# Pizza stone recommendations?



## worktogthr (Mar 10, 2014)

Been messing around with pizza lately and researching a lot of techniques with a pizza stone in the oven and on the grill.  Someone had given me the pizza stone so I don't know about its heat resistance.   Well I preheated the oven to. 550 with stone in it... Slid the pizza on... Waited 12 minutes, pulled out the pizza and it was perfect...only problem...pizza stone cracked right down the middle.  Any one have a good recommendation for a stone that can withstand really high heat?  I am considering messing around this spring with a raised pizza stone on some fire bricks in my weber gasser which can get up to almost 700 degrees.  

Thanks!


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## shertim (Mar 10, 2014)

I use mine on the grill all the time, with no problems, not sure what brand just from the local bbq shop,  only thing they said was put in when it's cold and don't move until it is cold again, I use it at 220 to 230 Celsius


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## daveomak (Mar 11, 2014)

worktogthr said:


> Been messing around with pizza lately and researching a lot of techniques with a pizza stone in the oven and on the grill.  Someone had given me the pizza stone so I don't know about its heat resistance.   Well I preheated the oven to. 550 with stone in it... Slid the pizza on... Waited 12 minutes, pulled out the pizza and it was perfect...only problem...pizza stone cracked right down the middle.  Any one have a good recommendation for a stone that can withstand really high heat?  I am considering messing around this spring with a raised pizza stone on some fire bricks in my weber gasser which can get up to almost 700 degrees.
> 
> Thanks!





The stones will crack if you touch the hot stone with a cold metal tool.......   No need to ask how I know that...  and don't bother to ask Bride how I know that.....   I still catch heck every time I put the NEW stone in the oven..... 

Anyway, check out Kiln Shelves....  they take really high heat.....  and I think they are cheaper.....


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## frog1369 (Mar 11, 2014)

You might want to check these guys out, steel not stone.  I owned a pizza shop in a previous life and swear by a good stone oven but I've been watching these for a while for home use and really considering it.

 http://bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel/

I have a couple no names at home and a Pampered Chef one that was a gift.  I've had that one to 550 and had no problems but I'm still thinking the steel one is in my future one day.


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## worktogthr (Mar 11, 2014)

I followed all the safety instructions to avoid cracking...preheated te stone with the oven, only tool that made contact with it was the pizza peel which is wood.  Haha figures the best pizza i have ever made cracks the stone...There is one on amazon that I found and the reviewers say they use it on their grills cranked up to 800-900 degrees to replicate wood fired oven temps...it's about 40 bucks which is a little more than I wanted to spend but if it works well than its worth it.  I am thinking about a set up like this for the nicer weather...
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139009/homemade-pizza-on-the-grill-first-shot#post_1132165


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## donr (Mar 11, 2014)

The pizza was relatively cold.  That is probably what cracked it.  Putting cold food onto a hot stone normally cracks them.

I used stone bar pans on the grill many times.  One time I set a hot stone down on an oven mitt.  It popped out an oven mitt shaped section out of the bottom of the pan.  The insulative properties of the oven mitt didn't allow the stone to cool  equally.  I heard about that for month's until I finally found a replacement.


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## ernurse28 (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a kamado joe grill and I use a stone made by Primo. I have a local dealer who ordered mine in for  for about 70.00. Pricy but I've cooked pizzas @ 750 F and works great. I also use a metal pizza peal with no issues. Hope this helps!


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## unsell (Mar 31, 2014)

Oh my gosh, the same thing happened to me last night.   I heated oven to 550 according to pizza directions, used a Pampered Chef stone, and halfway through baking, about 5 minutes I heard a loud pop in the oven and sure enough, my stone broke in half.  Did you find a stone to withstand high heat as I can't find one.


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## daveomak (Mar 31, 2014)

Did you put the stone in a cold oven and then crank up the heat.....


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## worktogthr (Mar 31, 2014)

I had it in the cold oven and it still cracked.  I ordered this one from amazon and so far so good.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E19MW/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20


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## duckybud (Apr 4, 2014)

I have had very good luck just using an 18 x 18 *unglazed* floor tile from Home Depot, (I have heard the glazed ones have lead in the glaze}  I have cracked 2 in a year, but at $5.00 each it is no big deal.  The last one cracked when a drop of cold sauce hit it as I was putting a pizza in.  I just put the new stone on top of the cracked one the last time and leave them in the oven all the time, that was over 6 months ago and it is still going strong.  I can get 550 out of my oven and that is where I cook pizza.  I do not wash the stone, just scrape it iff after it cools and it is ready to go.

