Making a crispy, sumptuous pie at home to rival those ordered from your favorite restaurant requires the best pizza stone. While it’s possible to make a delicious pie at home in your standard kitchen oven, using a regular baking sheet might result in a soggy-bottom mess, burnt crusts, or unevenly cooked pizza.
Luckily, these stones are readily available at affordable prices and extremely easy to use for making restaurant-grade pizza every time you crave one. For excellent results, it’s important to preheat the pizza stones above 500 degrees F. Not properly preheating the stone can ruin your pizza, and it would be a tragedy considering how much effort you’ve invested in making one.
Also, it is essential that you purchase the right pizza stone to achieve amazing results. But with several factors to consider, like the materials, handles, shape, and max heat level, choosing the one can be overwhelming and a bit tricky.
In this post, we’ve recommended the top 8 best pizza stones on the markets to take your game to the next level.
Top 5 Pizza Stones
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | CastElegance Big Green Egg Pizza Stone | 5/8th inch Thick |
| 2. | Unicook Heavy Duty Ceramic Pizza Stone | Golden thickness 0.6"(15mm) |
| 3. | Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round Pizza Stone | 16.5 Inch Diameter |
| 4. | NerdChef Steel Baking Stone | 20x higher conductivity |
| 5. | SOLIDO Rectangular Stone for Oven | Rectangular Shape |
Which Type of Pizza Stone is Best?
When it comes to choosing the best type of pizza stone, there are a few factors to consider. The most common types of pizza stones are made from ceramic, cordierite, and cast iron. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so let’s weigh them out.
Ceramic pizza stones are a popular choice due to their ability to distribute heat evenly. They also tend to be less expensive compared to other options.
However, ceramic stones can be prone to cracking if not handled with care and may require preheating before use. Cordierite pizza stones, on the other hand, are known for their durability and resistance to thermal shock. They can withstand high temperatures without cracking and provide excellent heat retention.
Lastly, cast iron pizza stones offer superior heat retention and even cooking but can be quite heavy and take longer to heat up.
In conclusion, the best type of pizza stone depends on your personal preferences and needs. If you prioritize even heat distribution at an affordable price point, a ceramic stone may be your best bet. For those seeking durability and resistance to cracking, cordierite is an excellent option. And if you’re willing to invest in a heavier stone that offers superior heat retention, cast iron might be the way to go.
Ultimately, it’s all about finding the right balance between cost, performance, and convenience for your specific cooking needs.
Best Pizza Stones Review
Pizza stones are an essential tool for the pizza aficionado. They create a crispy crust and evenly cooked pizza every time. Here is a list of the 8 best pizza stones on the market.
1. CastElegance Big Green Egg Pizza Stone
The CastElegance big green egg pizza stone is the best choice for making crispy crust-style pie, thanks to its cordierite construction. Its sturdy construction makes this pizza stone safe to use on your grill for authentic restaurant-style crispiness.
This product features the brand’s proprietary thermite to take this stone up a notch. The manufacturer claims this unique blend of materials offers better moisture absorption, which is important for achieving a crispy crust.
CastElegance’s big green egg pizza stone weighs about 6 pounds and measures 14 inches but is still lighter compared to other models. It comes with a plastic scraper for a hassle-free cleaning experience. This tool features a flat edge for preparing the ingredients and also scraping the stone.
This circular model comes with a recipe ebook containing lots of recipes to create appetizers, pizzas, pies, and more. Thus, adding to the overall user-friendliness and value. With this product, users can make several pizzas, store them, and reheat them in their standard kitchen oven for quick meals throughout the week.
Similarly, CastElegance’s big green egg pizza stone requires proper cleaning for long-lasting performance. On the downside, this stone lacks a handle for easy lifting or retrieval. Therefore, it’s important to follow the user manual strictly.
Strengths:
- It has a lifetime limited satisfaction guarantee
- It comes with freebies like a scraper tool and recipe eBook
- Features thermite for excellent moisture absorption
- It is easy cleanup and storage
Weaknesses:
- It lacks a handle for lifting
2. Unicook Heavy-Duty Ceramic Pizza Stone
If you need a pizza stone for baking on your grill, then you can’t go wrong with purchasing the Unicook Heavy Duty ceramic pizza stone. This product is also built with tough Cordierite for high heat resistance of up to 1,450 degrees F. Thus; you don’t need to worry about the best pizza stone handling your grill’s extreme temperature.
