Ooni Volt 12 Review – The Best Value for 2024?

Ooni Volt 12 Review – The Best Value for 2024?

Price Range: $$$
Fuel Type: Electric
Oven Type: Countertop


👩‍💼Ideal For:

 

  • Indoor and outdoor pizza-making experience
  • Small pizza-loving families
  • Amateur pizza lovers
  • Restaurant-style pizzas


⚖️Considerations:

  • Ooni Volt 12 is quite expensive.
  • Aromatic smoke flavor and taste would be missing.
  • Limited cooking space.

My Final Verdict with a rating (Out of 5)

Everyone loves pizzas, and Ooni is ensuring that you can create a fantastic homemade pizza right in your own kitchen with the Volt 12.

This model is nothing like any Ooni backyard pizza oven I’ve ever owned or tested. It runs on electricity. And, of course, it’s the ONLY pizza oven suitable for both indoor and outdoor cooking yet.

That’s not all: this versatile appliance is equipped with two robust heating elements. Still, I’m surprised this electric device gets hot up to 800 degrees F in less than 15 minutes. This is just as fast as the top-selling Koda 12 and my favorite Karu 12G.

While it seems like my regular kitchen oven, this sucker delivers superior baking performance. This award-winning countertop pizza oven produces pizzas with delightfully crispy crusts and tantalizing toppings.

Having used numerous gas and wood-fired pizza ovens, I can confidently say that the Volt 12 is the clear winner when it comes to ease of use. This model incorporates several advanced technologies, allowing anyone to create the perfect homemade pizza with a simple turn of a dial.

On a scale of 5, this best indoor pizza oven earns a solid rating of 4.8. Why, you ask? The level of convenience and the near-perfect pizza-making experience that the Volt 12 offers are unparalleled.

To be honest, I still miss the excitement of cooking with an open flame and the natural smoky flavors it imparts. However, nothing beats the satisfaction of indulging in my pizza cravings without venturing into the cold or enduring the summer heat.

🎭Compare to Similar Products

  Volt 12 Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo Koda 16
Best For Indoor/Outdoor Cooking Indoor Outdoor Cooking
Fuel Type Electric Electric Gas
Heating Element 1600W dual heating tubes 1800W  Element IQ® smart heating elements L-shaped stainless steel burner
Max Temperature Up to 800°F (427°C) Up to 750°F (399°C) Up to 932°F (500°C)
Preheat Time approximately 15 minutes approximately 15 minutes approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Surface Cordierite stone Non-stick pizza stone Cordierite stone
Pizza size 12 inches 12 inches 16 inches
Cooking Time 1 – 3 minutes 2 – 3 minutes 60 seconds
Additional Features Timer function, adjustable temperature, even cooking space Intelligent cooking algorithms, multiple cooking modes, and adjustable settings Wide opening, compact, built-in thermometer and portable design
Warranty 2 years 2 years 5 years
Price $$$$ $$$$ $$$

Who Do I Recommend For?

For aspiring pizza chefs 一, baking pizza in a traditional oven can be a trick. There’s a steep learning curve before the process becomes second nature.

You don’t have to go through the hassle; Volt 12 is a great place to begin your baking journey. It has an excellent adjustable thermostat, built-in timer, and boost mode to ensure you never undercook or burn your pizza ever.

Indoor cooking enthusiast 一 the Volt 12 works with electricity. This means you can knock out an amazing pizza right on your kitchen countertop without triggering the fire alarm.

Unlike most pizza ovens out there, there’s no need to venture outdoors in varying weather conditions. Besides, not everyone has access to outdoor space. This is the ultimate choice for home chefs without an outdoor space looking to enjoy fresh homemade pizzas.

Who I Don’t Recommend For?

Budget shoppers 一 Volt 12 is the most expensive pizza oven from the Ooni lineup. This electric-powered unit cost almost two times the price of the Koda 12 and Karu 12. If you are not looking to splurge on a pizza oven, Volt 12 is not the way to go.

Versatile appliance seekers 一 this unit has impressive controls and features. Technically, it offers the best cooking flexibility in any pizza oven. Sadly, it has a smaller cooking space, which limits what you can fit and cook in there.

Our First Impression: and Features

Build Quality

When it comes to Ooni products, I always expect sleek, elegant products built to last. Out of the box, the Volt 12 asserts my confidence in this world-leading brand. Its overall build quality and engineering were top-notch. Its controls were super responsive, and we all agreed it looked great on the countertop.

There’s no assembly required. The only thing I did was slide in the thick ceramic baking stone and plug the oven in.

After taking a good look at the newest member of the Ooni collection, there are some exciting hallmarks. For starters, this unit has an internal oven light offering enough illumination to track the baking process at a glance.

The door is another aspect I think Ooni outdid themselves. The triple-paned borosilicate glass door keeps the heat in while improving its aesthetics and visibility. Also, a comfortable oversized handle makes opening and closing the door a snap.

Being the first successful indoor-outdoor pizza oven, this unit comes with an all-weather shell. I’m referring to its powdered coating. It helps prevent accidental burns even when the oven is at full blast. And, of course, allowing you to use the outdoors without any worry. 

Size

I must admit, the picture was quite deceiving. This all-electric device is 20 inches wide and 2 feet deep. If you already have a lot of kitchen appliances on your counter, finding the right spot for this oven can be tricky.

