Halo Versa 16 Review: Revolutionary Rotating Pizza Oven

The Hunt for a Truly Great Outdoor Pizza Oven

The outdoor pizza oven market has exploded in recent years, with dozens of manufacturers competing for backyard cooking enthusiasts. Despite all the options, one challenge remains consistent: the need to manually rotate your pizza during cooking to get evenly browned crust and properly melted toppings.

HALO Products Group aims to solve this problem with their Versa 16 Propane Gas Outdoor Pizza Oven. Its main selling point? A 360° rotating stone and patented dual burner system that promises to eliminate manual rotation while delivering consistent results from the first pizza to the last.

At $499.99, the Halo Versa 16 positions itself in the mid-premium segment, competing directly with established players like Ooni and Gozney. We've tested it thoroughly over multiple cooking sessions with different pizza styles to determine if this innovative design delivers on its promises.

Key Features & Setup

The Halo Versa 16 arrives well-packaged and assembly takes about 45 minutes with clear instructions. At 43.5 pounds, it's heavier than some competitors, but this reflects its substantial build quality and durable materials.

Revolutionary Dual Burner System

Unlike most pizza ovens that only heat from above, the Versa 16 features:

• Back burner: Provides traditional overhead heat for properly melting and browning toppings
• Under-stone infrared burner: Maintains consistent stone temperature for perfectly cooked crusts

This clever design solves one of the biggest issues with traditional ovens: temperature recovery between pizzas. In testing, the stone temperature remained remarkably consistent even when cooking multiple pizzas back-to-back.

Rotating Stone Technology

The standout feature is the 16-inch cordierite cooking stone that rotates 360° during cooking. This eliminates the need to manually turn pizzas, provides even cooking from all angles, and drastically reduces the learning curve for beginners.

The stone rotation can be powered by either the included AC adapter or two D-cell batteries for portable use. A hinged clamshell lid provides excellent heat retention and easy access to the entire cooking chamber.

User-Friendly Controls

Operation is intuitive with a gas control dial featuring clear detents at Low, Medium, and High positions, a simple button for ignition, and a toggle switch for the rotation mechanism. The oven works with both standard 20lb propane tanks and portable 1lb canisters, making it versatile for home use and travel.

Cooking Performance

From cold start, the Versa 16 reaches cooking temperature in 15-20 minutes. Using an infrared thermometer, we observed:

• After 15 minutes: 650-700°F
• After 20 minutes: 750-800°F
• After 30 minutes: 900-950°F (in moderate ambient temperature)

We tested multiple pizza styles with impressive results across the board:

Neapolitan & New York Style Pizzas

For Neapolitan pizzas, we preheated to maximum temperature and achieved perfect leoparding (the characteristic spotted pattern) across the entire crust in just 90 seconds. For New York-style, a medium-high setting (700-750°F) with a 3-4 minute cook time produced a perfect crisp exterior while maintaining a chewy interior.

The dual burner system really shines when cooking multiple pizzas. In one session, we made eight pizzas back-to-back, and the cooking quality remained virtually identical from first to last. This consistency is a major advantage over many competing ovens that struggle to maintain performance after the first two or three pizzas.

Ease of Use

The greatest performance advantage is the minimal learning curve. Traditional pizza ovens require developing skill to launch, rotate, and remove pizzas at precisely the right moments. The Versa 16 eliminates much of this complexity. If you can launch a pizza onto the stone (a skill that takes some practice regardless of oven type), the rotating mechanism takes care of the rest.

The oven also performs admirably for cooking other foods like roasted vegetables, flatbreads, and even steaks in cast iron pans.

How It Compares to Competitors

Vs. Ooni Koda 16

The Ooni Koda 16 ($599) is perhaps the most direct competitor. Key differences include:

• The Koda uses an L-shaped burner that still requires manual rotation, while the Versa's dual burner system with rotating stone eliminates this step
• The Versa maintains temperature much better between pizzas, while the Koda tends to lose significant heat after 2-3 pizzas
• The Koda's front-opening design can make it challenging to access the back of the cooking area, while the Versa's hinged lid offers complete access
• The Koda is lighter and more portable, weighing about 40% less than the Versa

Vs. Gozney Roccbox

The Gozney Roccbox ($499) is another popular competitor:

• The Roccbox has a smaller 12" cooking surface compared to the Versa's 16"
• Like the Koda, the Roccbox cooks primarily from above, requiring manual rotation
• The Roccbox has excellent insulation and heat retention, comparable to the Versa
• The Roccbox is more portable with a folding leg design and carrying strap

For single pizza cooking, both produce excellent results, but the Versa's rotating stone and larger size make it more convenient for entertaining or making multiple pizzas.

Customer Service Excellence

HALO Products Group offers an industry-leading 5-year warranty and has earned a reputation for exceptional customer service. Reviews frequently mention their responsiveness, fast replacement of parts when needed, and US-based support team. This level of support becomes particularly important for products with mechanical elements like the rotating stone mechanism.