As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve worked with various pizza ovens to perfect my craft. In this comparison, I’ll share my hands-on experience with the Ooni Koda 12 and the Solo Stove Pi Prime, evaluating them on quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and a real pizza cooking test. For more details about how I test pizza ovens, check out my separate article.
The Ooni Koda 12 is a gas-powered pizza oven known for its sleek design, portability, and precision in pizza-making. On the other hand, the Solo Stove Pi Prime, with its innovative dual-fuel capability and iconic aesthetic, is designed for outdoor cooking enthusiasts seeking versatility.
This article offers a comprehensive comparison of the Ooni Koda 12 and the Solo Stove Pi Prime, based on my own testing experience.
Disclaimer: If you decide to purchase either oven, I’d greatly appreciate it if you used my referral links. These links help support my blog by providing me with a small commission at no additional cost to you. Stay tuned for my detailed breakdown!
Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Quality and Materials
| The Ooni Koda 12 is crafted from powder-coated carbon steel, ensuring durability and longevity. The stainless steel undercarriage and ceramic insulation deliver excellent heat retention, giving it a premium feel and performance. |
The Solo Stove Pi Prime features a sturdy stainless steel build, offering durability and efficient heat retention. While solid, it doesn’t match the robust feel of the Ooni Koda 12 in a real-world cooking environment.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Temperature Control
| The Ooni Koda 12 excels with precise gas-powered temperature control, reaching up to 950°F quickly and maintaining consistent heat for professional-quality pizzas. |
The Pi Prime’s temperature control is functional but less precise due to the lack of a built-in thermometer. While the gas dial is adequate, you’ll need an external thermometer for optimal results.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Shape
| The sleek and compact design of the Ooni Koda 12 promotes even heat distribution and ensures efficient cooking. Its wide front opening allows easy access while maintaining consistent internal heat. |
The Solo Stove Pi Prime’s cylindrical shape aids in even heat distribution. The flared opening simplifies pizza maneuvering, but it feels slightly more restrictive when compared to the open-access design of the Ooni Koda 12.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Ooni Koda 12 is intuitive and easy to set up, taking mere minutes to assemble and heat. Its design feels professional yet approachable, allowing seamless cooking for beginners and experts alike. |
The Solo Stove Pi Prime provides a straightforward setup experience, but the lack of a built-in thermometer requires extra preparation for precise results. Still, it’s beginner-friendly once calibrated.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Power Source
| The Ooni Koda 12 operates on propane gas, ensuring consistent, reliable heat. Its one-fuel system prioritizes simplicity and efficiency. |
The Solo Stove Pi Prime also uses propane gas, offering similar reliability. However, its single-fuel approach lacks the versatility of ovens with multiple fuel options.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Size
| With its compact dimensions and lightweight design, the Ooni Koda 12 is highly portable, making it a top choice for smaller spaces and on-the-go use. |
Slightly larger and heavier than the Ooni Koda 12, the Solo Stove Pi Prime is portable but less convenient for frequent transport or compact storage.
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Ooni Koda 12 VS Solo Stove Pi Prime: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Ooni Koda 12 is hassle-free, with easy-to-wipe surfaces and a specially designed brush for its baking stone. The overall process is quick and efficient. |
The Solo Stove Pi Prime is easy to clean with its removable baking stone and simple exterior maintenance, though the process takes slightly longer due to its design nuances.
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Pizza Cooking Test
The Ooni Koda 12 demonstrated its impressive performance by preheating to its optimal temperature of 950°F in less than 20 minutes. This speed made it one of the most efficient pizza ovens I’ve worked with. When we tested it with a classic Margherita pizza, the results were remarkable. The pizza cooked evenly in just 2 minutes, producing a crispy yet airy crust with bubbling cheese and perfectly charred edges. The balance of flavors was spot on, with a hint of smokiness from the high heat, leaving us with a restaurant-quality pizza every time.
The Solo Stove Pi Prime also performed well, heating up to around 900°F in just 15 minutes. It proved to be slightly quicker to preheat than the Ooni Koda 12. The Margherita pizza was ready in an impressive 90 seconds, thanks to the oven’s efficient propane-fueled heat. The crust was beautifully browned, with gooey cheese and evenly cooked toppings. While the flavor was excellent, achieving consistent results required more attention to manage temperature fluctuations due to the lack of a built-in thermometer.
In conclusion, while both ovens delivered delicious pizzas, the Ooni Koda 12 stood out for its precise temperature control and consistency, making it a slightly easier option for achieving professional-quality results.
How We Tested
To ensure a fair and thorough comparison, we used both the Ooni Koda 12 and the Solo Stove Pi Prime in a real-world setting at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston. The goal was to test their capabilities under the same conditions, using identical ingredients and recipes.
We started by preparing classic Margherita pizzas for each oven, as this simple recipe allows the ovens’ performance to shine through. Each oven was preheated according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. For the Ooni Koda 12, we aimed for its optimal temperature of 950°F, and for the Solo Stove Pi Prime, we heated it to its maximum of around 900°F.
During the cooking process, we monitored preheat times, heat retention, and cooking consistency. Both ovens were used with identical pizza dough, fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil to ensure consistency in taste and texture. We paid close attention to the crust’s crispiness, the even melting of the cheese, and the balance of char and flavor across the pizzas.
To maintain accuracy, we rotated the pizzas as needed in both ovens and timed each stage of the cooking process. Afterward, we evaluated the results based on the taste, texture, and visual appeal of the finished pizzas. These tests allowed us to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each oven in delivering a professional-grade pizza experience.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between the Ooni Koda 12 and the Solo Stove Pi Prime depends on your personal preferences and cooking style. Both ovens excel in delivering delicious pizzas with their own unique strengths. The Ooni Koda 12 offers exceptional portability, rapid heating, and precise temperature control, while the Solo Stove Pi Prime impresses with its sleek design, consistent performance, and versatile cooking capabilities.
If you decide to purchase one of these fantastic pizza ovens, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could use my referral links. It helps support my blog and allows me to continue providing in-depth reviews like this one at no extra cost to you. Here’s the link for the Ooni Koda 12 and the Solo Stove Pi Prime. Thank you for your support and happy pizza-making!