Choosing by space
The best pizza ovens for an outdoor kitchen
A permanent counter removes the constraint that shapes every other page on this site. Once weight stops mattering, the right answer changes completely.
The short answer
The Gozney Arc XL is the default — a 0.8 in stone and a lateral burner in a 58.5 lb body that was never meant to be carried anyway. Step up to the Ooni Koda 2 Max if you are feeding a crowd and have the counter run for a 31 by 28 in footprint. The constraint that replaces weight is clearance, and your oven's manual is the authority on it, not this page.
Every other roundup on this site is shaped, somewhere, by weight. It is the specification that decides whether an oven lives outside or gets carried out, and therefore how often it gets used. An outdoor kitchen deletes that variable entirely — and once it is gone, the ranking genuinely inverts.
How we judged these, before the ranking
We have not cooked on any of them, and we have not installed any of them. No page on this site claims hands-on testing. What follows is published specifications matched to the specific demands of a fixed counter, with a source on every figure. Three criteria:
- Stone thickness first. On a counter you will cook consecutively, for people. Stored energy in the floor is what makes pizzas three and four as good as pizza one, and here it costs you nothing to buy it.
- Chamber size second. Same reasoning — an outdoor kitchen is a hosting setting, and hosting means turning a pizza while talking to somebody.
- Published external dimensions third, because they are what you check your counter run against before you commit to anything.
Weight is deliberately not a criterion on this page. It is the only page here where that is true.
Built-in is not the same as on a counter
This distinction causes more confusion than any other in this category, and getting it wrong is expensive.
None of the ovens on this page is a built-in appliance. They are countertop ovens that happen to be heavy. A true built-in installation — an oven surrounded by masonry on three sides — requires the maker to have certified the appliance for it and to publish clearance figures for that configuration. Enclosing a countertop gas oven traps heat against surfaces that were never rated for it and starves the burner of the air it needs.
What these ovens want is a solid, non-combustible, level surface with open air around and above them. That is exactly what a good outdoor kitchen counter is, and it is why this page exists. Our clearances and surfaces guide covers the requirement in full, and built-in vs portable covers the decision itself — both of which say the same thing we will say here: your own oven's manual is the authority on its clearances, not us.
| Oven | Fuel | Max pizza | Peak temp | Stone | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gozney Arc XL | Propane | 16" | 950 F | 0.8" | 58.5 lb |
| Ooni Koda 2 Max | Propane | 20" | 950 F | 0.8" | 95 lb |
| Ooni Koda 2 Pro | Propane | 18" | 950 F | 0.8" | 66 lb |
| HALO Versa 16 | Propane | 16" | 950 F | not published | 43.54 lb |
Published specifications only. A blank stone-thickness cell means the maker does not publish the figure.
Quick picks
Ranked for fit, not for hype. Every figure below is the maker’s own published number, and “n/p” means they do not publish it — which is itself worth knowing. Tap a row for the full write-up, or go straight to the listing.
| # | Oven | Best for | Max pizza | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gozney Arc XLA lateral rolling flame and two-layer insulation around a 0.8 in stone. | Heat that survives a fourth pizza | 16" | 58.5 lb | $999.99 · Check on Amazon |
| 2 |  Ooni Koda 2 MaxTwo independently controlled burners under a 24 x 21 in stone. | Cooking for a crowd | 20" | 95 lb | $1,298.94 · Check on Amazon |
| 3 |  Ooni Koda 2 ProThe Koda 2 Max's dual burners and 0.8 in stone in a body 29 lb lighter and 4 in narrower. | Dual-zone without the Max footprint | 18" | 66 lb | $798.95 · Check on Amazon |
| 4 |  HALO Versa 16The only oven on this site whose stone turns itself, and the only gas oven here whose maker publishes a BTU rating. | Not having to turn the pizza | 16" | 43.54 lb | $449.00 · Check on Amazon-10% |
| 5 |  EUTRKei oven tableA 45 x 29 in steel cart with a topping station and an extendable side. | Getting the oven off the patio furniture | n/p | n/p | $129.99 · Check on Amazon-7% |
Max pizza and weight are the makers’ published figures, sourced on each write-up below. Neither is a measurement we took, and no column here is a score — we have not cooked on these ovens and will not pretend otherwise.
