I would have bought the Karu 12G based on this video's review, but the 12 was on sale, so I saved US$170 by purchasing the Karu 12. Now after cooking quite of few pizzas I am glad I purchased the 12 instead of the 12G. It turns out that I do not need the window. I don't like burnt pizzas and the pizza edges burn easily next to the wood fuel source located in the rear of the oven. I only keep the front cover on for very brief periods in order to monitor the progress of the cooking of the pizza at 450C. Anything over 20 seconds and it seems like I'm burning my pizzas edges. As for the integrated thermometer included in the 12G, I feel I don't need it. I already own an infrared laser thermometer and have had excellent luck in using it to monitor the internal temperature. FWIW, I am only using seasoned oak wood fuel that is overly abundant on my property.
I can attest that the recent Karu 12 comes with a larger fire basket - I've had mine for only a few weeks now and it has the larger size basket. I also have the gas kit but I've not used it so far - it's not (that) difficult to get a hot fire going but you do have to mind it especially between pizzas. If the 12G was available I would have opt'd for it though for the door alone - The thermometer would only be handy for a quick check though I'd likely still use an inferred one anyway...
It does not. I bought it today, brand new, and it had the old basket. I mentioned this to Ooni customer service, and they pretty much said “tough luck”.
Yeah I think it’s luck and stock availability, older stock may not have the XL fuel basket. But I think the XL fuel basket is out of stock in the UK at the minute.
Hi Tom, Been working my way through your videos which have been very helpful Thankyou. I’m gonna order a Karu 12G. Just wanted to ask how accurate the temperature dial is on the item, is it still worth getting an infrared reader or will the dial do the job alone. Great videos, Looking forward to making some pizza 🍕
For transparency: Did you buy the Ooni products with your own money or you got it for free? Is there any sponsoring from Ooni? Thank you for your videos!
I just got my Karu 12g very recently to replace my old UUNI 2 oven that was pretty much worn out. I really like that the new oven can run off real wood and that door is just awesome compared to the one on the UUNI 2
@@TomVoyageuk It has evolved a great deal and all in a very good way. I think the biggest difference is in the insulation and the firebox. Those two things make it this a much more user friendly oven. The UUNI 2 had a very small firebox and small hopper for more pellets. It required constant tending to keep a fire going and you had a very short window to cook a pizza where you had good flame coming over the top before you needed to refill the hopper, it just blew thru them really fast. If you did not tend to it the oven would need to be completely re-lit after 10 min. When you refilled the pellets it would smoke like crazy and you could not cook then or else the pizza would taste acrid and horrible. It would also sometimes do what i call "lock up" where there was no flame and if you opened the door you would hear kind of a exploding sound where the fire would relight and you would have flame again, kind of like a backdraft in a house fire. To make multiple pizzas went like this... Light the UUNI and get up to temp, reload pellets, wait for smoke to clear, cook a pizza, load more pellets, wait for smoke to clear, cook pizza, repeat The Karu12 suffers from none of these issues. I only get white smoke when i first light the charcoal and while it does take a fair bit longer to warm up once there it holds temp really well. I used it last night and cooked some chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet and 4 pizza's on one load of charcoal. I did have to add some wood chunks in occasionally to get those nice flames to cook the pizzas but i was able to run the oven for over an hour with minimal tending which was fantastic and even after i was done cooking it still held temp for a while. The door is also another huge improvement. The UUNI 2 had a horrible door that you had to kind of hang off the front and it was a real pain to get it to seal well. The 12g door is just a game changing upgrade in my opinion. Overall its great to see the evolution of the product and im super glad to see the improvements made. Even if they didn't make these improvements i probably would have bought another just like the one i had since it works so well for pizza once you mastered its operation. Mine was simply worn out and was ready for a replacement, i also really liked the idea of no longer having to use pellets for fuel since wood and lump charcoal are two things i always have around. The 12G is really a joy to use and i am super happy with mine.
I have the 12g and stretch my dough in batches of 3. I top them just before the bake so the stone has a minute per pizza to reheat while I top the next one. While stretching the next batch of 3, the stone has a longer reheat time. This I find makes for a nice flow and a consistent stone temperature.