Its sturdy construction guarantees uniform heat distribution for delicious results every time. The Unicook Heavy Duty ceramic pizza stone promises crispy crust pizza. Plus, its rectangular shape offers enough surface space to accommodate any pizza size.
This unit is compatible and fits in most kitchen ovens and grills. It takes about 10 minutes to cook a pizza with this stone on a grill. More so, its versatility is another impressive thing about this baking stone, as it allows for making sumptuous cookies, flatbread, and desserts.
Like our top choice, Unicook Heavy Duty ceramic pizza stone comes with a practical scraper to help in preparing the dough and cleaning the stone.
On the downside, Unicook Heavy Duty ceramic pizza stone is not suitable to cut your pizza on, which means you need to transfer your pie to another post-cooking surface to use your cutter to prevent a mess.
Also, it takes about half an hour to preheat, which can be a tad long wait. This stone, like other models, cannot be seasoned or oiled. The Unicook Heavy Duty ceramic pizza stone comes with a decent 12-month manufacturer guarantee and a 45-day money-back full refund if you are not satisfied with the performance.
Strengths:
- It draws out moisture from dough with crispy crusts
- It also doubles as a baking stone
- A 12-month manufacturer guarantee backs this pizza stone
- This model includes a multi-purpose plastic scraper
Weaknesses:
- It has a long preheating time
- Not advisable to cut pizza on this product
3. Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round ThermaBond Pizza Stone
The Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round ThermaBond pizza stone is a perfect choice for people looking to purchase a budget-friendly pizza stone. This model has high heat retention for evenly cooked dough.
Further, this stone is extremely durable and super resistant to thermal shock. Plus, it’s safe to use even at extreme temperatures up to 900 degrees F. Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round ThermaBond pizza stone is built using cordierite ceramic stone, making it porous enough to absorb the dough’s moisture.
Thanks to its sturdy construction, Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round ThermaBond pizza stone delivers uniform heat dispersion to reduce hot spots to prevent the crust from getting too crispy or too soggy in certain areas.
In addition, this model features ThermaBond technology, improves its durability, and minimizes the risk of thermal shock. More so, it guarantees consistent cooking on the grill or in the oven. The Pizzacraft 16.5″ Round ThermaBond pizza stone is our top recommendation for anyone looking to create delicious artisan-style bread with outstanding results.
Strengths:
- It is built with tough cordierite stone
- No need for seasoning or conditioning
- It’s thick and durable
- It offers high-quality crust
Weaknesses:
- On the heavy side, which makes it a bit difficult to handle
- Its large size might not fit smaller types of oven
4. NerdChef Steel Stone – High-Performance Baking Surface
The NerdChef Steel Stone is arguably the best steel pizza stone out there. This metal baking stone guarantees great crusts with gorgeous beautiful blistering and rapid bake time. This product is made with steel that boasts faster heat transfer and a higher heat capacity than ceramic stones.
Thus, this model delivers an incredible performance that mimics a typical wood-fired oven in your kitchen oven without the high 1000 degrees F temperature. Furthermore, this metal stone is on the heavier side and can be difficult to handle. But with the manufacturer’s finger-hole design, the NerdChef Steel Stone is hassle-free to handle.
This stone is made of steel that promises to serve your purpose and still passes down to your grandchildren. The manufacturer offers three thickness options. Keep in mind that heavier steel offers better heat retention and transfer.
Strengths:
- It arrives already seasoned with natural oil
- Easy to handle
- Impressive heat distribution and hold
- It is incredibly durable to lasts for a generation
Weaknesses:
- On the heavier side
5. SOLIDO Rectangular 14″x16″ Pizza Stone for Oven
Another spot, another performer that makes gourmet pizza without stress; the SOLIDO Rectangular 14 “x16” pizza stone, comes with every feature to guarantee users can replicate their favorite pizza at home.
This unit is constructed from Cordierite, assuring that this stone will hold up excellently under extreme temperatures. Another thing to love about the SOLIDO Rectangular 14 “x16” pizza stone is its unique heat spiral feature at the base.
The heating spiral looks appealing and promotes faster cooking times and incredible heat retention. Also, this feature delivers uniform cooking to prevent a cold or soggy pie.