Bud


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## LanceR (Apr 5, 2014)

Those of you with cracked stones don't mention how long you preheated for but 30 minutes is a good starting point for protecting thestone and getting a crips crust.  You need to really soak the heat in.  Also, a thicker pizza will take more heat from the stone than a thin Neapolitan style and may make the stone more prone to cracking as the center cools more than the edges.

The stone needs to be bone dry too.

We bake a lot of pizza and, especially, artisan style breads.  We've gone through a lot of stones looking for the durability we want.  We havea nice thick one that has been really durable.  I just checked and it was made by the T. I. Wan company.  Somehow I don't think you'll find them online.....

On the recommendation of a friend I got a Lodge Pro-Logic cast iron pizza pan.  They list for $60 but I odered it online from Wal-Mart and had it delivered to the local store for $39.  It has worked really well for breads and pizzas. 

I've never had it over 600 degrees but suspect that if it were preheated somewhat slowiy in a grill it would do just fine at any temperature your grill can stand.  I wouldn't recomment tossing it in a hot grill.

Lance


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## worktogthr (Apr 5, 2014)

LanceR said:


> Those of you with cracked stones don't mention how long you preheated for but 30 minutes is a good starting point for protecting thestone and getting a crips crust.  You need to really soak the heat in.  Also, a thicker pizza will take more heat from the stone than a thin Neapolitan style and may make the stone more prone to cracking as the center cools more than the edges.
> 
> The stone needs to be bone dry too.
> 
> ...




The one I had that cracked was either given to me or left to me by my mom and I think she may have misused it (put it in a hot oven, washed it improperly, etc..).  The reason I say this is because prior to it cracking I read up on avoiding cracking and preheated it with the oven for at least a half hour and it still cracked.  So I think it was the combo of misuse and poor quality that did her in.  The new one I ordered is great.  Did pizza and calzones already and the crust was perfect.


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## mdboatbum (Apr 5, 2014)

Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.


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## timberjet (Apr 5, 2014)

Mdboatbum said:


> Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.


I second this. Have been using the same one for years. I do a lot of deep dish too. can not beat it.


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## wy will (Apr 5, 2014)

I use one that just says Huey Hang and Taiwan on it. I usually put it in the oven after the oven is already preheated. I do all of my biscuits, muffins, and even cookies on it. Never had a problem with it. I just seasoned it when it was new and never had any issues. I've had it for 10 or more years now.


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## tjkoko (Apr 8, 2014)

I use a *FIBRAMENT baking stone*.  And get the rectangular one, not round.  That way you can bake more stuff with it.


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## worktogthr (Apr 8, 2014)

That





Mdboatbum said:


> Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.



That thing is a monster!  Must weigh a good amount.  I like the idea of deep dish and thin crust  being a possibility.  My fellow New Yorkers might kill me but I think deep dish is awesome.  I prefer Neapolitan style because that's what I am used to but my few deep dish experiences have been good ones.  If the stone doesn't work out I will definitely look into that pan.


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## tjkoko (Apr 9, 2014)

My first baking stone lasted 10 years until it cracked.  It cracked because I subjected it to every kind of abuse known, including throwing ice onto it to produce steam.  8^0  And after four years of no abuse my Fibrament stone is holding up well.


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## flash gordon m.d. (Aug 22, 2018)

Thanks to +mdboatbum for the "bottom of the skillet" suggestion! I got a GMG Davy Crockett recently, and was thinking of getting a pizza steeI. Since I'm only cooking for one, I can now try it first by using the bottom of one of my my 10.5" Lodge skillets!  I took out one of the two grates so the pan sits flat.

Great (grate?) suggestion!


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## tomd8 (Aug 23, 2018)

I've used a 16" x 1/4" round steel for a number of years now with no issue.  550 deg is the norm.  The pizza sizzles when it hits after a 45 minute warm up.  Found this on the auction site.  I see they are now available 16x18 rectangle for around 30 bucks plus shipping.