Top pick · Heat that survives a fourth pizza
Gozney Arc XL Propane Outdoor Pizza Oven
Gozney · Propane
A lateral rolling flame and two-layer insulation around a 0.8 in stone. The Arc XL is the 16 in oven built around heat retention rather than around portability, and it shows on the fourth bake.
Published specification
- Max temperature
- 950 F (500 C)
- External size
- W 20.9" x D 24.8" x H 13.5"
- Internal size
- W 16.8" x D 20.3" x H 6.8"
- Weight
- 58.5 lb bare, 73 lb boxed
- Stone
- Removable 0.8 in (20 mm) cordierite
- Flame
- Lateral rolling gas flame, digital temperature gauge
- Warranty
- 1 year standard, 5 years on registration within 60 days
What it does well
- The lateral flame runs along the side rather than across the back, which is why the Arc needs fewer turns than a rear-burner oven of the same size
- Dense two-layer insulation plus a 0.8 in floor is the combination that holds temperature through consecutive launches
- 6.8 in of internal height is unusually generous — it is the reason thick-rim and pan styles work here
- No assembly, and the digital gauge means you are not guessing at stone temperature
What you give up
- Gozney does not publish a gas input rating either, so burner comparisons against Solo Stove's stated 15,000 BTU are impossible on paper
- 58.5 lb with no folding legs — it moves, but not casually
- Propane only; there is no natural-gas variant of the Arc
Buy it if
Anyone who cooks more than two pizzas in a sitting and is tired of waiting for the stone to come back.
Skip it if
Buyers who want wood flavor, or who need to pack the oven into a car.
Where these numbers came from
Pick 2 · Cooking for a crowd
Ooni Koda 2 Max Propane Gas Pizza Oven
Ooni · Propane
Two independently controlled burners under a 24 x 21 in stone. It is the only oven here that genuinely cooks two different things at two different temperatures, and at 95 lb it is the only one that stops being portable.
Published specification
- Max temperature
- 950 F (500 C)
- Stone
- 24 x 21 in cordierite, 0.8 in thick
- Capacity
- One 20 in pizza, two 12 in, or three 10 in at once
- External size
- 31" L x 28" W x 17" H
- Weight
- 95 lb unboxed
- Burners
- Two, independently controlled — genuine dual-zone
- Included
- Ooni Connect digital temperature hub and one food probe
What it does well
- Dual independent zones are the feature nothing else at this size has: a 60-second Neapolitan on one side while a pan pizza bakes long and low on the other
- 0.8 in stone across 24 x 21 in stores enough heat that consecutive bakes stop degrading, which is the actual limit on every smaller oven
- A 20 in pizza means New York style is finally on the menu without cutting the dough down
What you give up
- 95 lb. This is furniture. Decide where it lives before it arrives, and read the surfaces and clearances guide first
- The footprint is 31 x 28 in — larger than many patio tables can carry safely, and larger than every small-space recommendation on this site
- You pay for two burners whether or not you ever run two zones; a single-zone cook does not need this oven
Buy it if
Households who feed six or more people at a time, or anyone who wants one appliance that does 60-second Neapolitan and long-bake pan on the same evening.
Skip it if
Balconies, small patios, and anyone who will need to move the oven between uses.
Where these numbers came from
Pick 3 · Dual-zone without the Max footprint
Ooni Koda 2 Pro Gas Pizza Oven
Ooni · Propane
The Koda 2 Max's dual burners and 0.8 in stone in a body 29 lb lighter and 4 in narrower. For most households this is the better version of that idea.
