Roccbox vs. Ooni: Which Pizza Oven Is Best? (2023)
The Roccbox works with both gas and wood and has a silicone skin that makes it safer in tight spaces. Still, Ooni has many more options than Roccbox, such as multiple sizes and more fuel sources, each of which reaches 950°F for optimal cooking temperature.
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Our Take:
PROS
CONS
- Multiple fuel-source options
- Options overwhelming for some
- Multiple sizes
- Cooks pizza in just 60 seconds
- 1% For The Planet member
Jump to: Full Review
PROS
CONS
- Distinct styling
- Steep price
- Compact design
- Limited options
- Fold-out legs
- Commercial grade materials
Jump to: Full Review
Full Review:
If you have considered investing in a pizza oven for your backyard, it's time to get the flames roaring. Based on our review, Roccbox and Ooni are the best options. Still, in comparing Roccbox vs. Ooni, there are differences worth considering.
There is something special about pizza that brings us together. Perhaps it's the fact that one pie can be shared by many, but there is no denying that some of our favorite memories involve our favorite people enjoying pizza together. It is delicious too, and pizza cooked over an open fire has even more complex and irresistible flavoring.
Ooni vs. Roccbox: Which Is Best?
The Roccbox works with gas and wood and has silicone skin, making it safer in tight spaces. Still, Ooni has many more options than Roccbox, such as multiple sizes that work with more fuel sources, each of which reaches 950°F for optimal cooking temperature.
Ooni is more likely to have a pizza oven that meets your preferences. For instance, the multi-fueled Ooni Karu comes in a 16-inch size to accommodate larger pizzas.
The wood pellet Ooni Fyra works as a portable pizza oven, and the gas oven Ooni Koda allows you to dial an exact temperature. Ooni and Roccbox rise above Bertello and the other alternatives.
We recommend most people consider an
Ooni oven, as they have various options that will work well for any experience level. Cooking with live fire will take a little practice, but we are sure you will cook amazing pizza with the perfect crispy crust after a few uses.
Ooni Pizza Ovens
Ooni's entire purpose is to bring restaurant-quality pizza right to your backyard, and they designed elegant and functional ovens to make that happen. Ooni ovens are an easy path to great pizza in the comfort of your own home.
The company makes five separate ovens spanning multiple heat sources and sizes so that you can find the perfect pizza oven for your taste and needs. Whether you prefer wood-fired, charcoal-fired, or gas-powered, they have an option for you.
Traditional woodfired ovens are expensive, but Ooni ovens heat up to more than 950°F in less than 20 minutes for a fraction of the cost. The result is smoky and crisp pizza as flavorful as any you have had at a restaurant. If you like to have big parties, the pizzas cook in 60 seconds, so you can pump out pizza after pizza to satisfy the feeding frenzy.
All of their ovens feature a cordierite stone baking board, which can withstand high temperatures and soak moisture from the pizza’s crust. This is relatively common for pizza ovens, but it is an essential piece of the puzzle and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Ooni Pro vs. Ooni Karu
The Ooni Pro and Ooni Karu both fall into the multi-fuel pizza oven category. For years, the Ooni Pro was the brand’s flagship product that would work with any fuel source.
The Ooni Pro has such a
stellar reputation that some restaurants may use it rather than invest in commercial pizza ovens. In the past, the Ooni Karu only came in a smaller model, large enough for 12-inch pizzas.This was the main distinction between the two models. The Ooni Pro was the OG multi-fuel oven that could handle larger homemade pizza, while the Ooni Karu was the smaller, more portable option. This all changed when the company released the Ooni Karu 16 Multi-fuel Pizza Oven, which is built with innovative technologies.
Versatility & Size For Larger Pizzas
Let's just start with this: The Ooni Karu 16 Multi-fuel Pizza Oven is the 1st oven recommended for domestic use by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. If you want to buy the best pizza oven available on the market, buy the Ooni.
