Ooni pizza ovens are a popular choice for cooking restaurant-quality pies at home. In fact, the Karu 16 is my top pick for our multi-fuel selection best pizza ovens guide. This model is spacious, accommodates 16-inch pizzas, and allows for baking and roasting thanks to the extra vertical space. The Karu 16 has been around for a while now, so Ooni took the opportunity to give it a major overhaul while keeping the price the same. New Karu 2 Pro The Karu retains many of the great design elements of the 16, but adds some key improvements to improve upon the already winning formula.
First, the digital display for the Karu 2 Pro has received a major update. Gone is the black-and-white panel, replaced by the Ooni Digital Temperature Center, which looks similar to the ones above. Code 2 Max. This technology not only gives you a clear indication of oven and food temps (via a wired probe), but also sends those stats to your phone via Bluetooth. The Karu 2 Pro has a new air intake lever on the back near the firebox to help regulate the temperature of the oven. This gives you another place to adjust the airflow besides the chimney on the exhaust stack, allowing you to run the oven as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, the door of this new model has more glass and less frame, which allows a clearer view of what’s going on inside without opening the oven.
Of course, this is an Ooni product, so there are some things you can bank on. First, there’s the fact that the Karu 2 Pro can hit 950 degrees Fahrenheit in 15 minutes. At these temps, you can cook a Neapolitan-style pizza in about a minute or grill a steak with ease. The powder-coated, carbon steel exterior helps retain heat while protecting the Karu 2 Pro, and folding legs allow for easy portability. And since it’s a multi-fuel stove, you have the option of plugging in a gas burner when you don’t want to use wood or charcoal (additional purchase required).
The Karu 2 Pro is listed as “coming soon” on the Ooni website For $799Same price when Karu 16 arrives. There’s no word on pre-orders or an on-sale date, but you can sign up via the link below to be notified when the oven is available for purchase. Moreover, Karu 16 is available now For $649but will soon retire. The Karu 12G and Karu 12 will remain in the company’s multi-fuel range.
