As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I have worked with various pizza ovens to achieve the perfect crust and authentic flavor for my creations. In this article, I will compare the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion pizza ovens, both of which I’ve extensively tested in my kitchen. I evaluated them based on quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and conducted a real pizza cooking test to measure how quickly and efficiently each oven performed. For those interested, you can check my separate article detailing the thorough testing process.
The Ooni Karu 12 is renowned for its versatility and portability, while the Cru Champion stands out with its robust build and larger cooking capacity. Both ovens have their unique strengths, making them worthy contenders for pizza enthusiasts.
This article features a thorough comparison between the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion based on my personal tests.
If you decide to buy one of these ovens, I highly appreciate you using my referral links for purchasing. It helps keep my blog alive at no extra cost to you. Here’s the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion. Let’s dive into the details!
Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Quality and Materials
| The Ooni Karu 12 boasts a durable stainless steel build, resistant to high temperatures and outdoor elements. Its glass-reinforced nylon door and firebox insulation ensure heat retention and longevity. |
The Cru Champion features a dual-layer ceramic stone dome with stainless steel and aluminum exterior. While it offers excellent insulation and durability, the chimney showed signs of wear after extensive use.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Temperature Control
| The Ooni Karu 12 excels in temperature control, capable of reaching 950°F in just 15-20 minutes. Its sealed chamber ensures efficient heat distribution, making it ideal for achieving authentic, crispy pizza crusts. |
The Cru Champion maintains consistent temperatures, reaching up to 900°F in about 15 minutes. However, its wide opening can result in some heat loss, particularly during long cooking sessions or windy conditions.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Shape
| With its compact, dome-shaped design, the Ooni Karu 12 optimizes airflow and heat retention, ensuring even cooking across the pizza. |
The Cru Champion’s semi-round dome and spacious interior provide excellent heat circulation, though the larger size can lead to uneven cooking without careful heat management.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: First-Time Usage Impressions
| Unboxing the Ooni Karu 12 was straightforward, and the oven was easy to assemble and operate. Its versatility in using wood, charcoal, or gas offers a seamless experience for beginners and seasoned chefs alike. |
The Cru Champion is heavier and more complex to set up. The wood rack and multiple heat zones require some adjustment for first-time users, but it provides ample space for experimentation with larger dishes.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Power Source
| The Ooni Karu 12 supports wood and charcoal as default options, with an additional gas burner attachment for convenience and precise heat control. |
The Cru Champion relies solely on wood or charcoal, offering an authentic smoky flavor. While this enhances the taste, it limits flexibility compared to the Ooni Karu 12’s gas option.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Size
| Weighing just 26 lbs and measuring 29.1 x 15.4 x 28.5 inches, the Ooni Karu 12 is highly portable, making it perfect for outdoor cooking adventures or smaller spaces. |
The Cru Champion is a larger, stationary oven with a cooking area of 24 x 24 inches. Its hefty build limits portability but is ideal for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously for large gatherings.
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Ooni Karu 12 VS Cru Champion: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Ooni Karu 12 is straightforward. The chimney and chamber can be wiped down with a dry cloth, and ash from the wood fire can be easily removed. Its compact size simplifies maintenance. |
The Cru Champion’s removable dome makes cleaning the interior and pizza stones easier. However, its larger size and heavier components require more effort compared to the Ooni Karu 12.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Ooni Karu 12 impressed with its quick heat-up time, reaching optimal cooking temperatures of 950°F in just 15–20 minutes. This efficiency set the stage for a seamless cooking experience. When it came time to cook a classic Margherita pizza, the oven delivered exceptional results in under 2 minutes. The crust was delightfully crispy with that sought-after leopard spotting, while the cheese melted perfectly into the rich tomato sauce. The wood-fired flavor added a smoky depth, making every bite taste like it came straight from a traditional Italian pizzeria.
The Cru Champion also performed well, heating up to 900°F in approximately 13–15 minutes. During our test, the Margherita pizza was ready in 96–120 seconds. The pizza was evenly cooked, with a slightly thicker crust that retained a pleasant chewiness. The toppings blended beautifully, and the wood-fired aroma enhanced the overall taste. While the oven delivered excellent results, the larger cooking space required a bit more attention to maintain consistent heat across the pizza stone.
Both ovens delivered delicious pizzas, but the Ooni Karu 12 had the edge in speed and crispiness, making it ideal for those seeking quick, consistent results. The Cru Champion excelled in creating pizzas with a slightly heartier crust and a smoky, artisanal flavor, perfect for gatherings or experimenting with diverse toppings.
How We Tested
To ensure a fair and thorough comparison between the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion, we conducted our tests in a controlled outdoor setting at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston. Both ovens were preheated to their recommended optimal temperatures, and we used the same high-quality ingredients for consistency.
For each oven, we prepared a classic Margherita pizza, which serves as the perfect benchmark for testing a pizza oven’s performance. The simplicity of this pizza allows us to focus on the dough’s texture, the crust’s crispiness, the cheese’s melt, and the overall flavor profile imparted by the oven.
During the testing process, we measured the time each oven took to preheat to its optimal cooking temperature. We also timed how long it took to cook the pizza once it was placed inside the oven. To maintain fairness, we rotated the pizzas as needed to ensure even cooking, closely monitoring how the heat distribution impacted the final results.
Finally, we assessed the taste and texture of the pizzas from both ovens, focusing on the crust’s consistency, the cheese’s bubbling, and the overall balance of flavors. This allowed us to gauge not only the ovens’ performance but also their ability to create an authentic wood-fired pizza experience.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the choice between the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion comes down to your cooking style and preferences. Both ovens offer excellent performance and deliver fantastic pizza, but each has its own unique strengths. Whether you prioritize portability and versatility with the Ooni Karu 12 or the spacious cooking area and robust build of the Cru Champion, you can’t go wrong with either.
If you decide to purchase one of these fantastic ovens, I would highly appreciate it if you use my referral links. I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, which helps support my blog and keep content like this coming. Here’s the link for the Ooni Karu 12 and the Cru Champion. Thank you for your support!