Ooni Volt 12 pizza oven review

My family and I developed a delicious tradition last summer. On Sunday nights, we take all the week’s leftovers out of the fridge and turn them into toppings for pizza nights with our outdoor pizza oven. But as the weather turned, we worried our favorite activity of the week wouldn’t be the same. I mean, who wants to stand over one of the best outdoor pizza ovens outside in the middle of winter?

Enter the $899 Ooni Volt 12, an electric-powered pizza oven that can be used outdoors and indoors, so that pizza night can happen no matter what Mother Nature has in mind. Made for countertops, the Volt 12 can cook pizzas in 90 seconds with max reach of 850 degrees, which is just 100 degrees shy of the Ooni Koda 16’s (the best pizza oven overall) highest temperature. The Volt 12 also absorbs smoke, making it safe to open and shut as often as needed.

On the downside, it’s a hefty appliance, and thus not the easiest to store. But if you’re a pizza lover who’s ready to cut back on those pesky pizzeria delivery fees, there’s a lot to appreciate about the Ooni Volt 12. Read my full Ooni Volt 12 review to find out why I think it’s worth the investment. 

 Ooni Volt 12 review: Cheat sheet

How does it compare to other indoor pizza ovens? It can cook pizzas faster in just 90 seconds, on pace with Ooni’s propane – or wood – powered outdoor pizza ovens.

• What is it? The Ooni Volt 12 is an electric-powered pizza oven that can be used indoors and outdoors.
• Who is it for? This appliance is for pizza-lovers who want to enjoy fresh pies, made fast, all year long.
• What does it cost? The Ooni Volt 12 costs $899.
• Why is the Ooni Volt 12 so expensive? The high price is balanced by the oven’s versatility for indoor and outdoor use.

Ooni Volt 12 review: The ups

Heats up quickly
Most of the time spent on making pizza at home comes from a given oven’s heat up time. In general, outdoor pizza ovens powered by propane or wood suggest letting the unit preheat for 15 to 20 minutes before tossing in a pie. Ooni estimates a 20-minute preheat for the Volt 12 to reach the max 850-degree temperature, but considering I cook my pizzas closer to 700 degrees, my oven was ready faster. In fact, I usually don’t even finish my topping prep work before the oven reaches my desired temperature. 

A conventional home oven — the sort you can find among our picks of the best gas ranges — tops out at 500 or 550 degrees, which can cook a decent pizza with the help of a pizza stone. But it takes just as long to heat up, plus it takes longer to actually cook your pizza. From a time perspective, the Volt 12 makes a lot of sense, especially if you have a lot of mouths to feed.

Cooks pizzas fast and evenly
Speaking of speed, the Ooni Volt 12 can cook a 12-inch pie in just about 90 seconds. Unlike pizza ovens with a flame, the Volt 12’s heat is evenly distributed throughout the entire interior, meaning you don’t have to turn the pizza to prevent it from burning on one side. I will say that the edge closest from the door comes out with slightly less color than the far side, but it doesn’t make a difference in taste. Ooni does say you can move the pizza with a turner if you find it necessary, though.

Although the quality of your pizza often depends on your dough and ingredients, I found that the Volt 12 can hold its own with the propane ovens. The top crust develops a good amount of leoparding, while the underside gets a crisp finish that gives the slices integrity. You could cook other things besides pizzas in the oven of course, but you’ll need a cast-iron plate that fits inside like this one with removable handles that Ooni sells. 

Absorbs smoke and heat
My biggest concern with any cooking appliance that gets hot is whether it’ll let smoke escape into my kitchen. My home is open layout, so if the kitchen gets smoky, so does the entryway and living room (one of the best air purifiers to the rescue!). Luckily, the Ooni Volt 12 manages to absorb most of the smoke that may be generated from the burnt bits of cheese that end up on the stone. If you look closely at the upper corners on the pull-down door, you’ll see vapor dancing along the glass as the escaping steam is sucked back into the machine. 

The Volt 12 oven doesn’t emit much heat, either. Even when the oven is at full temperature, the external chassis won’t burn your hand to the touch. Sure, it’s warm, but not a risk to unknowing members of your household.

Ooni Volt 12 review: The downs

Large and heavy 
Truly the only negative thing I can say about the Volt 12 is that it’s kind of a massive pain to move and store. At 40 pounds, it’s heavy for one person to carry alone. And unless you’re going to be using this oven multiple times per week, you probably don’t want to leave it out on your counters. Measuring 24.2 x 20.8 x 10.9 inches, it’s a total space-sucker so I schlep it between my kitchen island and a storage rack in my garage every Sunday — yes, the moving of the oven has become part of the weekly tradition.

As such, I’d come up with a storage plan before purchasing. Ooni advises storing the Volt 12 inside, preferably somewhere cool and dry. 

Expensive
You can’t deny the $899 price tag is intimidating. Especially when you consider the Ooni Fyra 12 costs $349, you can still enjoy pizzas at home for less than half the cost of the Volt 12. That said, more affordable ovens are primarily reserved for outdoor use. You definitely can find budget-friendly indoor pizza ovens on Amazon, such as this one from Chefman, but Ooni’s quality is tough to beat. 

Ooni Volt 12 review: Verdict

Don’t get me wrong, the Ooni Volt 12 isn’t a “just because” purchase. Between the high price and how much space it takes up, it’s only worth getting if you’re making a commitment to your inner pizzaiolo. For what it’s worth, I recommend taking inspiration from my family’s leftovers-to-pizzas tradition. With how many pizzas we’ve made, saving on delivery costs, the Volt 12 practically pays for itself.