Ooni Pizza Oven Accessories: What Most People Get Wrong

You finally did it. You dropped several hundred dollars on a sleek, stainless steel Ooni, and you’re dreaming of that leopard-spotted crust you see on Instagram. But then you realize something. Your first pizza is stuck to the stone. Your hands are singed. The middle is raw, and the crust is carbonized. It’s frustrating. Most people think buying the oven is the end of the investment, but honestly, the oven is just the engine. You need the right tires and steering wheel to actually drive the thing. When we talk about ooni pizza oven accessories, we aren't just talking about "nice-to-haves." We are talking about the difference between a $12 charred frisbee and a world-class Margherita.

I’ve spent hundreds of hours hovering over a Koda 16. I’ve burnt my knuckle hair. I’ve ruined dinner parties. Through that trial by fire, I’ve learned that the Ooni ecosystem is full of shiny toys you don’t need and a few boring tools you absolutely do.

The Launch is Everything: Choosing Your Peels

If you can’t get the pizza into the oven, nothing else matters. This is the "launch," and it is the most stressful five seconds of any backyard cookout.

Most beginners grab a solid metal peel and call it a day. That’s a mistake. Metal is sticky. If there is even a microscopic amount of moisture in your dough, it will bond to that metal like glue. You’ll go to flick the pizza into the oven, the toppings will fly forward, and the dough will stay put, folding into a "pizza snorkel." It’s a mess.

The Wooden vs. Perforated Debate

Professional pizzaiolos usually suggest a wooden peel for the launch. Wood is porous. It absorbs a tiny bit of the moisture from the bottom of the dough, creating a literal cushion of air. I personally use the Ooni Bamboo Pizza Peel. It’s sturdy, and it doubles as a serving board. But it’s thick. You can't really get under a cooked pizza with it to take it out.

That’s why you need a second peel. A perforated metal one.

The holes in a perforated peel serve two purposes. First, they reduce friction. Second, and more importantly, they let the excess flour fall through. If you launch a pizza with a solid metal peel, all that extra semolina or 00 flour stays on the stone. It burns instantly. It tastes bitter. It smells like a campfire gone wrong. By using a perforated peel, you shake off the "acrid" flavor before the dough even hits the stone.

Temperature Management is the Secret Sauce

Stop guessing. Seriously.

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I see people timing their preheat with a stopwatch. "The manual says 20 minutes, so it’s ready." No, it isn't. Ambient temperature, wind speed, and the type of gas or wood you’re using change everything. If your stone is 500°F and your air is 900°F, you will burn the top and have raw dough on the bottom.

You need an Infrared Thermometer.

This is the most non-negotiable of all ooni pizza oven accessories. You point the laser at the center of the cordierite stone. You’re looking for roughly 750°F to 850°F ($400°C$ to $450°C$) for a standard Neapolitan. Without this tool, you are flying blind. Ooni sells their own version, but any high-heat industrial IR thermometer from a hardware store works, provided it reads up to at least 1000°F.

The Turning Peel: The Learning Curve That’s Worth It

Once the pizza is in, you have about 15 to 30 seconds before the side closest to the flame starts to scorch. In a small oven like the Karu 12 or Koda 12, space is tight. You could pull the whole pizza out with your big launch peel, rotate it with your fingers (don't do that), and shove it back in.

Or you can use a turning peel.

It’s a small, circular metal disc on a long handle. It takes practice. You’ll probably tear a few crusts while learning the "flick" technique. But once you master it, the pizza never leaves the heat. You keep it spinning, ensuring an even bake. It’s the difference between a "home-cooked" look and something that looks like it came out of a brick oven in Naples.

Handling the Heat and the Mess

We need to talk about the boring stuff. Cleaning and safety.

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After three or four pizzas, your stone is going to have some burnt flour and maybe a bit of escaped mozzarella on it. Do not wash the stone with water. Cordierite is like a sponge; it will soak up the water and crack the next time you heat it up. Instead, you need a long-handled wire brush with a scraper.

