The Ooni Karu 12 hits 950°F in about 15 minutes. That heat is the entire point. It turns a ball of dough into a proper Neapolitan pizza with leopard-spotted char in 60 seconds flat. Most countertop ovens struggle to get hot enough for that kind of result. This one does it with wood, charcoal, or an optional gas burner attachment if you want convenience over ritual.

The cooking chamber is compact, which is a feature, not a bug. That small interior holds heat aggressively and recovers temperature instantly after you slide a pizza in. You will burn the first one. You will learn to rotate it every 20 seconds with the included turning peel. The stone floor conducts heat directly into the crust, giving you that puffy cornicione and a bottom that actually crisps rather than steams.

There is a learning curve. You are managing fire and airflow manually, not pressing buttons. That matters if you want consistent results fast. The gas burner attachment solves that, but it costs extra. For the price, the Karu 12 delivers restaurant-level output in a package that fits on a patio table. It does one thing well, and it does it at temperatures most home ovens cannot touch.