Ooni Karu 2 Review: Is It Worth It?
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Ooni Karu 2
Karu 12 fans who want a more fuel-efficient redesign with a window to watch the fire.
Ooni · Ooni Karu 2
The headline change is a borosilicate-glass "ClearView" door, so you can actually watch your fire without cracking the door open and losing heat (or filling your yard with smoke). Ooni also grew the fuel tray by 45% and made the gas burner about 36% more fuel-efficient, so you're refueling less and burning less propane either way. It even folds its legs and detaches its chimney for easier storage than the original.
Using it feels familiar if you've used any Ooni multi-fuel oven: load the tray, get your fire going, give it about 15 minutes, and you're cooking a pizza in roughly 60 seconds once the stone is hot. The built-in thermometer takes some of the guesswork out of knowing when you're ready.
The honest weakness: the gas burner is still sold separately, so budget for that if push-button convenience matters to you. It's also a touch heavier than the original Karu 12, and the 12-inch floor means one personal-to-medium pizza at a time — size up to the Karu 16 if you regularly cook for a crowd.
The specs, in plain English
Fuel
Wood · charcoal · gas
Max Temp
~950°F
Cook Time
~60 sec
Pizza Size
12-inch pizzas
Weight
~34 lbs
Type
Multi-Fuel
What's great & what's not
What's great
- Glass door lets you watch the fire without losing heat or getting smoked out
- Bigger fuel tray and a more efficient gas burner mean less refueling
- Wood, charcoal, or gas — genuine fuel flexibility in one oven
- Foldable legs and detachable chimney for easier storage
The honest downsides
- Gas burner is sold separately, same as the original Karu 12
- Slightly heavier than the Karu 12 it replaces
- 12-inch floor means one pizza at a time
The Karu 2 takes everything that made the original Karu 12 popular and quietly fixes its annoyances — less smoke in your face, less refueling, easier storage. A worthy new default.
If the Ooni Karu 2 isn't quite right
Dad's FAQ
Is the Ooni Karu 2 the same as the Karu 12G?
Yes — Karu 12G and Karu 2 are the same oven, just marketed under two names. It's the redesigned successor to the original Karu 12, keeping the same wood, charcoal, or gas fuel flexibility.
Does the Ooni Karu 2 come with the gas burner?
No, the gas burner is sold separately, just like on the original Karu 12. If you want push-button gas convenience out of the box, budget for that add-on.
What's actually new on the Karu 2 vs the original Karu 12?
A glass door so you can watch the fire without opening it, a 45% bigger fuel tray, a roughly 36% more fuel-efficient gas burner, and foldable legs with a detachable chimney for easier storage.
Ready to fire it up?
Ooni Karu 2 · Ooni