Whats your thoughts on handle construction/materials of the 12g? I upgraded mine from the original and noticed the handle seemed lighter and less secured, even after tightening. Same with the chimney flue. Still makes great pizza. Love the upgrades. Window and fire box are a game changer! 🍕
@@staceykemp9466 I think the 12g is worth the extra honestly. I had the original and having the see thru door, thermometer, larger fire basket, and overall better insulation are such a quality of life when making pizza. Today I busted out 12 pizzas for a staff party no problem. The fire basket handles will hold up I believe. I took apart to see how it was constructed and I think it needs a slightly longer screw to sure it up, but nothing compromising.
One bite…everyone knows the rules 😂 I watched this as I was just gifted a Karu 12 for my birthday and wanted to see your cooking style. Learned a lot as your video was quite informative. Thank you very much!
8:08..There is not "a nice bake at the bottom as well". Maybe you should heat up the stone for some time and don't stress it like it has to be done in 21 minutes from cold oven. All with love, cheers!
Ooni's got some nice deals going on the Karu 12 right now. I just bought one for $240 US, and added the gas burner for $80. I'll let you know if I get the larger firebox or not.
I purcahse for mine xmas present Ooni Karu 12 , and it's on its way ☺️. QQuestion. As I live in Ireland and can be rainy and windy, also living in apartment that is 1st floor and keeping(cooking on balcony) if is little bit windy -not much, you think should be okay cooking and flames should be fine if i cook pizza under these condision?🤔 And yes i would not cook if is lashing rain as i think would be mistake to do so..😂 Cheers and thanks man🇮🇪
Hey mate! Thanks again for another upload. Out of interest what fuel you using? My 12g rarely goes over half way which is a little frustrating. I have the Kamado Joes so I’m using the same fuel on my Ooni - Big K restaurant grade charcoal, Ooni hardwood oak. I start with both to try get it hot then continue to just add wood. How you finding temps overall?
Hi Thanks for the comment! I found my temp gauge on the side early gets over high yellow, or low red too, but thats why i measure the stone temp, as its a more reliable way to tell if the oven is ready. I sued the ooni charcoal, but also use the BigK restaurant grade in the past. As for the wood, i cut my own as i have a stock pile of birch and oak, cut into 10-15mm chunks.
@@TomVoyageuk Thank you! I don’t have a temp gun and rely solely on the temp gauge on the side. My pizzas are still coming out great (can’t get my own pizza dough right tho) but I would like it hotter just to crisp the base some more. Will keep trying! Keep up the great work anyway, you deserve more subs 👍
@@pricey78 I would have said a digital thermometer is a good investment, they’re not too much off Amazon either! Have you tired my dough recipe yet?? It’s on the channel a few videos back, May work for you? I’ll be doing an updated one soon too!
@@TomVoyageuk For the price I’m going to order one 👍. I did follow your recipe and also many others, don’t know why it keeps going wrong! Firstly I do it by hand so just ordered a mixer off Amazon to see if this helps! The problem I face every time is stretching! It keeps shrinking back, it’s been rested and all the other processes but it shrinks. Then I end up splitting some bases fighting with it to stretch out. Will be looking forward to your next video for advice!
I plan on cooking multiple pizzas at a time for guests, grandkids, etc. so I like the larger fire basket. Has anyone tried bread, non-Neapolitan pizzas?
Yes but bread is a longer cook, so use just charcoal or better still gas to heat up the oven and turn it off to cook bread as it will likely get too hot
Fir the higher price, I don't think in reality you can see much through the door. It is quite dark inside and the pizza is flat so you can't see the top. In any case you know you should open after about 40 seconds to turn it. Plus you can leave the door off to see it cooking much better than through the door, and that will only add seconds to the cooking time.
Is kindling a must. Can I use 100% charcoal and still achieve same or similar results. Have you tried it. Also, can I use charcoal chimney instead of lighting them up straight in Ooni fuel basket. Thanks for the comparison. New model is impressive.
Thanks for the question, and yes you can use 100% charcoal, absolutely, but the only thing here is you won't achieve the full temperature capabilities of the oven. Just charcoal will get you to about 250°C, ideal for cooking meat, seafood or NY Style pizza. Using a charcoal starter should be ok, just be careful when adding the fuel as the hatch is only small, and if the oven heats up too quickly from cold, it could crack the stone perhaps? just a thought!
