Listen, I’ve been watching pizza oven prices for years now – mostly because I’m the kind of person who thinks spending $500 on a backyard appliance that does exactly one thing is totally reasonable – and what’s happening with Ooni right now is kind of unprecedented. Their Black Friday deals just dropped, and people are losing their minds in a way that seems almost disproportionate to the actual discount. But here’s the thing: when you actually dig into what’s going on, it starts to make sense why your entire neighborhood group chat is suddenly full of pizza oven screenshots.

We’re talking about 20 percent off across pretty much their whole lineup. Which, okay, doesn’t sound earth-shattering until you realize that Ooni basically never does this. These guys are the Apple of pizza ovens – they hold their pricing like it’s a matter of national security. So when they actually discount their stuff, people notice.

The Deals That Started the Frenzy

The flagship model – the Karu 16 – is down to $639 from its usual $799 price tag. That’s real money you’re saving, not the fake “$100 off our made-up original price” nonsense you see everywhere else during Black Friday. I’ve seen this thing in action at a friend’s house, and honestly? It’s kind of absurd how good the pizza comes out. Like, restaurant quality isn’t even the right comparison because most restaurants don’t have ovens that hit 950 degrees.

What You’re Actually Getting

The Karu 16 is their multi-fuel monster. You can run it on wood, charcoal, or gas (with an attachment). Which means you can be a purist about your wood-fired pizza one weekend and then use gas the next when you just want to make dinner without turning it into a whole production. It’s big enough to handle a 16-inch pizza, which is genuinely useful when you’re not cooking for just yourself and your commitment issues.

• Temperature range: Gets up to 950°F, which is actually hotter than most people need but feels great to mention at parties
• Heat-up time: Ready to go in about 20 minutes, faster if you’re using gas
• Portability: Weighs around 40 pounds, so “portable” in the sense that you can move it, not in the sense that you’d want to

But here’s where it gets interesting – the smaller models are also on sale, and for some people, those might actually be the better buy. The Koda 12 is down to $319 from $399, and if you’re just cooking for two or three people, that size is probably more practical anyway. Plus it’s gas-only, which sounds like a limitation until you realize it means you can have pizza ready in literally 15 minutes from deciding you want pizza. That’s faster than delivery in most cities.

Why Everyone’s Freaking Out (And Should They Be?)

Okay, so discounts are nice and all, but what’s actually driving the internet hysteria here? Well, a few things are colliding at once. First, Ooni has spent the last few years becoming weirdly aspirational. You know how Le Creuset dutch ovens became this thing that people put on their wedding registries? Ooni’s kind of in that space now. It’s not just a pizza oven – it’s a whole lifestyle signal that you’re the kind of person who “takes food seriously” or whatever.

The Timing Is Suspicious (In a Good Way)

We’re heading into the holidays, which means people are either buying these as gifts or they’re justifying the purchase to themselves as a gift. “It’s for the family!” they say, as if they’re not the ones who’ll be out there every Saturday making increasingly elaborate pizza combinations. There’s also this thing happening where everyone’s kind of tired of going out to eat – prices are insane, service is spotty, and honestly, staying home has become the new luxury.

Add to that the fact that making pizza at home has somehow become an acceptable dinner party flex. Like, you can invite people over and instead of stressing about cooking a whole meal, you just let them make their own pizzas and suddenly you’re the cool host. It’s genius, actually.

“The best purchase I made in 2023 was hands down my Ooni. I’ve used it at least twice a week since May, and my grocery bill has somehow gone down because we’re not ordering takeout pizza anymore.” – Reddit user on r/pizza

The Models No One Talks About (But Maybe Should)

Everyone obsesses over the Karu 16 because it’s the fancy one, but the Fyra 12 is sitting there at $279 (down from $349) and it’s kind of the best value in the whole lineup? It’s wood pellet-fired, which gives you that authentic flavor without having to become a fire-management expert. You literally just pour pellets into a hopper and it feeds itself.

The Underdog Pick

The thing about the Fyra is that it’s stupidly easy to use. I know people who bought the multi-fuel models with all these grand plans about experimenting with different heat sources, and six months later they’re just using gas every time because it’s convenient. With the Fyra, you don’t have that decision fatigue – it’s pellets or nothing, and that simplicity is actually kind of liberating.

Plus, wood pellets are cheap and you can get them anywhere. We’re not talking about tracking down specialty charcoal or storing massive amounts of firewood. A bag of pellets costs like $20 and lasts for dozens of pizzas. The math actually works out pretty well when you compare it to ordering pizza even once a week.

What the Deal Actually Means for Normal People

Here’s my slightly cynical take: Ooni knows exactly what they’re doing. They’ve built this brand that’s premium enough to feel special but not so expensive that it’s completely out of reach. And by offering 20 percent off during Black Friday – not some wild 50 percent clearance – they’re maintaining that premium position while still giving people the nudge they need to actually buy.

The Real Cost Analysis

Let’s say you get a Koda 12 for $319. You’ll need to pick up a pizza peel (around $30), maybe a cover for it ($50), and some basic ingredients. You’re probably all-in for about $450 to get started. If you’re a family that orders pizza even twice a month at $40 a pop, you’re breaking even in about six months. After that? You’re basically getting free pizza forever. Well, not free – you still have to buy ingredients – but you know what I mean.

• Average cost per homemade pizza: About $3-5 in ingredients, maybe $7-8 if you go fancy with toppings
• Average delivery pizza cost: $25-40 depending on where you live and whether you can resist adding extras
• Savings per pizza: Roughly $20-30, which adds up faster than you’d think

But honestly, the financial justification is kind of beside the point. People aren’t buying these because they ran the numbers and decided it was economically optimal. They’re buying them because they want to make pizza in their backyard and feel like they’re doing something cool. Which, fair enough. We all need our things.

Should You Actually Pull the Trigger?

Look, I’m not going to tell you how to spend your money. But if you’ve been even remotely curious about getting one of these things, this is probably the time. Ooni’s discounts are rare enough that waiting for a better deal is basically just gambling that they’ll do something deeper next year – and they might not.

The question you should really ask yourself is whether you’ll actually use it. I know people who bought these during pandemic times with all these romantic notions about weekend pizza nights, and the oven’s been sitting in their garage for two years. I also know people who use theirs constantly and have gotten weirdly good at making pizza. Like, suspiciously good. The difference seems to be whether you’re the kind of person who gets obsessive about hobbies or the kind who collects abandoned equipment.

Either way, the deals are running through Cyber Monday, which gives you at least a few days to think about whether you really need a $639 outdoor oven that cooks pizza in 90 seconds. Personally? I think if you’re already reading an article about why Ooni Black Friday deals are breaking the internet, you’ve probably already made your decision. You’re just looking for permission. Consider this it. Or don’t – I’m not your financial advisor.