Published specification
- Max temperature
- 950 F (510 C); range starts at 320 F
- Stone
- 21" front x 18" rear cordierite, 0.8 in thick
- Max pizza
- 18 in
- External size
- 26.85" x 25.67" x 15.47"
- Weight
- 66 lb (30 kg)
- Burners
- Dual lateral burners with independent controls
- Fuel
- Propane tank or natural-gas line
- Cleaning
- Pyrolytic self-cleaning cycle
What it does well
- Independent dual-zone control at 66 lb rather than 95 lb — the same headline feature as the Max in a body a determined adult can still reposition
- The temperature range starts at 320 F, which is the difference between a pizza oven and an outdoor oven you also roast in
- 0.8 in stone is the thickness that stops the recovery-time problem between back-to-back pizzas
What you give up
- 18 in maximum means a true 20 in New York round is still out of reach — that is Max territory only
- Ooni does not publish a BTU input figure, so there is no way to compare its burner to a Gozney or a Solo Stove on paper
- The Ooni Connect hub is bundled with the Max but not with every Koda 2 Pro configuration — check the listing you are actually buying
Buy it if
The buyer who read the Koda 2 Max specification, wanted the dual zones, and then read the 95 lb line.
Skip it if
A balcony, or a table that is not rated for a 66 lb appliance plus its heat.
Where these numbers came from
Pick 4 · Not having to turn the pizza
HALO Versa 16 Propane Gas Outdoor Pizza Oven
HALO · Propane
The only oven on this site whose stone turns itself, and the only gas oven here whose maker publishes a BTU rating. Both facts are unusual enough to be the reason to buy it.
Published specification
- Max temperature
- 950 F ambient, 750 F stone, in about 12 minutes
- Stone
- 16 in cordierite, motor-driven, rotates 360 degrees. Thickness not published
- Gas input
- 21,100 BTU total. HALO's own FAQ splits this as 11,600 BTU rear and 9,500 BTU infrared
- External size
- 22.44" W x 24.59" D x 14.84" H
- Weight
- 43.54 lb unboxed, 55.12 lb shipping
- Fuel
- Propane, 1 lb canisters or 20 lb tanks. Natural-gas conversion kit HZ-3001-A sold separately
- Stone motor
- 2 D-cell batteries (not included) or the supplied AC adapter
- Warranty
- Five years against defects; electrical components and paint 1 year
What it does well
- The stone rotates under its own motor, which removes the most common cause of a half-burnt home pizza without requiring you to learn the turning technique
- HALO publishes a BTU input rating. Ooni, Gozney and Bertello publish none for any oven, which makes this the only 16 in gas oven here whose burner can be compared on paper at all
- A second, lower infrared burner is aimed at the stone specifically, which is how the oven recovers heat between bakes without relying on a thick floor
- Natural-gas conversion is a published product with a model number rather than a workaround, which is rare outside Ooni
What you give up
- The stone thickness is not published, and that is the specification that normally predicts recovery between bakes. You are trusting the lower burner to do the job mass does elsewhere
- The rotation motor is a moving part in a 950 F appliance, and it needs either batteries or an outlet within reach of the patio. No other oven here has an electrical requirement
- HALO's own FAQ and its retail listings disagree about which burner is 11,600 BTU and which is 9,500. The 21,100 total is consistent; the split is not
- At 43.54 lb it is heavier than an Ooni Koda 16 and has no folding legs, so it is a lift rather than a carry
Buy it if
Someone who wants a 16 in oven and does not want to stand over it turning a pizza every 20 seconds. Particularly a first buyer, or anyone cooking while also hosting.
Skip it if
Anyone chasing the thickest possible stone for back-to-back bakes, or anyone who wants an oven with no electrics in it at all.
Where these numbers came from
Pick 5 · Getting the oven off the patio furniture
EUTRKei 45 x 29 in Pizza Oven Table and Grill Cart
EUTRKei · Accessory
A 45 x 29 in steel cart with a topping station and an extendable side. Its actual job is to stop a 60 lb oven from living on a table that was never rated for it.
