Best Pizza Stones: Upgrade Your Homemade Pizza Game
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CastElegance Pizza and Baking Stone -
Unicook Cordierite Pizza Stone -
All-Clad Pizza Stone -
Heritage 15-Inches Ceramic Pizza Stone -
Old Stone Oven 14-Inch by 16-Inch Pizza Stone -
Chef's Pomodoro 12" Pizza Stone -
Bialetti Good Cook Pizza Stone -
Buyer's Guide
Most of home cooks can't afford to have a stone pizza oven at home, but that doesn't mean they can't bake delicious, authentic pizza. A pizza stone is widely considered to be the best piece of bakeware for making pizza in a standard oven. These stones are often made from ceramic or soapstone, materials that don't transfer heat easily, which means that pizza stones heat up slowly and stay hot for a long time. When selecting the best pizza stones in 2022, we looked for stones that are durable, relatively easy to care for, and capable of producing a perfectly crispy crust every time. You'll want to be sure to follow the care instructions for your particular pizza stone, but most cannot be put directly in a hot oven. Instead, stones should be placed in the oven before it's turned on and heated as the oven heats up.
Detailing the Best Pizza Stones of 2022
CastElegance Pizza and Baking Stone - Best Overall
This baking stone comes with a large 16’’ round surface to accommodate your largest pizzas. Made from fired Thermarite, it is designed to withstand thermal shock and won’t smoke or give off any odor at high temperatures. It comes with a thick porous core to absorb moisture for crisp crusts. You can use it in stoves, grills, and also closed chambers like ovens. The smooth surface is easy to scrap and clean. And with every pizza stone you buy, you get a free scrapper, a pizza recipe ebook, and usage instructions.
Unicook Cordierite Pizza Stone - Most Durable
Amongst the vast variety of round pizza stones, the Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone comes as a rectangular option. It measures 14.96 x 11.81 x 0.59 inches in dimensions giving you ample space to work on. It is great for creating panoramic pizzas or for creating several smaller ones. You can use it in your home oven or even on an outdoor grill.
This pizza stone is constructed with all natural formulated cordierite, molded under 400 Tons of pressure, and sintered in 2100°F kiln for several hours for strength and durability. It boasts excellent heat retention and thermal shock capabilities. It has a unique porous structure. The numerous invisible pores on the surface absorb excess moisture to create a crisp crust every time.
All-Clad Pizza Stone - Runner Up
For baking, cutting, and serving pizzas with perfectly crispy crusts, the All-Clad Pizza Stone with Serving Tray and Cutter is a great choice. The stone itself is made from soapstone, a porous material that traps heat and absorbs moisture. With a 13-inch diameter, it can be used to make a personal-sized pizza, or a pizza that can serve two for a meal, or more for an appetizer. Once the pizza is cooked, the stone can be carried in the serving tray so that your pizza stays hot while you serve. This set is also made to last, and is backed by a lifetime warranty.
Heritage 15-Inches Ceramic Pizza Stone - Popular With Consumers
The heat-resistant coating of this pizza stone from Heritage protects the black ceramic stone when it is placed in an oven at a high temperature. There is a protective coating on the surface of the stone that protects the stone from smoldering, so the flavor of your pizza will also not be affected. As a bonus, the nonstick coating on this baking stone prevents the dough from adhering to the bottom and creating an unappetizing mess. This oven pizza stone is easy to clean and appears like new with a simple soapy sponge and a quick rinse. A pizza cutter is included in the package to help you enjoy party time to the fullest. It is also great for professional and commercial use because of its long-term durability.
Old Stone Oven 14-Inch by 16-Inch Pizza Stone - Also Consider
If you're hoping to make a large pizza that will feed a whole family, a rectangular pizza stone gives you a lot of surface area to work with. The Old Stone Oven Pizza Stone is 14.5 by 16.5 inches, making it roomy enough for one large, or two medium-sized pizzas. Thanks to ridges on the bottom of the stone, it's also easy to get a grip on when you're taking it off the counter. The stone itself heats up evenly and holds heat well, so it cooks pizzas quickly. Old Stone Oven has been making pizza stones for over 40 years, and is one of the most popular pizza stone manufacturers in the world.
Chef's Pomodoro 12" Pizza Stone - Consider
A durable baking surface, the Chef's Round Pizza Stone is one of the best you can buy. This stone is not actually stone, but a special ceramic composition that holds heat well, cleans up easily, and resists cracking, even when shocked with a sudden exposure to high heat. The ceramic stone is smooth, non-absorbent, and resists sticking, making it easy to clean. Unlike most other pizza stones, this one is safe to use in the oven or the microwave, though you'll need an industrial microwave to fit this 16.5-inch diameter pizza stone inside.
Bialetti Good Cook Pizza Stone - Contender
Bialetti Pizza Stones are some of the most popular with home cooks because they are well-made and easy to use. The ceramic material is able to absorb excess moisture as a pizza bakes, so pizzas never come out with soggy crusts. The stone also holds onto heat exceptionally well, which makes it ideal for use as a serving platter after the pizza is finished baking. Bialetti makes pizza stones in a variety of different sizes, making it easy to choose a stone that will fit in your oven, no matter how large or small. When it's time to clean up, the stone can be scraped clean or rinsed with water.