@@TomVoyageuk Thanks for the reply. I'm probably going to purchase 12G. I will experiment with Charcoal plus firewood, which is almost impossible to find where I live. Purchasing it online the only option.
Having a glass door is awesome but if its anything like my home oven it will get dirty quickly and you can't see inside it anyway then cleaning is a huge pain.
If you cook correctly using kiln dried wood, and charcoal there is very little build up of soot on the door, and even over time a simple wipe clean with a dry cloth does the trick once it’s cooled. The problem comes when the fire doesn’t have enough airflow and gets very smokey, this creates lots of soot and blackens the glass quickly
As my older gas fired Karu only works with the door off, a glass door doesn't matter to me. If I was starting again I'd probably go for the karu 12 and a gas burner again. This time however, I'd know it was Propane. (You should have seen the soot when I tried using Butane!)
Thanks for the comment! That is actually interesting? I know propane and butane are used for different things but I had no idea more soot was the result? I just though one burned hotter than the other and one was batter for use at low temps
@TomVoyageuk Yes, I bought the Ooni burner and thought I could just use the same Butane gas bottle I use for the barbecue. There's a reason the instructions say Propane. The entire interior was covered in soot, and so was my face! A gas engineer told me that the burners jets will be set up for Propane, as Butane needs a different air/fuel mix.
How are you going to get two coal and wood fired ovens to exactly the same temp? They were close enough to do the review as they were both at the temp hot enough to cook pizza
I would have bought the Karu 12G based on this video's review, but the 12 was on sale, so I saved US$170 by purchasing the Karu 12. Now after cooking quite of few pizzas I am glad I purchased the 12 instead of the 12G. It turns out that I do not need the window. I don't like burnt pizzas and the pizza edges burn easily next to the wood fuel source located in the rear of the oven. I only keep the front cover on for very brief periods in order to monitor the progress of the cooking of the pizza at 450C. Anything over 20 seconds and it seems like I'm burning my pizzas edges. As for the integrated thermometer included in the 12G, I feel I don't need it. I already own an infrared laser thermometer and have had excellent luck in using it to monitor the internal temperature. FWIW, I am only using seasoned oak wood fuel that is overly abundant on my property.
I still have my Karu 12 original, it was my first pizza oven! love it
Would love it if you did a video on your pizza cooking station, the tables and the tools you use. Looks ideal!
Great idea! I’m always looking for new video ideas so thanks for sharing!
I can attest that the recent Karu 12 comes with a larger fire basket - I've had mine for only a few weeks now and it has the larger size basket. I also have the gas kit but I've not used it so far - it's not (that) difficult to get a hot fire going but you do have to mind it especially between pizzas. If the 12G was available I would have opt'd for it though for the door alone - The thermometer would only be handy for a quick check though I'd likely still use an inferred one anyway...
The Karu12 is still a great oven, but the glass door os a nice addition to the 12g👍🍕
It does not. I bought it today, brand new, and it had the old basket. I mentioned this to Ooni customer service, and they pretty much said “tough luck”.
When checking the temperature on the 12G you did not tell us if the gauge on the side was right?
Thanks for the comparison. I didnt know about the large fuel basket. I will definitely be getting one for my karu 12.
It’s Definitely a worth while investment!
This was a very helpful video! I'm new to buying a pizza oven and I think the 12G would be the best for for me. Thank you for the vid. 😊
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Hi! How long does the KARU 12G take to reheat in between two pizzas when using wood /charcoal please?
Thanks Tom. I stopped at the gas comparison. Love my original Karu 12 with gas. I don’t often use wood these days
Thanks for watching! The has option is really convenient 👍🍕
*note* if you purchase the Karu 12 direct from Ooni they come with the larger fuel basket as standard these days 👍
Not according to the Ooni website
@@Anteater23 i ordered from Ooni and mine came with it 🤷♂️ i must have just got lucky 😂
Yeah I think it’s luck and stock availability, older stock may not have the XL fuel basket. But I think the XL fuel basket is out of stock in the UK at the minute.
Much prefer the stainless look. Wish they kept it that way...