Published specification
- Top
- 45" x 29"
- Extras
- Topping station and extendable side desk
- Fits
- Marketed for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove and Blackstone footprints
What it does well
- A dedicated stand is the correct answer to the surfaces and clearances problem — most patio tables are not rated for a 60 lb appliance running at 950 F
- The topping station solves the real workflow problem: you need somewhere to build the pizza within arm's reach of the mouth
- Wheels mean the oven and its cylinder move together
What you give up
- Generic carts do not always match a specific oven's footprint — measure before ordering
- The manufacturer does not publish a weight rating in the listing, which is the one number a stand should state
- Takes up more patio than the oven does
Buy it if
Any oven over about 40 lb, and every setup where the cylinder currently sits on the ground.
Skip it if
A Gozney Arc Lite on a balcony, where the whole point was that it packs away.
Where these numbers came from
What we would skip, and why
A roundup that recommends everything recommends nothing. These are on the shelf next to the picks above, and here is why they are not on the list.
Gozney Arc Lite
The best oven on this site for carrying, and therefore the wrong one here. You would be paying for a 26.4 lb body and a 0.5 in stone in a location where weight costs you nothing and stone thickness is the thing you want most. Buy it for a balcony, not a counter.
Ooni Karu 2
Multi-fuel and 12 in. A permanent outdoor kitchen is actually a good home for a wood oven — ash and fuel storage are solved — but a 12 in chamber has no turning clearance, and an outdoor kitchen is exactly the setting where you will be cooking several pizzas for people.
The gas line question, which is best answered here
A permanent oven position is the one situation where natural gas clearly wins. It never runs out mid-cook, it removes the cylinder from the patio entirely, and the one real drawback — that the oven is tethered permanently — costs you nothing when the oven was never moving anyway.
This eliminates brands before you compare a single specification. Ooni sells factory natural-gas versions of the Koda 16, Koda 2 Pro and Koda 2 Max. HALO sells a published natural-gas conversion kit for the Versa 16, model HZ-3001-A. Gozney offers nothing — the entire Arc family is propane only, and Gozney states directly that the Roccbox cannot be converted. If a gas line is part of your build, that fact may decide the page for you on its own.
Two practical notes. You cannot convert a propane oven yourself — the fuels burn at different pressures and need different orifice sizing, which is why makers sell separate products rather than adapters. And connecting an appliance to a household gas supply is trade work that may need a permit and inspection. Budget for a qualified gas fitter as part of the build, and read natural gas vs propane before the counter is poured, not after.
What to check against your counter before ordering
- The published footprint, plus clearance on every side. The Koda 2 Max is 31 by 28 in before you add any. Measure the run you actually have, not the run you remember.
- Load rating. 95 lb concentrated on four feet is not the same as 95 lb spread over a table. A masonry or concrete counter is fine; a timber-framed one wants checking.
- What is above it. A combustion appliance under a solid roof or pergola is a separate question with a real answer — see covered patios and pergolas. Do not assume the roof you are building is compatible.
- Where the cylinder goes, if you are not running a gas line. It needs a ventilated position outside any enclosed cabinet, and that space has to be designed in rather than found later.
- Power, if you buy the HALO. Its rotating stone runs on two D-cell batteries or a supplied AC adapter, so a nearby outlet is worth designing in.
The one accessory an outdoor kitchen still needs
Landing space. A pizza comes out of a 950 F oven in 90 seconds and needs somewhere to go immediately, and the surface next to the oven is usually occupied by the next pizza waiting to launch. If the counter run is short, a dedicated stand or table beside it solves a real problem rather than an imagined one — tables and stands covers what a stand actually has to do.
How these picks were made
We did not cook on these ovens. Every figure on this page is the maker’s or the listing’s published specification, cited on each write-up so you can check it in one click. The ranking comes from matching those published capabilities to a stated use case — space, pizza size, fuel, and how many pizzas you cook in a row. Where a maker does not publish a number, we say so instead of estimating one.
The full version of that argument, including what we deliberately do not claim, is on our methodology page.
Questions people actually ask
+Can you build a pizza oven into an outdoor kitchen?
+Which pizza oven is best for a built-in outdoor kitchen counter?
+Should an outdoor kitchen pizza oven run on natural gas?
+Does stone thickness matter more in an outdoor kitchen?
+How much clearance does a pizza oven need on a counter?
Sources for this page