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## noboundaries (Aug 23, 2018)

I've read there's an old saying: There are stones that crack, and stones that have yet to crack, because all stone's crack. I don't know if that's true or not.  

I've been using an old Weber stone from the now defunct Red Sky Grilling Products for several years.  It was designed for the 22.5" Weber Kettle, but after I read about it cracking, I only use it in the kitchen oven where I can control the warm-up, recovery after cooking a pizza, and the cool down. I've had it for several years. No cracks yet.

For the Weber I now use a 14" CI pizza pan as a "stone" in my Weber Kettle pizza attachment. 

I use a 15" carbon steel paella pan in the WSM, no stone or CI pan. Take out the water pan, all vents full open, two full chimneys of hot RO Briquettes.  I oil the paella pan really well, work the dough with my hands outside the pan, drape the dough in the pan, build the pizza, and in the WSM it goes. Takes 10-15 minutes compared to the Weber Kettle attachment, but works really well. You could probably do the same thing with any pizza pan.


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## dls1 (Aug 23, 2018)

I bought a pizza stone once, somewhat reluctantly, thinking "How long is this novelty going to last". It wasn't long, about 6 months before it cracked. It could have been a crappy stone, or pilot error, but it cracked none the less.

A few years ago I read about "The Baking Steel" and thought that it made much more sense than a stone. I believe I originally saw the steel on a Kickstarter deal at around $80, and I wasn't interested in getting involved in that. I did, however, contact a local metal fabricator and he cut me a 16"X16"X1/4" piece of carbon steel for $20. It was a little rough around the edges and in need of some minor cleaning and finishing, but that wasn't much. The bottom line is that it was about half the cost of the stone I bought and produces a far superior result. Also, it's obviously not going to crack or break.


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## nanuk (Sep 25, 2018)

I have one like this: https://www.lecreuset.co.za/blog/le-creusets-new-pizza-pan-thats-amore


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## DrewJ (Sep 25, 2018)

This is the one I use. I have used it on the gas grill and in my oven for a few years and it holds up great. The thing holds heat forever. If I pull it from a hot oven and set it on the stove I can't touch it for at least 30 minutes. One of the selling features for me was that it is dishwasher safe. Too bad it's too big to fit in my dishwasher. :) Cleanup is still easy even by hand. I picked it up on for a pretty good price at Bed Bath and Beyond using one of the 20% off coupons I get in the mail.


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## wannasmoak (Oct 11, 2018)

Just as a disclaimer... I am not a food scientists nor do I have the equipment to test if this is safe... BUT.

I use an UNGLAZED mexican tile from Home Depot. Cost me $3 and it works pretty damn well. I did a lot of research that led me to believe this is perfectly safe, and I've used it for a long time, but definitely do your own research to decide if you feel safe doing it. 

This coupled with the _*absolutely necessary*_ 3-day pizza dough cold ferment and it's hard for us to settle for delivery.


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## Annesse (Oct 28, 2019)

Guys who say that steel is a good choice are absolutely right. Steel pizza stones are usually lighter, warms up faster and never cracks. I personally purchased one right after I cracked previous while my brother was on vacation. He cooks well, never forbids to use his stuff, but also never tells me any recommendations or useful stuff. So I learn myself most of the time.
I've chosen new pizza stone according to recommendations review about best pizza stones for grill and my bro not only wasn't mad but even said that I'm little smartass b***.


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## tomd8 (Nov 11, 2019)

Not my best but here is one baking.  Steel is 16", pie is approx 14".  This was a test pie with a new recipe and a smaller dough ball for an easier launch.


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## sandyut (Nov 11, 2019)

I highly recommend the Lodge P14P3 Pro-Logic Cast Iron Pizza Pan


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## flagriller (Dec 3, 2019)

Steel or cast iron


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## flagriller (Dec 4, 2019)

Soapstone is great as well


			Soap Stone Pizza Stones | Blog
		


Or Californis Pizza Stones





						Californa Pizza Stones and Baking Stones
					

Highest Quality Pizza and Baking Stones. These high quality Stones will not crack or brake down during Baking.



					www.californiapizzastones.com


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## R Blum (Dec 9, 2019)

*Here is what I use. Heat to 500 degrees. Never had a problem.
	