The Ooni Pizza Oven Brush is okay, but I’ve found that any heavy-duty pizza stone brush works. You just need to reach the back of the oven without melting your arm hair. Scrape the debris, brush it to the edges, and let the heat "self-clean" the rest.

Weatherproofing Your Investment

If you leave your Ooni outside without a cover, you are asking for trouble. Even if it's stainless steel. Spiders love to crawl into the gas burner tubes and spin webs. These webs block the gas flow, leading to "yellow flame" issues or burners that won't stay lit.

A fitted cover is essential. It’s not just about rain; it’s about dust, bugs, and humidity. If you have a Koda, the cover usually has straps so you can carry it like a suitcase. It’s practical.

Advanced Gadgets: The "Nice-to-Haves"

Once you have the peels and the thermometer, you’re 90% there. But there are a few other bits of gear that make the experience less chaotic.

• Digital Scales: You should be measuring your dough ingredients in grams. Period. A standard kitchen scale is fine, but for yeast and salt, you need a "Jeweler’s scale" that measures to 0.1g increments.
• Dough Scraper: A simple bench scraper helps you divide dough balls without tearing the gluten structure.
• Proofing Containers: You can use Tupperware, but dedicated stackable proofing boxes keep the dough from skinning over and drying out during a long cold ferment in the fridge.

The Cast Iron Factor

One of the most underrated ways to use an Ooni is for things that aren't pizza. Since these ovens can hit temperatures your indoor oven can only dream of, they are incredible for searing steaks or roasting vegetables.

However, you can’t just throw any pan in there. The handles will melt, or the metal will warp. Ooni’s "Grizzler" pan or a standard Lodge cast iron skillet (with the handle removed or protected) works best. The high ceiling of the Koda 16 makes this easy; the Karu 12 is a bit more cramped for cast iron work.

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Misconceptions About Wood vs. Gas Accessories

A lot of people buy the Karu (the multi-fuel model) and immediately go out and buy a massive axe and a cord of firewood. Don't.

For these small ovens, you need "Kilu" dried hardwood oak or birch, chopped into very small pieces—about 5 inches long and 1 inch thick. If the wood is too big, the door won't close. If it’s too wet (more than 20% moisture), it won't get hot enough and will produce thick black smoke that ruins the flavor.

If you are using gas, the "accessory" you actually need is a spare propane tank. There is nothing worse than running out of gas when the stone is halfway to temperature.

Actionable Next Steps for New Owners

If you just unboxed your oven, don't buy everything at once. The "starter pack" culture is a trap. Start with the basics and evolve as your skills do.

1. Prioritize the Infrared Thermometer. You cannot cook consistently without it. This is your first purchase.
2. Get two peels. One wooden (for launching) and one metal (for retrieving and turning). If you only buy one, make it a thin metal perforated peel, but be prepared to use a lot of flour to prevent sticking.
3. Buy a cover. Protect the burner tubes from spiders and the stone from moisture.
4. Practice your "Dry Launch." Before you even fire up the oven, put a piece of cardboard on your peel and practice the flicking motion onto your kitchen counter. It sounds silly, but muscle memory is what prevents "pizza snorkels."
5. Use 00 Flour. It’s designed for high heat. Standard All-Purpose flour will burn at 800°F before the dough is even cooked.

The world of ooni pizza oven accessories is vast, and it’s easy to get distracted by modular tables and specialized topping stations. Those are great if you have the budget, but they won't make your pizza taste better. Focus on heat management and the physics of the launch. The rest is just window dressing.

Cooking with fire is an art of variables. You’re managing the dough hydration, the ambient wind, the stone temp, and the flame height all at once. It’s chaotic, it’s hot, and it’s occasionally stressful. But when you pull out that perfect pie with the bubbling crust and the charred bottom, you’ll realize that having the right tool for the job wasn't just about convenience—it was about the result.

Get your stone hot. Keep your peel dry. And for heaven's sake, watch the flame.

Summary of Essential Tools

Ultimately, your setup should reflect how you cook. If you're a casual weekend warrior, the basics are plenty. If you're chasing the perfect Neapolitan, the precision of digital scales and turning peels becomes mandatory. Just remember: the oven is the heart, but the accessories are the hands.