Best Bang for the buck, easy to use, decent oven?

[Viche]

Hi all,

First real post! I'm interested in getting into the pizza making hobby. In the past, I had romantically considered having a custom pizza oven built off my deck, but I've gotten more realistic lately. I'm looking for something that will produce really good pizzas at a reasonable price (@$500), and that is super easy to use. I know myself, and although I bbq with charcoal (weber performer - to me the best bang for buck way, easiest way to get into charcoaling), I know that I won't use the pizza oven much if I have to do a lot of set up work.

That being said, I started by seeing the kettlepizza insert for webers. I figured it would be reasonably easy to set up and use since I have a performer, the price was right, and the pizzas looked good, but then I realized that there would be no way to turn the heat off. I'd have to let the coals burn down completely since there's no easy way to shut of the oxygen supply.

Next I started looking at the propane fueled portables. Of them all, the Ooni Koda 16 seemed like the easiest to use (set up, size of pizza possible, size of opening to see in and turn pizza, speed of pizza making with the burners on 2 sides, closest to best temps possible) option.

Then I read an opinion that made me doubt myself. They said "this product is pushed heavily by numerous influensters, which IMO makes it suspicious, since a good product doesn't need so much paid advertising."

So I was just wondering what you all thought of the Koda 16, and whether there might be a better option given my parameters.

Thanks!
Viche

[TXCraig1]

Check out posts my member: thezaman. He's used pretty much every small oven out there. Be aware that he has mad skills however and can make any oven look easy.

[Viche]

Thanks. Looks like he owns and likes the Koda.

[Jersey Pie Boy]

You've got that right, Craig..you and Larry could both make a great pizza with a Bic lighter or a magnifying glass and the sun!
...

[barryvabeach]

I have said it before, Larry, thezaman, can make a fantastic pie using an easy bake oven.     For those too young to remember, the oven was powered by light bulbs.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Oven   
To me, the easiest pizza oven to use is the Blackstone.  Don't know when a new one may come out,  but if you find a used one, it should only set you back a few hundred.  I have the Koda 16  ( as well as a BS )  It is a little harder to use,  you need to play with it to get the proper balance between top and bottom heat, and pie placement and turning is much more  important than the BS, though that is true for nearly all ovens that don't have a rotating stone.  The larger the pie, the more you have to work with turning to keep the rim from burning. 

[Viche]

I do remember the Easy-Bake. I think it was too expensive for our mom to buy my sister one. 

I've read about the blackstone. I just can't find one used anywhere. I also feel like maybe it's a little too easy (like driving automatic vs stick). I imagine part of the fun will be watching and turning the pizza and the satisfaction of getting it just right. The part that's not fun to me is setup and teardown.

Just curious - does anyone have any clue when the new blackstone will come out? Any improvements? Didn't that rotating wheel tend to break?

[delosalpes]

Just got the Ooni Pro. Have done 3 pizza bakes, and used it to roast some Iberio pork on a cast iron. I absolutely love it. I use charcoal and wood to fire it.

[vannus25]

Also have the ooni koda been 3 weeks and have made 5 pizzas all successful, our only failure was launching the pizza and the toppings sliding onto the stone, wont be making that mistake again haha.

[Viche]

Thanks all. I'm pretty settled on the Koda 16. Now they just need to come back in stock!

[slybarman]

Viche - where in Maryland are you?

[Viche]

I'm west of Baltimore.

[slybarman]

I'm west of Baltimore.

Might be a bit far. I'm in the Annapolis area. You are welcome to come kick the tires on the Blackstone some time if you want to see if you like it before trying to hunt one down.