Buyer's Guide
Best pizza stone
If you have ever wanted to create a pizza of the same quality as those made in the best restaurants out there, you need a Pizza stone. Pizza stones handle the very high temperatures required for cooking the pizza evenly and quickly. These stones are made using different materials such as cordierite, ceramic, steel, and clay. In this piece, we will be exploring how you can buy the best pizza stones out there.
How effective are pizza stones?
Pizza stones are very effective if you want to get the best taste without much effort. With these stones, you will select the type of crusts you desire. You can opt for crispy or not, dark or light, and any other preference.
Also, many of the pizza stones out there come with a non-stick surface making them easy to clean. If you are someone who bakes regularly, they are ideal. Aside from being used for making pizza, they can also make other foods such as cookies and bread.
What are the materials used in making pizza stones?
To make the most of your pizza stone, you need to know the materials they are made from. Here is a breakdown of some of the notable materials.
Cordierite stone
Pizza stone made using cordierite evenly distributes heat without burning the pizza. Cordierite is durable and does not crack. Although they have similarities with ceramic stone, they are more robust.
Pizza stones made using this material are usually non-absorbent and lead-free from lead.
Clay
Clay ranks as the most popular baking stone out there. This stone delivers the best texture. It absorbs the oven’s heat and transfers it to the pizza being cooked. One drawback with this stone is that it takes longer to preheat and isn’t easy to clean. Also, clay is easier to break, and it is brittle.
Ceramic
Although it cracks with ease, ceramic is another popular material in making pizza stones. It is ideal for people who started backing as they only need water and soap for cleaning, and it is easy to take care of.
Its major drawback is that it is not as conductive as the other types.
Cast Iron
People love using cast iron because they have a low melting point. They are flexible and have handles on either side. This feature makes it easier to move it from one point to another using gloves.
Steel
Baking steel is one of the most prominent stones used in baking pizza. Steel has some similarities with cast iron, even though it burns quicker than cast iron. Steel pans can cook pizza at the lowest temperature because they conduct heat faster.
Things to consider before purchasing a pizza stone
Before you buy a pizza stone, here are some things you should consider.·
Shape
Many believe that a round stone will make better pizza because pizzas are round. But the chances are that you will get a better deal with rectangular stones. With round rocks, you have to aim for perfection with the edges. Rectangular stones, which are usually larger, often hold more heat because of their larger size. Rectangular stones are more versatile. This means you can use them for baking other things such as bread.· Stone sizeUsing a larger stone does not only help you hold more heat, but it also gives you more space for more giant pies. If you are looking for a rock for your home oven, a dimension of 16 by 14 inches should suffice. For cordierite stone, ensure to go for a thicker one because they are less susceptible to cracking.
Stone material
Between cast iron, steel, and cordierite, steel absorbs and transfers heat the quickest making it the best for making pizza at home. Cordierite stones can make decent pizza, but they conduct less heat than steel; hence the crust is often less developed and looks paler. But if you intend to use your stone for flat baking bread, cordierite stones are the best choice because other materials may burn the leaves.
Cast iron is a balanced stone because it shares cordierite and steel features baking for flat. The big challenge with them is that they can only be found in circular pans that are not as flexible.
Cost
Pizza stones are slabs of materials, so you shouldn't find them priced too high. Most cordierite stones cost between $40 and $60, while steel stones cost between $70 and $90. If you find stones priced higher, you may not get something better.
The stone’s weight
Although lighter stones are easier to move in and out of an oven, heavier stones usually produce better pizza. Heavy stones often hold more heat and create a well-browned pizza. Usually, pizza stones weigh about 9 pounds, even though some weigh up to 16 pounds.
Gas or electric oven
If you are using a gas oven, you should leave some space on both sides of the stove to ensure easy movement of air. Also, provide you know your oven’s size because not all stones will fit into your range. The easiest way to know this is to measure the cavity of your oven's width and depth.
FAQs
Q. What makes pizza stones important?
Pizza stones help your oven’s size make standard restaurant pizza from the comfort of your home. Several pizza joints often use wood-fired or commercial ovens that reach up to 900 F, giving it the brown crust. Pizza stones help to recreate this type of look and taste.
Q. Is it necessary to preheat the pizza stone?
Yes, you do. You can only enjoy the benefits of using a pizza stone if it gets preheated. You should preheat them for about 2 hours which is enough time to get the rocks hot enough.
Q. Is it possible to cook frozen pizza on the pizza stone?
When you place frozen items on this stone, it creates thermal shocks, which in turn causes the rocks to crack. You should thaw the frozen pizza before you put it on the stone.
Q. What made my stone crack?
Steel and cast iron stones ought not to ever crack because they are both durable. Most cracking occurs with cordierite stones because of their delicate nature.
Final thoughts
By now, we are sure you know all there is to buy the best pizza stone for your home use. Pizza stones are a game-changer. You do not need to go all the way to a restaurant to pick up your crisp brown layered pizza with them. The tips outlined in this article have been well researched to help you make the right choice.
