As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve had the privilege of testing various pizza ovens in my kitchen. Today, I’ll be comparing the Ooni Karu 12 and the Camp Chef Italia pizza ovens, both of which I’ve used extensively. My comparison will cover quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and a real pizza cooking test to see how long it takes. For a detailed breakdown of how I test pizza ovens, you can check my separate article.
The Ooni Karu 12 is known for its multi-fuel versatility and wood-fired flavor, while the Camp Chef Italia is celebrated for its traditional Italian-inspired design and propane-powered convenience.
I tested both the Ooni Karu 12 and the Camp Chef Italia and shared a detailed comparison in this article.
If you decide to purchase one of these ovens, I’d greatly appreciate it if you use my referral links. These links help keep my blog alive at no extra cost to you!
Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Quality and Materials
| The Ooni Karu 12 boasts a sturdy stainless steel construction that is designed to withstand high temperatures and outdoor conditions, ensuring long-term durability. |
The Camp Chef Italia Pizza Oven features stainless steel with a double-layer ceiling for added rigidity but uses thinner metal, which may impact its longevity under heavy use.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Temperature Control
| The Ooni Karu 12 reaches over 900°F, providing excellent temperature control for quick, crispy pizzas. Multi-fuel options allow precise adjustments, especially with the optional gas attachment. |
The Camp Chef Italia heats up to 750°F with propane, maintaining consistent temperatures. However, windy conditions can cause fluctuations, requiring additional monitoring.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Shape
| The Ooni Karu 12’s dome shape efficiently retains heat and circulates airflow, ensuring evenly cooked pizzas with a crispy crust and perfect toppings. |
The Camp Chef Italia has a smooth dome shape that facilitates even heat circulation. However, its lower roof can limit the size and variety of dishes that can be cooked.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Ooni Karu 12 impressed with its quality materials, intuitive assembly, and portability. The wood-fired option adds authenticity to the cooking experience. |
The Camp Chef Italia gave a decent first impression with its compact design and propane connectivity, but its size and metal quality felt less robust compared to the Ooni Karu 12.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Power Source
| The Ooni Karu 12 is a multi-fuel oven, offering the flexibility of wood, charcoal, or gas (with a separate gas burner attachment). This versatility is perfect for achieving authentic flavors. |
The Camp Chef Italia is powered solely by propane, making it convenient and easy to use but lacking the smoky flavor that wood-fired ovens provide.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Size
| Weighing 26 lbs, the Ooni Karu 12 is highly portable and easy to set up for outdoor cooking, making it a great choice for camping or backyard use. |
The Camp Chef Italia is heavier at 47 lbs and less portable. While it can be moved, its bulk makes it less ideal for frequent relocation.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Camp Chef Italia: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Ooni Karu 12 involves removing ash and soot from the chamber. While straightforward, avoiding water inside is necessary to protect its components. |
Cleaning the Camp Chef Italia is simple, with the option to scrape off residue and wipe the exterior. Its propane power results in less ash to clean but requires consistent care for the cooking stone.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Ooni Karu 12 heated up quickly, reaching its optimal cooking temperature of 900°F in just 15–20 minutes. For the test, we prepared a classic Margherita pizza, launching it onto the preheated stone. The oven cooked the pizza in under 2 minutes, achieving a perfectly crisp crust, golden-bubbled cheese, and evenly cooked toppings. The smoky flavor from the wood-fired setup added a delightful depth that elevated the taste to restaurant-quality standards.
The Camp Chef Italia Pizza Oven required slightly more time to preheat, taking about 20 minutes to reach 750°F. The Margherita pizza took approximately 7–10 minutes to cook fully, with a consistent bake across the crust and toppings. While the crust developed a pleasant crispness, the flavor lacked the distinct smokiness you get from a wood-fired oven. The result was a reliable, tasty pizza that performed well but lacked the depth of flavor offered by the Ooni Karu 12.
How We Tested
To ensure a fair and thorough comparison of the Ooni Karu 12 and Camp Chef Italia Pizza Oven, we conducted our tests under identical conditions. Both ovens were set up outdoors in a sheltered area to minimize the influence of wind or other environmental factors. For consistency, we used the same dough recipe and fresh ingredients to prepare a classic Margherita pizza—an ideal test dish for evaluating heat distribution, cooking speed, and crust texture.
Each oven was preheated to its recommended temperature, with an infrared thermometer used to verify the stone’s heat levels. For the Ooni Karu 12, we used wood as the fuel source to assess its traditional performance. For the Camp Chef Italia, we relied on propane, its primary fuel source, for an accurate representation of its capabilities.
We carefully monitored cooking times, rotating the pizzas as needed to ensure even baking. The final results were evaluated based on the crust’s crispiness, the evenness of the cheese melt, the flavor profile, and the overall aesthetic of the pizza. Both ovens were cleaned post-use to test ease of maintenance. This standardized process allowed us to provide a comprehensive comparison of these two popular outdoor pizza ovens.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between the Ooni Karu 12 and the Camp Chef Italia Pizza Oven depends on your personal cooking preferences and needs. If you’re after versatility, portability, and a more authentic wood-fired experience, the Ooni Karu 12 shines. However, if you value propane-powered convenience with a steady temperature range and don’t mind a slightly bulkier design, the Camp Chef Italia is a strong contender.
If you decide to purchase one, I’d greatly appreciate it if you used my referral links for your purchase. It helps support my blog, and I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can find the Ooni Karu 12 and the Camp Chef Italia. Thank you for your support!