Top-rated pizza stones for home cooks

Though ordering a pie from your local restaurant is convenient, preparing a homemade pizza can make for a fun cooking project. By making pizza at home, you can customize it to your liking and ensure it comes out just how you want it. To make pizza from your own kitchen, however, you’ll need a couple important tools, including a high-quality pizza stone.

There are different ways to do so, including using a quality pizza oven. That said, a pizza stone can be a gamechanger if you don’t have a special oven. No matter what style of pizza you like, a pizza stone is the key to making sure the dough cooks evenly and becomes crispy.

SKIP AHEAD: How we picked top-rated pizza stones | Top-rated pizza stones in 2024 | How do pizza stones work? | How to shop for pizza stones 

We spoke with culinary instructors, chefs, pizzeria owners and a pizzaiolo about what to look for when shopping for a pizza stone. Here’s what they recommend keeping in mind: 

• Material: The material of your pizza stone is one of the most important factors to consider. Many of our experts recommend buying a pizza stone made from cordierite, baking steel or cast iron, all of which conduct heat well. The heat that they absorb also makes for crispy, evenly cooked pizza crust, according to our experts. Cordierite, in particular, has a porous surface (one with many tiny holes), which absorbs any excess moisture from pizza dough, further helping it crisp up, according to our experts. 
• Heat resistance: A pizza stone needs to withstand extreme heat so that it can properly cook dough and make the crust crispy. It’s also key for making sure it doesn’t crack in the oven. Brands will typically list the maximum temperature that the pizza stone can withstand on the packaging. Most home ovens max out at 500 degrees Fahrenheit so you’ll want a pizza stone that can withstand this temperature at the very least, according to experts. 

We took several factors into consideration in choosing pizza stones including ratings, material and heat resistance. Every stone on our list is a top-rated product with at least 500 reviews on Amazon and can  withstand heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit or more. We also included some direct recommendations from experts. 

Hans Grill Pizza Stone

This Hans Grill pizza stone is made from porous cordierite, which experts say is an ideal material for making pizza due to its heat conductivity and ability to absorb moisture. It’s also resistant to heat over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and is safe to use indoors and outdoors on grills, according to the brand. The pizza stone, which has a 4.4-star average rating from more than 12,000 reviews, also comes with a wooden pizza peel (the tool used to lift, turn and transfer the pizza) for easy maneuvering. 

Material: Cordierite | Size: 15 x 0.6 in., 14.96 x 11.81 in. | Shape: Circular, Rectangle | Weight: 8.91 lbs., 7.81 lbs., 13.09 lbs. | Maximum heat: 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit 

Nordic Ware Pizza Stone Set

This Nordic Ware set, which has a 4.4 star-average rating from more than 4,000 reviews on Amazon, includes a 13-inch round pizza stone, a pizza cutter and a serving rack to prevent heat from the stone from affecting the surface it’s on, according to the brand. In addition to propping up the pizza stone, the rack’s side handles make maneuvering the stone to and from the oven (or elsewhere) much easier. Plus, you can use it to prepare other foods like calzones, flatbreads and cookies, according to the brand.

Material: Ceramic stoneware | Size: 13 in. | Shape: Circular | Weight: 4.4 lbs. | Maximum heat: 450 degrees Fahrenheit  

Cuisinart Stainless Steel 3-Piece Pizza Grilling Set

Cuisinart is known for making reliable kitchen tools like toaster ovens and bakeware, and this three-piece set is no exception — it has a 4.5-star average rating from more than 11,000 reviews on Amazon. The set includes the pizza stone, a pizza slicer and a folding stainless steel pizza peel that makes storing easier, according to the brand. This pizza stone is made specifically for outdoor grilling and can withstand temperatures above 500 degrees, according to the brand.

Material: Cordierite | Size: 13 in. | Shape: Circular | Weight: 5.98 lbs. | Maximum heat: 800 degrees Fahrenheit

Weber Gourmet BBQ System Pizza Stone with Carry Rack

The cordierite on this Weber pizza stone heats quickly, making for a pizza crust that is both light and crispy, according to the brand. This option is especially great for Weber devotees since it fits with other Weber appliances, such as its charcoal and gas grills. This pizza stone has a 4.6-star average rating from more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon.

Material: Cordierite | Size: 16.7 in. | Shape: Circular | Weight: 4.5 lbs. | Maximum heat: 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit

Unicook Pizza Stone

While many pizza stones on the market are circular in shape, there are also rectangular-shaped options that may be more fitting for your oven or space. This Unicook stone, which has a 4.5-star average rating from more than 8,500 reviews on Amazon, makes it easy to prepare rectangular or square-shaped pizzas, in addition to circular, Neapolitan-style ones or baked goods like cookies or breads, according to the brand. The pizza stone also comes with a scraper for simple cleanup after cooking.