Great comparison, Tom. Can't wait for my 12G to arrive and get started - the Zest table arrived the other day, too!
When is it due to arrive Paul? The Zest table is a really good choice, I'm enjoying using mine 🍕👍
@@TomVoyageuk Arrived today - I got it set up and did a quick "seasoning" fire then it started chucking it down again! I tagged you on Insta.
@@paulwatson5030 I can't see a tag on my Insta, I've requested to follow you 👍
@@TomVoyageuk - All done. Hope you can see it now. If not, I'll re do it! First cook tonight, weather permitting!
great video mate, getting the 12G, seems like a no brainer
Thanks for watching! The 12g is a great oven 🍕👍
I am thinking of buying thr 12G, just of the glas door. Now you can look inside. Thank you for this movie....
You’re welcome glad it was useful for you
Hi Tom, Been working my way through your videos which have been very helpful Thankyou. I’m gonna order a Karu 12G. Just wanted to ask how accurate the temperature dial is on the item, is it still worth getting an infrared reader or will the dial do the job alone. Great videos, Looking forward to making some pizza 🍕
Hey! Glad my videos have helped, I would still recommend an infrared thermometer as you want to be able to check the temperature of the stone too 🍕👍
Briliant comparison, thank you very much for this.. 10/10
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching
Great comparison, nice video and delicious looking pizza - subscribed!
Thanks for the sub!
Video I have been waiting for!
Haha! I’ve been wanting to film this for a while too!
For transparency:
Did you buy the Ooni products with your own money or you got it for free?
Is there any sponsoring from Ooni?
Thank you for your videos!
Thanks for watching, I bought both of these ovens, the Karu was the very first oven I bought and the 12g is the most recent one 👍🍕
Karu 12 all day! great review anyway… thanks mate!
I just got my Karu 12g very recently to replace my old UUNI 2 oven that was pretty much worn out. I really like that the new oven can run off real wood and that door is just awesome compared to the one on the UUNI 2
Oh wow an Uuni 2, I bet it's great to compare and see how the Ooni has evolved! Enjoy 👍🍕
@@TomVoyageuk It has evolved a great deal and all in a very good way. I think the biggest difference is in the insulation and the firebox. Those two things make it this a much more user friendly oven.
The UUNI 2 had a very small firebox and small hopper for more pellets. It required constant tending to keep a fire going and you had a very short window to cook a pizza where you had good flame coming over the top before you needed to refill the hopper, it just blew thru them really fast. If you did not tend to it the oven would need to be completely re-lit after 10 min. When you refilled the pellets it would smoke like crazy and you could not cook then or else the pizza would taste acrid and horrible. It would also sometimes do what i call "lock up" where there was no flame and if you opened the door you would hear kind of a exploding sound where the fire would relight and you would have flame again, kind of like a backdraft in a house fire.
To make multiple pizzas went like this...
Light the UUNI and get up to temp, reload pellets, wait for smoke to clear, cook a pizza, load more pellets, wait for smoke to clear, cook pizza, repeat
The Karu12 suffers from none of these issues. I only get white smoke when i first light the charcoal and while it does take a fair bit longer to warm up once there it holds temp really well. I used it last night and cooked some chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet and 4 pizza's on one load of charcoal. I did have to add some wood chunks in occasionally to get those nice flames to cook the pizzas but i was able to run the oven for over an hour with minimal tending which was fantastic and even after i was done cooking it still held temp for a while.
The door is also another huge improvement. The UUNI 2 had a horrible door that you had to kind of hang off the front and it was a real pain to get it to seal well. The 12g door is just a game changing upgrade in my opinion.
Overall its great to see the evolution of the product and im super glad to see the improvements made. Even if they didn't make these improvements i probably would have bought another just like the one i had since it works so well for pizza once you mastered its operation. Mine was simply worn out and was ready for a replacement, i also really liked the idea of no longer having to use pellets for fuel since wood and lump charcoal are two things i always have around. The 12G is really a joy to use and i am super happy with mine.
How much time do you have to wait before cook the 2nd pizza 3rd pizza etc(on both karu) ?
I can normally throw a pizza right in after the other pending temps and fire..
