We pick the Ooni Koda 2 Gas Pizza Oven
Buy the Koda 2 unless you only ever bake for two. It takes a 14 inch pizza against 12 inches, and its 0.6 in stone holds heat better than the Arc Lite's 12 mm floor, which needs a breather between bakes. That matters most when friends are waiting for the next pie. The Arc Lite costs around $399.99 against $498.95 and weighs 26.4 lb against 35.27 lb, so it is the easier oven to carry and the cheaper way in. Neither has a thermometer, so budget for an infrared gun with either.
What actually differs
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Pizza size
The Koda 2 takes a 14 inch pie. The Arc Lite takes one 12 inch pie, which feeds one or two well.
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Pie after pie
The Koda 2's thicker stone keeps the second and third pizzas browning like the first. The Arc Lite's 12 mm stone gives back heat faster and wants a pause.
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Weight and price
The Arc Lite weighs 26.4 lb and costs about $100 less. The Koda 2 weighs 35.27 lb, still one person's carry.
How they score, category by category
The Ooni Koda 2 scores higher in 3 categories, the Gozney Arc Lite in 2 categories. One is level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 8.4 Better by 0.2Gozney Arc Lite 8.2Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 8.4A 950 °F ceiling and a 0.6 in stone fed by a tapered flame; held back by no built-in way to read the floor.
Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 8.2
It reaches the same 950 F as the Arc, but the 12 mm stone gives back heat faster, so back-to-back pies need a short pause.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 7.7Gozney Arc Lite 7.9 Better by 0.2Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 7.9Five years of cover after registration is strong, yet a thin stone has less margin against cold dough and rough handling.
Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 7.7
Five years of cover once registered within 60 days, but the painted carbon steel shell lives outdoors and asks for a cover.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 8.2Gozney Arc Lite 8.4 Better by 0.2Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 8.4The fully insulated shell stays cool to the touch and sits square on its feet, though it lacks the Arc's heavier wall packing.
Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 8.2
Stainless legs and internal base with an aluminum nose and back feel solid at 35.27 lb without making it a boat anchor.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 7.6 Better by 0.5Gozney Arc Lite 7.1Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 7.6Spark ignition and one dial are simple, but turning every pizza by hand through a 3.2 in mouth takes practice.
Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 7.1
No dial readout means guessing stone heat without a separate infrared gun, and the 3.35 inch slot leaves little room for a wobbly peel.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 8.7Gozney Arc Lite 8.7Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 8.7Around $499 with the regulator and hose included, and the stone upgrade costs nothing extra over the old Koda formula.
Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 8.7Around $399.99 buys Gozney's rolling flame and an insulated body at half the Arc's price, even after budgeting for a thermometer.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreOoni Koda 2 8.8 Better by 0.7Gozney Arc Lite 8.1Why the Ooni Koda 2 scores 8.8Propane leaves no ash, and a hot burn-off clears the stone; there is little else to clean.
Why the Gozney Arc Lite scores 8.1
A cracked floor is a cheap swap rather than a dead oven, but brushing ash from the back of so cramped a chamber takes patience.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Ooni Koda 2 | Gozney Arc Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.4 Better | 8.2 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.7 | 7.9 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.2 | 8.4 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 7.6 Better | 7.1 |
| Value (12%) | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.8 Better | 8.1 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.2 | 8.1 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You bake for a family or friends and want a 14 inch pizza that travels.
Check price →You bake for one or two, carry the oven often, and want to spend $100 less.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.