Material: Cordierite | Dimensions: 14.96 x 11.81 in. | Shape: Rectangular | Weight: 6.5 lbs. | Maximum heat: 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit

Lodge 15-inch Cast Iron Pizza Pan

This pizza pan, which comes from Lodge — the brand behind some of the best cast-iron cookware, is made of seasoned cast iron, as opposed to stone. A cast-iron pizza pan also won’t break or shatter if you accidentally drop it on the ground, like one made of stone potentially could, according to Miscovich. That said, if you can handle carrying heavy cast iron cookware, this may be a better choice. The pan, which has a 4.8-star rating from more than 1,500 reviews on Amazon, comes with two side handles and is safe to use both in the oven or on a gas stovetop, according to the brand.

Material: Cast iron | Size: 14 in. | Shape: Circular | Weight: 9.63 lbs. | Maximum heat: 500 degrees Fahrenheit

Honey-Can-Do Rectangular Pizza Stone

Like other pizza stones on our list, this rectangular option is made from cordierite, which allows it to absorb high heat and transfer it evenly throughout the entire surface of the stone, according to the brand. The even distribution of heat is what prevents the pizza from being undercooked in one area and overcooked in another. The large rectangular shape means you can make either Neapolitan or rectangular-style pizza, as well as breads and pastries, according to the brand. It comes in a natural clay color and has a 4.4-star average rating from more than 3,000 reviews. 

Material: Cordierite | Dimensions: 16 x 14 in. | Shape: Rectangular | Weight: 9.86 lbs. | Maximum heat: 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit

The Baking Steel Original

This baking steel comes recommended by Pinello, who’s even used it to make other dishes like fajitas. “It’s simple in style and design, it heats up well and it’s easy to carry and store,” he says. It can cook pizzas within a matter of five minutes, is safe to use on grills, induction cooktops and camp fires, according to the brand. 

Material: Steel | Dimensions: 14 x 16 in. | Shape: Square | Weight: 15 lbs. | Maximum heat: 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit

Thermichef Pizza Steel

In addition to stone and cast iron, steel is a great option for home cooks who want to make pizza from scratch. Pizza steels, such as this one from Thermichef, are even more conductive than pizza stones, and they’re very durable, which means they’re also not prone to cracking, according to the brand The stone, which has a 4.7-star average rating from more than 600 reviews on Amazon, is available in three sizes including square shapes. 

Material: Cordierite | Dimensions: 14 x 20 in., 14x 14 in., 16×16 in. | Shape: Rectangular, Square | Weight: 27.40 lbs, 20.80 lbs., 27.20 lbs.| Maximum heat: 2,000 degrees

Pizza stones can make a noticeable difference in the quality of your homemade pizza. Pizza stones are typically made of cordierite stone, cast iron or baking steel because these materials absorb and conduct heat well. This ensures that the pizza stone cooks food quickly and evenly. “The value of a pizza stone is that it lends thermal mass to the oven environment,” says Miscovich. “Thermal mass is important because it absorbs and holds heat — then it can release that to the food.” That released heat then cooks the pizza dough and makes it crispy.

If you know that you want to buy a pizza stone, but are still unsure where to start, you should first look at a stone’s material. Below, we outline the differences between the most popular options — cordierite, steel and cast iron.   

Cordierite is a mineral commonly used for masonry and ceramic purposes because of its ability to absorb heat and resistance to thermal shock, according to Science Direct, a peer-reviewed literature database. Pizza stones made of cordierite also have very porous surfaces, which absorb excess moisture from food, allowing it to fully cook without becoming soggy. Cordierite pizza stones generally conduct heat well, make food crispy and are more lightweight than steel or cast iron, but they’re also more prone to cracking or shattering, if used improperly. 

A baking steel is made of steel, and is commonly used as an alternative to cordierite. Baking steel is highly conductive, even more than cordierite, according to Miscovich. “A pizza steel has greater conductivity compared to masonry stones,” he says. “That means the heat flows from the steel into the dough at a faster rate than from a stone. That may increase volume in the baked dough since it ‘puffs up’ more before a crust starts to form.” A pizza steel is also extremely durable and won’t crack like stones sometimes do. 

In addition to cordierite and steel, pizza pans are also commonly made of cast iron. A cast-iron pizza pan, like a pizza steel, is not only highly conductive, but quite indestructible, according to our experts. Pizza steels and cast-iron pizza pans conduct heat better than that of stone, and are more resistant to cracking, but they’re heavier and sometimes more expensive, according to Miscovich. Additionally, some pizza steels and cast-iron pizza pans may call for seasoning as part of the cleaning process.

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. 

Cory Fernandez is a commerce editor who covers food, kitchen, cleaning and other lifestyle content. He spoke with several experts in the culinary field, including chefs and cooks with experience preparing pizza about what to look for in a pizza stone and included top-rated items that were in line with their guidance. 

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Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com