I have the 12g and stretch my dough in batches of 3. I top them just before the bake so the stone has a minute per pizza to reheat while I top the next one. While stretching the next batch of 3, the stone has a longer reheat time. This I find makes for a nice flow and a consistent stone temperature.
Whats your thoughts on handle construction/materials of the 12g? I upgraded mine from the original and noticed the handle seemed lighter and less secured, even after tightening. Same with the chimney flue. Still makes great pizza. Love the upgrades. Window and fire box are a game changer! 🍕
How are you finding the handle and chimney now amonth in? im still tossing up the original 12 or the more expensive 12g
@@staceykemp9466 I think the 12g is worth the extra honestly. I had the original and having the see thru door, thermometer, larger fire basket, and overall better insulation are such a quality of life when making pizza. Today I busted out 12 pizzas for a staff party no problem. The fire basket handles will hold up I believe. I took apart to see how it was constructed and I think it needs a slightly longer screw to sure it up, but nothing compromising.
One bite…everyone knows the rules 😂
I watched this as I was just gifted a Karu 12 for my birthday and wanted to see your cooking style. Learned a lot as your video was quite informative. Thank you very much!
Happy Birthday, thats a great gift!
I didn't know the rules, bur now i do 🤣
Glad I helped, happy cooking! 👍🍕
Gonna get myself a Karu 12G, thanks to your informative video!! Can't wait to eat pizza!!! Subscribed.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for the sub!
Thanks for all your videos always helping me with my karu 12 . What recipe you use for 12" pizza dough for karu 12
I'm glad my videos have helped, thank you for watching. I've got a couple of dough recipes if you search through my videos 👍🍕
8:08..There is not "a nice bake at the bottom as well". Maybe you should heat up the stone for some time and don't stress it like it has to be done in 21 minutes from cold oven.
All with love, cheers!
Thanks for watching
Ooni's got some nice deals going on the Karu 12 right now. I just bought one for $240 US, and added the gas burner for $80. I'll let you know if I get the larger firebox or not.
Just got it today, and it's got the larger firebox.
Thanks for the update! Yes it’s a great time to get an Ooni right now with the deals on!
Very informative,thankyou 👍
I purcahse for mine xmas present Ooni Karu 12 , and it's on its way ☺️. QQuestion.
As I live in Ireland and can be rainy and windy, also living in apartment that is 1st floor and keeping(cooking on balcony) if is little bit windy -not much, you think should be okay cooking and flames should be fine if i cook pizza under these condision?🤔
And yes i would not cook if is lashing rain as i think would be mistake to do so..😂
Cheers and thanks man🇮🇪
Hey mate! Thanks again for another upload. Out of interest what fuel you using? My 12g rarely goes over half way which is a little frustrating. I have the Kamado Joes so I’m using the same fuel on my Ooni - Big K restaurant grade charcoal, Ooni hardwood oak. I start with both to try get it hot then continue to just add wood. How you finding temps overall?
Hi Thanks for the comment! I found my temp gauge on the side early gets over high yellow, or low red too, but thats why i measure the stone temp, as its a more reliable way to tell if the oven is ready. I sued the ooni charcoal, but also use the BigK restaurant grade in the past. As for the wood, i cut my own as i have a stock pile of birch and oak, cut into 10-15mm chunks.
@@TomVoyageuk Thank you! I don’t have a temp gun and rely solely on the temp gauge on the side. My pizzas are still coming out great (can’t get my own pizza dough right tho) but I would like it hotter just to crisp the base some more. Will keep trying!
Keep up the great work anyway, you deserve more subs 👍
@@pricey78 I would have said a digital thermometer is a good investment, they’re not too much off Amazon either!
Have you tired my dough recipe yet?? It’s on the channel a few videos back, May work for you? I’ll be doing an updated one soon too!
@@TomVoyageuk For the price I’m going to order one 👍. I did follow your recipe and also many others, don’t know why it keeps going wrong! Firstly I do it by hand so just ordered a mixer off Amazon to see if this helps! The problem I face every time is stretching! It keeps shrinking back, it’s been rested and all the other processes but it shrinks. Then I end up splitting some bases fighting with it to stretch out. Will be looking forward to your next video for advice!
