Can Ooni Pizza Ovens Be Used In The Rain? Yes & No: Here’s Why

Making pizza in a professional outdoor pizza oven, like the ones offered by Ooni, right in your own backyard, is a dream for many people. But if it’s raining, can Ooni pizza ovens still be used safely outside?

Ooni pizza ovens are safe and fully useable even in rainy weather. In fact, Ooni pizza ovens have been tested in temperatures as low as -22C, or -8F. This means you can reliably use the Ooni Frya, Karu, Koda and Pro lines of pizza ovens even in inclement weather – as long as you’re OK getting wet in the process!

But while Ooni pizza ovens are structurally capable of being used in the rain, there are some reasons why you might not want to in the first place. Let’s go over how Ooni pizza ovens are built to withstand wet and rainy weather, the downsides of using an Ooni in the rain, as well as some tips for using your Ooni pizza oven in less than ideal weather conditions. Keep scrolling to read more.

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If you’re into pizza, you’ve probably heard about Ooni’s amazing outdoor pizza ovens. I reviewed and compared all 6 models so you don’t have to. Buy the right Ooni pizza oven for you.

Oven:	Price:	Key Features:
Ooni Fyra 12	$349	Cheapest oven, wood-fired, light, classic 12″ Neapolitan style
Ooni Volt 12	$999	Fully electric, safe for indoor use pizza oven, 12″, up to 850F
Ooni Koda 12	$399	Cheapest propane oven, ultra-portable, sleek design, classic 12″ Neapolitan style
Ooni Koda 16	$599	Large pizzas, sleek design, propane, natural gas support, portable, thicker stone
Ooni Karu 12G	$429	Cheapest multi-fuel oven (wood, charcoal, propane), classic 12″ Neapolitan style, updated for 2023
Ooni Karu 16	$799	Large Pizzas, multi-fuel (wood, charcoal, propane),

You can store your Ooni oven outside in all sorts of weather using an Ooni oven cover/carryon case. You can find the right oven cover for your oven here.

See Also: Ooni vs Roccbox Pizza Ovens Review

Ooni Pizza Ovens Are Built To Withstand Rain

Ooni is an outdoor pizza oven company based out of Edinburgh, Scotland. This is a fact Ooni likes to point out because, as you might already know, Scotland can get quite cold and rainy for a good part of the year. This means their pizza ovens have been designed for and tested in all kinds of nasty weather situations.

All Ooni pizza ovens are fully insulated and made using stainless steel, which means your Ooni won’t lose heat or rust when used in the rain. This is great news for those of us planning to make pizza for family or guests on a drizzly or rainy day.

For most people, this will mean using their Ooni pizza oven during a period of light precipitation. In this case, you’ll still want to make sure you’re working under some protection from the elements. The outside of the oven might be able to get wet, but your toppings and pizza peel need to stay dry.

Ooni Pizza Ovens Should Not Be Used In Extreme Wind Or Driving Rain

Despite Ooni’s ability to withstand getting wet, you should be advised that these pizza ovens should not be used in extreme weather conditions like high winds or driving (sideways) rain. Under extreme conditions like these, wind and rain can blow into the cooking chamber of the oven and disrupt the cooking process or damage the interior.

This is especially true when you consider that all Ooni pizza ovens features a stone “baking board” as the primary cooking surface. These baking boards, like all pizza stones, should never get wet under any circumstances or you will risk cracking as the water will expand under extreme heat.

In other windy or cold weather situations, you might have trouble keeping the stone at its consistent maximum temperature of around 930F. You might also find that, if using a gas powered Ooni oven, that the flame goes out when you turn the gas down to lower levels. But for most people only cooking 1 or 2 pizzas, this shouldn’t be a major concern.

Related Post: How to Light any Ooni Pizza Oven

How To Use Your Ooni Pizza Oven In The Rain

The main issue with using the Ooni in the rain is keeping water from blowing inside the oven. This can disrupt the cooking process, prevent even heating and even potentially cause the stone to crack. To avoid this, always follow these simple steps when using your Ooni in the rain.

1. Find a good spot to setup your Ooni that’s at least 3 feet (or 1 meter) away from any walls or other parts of your house.
2. Most kinds of surfaces will work fine, thanks to its retractable legs, except for glass and plastic.
3. The Ooni pizza oven will work fine in the rain, but try to find a place with shelter, or use an umbrella, to setup your work station as you don’t want your toppings or peel to get wet.
4. If it’s windy, make sure the wind is facing the back of the Ooni pizza oven. If it’s a wood or charcoal powered oven (like the Karu, Frya and Koda varieties), a gentle wind can actually encourage the flames to radiate through the oven.
5. Whether it’s wood, charcoal or gas, you don’t want wind blowing in through the front or it will blow the flames out through the back of the oven – this is bad and will cause your pizza to cook unevenly.
6. Once you’ve determined that your Ooni is setup shielded from wind in the front and your work bench is sheltered from the rain, you can go ahead and light the oven like normal.
7. Depending on the temperature or wind conditions, you may need to keep the flame going strong at all times to keep it from going out and to prevent the oven from losing too much heat.
8. If it’s charcoal or wood fired, add a small amount of fuel to start and add more as the flame gets going. This encourages air flow and lets the flame grow to a healthy level.
9. As always, keep your children and pets away from the Ooni while it’s lit and never leave it unattended.

How To Store Your Ooni Pizza Oven

Since Ooni pizza ovens can handle cooking in different kinds of weather conditions, you might be tempted to keep your Ooni outside all year long. This isn’t a good idea.

The best place to store your Ooni pizza oven when not in use is indoors, especially if you don’t plan on using it for an extended period of time. If you use your Ooni pizza oven frequently, and live in a moderate climate, you can safely store it outdoors, but make sure it’s covered or sheltered in case of unexpected extreme weather like wind, rain or snow. However, in almost all cases, it’s better to store the Ooni pizza oven indoors – even if it’s a little inconvenient.

Also, remember to make sure that the chimney cap is on when it’s not in use. If it happens to rain while stored outside without the chimney cap, rain can collect inside the oven and damage the interior. Keeping the chimney cap on while not in use outside will help prevent damaging the inner workings of the oven and maximize its lifespan.

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• 70% Hydration Pizza Dough Recipe – No More Dry Crust
• When To Put Your Pizza Stone In The Oven
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