As a restaurant chef with over 10 years of experience at my restaurant, Dequte Restaurant LironBoylston, I’ve had the opportunity to test a variety of pizza ovens both professionally and personally. In this article, I’ll be comparing two popular pizza ovens: the Ooni Koda 12 and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven, both of which I’ve extensively used in my kitchen. To ensure a fair evaluation, I compared these ovens across multiple aspects, including quality and materials, temperature control, shape, first-time usage impressions, power source, size, ease of cleaning, and a real pizza cooking test to measure performance. If you’re curious about my detailed pizza oven testing process, you can check out my separate article for more insights.
- The Ooni Koda 12 is a compact, gas-powered pizza oven designed for efficiency and ease of use, making it a favorite among home cooks and professionals alike.
- The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven, on the other hand, offers the charm of wood-fired cooking, combining traditional flavors with a sleek modern design.
In this article, I’ve provided a detailed comparison of the Ooni Koda 12 and the Stoke based on my hands-on tests.
Disclaimer: This article contains referral links, which help support my blog and keep it alive. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Quality and Materials
| The Ooni Koda 12 is crafted with high-quality powder-coated carbon steel and ceramic insulation, ensuring excellent heat retention and durability. Its stainless steel undercarriage adds to its robust construction. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven features satisfactory build quality, though the materials feel less premium compared to the Ooni Koda 12. Its design suggests durability but falls short of the sturdiness found in competitors.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Temperature Control
| The Ooni Koda 12 excels in precise temperature control, reaching over 450°C (900°F) within 15 minutes. It ensures consistent heat for perfectly crispy and evenly cooked pizzas. |
While the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven claims to reach 900°F, our tests showed a maximum of 700°F. External factors, like weather and wood quality, significantly affect temperature consistency.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Shape
| The Ooni Koda 12’s thoughtful design creates the ideal pizza-cooking environment, optimizing heat circulation for crispy crusts and evenly melted toppings. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven includes a unique wall between the flame and stone, which can hinder its ability to reach higher temperatures quickly.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: First-Time Usage Impressions
| The Ooni Koda 12 impresses right out of the box with its sleek, compact design and quick setup. Its intuitive operation makes it ideal for beginners and pros alike. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven has a straightforward setup, but achieving the ideal pizza requires a learning curve, particularly for beginners.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Power Source
| The Ooni Koda 12 is gas-powered, offering consistent heat and easy control, making it perfect for quick and hassle-free pizza-making. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven is available in wood-fired and gas models, providing flexibility. The wood-fired option adds a distinct smokiness to pizzas but requires more effort to manage.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Size
| Compact and portable, the Ooni Koda 12 is an excellent choice for small spaces and backyard setups. Its lightweight design makes it easy to transport. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven is slightly larger and heavier, which can limit portability. However, its size is still manageable for most outdoor spaces.
|
Ooni Koda 12 VS Stoke: Ease of Cleaning
| Cleaning the Ooni Koda 12 is simple and efficient, with a smooth exterior and an easy-to-maintain baking stone. The Ooni Pizza Oven Brush ensures thorough cleaning without damaging the stone. |
The Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven is also easy to clean, with disassemblable components that make maintenance straightforward. However, it may require more effort due to soot buildup from wood fires.
|
Pizza Cooking Test
The Ooni Koda 12 stood out during the pizza cooking test with its quick heating capabilities, reaching 450°C (900°F) in just 15 minutes. This rapid warm-up time meant I could start cooking almost immediately. When it came to the actual cooking process, the Margherita pizza was ready in just 2-3 minutes. The consistent, intense heat ensured a perfectly crispy crust with a delightful char, while the toppings were evenly cooked and full of flavor. The taste was exceptional, delivering a light and crispy crust paired with fresh, well-melted cheese and vibrant basil, creating a restaurant-quality pizza experience.
On the other hand, the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven took longer to heat up, reaching a maximum temperature of 700°F in about 45 minutes. While the cooking process was straightforward, the Margherita pizza took a bit longer to cook, exceeding 2 minutes. The top of the pizza turned out well, with nicely melted cheese and flavorful toppings, but the bottom crust lacked the golden-brown finish that I look for in a perfect pizza. The wood-fired flavor did add a pleasant smokiness, enhancing the overall taste, but the crust’s texture didn’t quite match the Ooni Koda 12’s results.
How We Tested
To ensure a fair and thorough comparison of the Ooni Koda 12 and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven, I conducted a series of controlled tests in my kitchen, focusing on key performance aspects. Both ovens were tested under similar conditions to evaluate their heating times, cooking efficiency, and the taste and texture of the pizzas they produced.
I started by setting up each oven outdoors in a well-ventilated space, ensuring they were placed on level surfaces. The ovens were preheated according to the manufacturer’s instructions, with the Ooni Koda 12 powered by gas and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven using high-quality hardwood for its fuel. I used the same dough recipe and fresh ingredients for both tests to eliminate variations in the pizza base and toppings.
The testing process included heating the ovens to their optimal temperatures while timing how long each took to warm up. Once preheated, I cooked a classic Margherita pizza in each oven, carefully rotating the pizza for even cooking. The cooking times were recorded, and the pizzas were assessed for overall texture, crust crispiness, and the quality of melted cheese and toppings.
Finally, I compared the taste of the pizzas to determine how the unique characteristics of each oven, such as temperature control and power source, influenced the final results. This comprehensive testing approach allowed me to highlight the strengths and limitations of both the Ooni Koda 12 and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven in real-world scenarios.
Conclusion
In the end, the choice between the Ooni Koda 12 and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven comes down to your personal preferences and cooking style. Both ovens have their strengths, and either one can help you create delicious, homemade pizzas. If you’re drawn to quick heating, precise temperature control, and a sleek, portable design, the Ooni Koda 12 might be the perfect fit. On the other hand, if you value the traditional flavor of wood-fired cooking and a more hands-on experience, the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven is a great option.
If you decide to purchase one, I’d highly appreciate it if you used my referral links. I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support this blog. Here’s the Ooni Koda 12 referral link and the Stoke Wood-Fired Pizza Oven referral link. Thank you for your support!