The Ooni Karu 16 Multi-fuel Pizza Oven has a new hinged oven door design featuring a ViewFlame door. The ViewFlame door is a much larger glass front than was previously available so that you can watch your pie as it cooks.
The other feature that contributes to the larger glass front is that the Ooni Karu 16 has a taller internal chamber, which makes it easier to turn your pizza, and helps you avoid over-charing your pizza crust.
As if that is not enough, the Ooni Karu 16 has a built-in digital thermometer that will enable you to monitor the oven's internal temperature and then maintain that ideal temperature as you cook.
Ooni Koda
The Ooni Karu or Ooni Koda sports stainless steel accents along with a powder-coated carbon steel shell for the main body.
The multiple fuel options featured on the Pro and Karu models are excellent but might be a little difficult to handle for most people who want to cook a quick dinner. Plus, you have to store multiple fuels, which might be a hassle for some. You might find yourself relying on the gas burner attachment more than you thought you might.
The Ooni Koda, on the other hand, quickly attaches to a propane tank. Using propane gas also makes it much easier to manage a consistent temperature because you just have to turn a dial.
The inbuilt thermometer on the new Karu 16 is nice, but the thermometer is just another data point; it doesn't necessarily make it easier to manage the fire temperature or facilitate a consistent cooking time.
Gas-powered Convenience
Still, many prefer the authentic smoky flavor provided by charcoal and wood. Utilizing multiple fuel types makes sense if you are interested in premium flavoring and authenticity. If you are looking for that authentic flavoring, go with a hybrid pizza oven like the Karu 16, and hook up the gas attachment only when you need it.
In addition to its gas-fueled simplicity and sleeker design, the Koda comes in two sizes. The smaller oven is big enough for 12-inch pizzas, and the larger oven is big enough for 16-inch pizzas. If you choose to go with the Koda, the larger size and wider design will also give you extra cooking space for non-pizza grilling.
Once you get the hang of cooking with your Koda, you might want to fire up steaks and other flame-kissed treats.
Ooni Fyra
In comparing portable ovens, the Ooni Fyra rises to the top of the competition. Unlike its Ooni siblings, it only comes in one size. The Ooni Fyra is a wood pellet pizza oven large enough to make 12-inch pizza at max. If you like the flavor complexity of a wood-fired oven but you are looking for a pizza oven you can take to the beach, the Ooni Fyra is an unmatched option.
This little Ooni makes a particularly delicious pizza, incorporating that smoky wood-fired pizza oven flavoring. If you are looking for a pizza oven with a larger cooking surface, you probably need to look at the Ooni Karu, which has multi-fuel options. Still, the Fyra is like the little oven that could; despite its smaller size, it still reaches a maximum temperature of 950°F.
Here is one quick tip for using the smaller oven: Consider using the pizza wheel instead of the pizza peel to turn the pie. The standard pizza peel is square, so it doesn't fit in the smaller oven door as easily. The round pizza turning peel makes it much easier to move your pie where you need it to be inside the oven.
The Best of Portable Pizza Ovens?
We love the Ooni Fyra as a portable pizza oven because it enables wood-flavoring in a compact package. Most portable pizza ovens are too small to fit firewood, which is why many of the smaller options are gas ovens.
This is a shame because the most authentic-tasting pizza is wood-fired. If you are interested in perfecting Neapolitan-style pizza, learning to cook pizza with wood is really the only option. This is a problem when considering portable pizza ovens that you could take with you to the beach or on a family trip.
The Ooni Fyra solves this problem as a portable oven that works with wood pellets. The wood pellets are easily transported and fit in the pellet hopper. This enables the portable oven to maintain its compact size since it isn't big enough for traditional firewood.
The Ooni Fyra is a real win-win situation. You get traditional wood-fired Neapolitan flavoring from a lighter-weight pizza oven that is easy to take when traveling.
What Is the Difference Between Ooni and Uuni?
