Is Ooni Koda 16 better than Ooni Pro to make a Perfect 16-Inch Pizza? – Ooni Koda 16 Vs Ooni Pro Review
Ooni Pro was my favorite pizza oven but with this new release from Ooni, being the Ooni Koda 16, it is worth discussing which pizza oven is better- The Ooni Pro or Ooni Koda 16.
These ovens have their own unique features but they are the same in one thing. They can both cook large 16-inch pizzas that are perfect for large gatherings and parties.
Aside from that, they also have unique features from Ooni. So we do not blame people if they get confused or if they hesitate to choose one of the pizza ovens over the other.
That is because we have the same dilemma, we cannot choose between the two. That is why we have this article for you to compare the two pizza ovens and see which one is better.
Ooni is known for its pizza ovens that are portable and powerful. That is why these large pizza ovens are still a little bit new for us and for the company to be developing.
But so far, the Ooni Koda 16 and the Ooni Pro have received exceptional reviews that prove that it does not matter how large the pizza ovens are, Ooni still comes up to the standards.
Cooking pizza needs power, consistent heat, and proper ventilation. These are only a few of the factors that you need to consider when making authentic pizza to get that nice, crispy crust.
While the Ooni Koda 16 and Ooni Pro have these capabilities, Ooni did not hold back in adding features that will hold up to the expectations of users along with functions that will make cooking pizza easier.
So if you want to know which one of the Ooni Koda 16 and Ooni Pro is better, read through this thorough comparison as we look into their similarities and differences.
Consistent Design
Ooni has made pizza ovens that might not stand out with other brands, but are easy to spot. The design of Ooni is very iconic and you cannot mistake it with other pizza ovens.
The basic design of the Ooni Pizza Ovens, which is on the shell, is kept in the Ooni Koda 16 and Ooni Pro. The Ooni Koda 16 really stuck to the iconic turtle-shell-like design of the pizza ovens.
It is as simple as the shell. The Ooni Koda 16 has a black powder-coated stainless steel shell that protects it from sun and rain while also adding aesthetics on the front.
The black shell of the Ooni Koda 16 blends perfectly with the silver color of the stainless steel front. It is a very minimalistic design that also complements any background that you choose.
You also get a different positioning for the gas burner attachment. The previous models have their gas attachment at the rear end while the Ooni Koda 16 has its own at the bottom for more balance.
As for the Ooni Pro, it stuck with a simple silver color all throughout the oven shell. What differentiates it the most with the Ooni Koda 16 is the protruding chimney and burner at the back.
It has a nice door with wooden handles so you can control the temperature better. The chimney also adds to the large design of the Ooni Pro as well as the functionality of the oven.
If you want to store the Ooni Pro for a while, you can make it more portable. The chimney detaches with a simple twist and turn and when the time comes that you are going to use it again, it also installs the same way.
One iconic design that the Ooni Koda 16 and Ooni Pro has is the foldable legs. It is very helpful when it comes to setting the ovens up and of course when it is time to store them.
The legs help reduce the overall area that the ovens need to be stored in. The tripod legs of the ovens help bring maximum stability to the ovens even when they are set on uneven surfaces.
Specifications
These large pizza ovens are great for parties. However, you are going to need enough space for them so that you can work freely while also giving the ovens enough space for air circulation.
The Ooni Pro is the heaviest model from Ooni. It can be portable but it does not fit really well for traveling as it weighs at over 50 pounds or at least 26 kilograms.
Changing the setup area of this oven at short distances might be easy but traveling with it for campings and picnics might not be the best-suited option for those kinds of events.
As for the Ooni Koda 16, it does not weigh as much. The pizza oven is large, don’t get us wrong with that, but it is also portable weighing at only 18.2 kilograms which is still bearable to carry.
It does have a bulky design so you are going to need some space in the car when traveling with it. That goes with the Ooni Pro as it is larger and actually bulkier than the Ooni Koda 16.
The Ooni Pro has a little over 31 inches of length so you will need a big table to set it up on and for you to work on as well. The Ooni Koda 16 is a little smaller with a width of only 23.6 inches.
You will also need a sturdy table because of their weight. Aside from that, the setup needs to be open so that the ovens can get as much air as needed to circulate the heat inside.
Baking Stones
These are important especially when you are cooking pizza. Baking stones, or pizza stones, are porous surfaces that help absorb moisture from the crust of your pizza making it crispy.
The Ooni Pro and Ooni Koda 16 both have a 15-millimeter baking stone. That is a little over half an inch which means that it can heat up pretty quickly and retains the heat for hours.
These stones also help in maintaining the heat inside the ovens. One they are preheated, they will radiate the heat inside the oven making the interior evenly heated for long periods of time.
L-shaped Flames
The Ooni Koda 16 has the one and only design from Ooni that involves a different burner. The L-shaped flames feature is the newest addition to large pizza ovens from Ooni.
