Ooni Gas Vs Ooni Wood (Which Is Better And Cost-Effective)
Last updated on September 11th, 2023 at 02:12 pm
When choosing between two items based on their efficiency, you must put many factors in place.
To narrow down your choice, two items’ cost is usually the essential factor you need to consider.
Ooni gas is by far more expensive than wood-fired ovens. For wood-fired ovens, wood is cheap, affordable, and easily accessible. Unlike gas ovens, they do not require so many resources or funds to use.
At this point, let us go through some differences between the Ooni gas and Ooni wood oven to help you decide which of these ovens is better.
#1. Taste
Pizzas cooked using wood taste better and have an authentic taste. In Naples, for example, pizzas were originally cooked using wood fire only.
The traditional taste of Pizza, when cooked with wood, is an amazing difference that makes it stand out.
However, gas has an efficient and stylish way of distributing heat when using it for cooking Pizzas and reaching very high temperatures ranging up to 950F/500°c in a short time.
They do not need any form of heat conservation or storage, unlike in wood-fired ovens.
#2. Convenience
When using Ooin wood, you are likely to have frequent trips to check your Pizza and replenish the wood in the fire, but this is not the case with Ooni gas, which requires you to simply refill your gas tank when it runs out, giving you fewer kitchen trips.
#3. Temperature Regulation
Wood-fired ovens are often difficult to regulate temperatures because they do not have a convenient way to regulate temperature.
The best way to regulate the temperature here is by reducing or increasing the amount of wood which invariably decreases or increases the temperature. ,
Although wood-fired ovens still reach enough high temperatures to cook Pizzas efficiently. Open-air would also make your wood-fired oven burn quicker.
If this troubles you, the first thing you have to do is build fireboxes around your oven.
On the other hand, gas-fired ovens regulate heat by simply turning low or high when the gas knob is tilted to maintain a particular temperature.
While some gas-fired ovens come with preset temperatures, most do not and require you to tilt the knob whenever you use it.
Hitting the right temperature will be a major problem when you first purchase a gas oven but continue the trial and error method while still trying out what temperature is best for your oven to burn.
However, setting the temperatures appropriately every other time as soon as you get it becomes less difficult.
#4. Crispy crust and flavor
Wood-fired ovens cook pizzas at very high temperatures giving the pizzas a crispy crust and a somewhat burnt flavor.
It also adds an amazing texture to the pizzas giving them a unique taste and feel when you chew them.
Gas ovens do not cook pizzas this well but can cook pizza.
So again, you will know that comparing these two types of Ooni ovens based on their ability to cook pizzas to original taste is like comparing an authentic and a substitute product.
#5. Tenderness
Wood-fired ovens cook much more tender pizzas than gas ovens. It gives pizzas a tender, chewable interior and soft bite when eating pizza.
In addition, wood ovens cook pizzas well enough to reach the inner veggies and meat even if you do not turn them while cooking.
You can effectively use Ooni gas and Ooni wood for cooking pizzas but have distinct disadvantages and advantages.
Thus, if you choose between these two ovens, mainly due to economic differences and cost, the Ooni wood oven is better than the gas oven.
Does Onni Have Gas And Wood Features In All Models?
Not all Ooni oven models have gas and wood features. While some use wood and gas or gas, others use propane to fuel their tanks.
They are typically five existing models of the Ooni ovens.
They are widely used worldwide; as expected, no two models of this oven are exactly the same.
Although there are similarities between them, there are some significant modifications and differences.
Let’s look through these models of Ooni ovens and their fuel sources.
#1. Ooni Fyra
It is a very cheap and effective model of the Ooni oven. It uses wood as a source of fuel. Ooni Fyra uses less fuel than most pizza ovens of the same size and shape.
As a result, it is not only energy-conserving but also energy-efficient. It does not burn out pellets quickly, and it takes up to 20 minutes before refilling pellets is required when in use.
#2. Ooni Karu
It is a portable multi-fueled oven. It retains heat well by using its flame keeper technology. It uses wood or pellets, charcoal, and propane as gas.
Nevertheless, you will have to purchase the gas-burner attachment separately to use gas on it.
#3. Ooni Koda
It is a gas-powered Ooni oven that runs only with Propane gas. It is not fueled by natural gas because it is not compatible.
#4. Ooni Koda 16
It is a large-sized gas-powered pizza oven, a modification of the Ooni Koda. It runs efficiently on both natural and propane gas.
Although, the natural gas will have to be converted to usable fuel using a conversion kit.
#5. Ooni Pro
The Ooni Pro is the largest model of the Ooni oven and uses all forms of fuel to cook pizzas. It uses wood, charcoal, pellets, and gas for cooking.
Its versatility enables it to cook more than one dish at a time which is why it is mostly used in big restaurants and homes with large family members.
Ooni Gas Vs. Wood Difference In Taste
It is no longer a question that wood-fired ovens cook uniquely different pizzas from gas ovens.
However, most people, especially those in Naples, where pizza originated, believe that pizza cooked in wood-fired ovens is authentic and traditional.
Ooni wood ovens cook the veggies and meat inside the pizza well and make the flavor blend completely to have its taste noticed significantly in the entire pizza.
As a result, they give pizzas a significant difference in taste and leave them with a smoky flavor that most gas ovens do not have.
The taste of pizza made from a gas oven or wood-fired oven is the major difference.
Pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens often come out crispy and crunchy and have a chewable, edible inner filling.
Aside from cooking pizzas with outstanding taste, it is important to know that cooking your pizza in wood-fired ovens has a lot of health benefits, ranging from retaining nutritional contents to antioxidants, especially because it cooks pizza faster.
Conversely, longer cooking processes such as cooking on gas ovens are likely to reduce the nutritional value of pizza.
Which Ooni Should I Get?
In choosing the model of the Ooni oven, you must have fully understood the differences in all five models and their advantages and disadvantages.
Factors such as your income, the size of your home, and your health must be noted.
You must also consider how effective it will be for you if you purchase it and not depend on what anyone recommends that you use.
For example, if you own a restaurant, it has become necessary to own an oven. Still, you do not know which Ooni ovens you must purchase.
So first, consider things like the cooking time, cost, economic benefits, the size of your restaurant, and the health hazards that may also come from purchasing the oven.
You can also do a trial and error check if you think purchasing one without first testing it will not be a good idea.
Conclusion
Ooni gas and Ooni wood are uniquely different in their functions and are very effective. Therefore, choosing between these two types of ovens is very tricky.
However, the wood-fired ovens cook pizzas better and bring out the taste as it should be.
This is undoubtedly true because of the many benefits of cooking pizza with a wood-fired oven.
Ooni ovens have at least five models, and they all have their specific fuel sources wood, pellets, charcoal, natural gas, and propane.
Therefore, choosing which Ooni oven to purchase is strictly based on individual preference.