Ooni and Uuni represent the same brand. The founders initially called the brand Uuni, but the name was challenging to pronounce. 'Uuni' means 'oven' in Finnish, and 'Ooni' is the phonetic spelling of the Finnish word. Now both spellings represent the best in authentic homemade pizza.
Uuni officially changed its name to Ooni, but they still sell the same high-quality ovens and have expanded their pizza options even more since the Uuni days.
Is Ooni Any Good?
Ooni is an excellent brand that makes a full line-up of pizza ovens. The ovens are made with high-quality construction and will introduce a new level of versatility to your cooking. You can fire up restaurant-quality pizzas in an Ooni, but you can also grill steaks and other household favorites.
It's not often that a product is so fantastic that it might change your weekly routines and traditions, but when you get your Ooni flaming, we fully expect it will do just that.
SUMMARYPROSCONS
- Multiple fuel sources
- Options overwhelming for some
- Multiple sizes
- Reaches 950°F in 20 minutes
- Cooks pizza in just 60 seconds
- 1% For The Planet member
Ooni makes a great pizza oven. Take the time to care for your Ooni and properly clean the pizza stone, and you will enjoy your pizza oven for years to come.
Roccbox Pizza Oven
The Gozney Roccbox only comes in one model, compared to the five separate models Ooni manufacturers, but the Roccbox is a restaurant-grade pizza oven designed for your home, so it is still worthy of your consideration.
The restaurant-grade quality makes the Roccbox a little more expensive than its competitors. Still, that restaurant-grade quality should reassure you that you are getting the absolute best product. Gozney sells a pizza dome, priced well north of $1,000, so compared to that, the Gozney Roccbox seems like a steal. 😅
Detachable Wood Burner Or Gas
While the oven has stainless steel accents, our favorite feature is that it is covered in an outer silicone skin that makes the stove safer around your family because it isn’t as hot to touch, but the top-notch features don’t stop there. The unit doesn’t have a tall chimney-like some of the competitor pizza ovens, but the Gozney Roccbox oven isn’t as slim either.
Stylistically, it is a matter of preference, but the most important and functional design element is the folding legs, which is probably the feature most likely to influence your decision.
The oven also has a built-in thermometer and a detachable gas burner. An optional wood burner is available for those that prefer wood flavoring to the gas burner. While it only comes in one size and only cooks pizzas about 11 inches in diameter, the Roccbox is still a premium consumer pizza oven.
The Roccbox comes with a pizza stone, so you will be ready to start mastering Roccbox pizza ovens as soon as you open the box. It takes a little practice to cook pizzas the right way, but pizza lovers will appreciate the convenience of firing up a pie in their own backyard.
Is The Roccbox Any Good?
The Gozney Roccbox is an excellent pizza oven with a few distinct features. The silicone skin makes it safer than most competitor pizza ovens in tight spaces. Plus, the foldable legs make the Roccbox one of the most truly portable pizza ovens on the market.
The folding legs make the Roccbox pizza oven the most portable pizza oven we reviewed. Since the burner is detachable, the Roccbox is relatively easy to fold up and go. This is particularly nice if you envision taking your new pizza oven to any gatherings or perhaps on your annual family trip to a cabin or beach house.
If you purchase the Roccbox, you will eliminate the need to grab a takeout pizza or visit the best Italian spot in town. Even so, the limited model options and the smaller opening for turning pies might make it worth your time to consider if an Ooni pizza oven might be a good option.
If you decide on the Roccbox, we won’t blame you. Not too many people have restaurant-grade pizza ovens in their homes. Also, be sure to check out the recipes on Gozney’s website. The Roccbox pizza oven is designed for success, and you can grab top-chef-level recipes from their website.
Can You Leave Roccbox Outside?
The Roccbox is intended as a portable pizza oven that is easy to store, and should not be left outside. Elements such as rain, snow, wind, and even sunlight are harsh, and could impact a Roccbox's life cycle. The best practice is to keep your Roccbox under shelter.
