ovens, I’d greatly appreciate it if you use my referral links. They help keep my blog alive, and I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Let’s dive in!
Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Quality and Materials
| The Halo Versa 16 boasts robust construction with high-quality stainless steel and a Cordierite cooking stone. Its durability suits both casual and professional use. |
The Carbon Pizza Oven uses carbon steel with visible insulation for heat retention and firebricks for even cooking. However, some parts, like the riveted connections, might show wear over time.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Temperature Control
| The Halo Versa 16 offers efficient propane-powered heating, reaching 950°F in 12 minutes. It maintains consistent heat with adjustable flame controls. |
The Carbon Pizza Oven can reach up to 1000°F in 10 minutes, offering precise control with dual heat zones. However, the stone sometimes requires manual adjustments for optimal results.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Shape
| Designed for versatility, the Halo Versa 16 accommodates pizzas up to 16 inches, with an ergonomic shape that ensures even cooking and easy handling. |
The Carbon Pizza Oven has a compact design suited for pizzas up to 15 inches. While practical, the interior height can be limiting for larger recipes or multiple dishes.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: First-Time Usage Impressions
| Easy to set up, the Halo Versa 16 impressed with its thoughtful design and quick learning curve. Its rotating peel compatibility simplified pizza cooking. |
The Carbon Pizza Oven offers a sleek, minimalist look and heats quickly, but achieving perfect results required a slight learning curve, especially for the base temperature adjustments.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Power Source
| The Halo Versa 16 runs on propane, offering flexibility with either a 20 lb. tank or a portable 1 lb. canister. Connecting and removing the fuel source is seamless. |
The Carbon Pizza Oven is also propane-powered, which simplifies heat management, but its reliance on one fuel type may limit versatility for those preferring wood-fired flavor.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Size
| With dimensions of 24.3″ x 21.64″ x 14.82″ and a 16-inch cooking stone, the Halo Versa 16 is compact yet versatile enough for outdoor gatherings. |
Slightly smaller, the Carbon Pizza Oven supports pizzas up to 15 inches but is more portable due to its lightweight design. However, it lacks capacity for larger dishes.
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Halo Versa 16 VS Carbon: Ease of Cleaning
| The Halo Versa 16‘s hinged access top and removable stone make post-cooking cleanup straightforward, with nylon scrapers or hot water for stubborn spots. |
Cleaning the Carbon Pizza Oven involves sweeping out ashes and wiping the firebricks. While relatively easy, its deeper chamber may require additional effort for thorough cleaning.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Halo Versa 16 reached a temperature of 732°F in about 20 minutes during our test. While this fell slightly short of the manufacturer’s claim of 950°F in 12 minutes, it was still more than sufficient for cooking pizzas efficiently. Once the stone was evenly heated, we prepared a Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza. The pizza cooked beautifully in just under 2 minutes. The result was a crisp, golden crust with a perfect char and a bubbly, melted mozzarella topping. The balance of flavors—fresh tomato sauce, creamy cheese, and smoky crust—was exceptional, offering a classic wood-fired taste.
The Carbon Pizza Oven impressed with its speed, heating up to 1000°F in approximately 10 minutes. For our Margherita pizza test, we waited until the stone reached an optimal 760°F. The pizza baked in about 80 seconds, delivering a fast and satisfying result. The crust was lightly charred with a pleasant crunch, while the cheese was evenly melted and the sauce retained its fresh, tangy flavor. However, on the first attempt, the crust was slightly underdone due to insufficient stone heat, requiring a second bake for optimal texture.
Both ovens delivered delicious pizzas, but the Halo Versa 16 produced a more evenly cooked base on the first attempt, while the Carbon Pizza Oven required minor adjustments for ideal results. The taste profiles were equally delightful, with the Halo Versa 16 excelling in balanced cooking and the Carbon Pizza Oven impressing with its quick turnaround.
How We Tested
To fairly compare the Halo Versa 16 and the Carbon Pizza Oven, we designed a standardized testing process to evaluate their performance. Both ovens were set up outdoors in similar weather conditions, ensuring consistent ambient temperature and airflow. We used the same dough recipe for our Neapolitan-style Margherita pizzas and identical toppings to keep the results unbiased.
Each oven was preheated to its optimal operating temperature—732°F for the Halo Versa 16 and 760°F for the Carbon Pizza Oven. We used an infrared thermometer to monitor the stone temperatures for precision. Once the stones were ready, we placed a pizza in each oven and timed how long it took to achieve a perfectly cooked result.
We observed the cooking process closely, noting factors such as crust browning, cheese melting, and the evenness of cooking across the base and toppings. After the pizzas were removed, we conducted a taste test to assess the balance of flavors and textures, including the crunchiness of the crust, the chewiness of the dough, and the integration of the toppings.
This method allowed us to directly compare the ovens on critical aspects such as heat-up time, cooking speed, and final pizza quality. Both the Halo Versa 16 and the Carbon Pizza Oven demonstrated excellent performance, but their unique strengths made for an interesting evaluation.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between the Halo Versa 16 and the Carbon Pizza Oven depends on your cooking style and needs. Both ovens deliver exceptional performance, but they shine in different areas. If you prefer versatility, ease of use, and a slightly quicker setup, the Halo Versa 16 might be the better fit. On the other hand, if you value a compact design with superior heat retention and don’t mind the additional manual effort for temperature control, the Carbon Pizza Oven could be your go-to.
If you decide to purchase one of these amazing pizza ovens, I would greatly appreciate it if you used my referral links. By doing so, you’ll help support my blog at no additional cost to you. Here are the links:
Thank you for your support, and happy pizza-making!