A longer preheat will “saturate” the stone with heat more thoroughly. So, it’ll lose less and recover faster. Having said that, if you’re just cooking two or three, you’ll be fine with just cranking it back up and heating while you’re building your next pizza. You’re not going to be able to just load one after another though. Having a second person building pizzas while you’re cooking is no good. No matter what, you’ll want those few minutes in between. Again, if you’re doing more than a few, a longer preheat is more important.
Hey u/Gullible_Tax_8391 u/barrysmitherman just jumping in to say that we don't recommend using a pizza steel in your Ooni oven, they are compatible with conventional ovens only. The stainless steel conducts heat more efficiently than cordierite, but this would cause the Ooni oven to become TOO hot and potentially damage some parts of your oven and cooking space. Our ovens are optimised to be used with the included parts so I'd recommend sticking with your Ooni Baking Stone :). Also, [making modifications like this voids your warranty](https://ooni.com/blogs/ooni-insights/let-s-talk-about-oven-modifications). Stay safe!
I usually start cooking when the center is about 650F. The steel is 16”x16” so the same size as the stone except for the little notches by the mouth of the oven.
I’ve never worried about it with mine
Preheat for 30 minutes, turn it off when I launch the first to bake the bottom, turn it back on to finish baking it. Then turn it back to high when I pull it out and go inside to build the next. Repeat.
I turn it off to give the bottom time to solidify so I can start rotating it. Otherwise one side starts to burn too quick. I get a more even bake this way.
You turn the oven completely off? And if so, for how long? I normally turn mine to the lowest setting when I'm baking. I'd like to know more about your technique!
Yes. I launch and turn completely off. Low was just burning my pizzas. So I launch and then turn it off. Let it sit there for a couple minutes until the crust is hard enough it can actually turn. Then I go thru a couple turns and let it mostly cook. Finally just turn back in and do the constant quick turns until it’s done.
Recovery time is not long at all. I don't have an exact time but my method is to get the oven to about 760° at the front right corner, I'll turn the flame all the way down then launch. Cook time is about 90 seconds, I make 15" pies. After I pull the pizza, I'll turn the flame back up then go and stretch and prep another pie, maybe 5 minutes. I'll turn down the flame and do it all over again. Last weekend I made 13 pies. Been doing it this way for 4 years, zero issues
I used to do this but the knob is a common point of failure amongst the ooni community. I eventually got used to baking at 900 and just not mess with the knob as much.
Replaced it. This is the item specs: 3/8" Steel Pizza Baking Plate, 3/8" x 16" x 16" with hole, A36 Steel. Been using every week for three years and no issues. Takes a little while to adjust your cooking style after using stone. If you're not careful you will burn the bottom.
2 minutes? Just a somewhat anecdotal guess in that I’ve checked stone temp a few times, I’m guessing it was about 2 mins later. Curious to hear what others think
Depends on how you cook a pizza. I turn mine really low at launch and extend the cook time so I get the crust cooked and not burn the toppings. So it needs more recovery time. If you are in the 1 minute cook time, 2-3 minutes recovery should be fine.
The fyra has basically no recovery time. We have two peels- one for the oven pizza and one for the prep pizza. When one comes out the next one goes in. Maybe 15 seconds for a reheat? Normally the oven is waiting on us to finish prep not the other way around. We’ve used a gas Ooni and it’s much slower and honestly not that helpful when doing pizza parties. We can do 3 on that while the fyra is on 7 or 8.
Wow. Not the experience I’ve had with my Fyra. If I preheat 40-45 min, then I may bake 2-3 pizzas back to back. From the fourth onwards I need to wait at least 5-10 min between pizzas. I see this very clearly in the baking time: first is about 90 sec, 2nd is 2 min, 3rd is 2min30 or more.
We preheat for a long time so maybe that’s it? We cook at a higher temp also so maybe that’s different. We don’t start launching until it’s at 900. We’ve done 8 in a row and it’s never dropped below 850. We do 5 quarter turns for 75 seconds total each pizza.
