OONI Koda 2 Pro 18in Gas-powered Pizza Oven

Just how big a gas-powered pizza oven does a large family need? Scottish brand Ooni offers a humungous 24in model – the Koda 2 Max – that can allegedly handle three 10in pies at a time, but that may be pushing it. Having tested it, I think this more modestly sized Koda 2 Pro 18in oven is likely to be a far better bet.

Available in Slate Blue or Foundry Black, and supplied with a 14in perforated peel, this wide and deep 27kg model shares the same distinctive styling as its bigger cousin (and predecessors), offering an unobstructed cooking area, about 49cm wide at the front and 47cm deep, tapering to 45cm wide at the rear.  

Heating comes courtesy of the brand’s new G2 Gas technology, essentially comprising a pair of full-length burners – positioned on the inside left and right of the oven – behind tall flame guards, designed to help minimise unwanted charring.

Ooni says the new burner design achieves four times better heat distribution across its two-part, 2cm thick pizza stones, a claim that was borne out in practice. I cooked up a succession of superb Neapolitan and New York-style pies, ranging in size from 8in to 13in, and found that the bases were consistently evenly cooked, but little evidence of cold spots. Be warned, though, I had to wait around 35-40 minutes for the oven’s stones to get up to the right working temperature; you’ll definitely need some patience here.

It’s worth the effort. Toppings visibly benefitted from that improved, more even heat distribution, the wide mouth of the oven also making monitoring a doddle. It’s worth mentioning that while trays and skillets with low-profile chops and fish slid in fine, you can also unscrew the glass visor if you need to cook anything higher in profile, like a spatchcock chicken, or large vegetables.

While the clever new burners definitely reduced the amount of pie-turning required, I did notice that the oven’s output was easily affected by moderately windy conditions, flames often licking out past the visor when there was a strong breeze present. For safety’s sake, and to maximise temperatures, I would look to locate the Koda 2 Pro in a fairly sheltered spot, if at all possible.

I also ought to mention there’s Bluetooth functionality incorporated into the underslung Digital Temperature Hub. Since it merely tells you what the ambient oven temperature is, however, it’s of limited real-world use. Rely, instead, on a decent infrared thermometer to get the best out of this oven.

Aside from that minor oddity, this proved to be a terrific, generously proportioned oven. You’ve got to make sure you’ve got enough space for it, and it does take a while to properly heat up, but those are the only significant caveats. Other than that, there’s much to like; it’s easily able to deliver a high volume of consistently baked, relatively large pies for a family, with the promise of beautifully baked bases, regardless of your preferred style.