Hi Tom, thanks for another great video. Maybe on the next comparison you can put both pizzas in immediately one after the other 😅
Thanks for watching!
I plan on cooking multiple pizzas at a time for guests, grandkids, etc. so I like the larger fire basket. Has anyone tried bread, non-Neapolitan pizzas?
Yes but bread is a longer cook, so use just charcoal or better still gas to heat up the oven and turn it off to cook bread as it will likely get too hot
any info on that table you have the Ooni on ? thx :D
They are both on Ooni tables! If you check out my other videos I have reviews on both 👍🍕
Can you use pellets in the 12 G if wanted instead of wood chunks?
Loads of people ask this question and I haven’t yet tested that but I think it would make a great video test!
Is this video in the works ? Interested to see @@TomVoyageuk
I already pressed "Like" before watching this video.
haha thanks!
Fir the higher price, I don't think in reality you can see much through the door. It is quite dark inside and the pizza is flat so you can't see the top. In any case you know you should open after about 40 seconds to turn it. Plus you can leave the door off to see it cooking much better than through the door, and that will only add seconds to the cooking time.
You can see inside fine because the flame produces adequate light whether you use use wood or gas
Is kindling a must. Can I use 100% charcoal and still achieve same or similar results. Have you tried it.
Also, can I use charcoal chimney instead of lighting them up straight in Ooni fuel basket. Thanks for the comparison. New model is impressive.
Thanks for the question, and yes you can use 100% charcoal, absolutely, but the only thing here is you won't achieve the full temperature capabilities of the oven. Just charcoal will get you to about 250°C, ideal for cooking meat, seafood or NY Style pizza. Using a charcoal starter should be ok, just be careful when adding the fuel as the hatch is only small, and if the oven heats up too quickly from cold, it could crack the stone perhaps? just a thought!
@@TomVoyageuk Thanks for the reply. I'm probably going to purchase 12G. I will experiment with Charcoal plus firewood, which is almost impossible to find where I live. Purchasing it online the only option.
@@littlestar5737 awesome! When you purchase it please use my link! It helps me out and helps to support the channel! Thanks! 😊
The Karu 12 normal version looks more rustic crust almost like a really good looking sourdough crust
It was a good pizza, my wife liked the pizza that came off the Karu 12 too
Having a glass door is awesome but if its anything like my home oven it will get dirty quickly and you can't see inside it anyway then cleaning is a huge pain.
If you cook correctly using kiln dried wood, and charcoal there is very little build up of soot on the door, and even over time a simple wipe clean with a dry cloth does the trick once it’s cooled. The problem comes when the fire doesn’t have enough airflow and gets very smokey, this creates lots of soot and blackens the glass quickly
I just bought a Karu 12 at lowes for $225 USD and it came with the larger fuel basket
Good deal! And great you got the larger fuel tray too!
As my older gas fired Karu only works with the door off, a glass door doesn't matter to me.
If I was starting again I'd probably go for the karu 12 and a gas burner again.
This time however, I'd know it was Propane.
(You should have seen the soot when I tried using Butane!)
Thanks for the comment! That is actually interesting? I know propane and butane are used for different things but I had no idea more soot was the result? I just though one burned hotter than the other and one was batter for use at low temps
@TomVoyageuk Yes, I bought the Ooni burner and thought I could just use the same Butane gas bottle I use for the barbecue. There's a reason the instructions say Propane. The entire interior was covered in soot, and so was my face!
A gas engineer told me that the burners jets will be set up for Propane, as Butane needs a different air/fuel mix.
Ah ok I see!
Thats it i want the 12g for the door 😊😮
You won’t regret it 😉
Which tastes better gas or wood?
I wouldn't eat either.
@JoanneTelling1 oh dear Joanne
wow, thanks. 100 videos.. all Sh... yours was too goood.. thanks =)
Glad you like them!
Now I want pizza
The same for em everytime i edit a video!
Overcooked? You dont know piizzas my friend. One is undercooked.
Thanks for watching
What a waste of time. What’s the point of a comparison without verifying the two ovens are at the same temp.
How are you going to get two coal and wood fired ovens to exactly the same temp? They were close enough to do the review as they were both at the temp hot enough to cook pizza