Further, SOLIDO Rectangular 14 “x16” pizza stone has the right size and shape to allow users to fit this stone into any standard kitchen oven. Thus, it can be used for other purposes like making delectable cookies and bread, making it one of the most versatile pizza stones out there.
The cleaning process isn’t the easiest on this list. This product is not dishwasher safe and can’t be washed with a detergent or soaked in water. Above all, SOLIDO Rectangular 14 “x16” pizza stone is backed by a lifetime warranty to assure customers of a safe and high-performance pizza stone.
Strengths:
- It’s made with Cordierite for extreme durability
- Limited lifetime warranty
- It comes with a unique heat spiral to create restaurant-grade results
- It’s versatile for baking bread and cookies
Weaknesses:
- It’s not easy to clean
- It’s heavier than most pizza stones on this list
6. Cuisinart CPS-013 Alfrescamore Pizza Stone
The Cuisinart CPS-013 Alfrescamore pizza stone is another option for making a variety of pizzas. This stone has a faster bake time, thanks to its quick preheat time that gets rid of the long waits.
Its cordierite construction guarantees that this product will not crack in extreme temperatures and resists thermal shock more than other materials, especially ceramic. This best pizza stone boasts baking beautifully golden pizza crust with its impressive heat distribution and retention.
However, it’s important to preheat the stone for about 15 minutes before placing your dough for excellent results. More so, the Cuisinart Alfrescamoré Pizza Grilling Stone can be used in an outdoor pizza oven, on a grill, or in a kitchen oven.
Even better, this cordierite stone is ideal for baking bread, calzones, and desserts. Plus, you don’t have to wash it, just brush it off, store it properly and reuse it next time.
Strengths:
- It is made with a durable stone-like material
- This 13-inch pizza stone fits most grills
- It heats up quickly
- It can be used for other baking purposes
Weaknesses:
- It’s not dishwasher safe
7. Kamado Joe KJ-PS23 Ceramic Pizza Stone
This ceramic stone is another all-in-one tool designed for baking bread, cakes, pizzas, and many more. Kamado Joe KJ-PS23 Ceramic Pizza Stone comes with many special features, which makes it a decent choice for almost anyone.
Unlike other products, Kamado Joe KJ-PS23 Ceramic Pizza Stone takes half the time to preheat for a faster cooking time. Its odor-free and smoke-free design guarantees amazing results every time. Thanks to its ceramic construction, users don’t have to worry about food sticking, making cleaning a tad easier.
No doubt, the Kamado Joe KJ-PS23 Ceramic Pizza Stone delivers authentic, wood-fired, restaurant-grade pizzas in less time. This high-impact ceramic pizza stone spreads heat evenly to minimize hot spots and absorbs the excess moisture from your dough for a crispy crust pizza.
Sadly, this product is best used with the brand’s heat deflector to avoid burning your pizza.
Strengths:
- Ceramic finish to prevent sticking
- It has a quick preheating time
- It has excellent heat distribution
- It bakes pizzeria-quality pizza
Weaknesses:
- It can not be seasoned with olive oil or other cooking oil
8. Emile Henry Pizza Stone Made in France
This final product on our list is the Emile Henry pizza stone. It’s one of the easiest to clean on our list. We love its user-friendly and convenient dishwasher-safe design. This product does not require washing with soap and water.
The Emile Henry pizza stone is made from natural ceramic clay and features a sturdy glaze. It’s big enough to bake a standard large pizza to fit your grill or oven. The ceramic material ensures that this product can withstand extreme temperatures up to 900 degrees F to suit your cooking method.
It has a glazed clay design to allow users to submerge the pizza stone in water or toss it into the dishwasher for a convenient cleaning experience. Talking about its glazed clay design, it’s micro-grazed for extra durability. Also, the Emile Henry pizza stone offers a sturdy surface to allow you to cut pizza without damaging the stone.
This unit comes with two ergonomic handles for fuss-free handling and a stress-free grip. Even better, Emile henry pizza stone comes with a 10-year manufacturer guarantee that offers buyers peace of mind with their purchase.
Strengths:
- 10-year manufacturer guarantee
- It has a scratch-resistance surface
- It has a dishwasher-safe design
Weaknesses:
- It is a bit pricey
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Pizza Stone
Material
Several types of stones are used to build a baking stone, such as ceramic, Cordierite, and clay. Some manufacturers make this product using steel and cast iron—the type of stone used in the construction influences the cooking performance of the stone.