Gozney sells a Roccbox cover for those of you that might not have a good place to store your oven. The cover is made from a double-lined waterproof material, so it should protect your Roccbox from the elements. The cover doubles as a carry case with a handle, which enhances the Roccbox's portability.
Is Roccbox Waterproof?
While the Roccbox is made from stainless steel and silicone, it is not a waterproof oven. A light sprinkle won't hurt your Roccbox. Still, extended exposure to rain, snow, and other elements can damage your Roccbox. Consider utilizing a cover or storing in a garage or shed.
Standing water, dirt, and debris are the enemies of longevity. If your Roccbox is exposed to the elements, wipe off or clean as soon as you can.
Can You Use Charcoal in Roccbox?
The Roccbox features interchangeable attachments that enable you to cook with gas or wood. The Roccbox is not intended to work with charcoal. Some users may experiment with using charcoal in the wood burner. Still, doing so is not advisable since Gozney did not design the wood burner for charcoal.
Gozney labels the Roccbox as a dual-fuel source pizza oven, and this is enough versatility for us. Wood-fired pizzas provide the most authentic flavors. You can use the Roccbox with gas when time is of the essence, or cook with wood when you want to maximize flavor.
Can Roccbox Be Used Indoors?
The Gozney Roccbox should not be used indoors, as it is designed as an outdoor pizza oven. An indoor pizza oven producing smoke would require an attached ventilation system. Whether you cook with gas or wood, the Roccbox will produce smoke which could cause interior damage.
Moreover, A Roccbox would release dangerous carbon dioxide into your living area if used indoors. Proper ventilation for an indoor pizza oven producing smoke is essential. If you don't plan to install a proper pizza oven and ventilation system, use an electric oven or cook outside.
What Else Can You Cook On A Roccbox?
The Gozney Roccbox is a high-functioning flame oven. It works perfectly for pizza, but you can use for bread, meat, and other items as well. Some bread may be difficult to cook with a Roccbox because the opening isn't tall. Still, you can make some awesome flatbreads with the Roccbox.
The Gozney Recipe site offers more great ideas. The possibilities are nearly endless, and that is especially true if you own a small skillet that will fit inside the Roccbox opening.
Is Roccbox Worth It?
The Roccbox pizza oven is made from industrial-grade materials and works well as a portable pizza oven. The Roccbox has unique styling that contrasts nicely with what you would see from a more classic-looking Ooni pizza oven. The standout feature is the silicone skin provides protection against accidental bumps.
On the other hand, the price is a little steep, and the opening for pies is smaller than some of Ooni’s models. Still, the Roccbox will rock out some top-notch pizza, so it's hard to criticize too much.
SUMMARYPROSCONS
- Distinct Styling
- Price is a little steep
- Hotter than any other pizza oven
- Smaller Opening
- Compact design with fold-out legs
- Limited options compared to Ooni
- Industrial-grade materials
Is Roccbox As Good As Ooni?
The Roccbox is as functional as an Ooni pizza oven, but it is only available in one smaller size. The oven opening on the Gozney Roccbox is also relatively tight. Some people might choose the Roccbox because it is a multi-fuel oven with a more modern stylistic flare.
Still, the Ooni Karu is currently the best multi-fuel oven on the market. Ooni also offers significantly more options than you will get from the Gozney Roccbox.
The Roccbox does feature a built-in thermometer, which isn't available on every Ooni pizza oven. Even there, the flagship Ooni Karu 16 features a digital thermometer.
Preference may come into play in the pizza oven battle squaring Ooni vs. Roccbox. Of course, there is a reason you will see Ooni ovens more frequently than you might see a Gozney Roccbox. We recommend you consider Ooni ovens before scheduling your next pizza party.
Bertello vs. Ooni
If you spend much time on Kickstarter, the name Bertello might ring a bell. The company started up in 2017 when its Kickstarter campaign was funded less than 24 hours from launch.
