Ooni – your first pizza, settings and troubleshooting
Preheating, flame setting and when to turn. A walkthrough of the Ooni models plus fixes for burnt bottoms, pale tops and gas in the cold. Updated 2026.
Quick answer: Preheat for 15–30 minutes depending on model and fuel, keep the flame directed away from the side that has already scorched too much, and turn the pizza every 15 to 20 seconds with a turning peel. The most common problems are a burnt bottom from too long without turning and a raw top from insufficient dome heat.
Before your first pizza
Run the oven at full power until the stone is heated through, not just the air – check with an infrared thermometer if you have one, otherwise allow at least 15–20 minutes for gas models and longer for wood-fired models.
Common faults and fixes
Burnt bottom, pale top: the flame/dome is not giving enough heat from above relative to the floor – see burnt bottom and pale top for the fix. Raw top despite a long time in the oven: wait longer for the preheat before you start baking. Weak flame in the cold: see the winter problem with gas in gas pizza ovens.
Turning technique
Turn the pizza towards the flame every 15 to 20 seconds rather than leaving one side still – see the full technique in turning the pizza. A recipe to practise on: margherita.
