This $1,200 Ooni pizza oven works in 60 seconds — but is it worth the money?

Imagine indulging in a fresh, homemade pizza in 60 seconds. Intrigued? So was I. So I gave the Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven a try to see if it lives up to the hype and delivers what it promises. Whether you want to host pizza nights with family and friends or simply want the kitchen appliance for your own little cooking adventures, read my full review to see if you should invest in this gadget for your kitchen.

🛍️ Product reviewed: Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven

💵 Price: $1,199 $1,299

⭐ My rating: 4.5/5 stars

🛍️ Reasons to buy: This electric pizza oven is top-notch quality with impressive cooking performance, it heats up fast and can make a pizza in 60 to 90 seconds.

✋ Reasons to avoid: Although the quality is top-notch, it's relatively expensive compared to other electric ovens. Plus, if you have a small kitchen, this will take up a chunk of space — so you can't leave it out all the time.

Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven

Ooni

Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven

$1,199$1,299Save $100

The Ooni Pizza Oven is currently on sale for $1,199 CAD.

$1,199 at Ooni

The details

The Ooni Volt 12 is an electric pizza oven that can be used indoors or outdoors.

There are three dials on the oven: Timer, temperature and balance. They can be adjusted manually or you can use the automatic settings, which suits both beginners or experts.

The pizza oven comes with a 13-inch cordierite baking stone. It's also equipped with handles to carry and move around. It also features an automatic shut-off feature after 45 minutes of inactivity.

The specs

Here are all the details about the Ooni Volt 12.

• Dimensions: 24.2 x 20.8 x 10.9 inches

• Weight: 39.2lbs

• Material: Powder-coated carbon steel and stainless steel

• Exterior: Weather-resistant

• Power: 1,600 Watts | Voltage: 120 Volts

• Temperature range: 120 to 450 degrees Celsius

• Timer dial: 30 seconds to 20 minutes

$1,199 $1,299 at Ooni

Is the Ooni pizza oven worth it? My review

I put this to the test over an afternoon spent making pizzas with my family.

Although it is a plug-and-play system, there is a definite learning curve with understanding the settings. But, by the third pizza I became much more comfortable.

While the balance dial automatically matches the top and bottom heat to your time and heat dial settings, I still found it resulted in somewhat unevenly cooked pizza initially until I started fine-tuning the balance dial myself, which took a few tries.

There were times when the top was done in seconds, but the bottom was still unbaked. So playing with the dough's thickness and adjusting the balance is key. With each pizza, I gained a newfound confidence and skill to work the oven better.

I am super impressed with the quality of the pizza as well as the short amount of time it took to cook a pie.

Another standout feature is the quick heat-up time. Within 20 minutes, the temperature goes up to 450 degrees Celcius.

While the pizza oven was pre-heating, I started working on the pizza on the side. The oven went from cold stone to sizzling in minutes and the first pizza was literally done in 60 seconds. This saves precious time and is perfect for impromptu pizza nights.

I also like the internal oven light feature. It helps a lot with keeping an eye on the pizza while tending to other tasks or even preparing your next pizza.

While the Ooni oven is made for pizzas, I really love the versatility of the appliance. There's also enough space to make other dishes like breads, vegetables or steaks if you want that flame-cooked feel and smell.

$1,199 $1,299 at Ooni

While the performance is exceptional, it rings in at $1,199 (down from $1,299) — a higher price tag than many other electric ovens on the market. You may want to look at other options on the market, especially if you know you won't use the oven as often. But if you're hosting friends and family for pizza nights, this could be a game-changer that will save you tons of time (and get you that top chef praise!)

Lastly, the Ooni website says this is a lightweight appliance — but I would disagree. At nearly 40 pounds, I found it to be quite cumbersome — and I definitely needed help carrying it.

What others are saying

Given the Ooni Volt 12 only launched in March 2023, there aren't many reviews, but the shoppers who have tried it seem to echo my thoughts.

One shopper raved about the success on the first try.

"We were so impressed with the quality of our pizzas even the first time we tried our Ooni Volt," the shopper wrote. "Looking forward to lots more fun making our own delicious authentic Italian-style pizzas!"

"This product is exactly as advertised," another shopper wrote. "It took a touch longer than 90 seconds at max heat (closer to 2 mins), but I was enamoured by the finished product."

$1,199 $1,299 at Ooni

While some shoppers agree with me that there is a learning curve, they still find it convenient.

"Yes, there’s a learning curve but the pizza doesn’t burn easily," said another shopper. "Love it so far — plug in, set temperature, no fuss!"

The shopper also added, "My only concern is that I definitely needed help getting it up on the counter outside — it’s really heavy!"

My final verdict

I would totally gift the Ooni Volt 12 oven to pizza lovers in my family or use it to host pizza parties. It might sound strange, but it's an appliance that can be a lot of fun. I tested it out with my family and we had a blast making pizzas and just being in awe of the performance.

I know the price is a huge factor in deciding whether to get it or not. Personally, I would recommend taking a look at other pizza ovens on the market across different price points — since this one is pricey.

But, if you love cooking or are trying to learn, this oven can be a great addition to your kitchen and save you time cooking. It's plug and play, so it's ready to use within minutes.

One final thing worth mentioning is that Ooni offers a 60-day return if you aren't happy with the results — so there's plenty of time to try it out to see if it's a fit for you and your family.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.