Buying guide for The best pizza stones

With three million pies sold in the U.S. each year, our love of pizza knows no bounds. Millions of pizza lovers take to the internet to profess their love of Chicago deep dish, New York thin slice, and New Haven coal-fired pie. We occupy Instagram with photos, recipes, and videos of our favorite toppings.

Sadly, though, we can’t always be near our favorite pizzeria when the mood strikes. That is when we must take to the oven to do it ourselves. Even if you don’t have years of training in Naples or New York’s Lower East Side, it’s fairly easy to replicate a professional pie without a giant wood or coal-burning oven and dough-tossing skills.

By placing a ceramic or stone slab known as a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven, expert cooks and amateur diners can create delicious, evenly baked pizzas with crisp crusts to fill the hearts and stomachs of pizza lovers.

A pizza stone’s ability to retain and distribute heat helps create bread that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Why use a pizza stone?

A pizza stone provides a simple, inexpensive way to improve the taste of a fresh or frozen pie. It also somewhat replicates the cooking method used in restaurants.

Although smaller in size, the pizza stone acts like the floor of a large, commercial pizza oven which radiates heat around the pie while it bakes.

You can use a pizza stone for more than just fresh or frozen pizza prep. A good pizza stone can be used to bake bread, cookies, and muffins. And it’s an ideal platform for defrosting and/or warming up frozen appetizers.

Don't feel defeated if your first pizza doesn't turn out perfect. It takes a few burnt pies to make the perfect one.

Anatomy of a pizza stone

The word “stone” is somewhat of a misnomer. Pizza stones are made from a wide variety of materials, stone and otherwise. These materials tolerate the high heat required to bake pizza without cracking.

Stones come in a variety of shapes: round, rectangular, square, and in sets that assemble like a jigsaw puzzle.

A number of consumer-oriented pizza stone packages include racks that can be used to hold the stone after it comes out of the oven.

The peel

A pizza stone is often accompanied by a pizza peel, which resembles a flat shovel with a long handle.

Often made of wood, the peel provides a safe, easy way for you to place your pie on top of the heated stone.

You can also use the peel to remove the pie after it has been cooked.

Finding the right pizza stone

Pizza pans are made of various materials; some are natural and others are man-made.

We suggest that you base your choice on the stone’s material, as variances in the material will cause your pizza to cook differently. In addition, some materials are far more durable than others.

• Lead-free clay is the classic pizza stone material. It’s known for its ability to render a crispy crust, but it requires a lengthy preheat time in order to come to temperature.
• Cordierite is a mineral that can handle extreme temperatures quite well. Resistant to thermal shock, it is also the material used to make kiln shelves.
• Stoneware is a generic name for ceramic. While a good conductor of heat, stoneware has a tendency to crack if not preheated properly.
• Ceramic stone distributes heat well, but it must be carefully preheated in order to avoid cracking.
• Other materials used for pizza stones include cast iron, which has a heat limit of 400°F, and the relatively new steel “stones” which are great heat conductors, albeit heavy and expensive.

Tips for using a pizza stone

Here are some tips for making the most of your pizza stone:

• If you love kitchen products with multiple functions, select a durable, heat-conducive stone that will also allow you to roast vegetables, finish off the perfect grilled cheese, bake potato chips, and create falafels without deep frying.

• Preheat your pizza stone by placing it on the lowest rack of a cold oven and waiting at least 30 minutes for it to heat up.

• Allow your dough to come to room temperature before baking it. Cold dough placed directly on a hot pizza stone may cause the stone to crack from the sudden temperature change.

• Most pizza stones don’t require seasoning. For the ones that do, wipe the stone with a wet, soap-free cloth. Then, warm the wet stone in the oven on low heat. When it’s dry, apply a light coat of vegetable oil with an old towel. After applying the oil, bake at 400°F for one hour. Leave it in the oven to cool off.

• Nearly all pizza stones must be washed by hand. However, the use of soap or dishwashing liquid is a no-no, as the stone could acquire a soapy taste.

Price

Under $20

You can find highly rated pizza stones in this price range from the likes of reputable brands like Wilton and Good Cook.

Under $50

You can find some great pizza stones hovering around the $50 mark, including products by the popular Dough Joe and Old Stone Oven brands. The Old Stone Oven brand was created by Chicago pizza enthusiast and all-around food expert Pasquale “Pat” Bruno more than 40 years ago.

Under $200

If you’re willing to bust your budget for the authentic taste of Napoli, you can find some deluxe pizza stones for sale in this price range. Some high-end pizza stones feature multiple layers of enamel, a forever-seasoned cooking surface, and rust-proof qualities.

Avoid putting heavy items or frozen foods on top of your pizza stone, as this could also crack it.

FAQ

Q. Can a cracked pizza stone be repaired?

A. While most people would just throw away a cracked stone, an oven-safe epoxy could potentially be used to repair it (depending on how clean the crack is).

Q. Can you cut a pizza directly on the pizza stone?

A. User opinion is divided on this. Some say it’s fine to cut a pizza on the stone; others advise that you should never cut a pizza on the stone, as it could cause the cheese to run all over the stone’s surface. Since washing a stone with soap is a no-no, this could become problematic.

Q. What do I do if my pizza stone turns black after years of use?

A. Some cooks claim that medium-grit sandpaper will take the gunk off. Use light, even pressure until the black disappears.