The top pizza ovens can help produce restaurant-quality results in the comfort of your own back garden, upgrade your summer and save you a fortune on ordering takeaways. But when it comes to how pizza is cooked, it can cause a bit of a debate.
Just like barbecues you have those who prefer to cook on traditional charcoal and fire, then you have fans of gas and even electric. The same goes for pizza ovens. The Ooni karu 2 is a multi-fuel oven that runs on wood, charcoal or gas. It can hit up to 500C, so cooks a 12in pizza in less than two minutes. Plus, you get the smell and taste of charcoal, which can often only be achieved in a restaurant setting.
Alternatively, you have the Ninja artisan electric outdoor pizza oven, which runs purely on electricity. It doesn’t get quite as hot as the Ooni, only reaching 370C, but it still cooks a 12in pizza in minutes and of course, you have the benefit of no flame and no fuss.
While both ovens cook pizzas at an incredible speed, they are in effect polar opposites. One relies on traditional artisan cooking, whilst the other is quick and convenient. So as a pizza ovens expert, I put both through their paces to see which one is best.
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Ooni karu 2
Why we love it
- Reaches super high temperatures (up to 500C)
- Option to cook with multi-fuels
- Traditional charcoal taste
Take note
- Gas burner sold separately
- Not suitable for small spaces
- Needs attention during cooking
If you’re after truly authentic pizza, with blistered leopard spot crust and a slight smokiness that will make you feel like you’re in the back streets of Naples, then the Ooni karu 2 is the oven for you. This oven primarily runs on wood or charcoal, but there is an option to buy a gas burner, so it’s also a great choice if you want the flexibility of a multi-fuel oven.
Setting up the pizza oven was nice and easy, although I will admit that getting the fire going took me a little while, but that’s more down to my survival skills than the oven. That said, once I had got the hang of how to set an efficient fire, it was plain sailing from there on out. Because it uses wood, it does take longer to get to temperature than a gas-powered oven, but spoiler alert, it is certainly worth the wait.
The karu 2 reaches temps of up to 500C and that means the pizza cooks fast – you can expect it to be in and out of the oven in less than two minutes. The base was perfectly crisp and properly cooked through, and there were no doughy spots that hadn’t quite risen. Speaking of which, the rise on the pizzas that came out of this oven were spectacular. The crusts also had that proper char and chewiness that you’d expect from a traditional wood-fired oven. I’m not exaggerating when I say that by using this oven, you’ll get pizza that feels like you’ve ordered from a restaurant.
Whilst the results are amazing, this isn’t a pizza oven you just walk away from. You need to make sure you stay close because in that two minutes that it takes to cook the pizza, you will need to rotate it at least every 30 seconds, as it’s very easy to go from slightly charred to burnt in just seconds. Also, with it being wood fired, you can’t just turn down the temperature like you could on a gas or electric oven.
The oven itself is solidly built. The glass door to the front has a viewing window so you can keep an eye on your fire and also when to turn the pizza. The door really makes a difference to keeping the temperature sealed in, so it’s ideal if you’re making back-to-back pizzas.
One notable downside about the wood fired cooking method, is that if you live in a smaller space or next to a lot of other gardens, it can get a little smoky. Therefore it may not be the best option if you are planning on doing a lot of lunchtime pizzas during the summer, as people who have their washing out or windows open may not appreciate it. But, that’s where the versatility of being able to use a gas burner really makes this oven stand out from the crowd.
If you’re serious about pizza and you like cooking with traditional methods then the Ooni karu 2 is one of the best options out there.
Key specifications:
Buy now £349, Ooni.com
Ninja artisan electric outdoor pizza oven and air fryer
Why we love it
- Super simple to use
- No fire or mess to clean up
- Five pizza settings
- Has multiple uses
- Balcony- and patio-friendly
Take note
- Lower maximum temperature than wood or gas
- You need an outdoor plug or to be close to a socket
- Pizza stone a bit tricky to remove
I’m going to be completely honest, I didn’t go into testing the Ninja artisan electric outdoor pizza oven with high expectations. I just wasn’t sure that Ninja could pull off the perfect pizza in a machine that also doubles as an outdoor air fryer. But, I am happy to admit that I was wrong and that this oven and its performance blew me away.