This is as simple as the name. See, the previous models from Ooni only have burners at the back of the oven which means that the heat travels upward and towards the opening.
The Ooni Koda 16 has two sets of burners or rather one burner that runs on two sides. From the back of the oven, the burners are extended all the way to one side of the oven for even heating.
This helps keep the oven hot as the heat traveling towards the opening of the oven is oftentimes reduced. That is why the set of burners on the side keep the oven piping hot.
Since the Ooni Koda 16 does not have a door, Ooni designed the burners to be able to keep the fire going and heat up the interior of the oven in a more even manner.
Air Vents
While the Ooni Koda 16 features a powerful set of burners, the Ooni Pro kept the single burner of the previous models and instead, enhanced the airflow in the oven to keep it hot.
To put it simply, the Ooni Koda 16 features power while the Ooni Pro goes for control. It has air vents that were designed to keep the oven hot or control the temperature when needed.
First, you have the chimney where you can control the temperature.
The chimney has a lever on the side that can be twisted to open up the chimney or close it depending on the temperature you want.
The chimney of the Ooni Pro also has a cap that protects the chimney from rain. This is a really helpful feature for this outdoor pizza oven but that also means that the air will be blocked, right?
Well, not exactly. The Ooni Pro has back up vents that will allow the oven to keep running and keep on heating up even when the airway on the chimney is blocked.
First, you have the door that does not totally close the opening. The door of the Ooni Pro has a hole in the center which allows air to pass through when the chimney is covered.
There is also the ceiling vent that can be opened or closed. The ceiling vent is a hole that sucks in the air from the interior of the oven and shoots it straight out of the chimney.
Now, if you think that the airflow on the ceiling vent is too much and you want to limit it, you can close the ceiling vent and then open the chimney to allow the third vents to go to work.
The third vent that is included in the Ooni Pro is found on the side of the oven. There is a small gap between the shell and the insulation of the oven that allows air to travel through it.
If the doors and the ceiling vent are closed, the vents on the side suck in air and then let it travel on the side of the oven up to the shell and then out the chimney to keep the optimal airflow.
Cooking with the Ovens
The Ooni Koda 16 is a very great pizza oven that produces consistent heat. It uses propane gas for fuel and it includes all the needed components to attach a standard propane tank.
The Ooni Pro can go for multiple fuels. The product comes with the gas burner attachment and the wood and charcoal burner is sold separately.
With the gas burner attachment on both ovens, the Ooni Pro and Ooni Koda 16 can reach temperatures of up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal temperature to cook Neapolitan pizzas.
The Ooni Pro preheats for 20 minutes in order to reach its maximum temperature and the Ooni Koda 16 needs to be preheated for 20 to 30 minutes to reach the same temperature.
As for the cooking time, both the Ooni Pro and Ooni Koda 16 can cook a 16-inch pizza in just 60 seconds. That is if the wind is getting in the way, in perfect condition, they can even cook pizza in under 1 minute.
Something that I personally like about The Koda is the ease of use when it cones to cooking. Since it is a gas furled oven, from the start to the end, the oven is super easy to use.
It is easy to fire it up and you can cook anything within a few minutes once the oven reaches it maximum temperature.
The Ooni Pro is good but if can be a little work to get started this wood fired pizza oven.
The food obviously tastes so much better because of the wood flavour in the Ooni Pro but one just cannot ignore the ease of use that comes with the Koda 16.
Conclusion
The Ooni Pro and the Ooni Koda 16 are two amazing pizza ovens. Both can reach high temperatures and they can cook authentic Neapolitan pizzas in just 1 minute.
The Ooni Pro is a large pizza oven with a tall shell so if you want to cook other recipes in it, you can fit some cookware in it and sear some steak or fry in the oven.
The Ooni Koda 16 has a limited opening so you might find it hard to put some cookware in this pizza oven. However, it features a very nice burner set that allows it to heat up the interior.
One piece of advice that we can give you when cooking pizza on either pizza ovens is to keep an eye on the pie. The ovens produce so much heat that can leave burns on the pizza.
==> Check out the Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven
So every 10 seconds or so, turn your pizza to prevent it from burning. These two pizza ovens can cook great pizzas so choosing one over the other is a little bit difficult.
If you really want to cook a 16-inch pizza with ease, we suggest using the Ooni Koda 16 as it involves fewer functions that you need to keep track of unlike the vents on the Ooni Pro.
But if you like a more authentic finish on your pizza, we suggest that you buy the separate burner attachments on the Ooni Pro and use wood or charcoal when cooking.
==> Check out the Ooni Pro Pizza Oven
If you want a less expensive option, you can go with the Ooni Koda 16 as it costs less than 100 dollars than the Ooni Pro, but if you want more cooking options, invest in the Ooni Pro and its burgers.
Ooni never fails to disappoint so no matter which one you choose, the pizzas that the oven is going to cook will be the same – crunchy crust, perfect toppings, and great cooking experience!
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