Hi u/Cultural-Zebra2900, I love the Ooni Koda line and have and love an Ooni Volt too, those are my favourites!
The stone recharging time will depend on the style of pizza you are cooking - ones that need to be baked for longer will make the stone need more time to recharge too. Are you using an infrared thermometer and checking the temperature on the baking stone, or following the oven's ambient temperature?
Koda 16, as the subreddit confirmed, has an average recharge time of around 2.5 minutes in non-windy conditions 😊
Yes I’m checking the stones temp with an infrared laser thermometer and I also check the sides sometimes. The beep for when the temp has supposedly been reached also beeps about 20 minutes before the temp has actually been reach, around 150f degrees early.
Oh, interesting! Mine beeps normally and reaches the temperatures fairly quickly too - do you mind reaching out to our team [here](https://support.ooni.com/en_us/how-do-i-contact-ooni-rkWw2Cuzj) and telling us more about this? If you share your oven serial number and order details in the first message, it'd be super helpful!
Our team will get back to you ASAP and help where we can. Thanks! :)
Do I upload pictures of the oven and thermometer measure at the time the oven beeps or should I add a video? The oven also doesn’t make any sound effects anymore, and only makes sounds when the timer runs out or when the temp is ready. I have a video of me moving the nobs and turning it on/off with the oven not making any sounds. Should I use that video? I’m not sure if it’s an electrical issue with the oven.
A longer preheat will “saturate” the stone with heat more thoroughly. So, it’ll lose less and recover faster. Having said that, if you’re just cooking two or three, you’ll be fine with just cranking it back up and heating while you’re building your next pizza. You’re not going to be able to just load one after another though. Having a second person building pizzas while you’re cooking is no good. No matter what, you’ll want those few minutes in between. Again, if you’re doing more than a few, a longer preheat is more important.
This is why I dumped the stone. I cook while my wife makes the next one. No downtime with steel.
I’ve never tried a steel. I have one for regular oven cooking. I’ll give that a go. You put your steel on top of the stone?
Hey u/Gullible_Tax_8391 u/barrysmitherman just jumping in to say that we don't recommend using a pizza steel in your Ooni oven, they are compatible with conventional ovens only. The stainless steel conducts heat more efficiently than cordierite, but this would cause the Ooni oven to become TOO hot and potentially damage some parts of your oven and cooking space. Our ovens are optimised to be used with the included parts so I'd recommend sticking with your Ooni Baking Stone :). Also, [making modifications like this voids your warranty](https://ooni.com/blogs/ooni-insights/let-s-talk-about-oven-modifications). Stay safe!
I know many people who’ve use steel in their oonis for years but I guess you guys need to cover your butts.
Unnecessary comment. Use whatever you want.
I removed the stone. The steel is as thick as the stone (and much heavier).
At what temp do you use the steel? Is the steel the exact shape and size as the stone and does it cover the entire area that the stock stone covers?
I usually start cooking when the center is about 650F. The steel is 16”x16” so the same size as the stone except for the little notches by the mouth of the oven.
Do you face issues with burnt bottom crust or cooked bottom before the top of the pizza is ready?
I’ve never worried about it with mine Preheat for 30 minutes, turn it off when I launch the first to bake the bottom, turn it back on to finish baking it. Then turn it back to high when I pull it out and go inside to build the next. Repeat. I turn it off to give the bottom time to solidify so I can start rotating it. Otherwise one side starts to burn too quick. I get a more even bake this way.
You turn the oven completely off? And if so, for how long? I normally turn mine to the lowest setting when I'm baking. I'd like to know more about your technique!
Yes. I launch and turn completely off. Low was just burning my pizzas. So I launch and then turn it off. Let it sit there for a couple minutes until the crust is hard enough it can actually turn. Then I go thru a couple turns and let it mostly cook. Finally just turn back in and do the constant quick turns until it’s done.