The Volt 12 weighs a little over 52 pounds, which is twice the weight of my Karu 12. For short distances or storing in a cabinet, its weight won’t be a pain in your rear.

Indoor and Outdoor Usage

 The Volt 12 is arguably the most versatile pizza oven on the market. While it might require you to create space on your counter, it sits and works well indoors.

However, I have a covered patio with an Ooni foldable outdoor table close to a three-prong outlet. That’s the new home for this phenomenal pizza-making machine during weekends. Also, you could purchase the Ooni waterproof cover if your patio is a tad exposed, except if you intend to take it inside after each use. It’s always better to take precautions, especially with this high-priced oven.

Irrespective of where you place this oven, it requires a nearby power source. The power supply cord provided by the oven is short. You would have to buy an extension cord to have the flexibility to cook from your desired location.

Baking Stone

The Volt 12 came with a 0.4-inch cordierite baking stone. This is thinner than the 0.6-inch thick pizza stone I got with my Karu 12. I have mixed feelings already.

Thin baking stones heat up quickly, fair enough. The downside is a sudden temperature drop immediately after launching the pizza dough. Hence, it takes longer to achieve the perfect crust.

Power Consumption

Equipped with two heating elements rated 1600W, this in-demand pizza oven consumes less energy compared to most traditional ovens.

The operational cost will depend on the cooking temperature, duration, and electricity rate. It consumes about 0.861 kWh to cook two amazing pizzas, which cost me less than 50 cents. This is about the same energy my full-fledged kitchen oven drains to make a batch of crisp chips.

Capacity

Volt 12, as the name implies, is an oven with a 12-inch cooking space. However, it’s not generous with its cooking space. This model offers roomy enough to cook and shuffle 12-inch Neapolitan pizza for proper doneness.

Also, you can easily throw in cast iron cookware to make some chewy crust Detroit-style pizzas. Anything beyond that won’t go in. The limited height of this oven prevents cooking tall or bulky food items.

Other features

You don’t get a lot of extra handy features on gas and wood-fired models. This electric-fueled oven brags about a couple of innovative features that offer a more fun and superior pizza-making experience.

The Volt 12 has a “boost” mode that gets the oven at full blast for the quickest recovery time. So, no longer wait between bakes; every pie is just as sumptuous and crisp as the first.

And you won’t believe there’s a timer function. This makes cooking and chatting with your guest easier since you won’t be babysitting this one.

What Makes Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven Special?

Ooni has remarkably broken a significant bar with the Volt 12. This unit brings the performance of a gas or wood-burning pizza oven indoors. This feat was thought to be dangerous and almost impossible.

This one-of-a-kind appliance is not just an indoor version of other Ooni’s excellent backyard ovens. It delivers a unique and flexible pizza-making process with balance controls and dedicated temperatures.

The Volt 12, unlike the regular kitchen oven, attains scorching hot temperatures of up to 800 degrees. This is essential for making mouthwatering pizza with a crisp texture like traditional ovens.

Not only is it capable of creating perfect stone-baked pies, but it makes achieving it so easy. My little cousins can make tasty, Instagram-worthy pizzas in a few minutes, thanks to its automatic heat mode. And, of course, under my strict supervision.

What I Like About Ooni Volt

800-degrees-F cooking performance: 一 the revolutionary Volt 12 is no joke. It generates a lot of heat I couldn’t get on the regular ovens. With such intense heat, my pizzas come out firm with bubbling cheese in about 2 minutes. Even at 650 degrees F, it takes around 12 minutes to make the perfect New York pizza for a nice family treat.

With intuitive controls and heat dials 一, unlike the traditional methods, I can actually get the oven to my preferred temperature. I don’t have to feed a flame or track the pizza stone’s temperature. With the adjustable heat dial, every pizza comes out exactly as I set out. Sometimes, I need the toppings to cook longer without burning the crust. This is possible with the Ooni Volt 12.

Exquisite craftsmanship: 一 The Volt, like most Ooni pizza ovens, features excellent engineering. This unit has one of the best insulation systems – no heat leaks whatsoever. Also, the powdered coating protects the shell from getting hot. This is important to me because this model requires more interaction with its outer body, unlike traditional options, since it has control dials.

Our Ooni Volt Complaints

Bulky size 一 Volt 12 eats up a lot of counter space. If you plan on using this latest model indoors, you’ll likely create space for it, except if you own a large kitchen or outdoor space.

Expensive 一 this all-electric oven is truly meant for people who have space and money to spare. This unit might be out of reach for people looking for a budget option. It offers a lot of perks, but it comes at a salty price.

Smoke cases 一 After cooking a lot of pizza, you can’t help but notice some smoke that might trigger your fire alarm. This is due to the residue on the pizza stone burning off. It’s nothing to worry about. A powerful extractor fan solves this issue.

Testing The Ooni Volt: How Is Its Performance?

Performance

The Ooni Volt 12 baking performance is nothing short of a marvel. This oven packs a powerful cooking punch with its robust 1600W heating element.

It’s astonishing how quickly it reaches up to 800 degrees F in under 15 minutes. With such incredible heat, you can achieve various culinary feats, from thin and crispy to deep-dish pizzas.

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