Ooni Karu 2 pizza temperature and bake time
Pandough estimates a Neapolitan starting point at 60% hydration: 455°C air, 455°C on the baking surface, and about 75-100 sec. These are model estimates for this oven, not manufacturer specifications.
The affordable way into wood-fired baking. Runs on wood or charcoal out of the box, with an optional gas burner if you want a quiet weeknight. The borosilicate glass door is the feature that matters: managing a wood fire is mostly about seeing it, and on the Karu 12 you had to keep opening the oven and dumping heat to check.
- Glass door lets you watch the fire and the crust without opening and losing heat
- Wood, charcoal or optional gas, so one oven covers both weekend and weeknight
- Fuel tray is 45 percent larger than the Karu 12, giving a steadier flame between refuels
- 15.2 kg, so it still travels despite the extra hardware
- Cast aluminium nose and rear hold heat noticeably better than the Karu 12 shell
- The gas burner is sold separately and costs meaningfully extra
- Wood firing has a real learning curve. Expect several mediocre bakes before it clicks
- Glass needs cleaning, and soot builds up quickly on a badly managed fire
- Solid fuel needs constant attention. This is not a set-and-forget oven
- Gas to heat the stone, wood at the end if you want smoke. Lighting both from cold is slower than it looks.
- Turn every 20-30 seconds. A side flame will scorch the rim if the pie sits still.
- Wind at the mouth dumps heat. Face the opening away from the breeze or the stone never saturates.