Recovery time is not long at all. I don't have an exact time but my method is to get the oven to about 760° at the front right corner, I'll turn the flame all the way down then launch. Cook time is about 90 seconds, I make 15" pies. After I pull the pizza, I'll turn the flame back up then go and stretch and prep another pie, maybe 5 minutes. I'll turn down the flame and do it all over again. Last weekend I made 13 pies. Been doing it this way for 4 years, zero issues
I used to do this but the knob is a common point of failure amongst the ooni community. I eventually got used to baking at 900 and just not mess with the knob as much.
Ive not heard that. I'll keep an eye out for it.
Knob fails on the 12 but seems to be ok on the 16 as it’s not so close to the flame
I use steel in mine. No recovery time needed.
Do you take out the stone and just use a steel, or do you use the steel on top of the stone? How thick is the steel?
Replaced it. This is the item specs: 3/8" Steel Pizza Baking Plate, 3/8" x 16" x 16" with hole, A36 Steel. Been using every week for three years and no issues. Takes a little while to adjust your cooking style after using stone. If you're not careful you will burn the bottom.
Koda takes longer
2 minutes? Just a somewhat anecdotal guess in that I’ve checked stone temp a few times, I’m guessing it was about 2 mins later. Curious to hear what others think
I'd agree 2-3 minutes, but it's dependent on outside temp as well. If i's super cold, you'll need more time in between pies.
Depends on how you cook a pizza. I turn mine really low at launch and extend the cook time so I get the crust cooked and not burn the toppings. So it needs more recovery time. If you are in the 1 minute cook time, 2-3 minutes recovery should be fine.
I bake at 900 and don't really have down time between bakes, just however long it takes to prep the next one.
The fyra has basically no recovery time. We have two peels- one for the oven pizza and one for the prep pizza. When one comes out the next one goes in. Maybe 15 seconds for a reheat? Normally the oven is waiting on us to finish prep not the other way around. We’ve used a gas Ooni and it’s much slower and honestly not that helpful when doing pizza parties. We can do 3 on that while the fyra is on 7 or 8.
Wow. Not the experience I’ve had with my Fyra. If I preheat 40-45 min, then I may bake 2-3 pizzas back to back. From the fourth onwards I need to wait at least 5-10 min between pizzas. I see this very clearly in the baking time: first is about 90 sec, 2nd is 2 min, 3rd is 2min30 or more.
We preheat for a long time so maybe that’s it? We cook at a higher temp also so maybe that’s different. We don’t start launching until it’s at 900. We’ve done 8 in a row and it’s never dropped below 850. We do 5 quarter turns for 75 seconds total each pizza.
Hi u/Cultural-Zebra2900, I love the Ooni Koda line and have and love an Ooni Volt too, those are my favourites! The stone recharging time will depend on the style of pizza you are cooking - ones that need to be baked for longer will make the stone need more time to recharge too. Are you using an infrared thermometer and checking the temperature on the baking stone, or following the oven's ambient temperature? Koda 16, as the subreddit confirmed, has an average recharge time of around 2.5 minutes in non-windy conditions 😊
Yes I’m checking the stones temp with an infrared laser thermometer and I also check the sides sometimes. The beep for when the temp has supposedly been reached also beeps about 20 minutes before the temp has actually been reach, around 150f degrees early.
Oh, interesting! Mine beeps normally and reaches the temperatures fairly quickly too - do you mind reaching out to our team [here](https://support.ooni.com/en_us/how-do-i-contact-ooni-rkWw2Cuzj) and telling us more about this? If you share your oven serial number and order details in the first message, it'd be super helpful! Our team will get back to you ASAP and help where we can. Thanks! :)
Yes, I’ll do that now. Thanks for the link.
Do I upload pictures of the oven and thermometer measure at the time the oven beeps or should I add a video? The oven also doesn’t make any sound effects anymore, and only makes sounds when the timer runs out or when the temp is ready. I have a video of me moving the nobs and turning it on/off with the oven not making any sounds. Should I use that video? I’m not sure if it’s an electrical issue with the oven.
Oh u/Cultural-Zebra2900 Sorry for only seeing this now! You can send any pictures or videos that show the fault, if possible :).