For instance, clay models require preheating to prevent cracking, while cordierite pizza stones are resistant to thermal shock, which means you can directly slide them into your oven.
Also, these materials can affect your food. In addition, some pizza stone comes seasoned to guarantee an authentic pizzeria-style taste.
That’s not all: the type of materials also dictates the cleaning process. Most products out there cannot be washed with soap and water or even submerged for a fuss-free cleaning process. On the other end, steel and cast iron pizza stones can be hand washed with mild soap for a more convenient cleaning process. Best of all, products like the Emile Henry Flame Top Stone can be tossed into the dishwasher – but they are not so common.
Shape & Dimension
By now, you should have figured out that there are different sizes and shapes of pizza stones on the market. While the size of a pizza stone does not affect its overall performance, choosing the wrong size might ruin your pizza.
Down to the shapes of pizza stones: there are three shape options – square, rectangular, and circular. It’s best to go for a product with a shape and size that fits on your grill or in your oven without hassle.
Heat Resistance
Pizza stones are meant to handle high temperatures. The right model should be able to handle temperatures from 700 – 2000 degrees F. Among the wide material options, the Cordierite is your go-to for high heat resistance. This material is perfect for people planning to use the pizza stone on a grill.
Finish
Some models are either finished or unfinished. The latter lacks a coating, and the finished models feature a glaze over the stone material. The unfinished baking stone tends to stain over time and is more porous, making cleaning a bit challenging.
On the other hand, the finished option has a glaze that serves as a guide between the oil from the pie to the stone material, making it easy to wash thoroughly. Also, the glaze makes the finished pizza stone less porous and easier to wash with dish soap without causing damage.
Weight
The material and size of the pizza stone give you an idea about the weight. However, both light and heavy pizza stones work the same way. Thus, this choice boils down to personal preference.
Warranty
Most pizza stones are built to serve your purpose for a lifetime. But this doesn’t mean the products won’t run into some issues like design errors that might result in cracks. It’s important that you opt for a product with a decent warranty to protect you from manufacturer defects.
More importantly, you should follow the directions provided by the manufacturer to prevent the warranty from getting void. Some baking stones are backed with a 1-year warranty, and some products might offer a generous 30-day money-back guarantee to offer peace of mind with the purchase.
Pizza Stones Related Questions & Answers
It depends on the manufacturer’s instructions. Some stones come pre-seasoned and are strictly instructed not to oil them. But there are products advised to oil before using them for any baking purposes.
The answers boil down to the kind of pizza stone you’re cooking with. Usually, it takes about 12 minutes to make any type of pizza on a baking stone. However, the cooking time may vary due to the preheating time required by the pizza stone you’ve got.
Most pizza stone requires preheating before placing them in your oven. Some products might take up to 60 minutes before it’s ready to be placed in your oven. The preheating time varies from one product to another. Hence, you should check the user manual before using the product.
If you want a pizza stone to use on your grills, then your best bet is a cordierite baking stone. This material can withstand extreme temperatures and resist thermal shock.
Cordierite and clay pizza stones can draw the excess moisture from the dough, which helps create a crispy pizza crust. Most pizza stones need to be preheated to ensure the raw dough starts baking immediately when placed on the stone.
This feature can cut down the cooking time significantly. Also, pizza stones help create that authentic wood-fired pizzeria-style flavor every time you crave it.
Conclusion
You may have noticed that our list of recommendations includes both rectangular, circular, and square baking stones. This shows that we are not heavily inclined towards a particular shape of the pizza stone since the dimension of these products plays no part in the overall performance of the stones.
Notwithstanding, the circular pizza stone offers the perfect working surface compared to the rectangular models. But if you will be making more bread than pizzas, you should settle for rectangular baking stones.
Further, we’ve shown a preference for Cordierite or ceramic-based pizza stones because they offer a better porous surface to create a perfect pizza crust with a pizzeria style. Plus, they are quite easy to clean.
All in all, we’ve reviewed the top 8 best pizza stones, and it’s up to you to make a choice. Nonetheless, we guarantee that you won’t go wrong with any of the products reviewed in this post. But if you are in a rush or still on the fence, then check out our top choice, the CastElegance big green egg pizza stone.