The Bertello Pizza Oven eventually landed on Shark Tank too, where the founders won a deal with Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary. With that amount of social movement behind the product, it might be the most recognizable pizza oven we reviewed.
The design is elegant and straightforward. It is a beautiful-looking appliance that would look great as a centerpiece of your backyard and is small enough to take camping.
We appreciate Bertello’s versatility because it works using gas, charcoal, wood, or pellets as a heat source. If you didn’t catch it already, check out their deal with Kevin to hear how much Barbara and Kevin both loved the product.
As a brief sidenote, Bertello's website isn't very sophisticated, so plan on purchasing through Amazon. We recommend the Everything Bundle that includes the gas burner attachment, thermometer, pizza peel, and cover.
Is The Bertello Any Good?
The Bertello pizza oven gets up above 900°F, which is plenty hot to cook a personal size pie in under two minutes. We like that the original oven is small and portable, but it doesn’t have any defining features that make it stand out from the crowd.
Bertello now has a larger model, the Bertello Grande, that is more worthwhile considering. While Bertello may have some name recognition from Shark Tank and Kickstarter, it might not be the best bang for your buck if you are a novice trying to cook Neapolitan pizza at home.
The original Bertello is nearly half the price of some of the newest competitor ovens, but we also recommend that you consider a Stoke pizza oven if you are looking for a cheaper Ooni alternative.
Bertello Makes Affordable Pizza Oven Options
The biggest problem with the Bertello unit is that the opening is too small and that the heat is not evenly distributed. Until experienced, you may struggle with your pizza burning on the side nearest the fire, which will be difficult to avoid because it only comes in one smaller size.
The original Bertello pizza oven works with gas or charcoal or as a wood-fired portable outdoor pizza oven, but the gas burner attachment is sold separately at an extra cost.
The baking stone, wood chip scoop, and wood tray are included. The wood/charcoal/pellet tray is included with the base package and is easiest enough to clean, so that's a plus. After all, there aren't that many brands making outdoor ovens, so each brand fills a unique hole in the market.
While it takes time and practice to get comfortable using the oven, it is a good option for cooking fresh pizza at home. The Bertello comes at an affordable price and can easily be moved around, so the Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven shouldn’t be entirely written off as an option.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Pizza in Bertello Pizza Oven?
Your cook time will depend on your oven temperature. At around 800°F, it will take less than three minutes to cook. The high cooking temperature is one of the main reasons you will get a crisp, Neapolitan crust with a Bertello oven.
A Bertello oven is much faster than a traditional oven, and will provide better taste, too.
Can You Use Wood Pellets in a Bertello Pizza Oven?
The new Bertello Grande Pizza Oven has a wood tray for the gas burner. The Bertello model is unique because gas and wood are used simultaneously. The wood tray is intended for real wood, but you could add wood pellets to the tray.
You maintain the control that gas pizza ovens are known for, but add flavor by filling the tray with your favorite wood pellets. It's an interesting solution.
Is Bertello Worth It?
The Bertello Pizza Oven is the most basic design and functionality of any of the ovens we reviewed. The benefit of that is that the Bertello oven comes at an affordable price, even if it does have certain limitations.
Some struggle with burning their pizza because the oven opening is small and it is hard to monitor and turn the pizza. Stick through the learning curve, and Bertello is a good option at the lower pizza oven price point. The newer Bertello model is better, and offers a larger opening.
SUMMARYPROSCONS
- Simplistic design
- Original has small opening
- Affordable price
- Shark Tank notoriety
- Reaches 900°F+
Should You Buy A Pizza Oven?
The most popular backyard pizza ovens are Ooni and Roccbox, which is for a good reason. These ovens reach north of 900 degrees, which is the minimum cooking temperature for authentically fire-cooked, Neapolitan-style pizza. If your pizza oven has temperatures much lower than that, you might as well use your standard indoor range.