Setting up the artisan pizza oven couldn’t have been easier. It comes already assembled and you just need to plug it in. That, of course, is a little bit of a hurdle to start with, as you do need to have an outdoor socket or be close to socket. Unlike the karu 2, the Ninja artisan has a whole menu of controls that you can use to cycle through different settings.
When it comes to pizza, there are five pre-programmed settings, including artisan, thin crust, New York, pan and custom. These settings are invaluable, especially if you’re new to cooking your own pizzas, because they take the guesswork out of the whole process. To get started you just need to select your style, wait for the pre-heat process and then when it makes that famous Ninja beep, you’re ready to get cooking.
It took around 15 minutes to reach full temperature, which was a lot quicker than the karu 2, but it did feel a little slow, given that it’s electric and the max temperature is just 370C. But once it reached full temperature, the results were impressive and pizza was ready in two minutes.
The great thing about this oven is it doesn’t need as much micro-management. You don’t need to turn your pizza at any point and there are no hot spots or uneven browning. In fact, pizza came out with a really nice leopard spot crust that was perfectly chewy, and if you like that style but don’t like the charred taste, this is ideal. The cheese also cooked evenly and browned nicely. Considering this is an electric oven, the pizza looked (and tasted) genuinely impressive.
The compact size of the Ninja artisan is also another huge plus, particularly if you have a smaller garden. Plus, since there’s no fuel or fire involved, it’s also a good choice if you have a balcony. It’s easy enough to clean but removing the stone is a little fiddly, so if you do need to remove the stone to wipe off any burnt-on flour or use the air fryer basket, it may cause a bit of frustration.
It’s also worth thinking about storage – even with a cover, I wouldn’t keep this outside at all times. Given electricity is involved, I wouldn’t want to risk getting it wet, so you’ll need some space indoors to store it when not in use.
But beyond a little bit of a tussle with the stone, it’s hard to find fault with Ninja artisan. It is easy to set up, easy to use and it produces genuinely great pizza.
Key specifications:
Buy now £229.99, Amazon.co.uk
Ooni karu 2 vs Ninja artisan electric pizza oven – which is best?
In my opinion, both of these ovens deserve five stars, they both produce well-cooked pizza that could fool you into thinking it was a takeaway. However, whilst they’re both good at what they do, they are aimed at different people.
The Ooni karu 2 is for pizza enthusiasts who take it seriously and really want to master the craft. Cooking with fire isn’t as easy as it may look and for the first few cooks, you’ll likely get very mixed results, some being fit for just the bin. However, when you get it, and get into your rhythm then you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. This pizza oven truly is fantastic, and with temperatures up to 500C you’re going to get pizza that is fast, tasty and properly traditional.
The Ninja artisan, that’s for anyone who wants reliable pizza without the faff. It’s simple to use, and you don’t need to think about logistics like getting the right airflow or having to rotate your pizza at the exact time. If you want fuss-free pizza then it’s really a no-brainer. It’s also a great choice if you want to cook a variety of dishes outdoors, whether that’s grilling chicken breasts, serving up fries or doing a range of different styles of pizzas, it’ll certainly deliver.
While both pizza ovens get top marks, when it comes to a favourite, I do lean a little closer to the karu 2, because that wood-fired experience really is hard to beat. If you love a good, traditional pizza, you’ll enjoy using this oven.
How I tested the Ooni karu 2 and Ninja artisan electric pizza ovens
I used each oven multiple times over a few weeks to test out different temperatures and how that made a difference to the pizza. For consistency, I used a very simple Margherita recipe each time I used the ovens. I paid close attention to how long each pizza oven took to heat up, whether I needed to rotate the pizza or just let it cook, how consistent the results were and how easy they were to use and clean. Here’s what I looked for.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Rachael Penn is a journalist specialising in home appliances. She’s tried, tested and found everything from the best air fryers to the best frying pans, best toasters and of course, the best pizza ovens, so has earned a reputation in finding the kitchen gadgets that actually perform. Her experience is why you can trust her to find the top pizza ovens. Rachael hasn’t just done in-depth research, but she’s used these ovens in the same way you would, cooking with them and deciding which ones are truly worth your money.
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