Can You Use Wood Pellets in the Ooni Karu 12? How I Do It
Disclosure: This post isn't sponsored by Ooni. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Short answer: Yes, I use wood pellets in my first-generation Ooni Karu 12, and they've worked well for me since Christmas 2024. One important note up front: Ooni's own Karu 12 page lists wood and lump charcoal as the fuels, not pellets specifically. So this is what works for me, not an official Ooni recommendation.
Here's how I run my Karu 12 on pellets, step by step.
Why I Use Pellets in My Karu 12
Easy to find and store: a bag of pellets is simple to keep on hand.
Easy to top up: you can add a small scoop between pizzas to keep the heat up.
It gets hot: my oven reaches pizza temperature in about 15 minutes. Ooni says the Karu 12 hits 850°F in as little as 15 minutes, with a max of 950°F.
How I Fire Up the Karu 12 With Pellets
Clear the ash first. Before every cook, I empty the fuel tray so the fire gets good airflow. Old ash smothers the fire.
Load the fuel tray at the back and light it.
Let it heat with the chimney on. The chimney keeps smoke moving up and out, and its damper controls airflow.
Check the stone, not the air. The Karu 12 has no built-in thermometer, so I check the baking stone with an Ooni infrared thermometer before launching.
Add fuel between every pizza. With solid fuel, the oven is only as hot as the fire you keep feeding.
My Biggest Pellet Tip
Make adding a little fuel part of your routine between every pizza, not something you do once the flames look low. If you launch pizza after pizza without topping up, the next one won't cook as well.
Pellets vs. Wood vs. Charcoal vs. Gas in the Karu 12
Wood and lump charcoal: the fuels Ooni officially lists for the Karu 12.
Wood pellets: what I use. Easy to add between pizzas, but you need to keep feeding the fire.
Gas: needs Ooni's optional gas burner, sold separately. Best if you want press-a-button convenience.
FAQ
Can you use wood pellets in an Ooni Karu 12?
I do, and it works well for me. Ooni's page lists wood and lump charcoal rather than pellets, so check your manual and decide what you're comfortable with.
How long does the Karu 12 take to heat up?
About 15 minutes in my experience.
How long does a pizza take?
Roughly 60 to 90 seconds once the stone is hot.
More on the Karu 12
For heat-up, accessories, and how the Karu 12 compares to the Karu 2 and Karu 2 Pro, read my full Ooni Karu 12 review after almost 2 years, or watch my video where I cook three pizzas back to back on pellets.
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