There are also various sizes available, perfect for personal pizzas or groups. My taste buds are already excited, so let's find the perfect pizza oven for your backyard. 😋
Other Pizza Oven Options
While we recommend one of the highlighted brands, as they are the best options based on our review, there are a few other ovens you could consider. Depending on your budget, desired pizza size, and fuel preference, you might like one of the options below.
The Solo Stove Pi is a new pizza oven that came out after originally published this article. If you are interested in making a larger pizza, you may stick with the Ooni Karu 16 due to its voluminous cooking chamber. Otherwise, considering the Solo Stove Pi for your backyard pizza oven is wise.
Camp Chef Italia Artisan
The Camp Chef Italia Artisan has fully adjustable heat but only reaches 700°F. The first thing that stands out about the Camp Chef Italia Artisan is propane-powered, with no charcoal or wood-fired heat sourcing.
It fills a unique space because Camp Chef intends to replicate beloved artisan pies from Italy while packaged in a modernized oven that is portable and powered by propane. The lower heat limits the authenticity, though, so we would only consider this model if you have other Camp Chef equipment and you want to stay in the Camp Chef family.
KettlePizza
KettlePizza isn't a standalone oven; instead, it is a pizza oven insert that will work with your existing Weber-type grill.
If you already have a grill you are comfortable using, then KettlePizza might be worth considering. Still, like Camp Chef, the flavoring and experience won't be an authentic experience.
Solo Stove Pi
While Solo Stove is best known for its smokeless fire pits, they've expanded its lineup to include grills and the new Solo Stove Pi pizza oven, which makes amazing pizzas.
The Solo Stove Pi features several elements of innovation that make cooking pizzas a pleasant experience.
The Solo Stove Pi is built with advanced airflow, a demi-dome topping the cooking chamber, and ceramic insulation. Each of these construction features is included to promote heat retention and even cooking.
Many competitor ovens require a door to maximize heat retention, but the Solo Stove Pi is designed with a panoramic opening. The panoramic opening makes it easy to see your pizza and turn it as necessary. This is much harder when you have a partially solid door covering the opening.
In comparing the Ooni Karu 16 vs. Solo Stove Pi, the Ooni Karu 16 at least has a hinged door that is fully glassed, but the Solo Stove Pi ups the game by eliminating the need for the door. Both make much more than just pizza. Creativity is the only limitation.
So should you get a Solo Stove Pi, or a Roccbox or Ooni? The Solo Stove Pi is not very portable. If portability is a concern, stick with Roccbox and Ooni.
Which Backyard Pizza Oven Is Best?
Ooni pizza ovens are our favorite outdoor pizza ovens on the market. Their ovens feature sleek designs, and the brand sells models in multiple sizes and fuel sources.
While the Roccbox has die-hard fans, Ooni's wide selection allows you to choose between the convenience of gas and the authenticity of wood or charcoal. Comparing Ooni vs. Roccbox may come down to Ooni’s available options.
If you like big gatherings or pizza parties, we recommend going with the Ooni Koda Gas-Powered Outdoor Pizza Oven.
Since it's gas-powered, you can spend more time focused on your guests and less time focused on getting the heat right in your oven. This is also a larger model, but you can still churn out 16-inch pies every few minutes.
The Ooni Koda is a show-stopper statement piece for your backyard that makes chef-quality pizza. If you would prefer charcoal or wood-fired pizza, invest in Ooni Karu 16 multi-fuel pizza oven instead.
Best Pizza Oven
The Ooni Karu 16 is the most advanced at-home pizza maker on the market, and the only oven recommended for at-home use by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.
If you didn't learn enough about Ooni Karu 16 here, we are obviously big fans so that you can read a full Ooni review. Pick your favorite pizza toppings, fire up the perfect crust, and enjoy.
🔥BONUS🔥 - If you are interested in outdoor pizza ovens, you might also be interested in our review of the best smokeless fire pits on the market.
Otherwise, if you are looking for a singular pizza oven recommendation, choose the Ooni Karu 16.
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