		
			
		

		
	





*


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## bregent (Dec 9, 2019)

Annesse said:


> Steel pizza stones are usually lighter



Not really. For the same dimensions, steel "stones" are much heavier than traditional pizza stones. Even the thinner cheap 1/4" steels are heavier than most stones . 
And 1/4" steel  gives you about the same cooking performance as a standard thickness stone so the only advantage is that they won't crack. I have 4 stones, one almost 30 years old, and have never had any crack.  If you want better performance than a ceramic pizza stone, you've got to get to about 1/2" steel.


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## flagriller (Dec 12, 2019)

wannasmoak said:


> Just as a disclaimer... I am not a food scientists nor do I have the equipment to test if this is safe... BUT.
> 
> I use an UNGLAZED mexican tile from Home Depot. Cost me $3 and it works pretty damn well. I did a lot of research that led me to believe this is perfectly safe, and I've used it for a long time, but definitely do your own research to decide if you feel safe doing it.
> 
> This coupled with the _*absolutely necessary*_ 3-day pizza dough cold ferment and it's hard for us to settle for delivery.



What size is the tile and are you using more than one?

Jim


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## Bytor (Feb 15, 2020)

I have a cordierite rectangular stone that I use quite a bit.  It has gone to 650 On my grill and it works well.  My only problem is that it tends to produce a burnt odor when using indoors.  Even when I scrape really clean.  Anyone have any hints or tricks to get rid of the smell?  I have also been thinking of a steel.  I bake a lot on my stone now and my 13 inch cast iron too.


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## forktender (Feb 17, 2020)

Like Sandy, I use the Lodge C.I. pizza pan they only cost $25.





(Not my pie or picture)
I use this on the top rack then a 1/4'' pizza steel on the rack under it. I launch the pie onto the C.I. Lodge pizza pan cook until the peel slides under the pie easily, then launch the pie onto the pizza steel or stone if you don't have a steel. But in all reality you could buy two of the C.I. Lodge pizza pans for the price of a good stone or steel.


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## BandCollector (Feb 25, 2020)

Pizza stones are great if pampered.

Various precautions need to be taken with them.

Must be completely dry
Cannot drop cold pizza sauce on them when cooking pizzas.
Must be handled carefully.
Expensive
Etc.
I went through so many stones(regardless of how careful I was) that I resorted to finding them on Craig's List whenever I could.

This solved my problem.  I liked the steel so much that I bought two.

As 

 frog1369
 said:



frog1369 said:


> You might want to check these guys out, steel not stone.  I owned a pizza shop in a previous life and swear by a good stone oven but I've been watching these for a while for home use and really considering it.
> 
> http://bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel/



Great product and can be used for all your baking needs.

I hope this helps,

John


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## Charles Kosal (Mar 21, 2020)

Doesn't the thickness of the stone matter?  I did research before finding this and was convinced i was ok with stone at 5/8 inc versus thinner stones.  Most stones are 1/4 some even less.  I assumed (maybe incorecctly) that at 5/8 i won't have the issue with cracking if i am equally careful.


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## forktender (Mar 22, 2020)

I would only use a wooden peel on a stone regardless of the thickness. All that it takes is one time forgetting to warm up the aluminum peel and the cold aluminum hitting the stone is a crack waiting to happen.
Wooden peels are much better for launching pies any ways and safes if you use a stone.


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## Buttah Butts (Mar 22, 2020)

I’ve used an old pampered chef one for years. I recently bought a Old Stone Pizza Stone brand. It works great as well.


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## BandCollector (Jul 4, 2020)

frog1369 said:


> You might want to check these guys out, steel not stone.  I owned a pizza shop in a previous life and swear by a good stone oven but I've been watching these for a while for home use and really considering it.
> 
> http://bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel/
> 
> I have a couple no names at home and a Pampered Chef one that was a gift.  I've had that one to 550 and had no problems but I'm still thinking the steel one is in my future one day.




I have two of the Baking Steels and have never looked back!

Take my advice. . .Stop wasting your money on pizza stones and buy one of these.  You can use it for multiple tasks.  Making Pizza in the oven or on a grill,  baking breads of all kinds,  and it can also be used as a griddle.  And it will never crack!

Initial cost is made up by not ever having to replace it.

John

A great


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## Bytor (Jul 4, 2020)

Bytor said:


> I have a cordierite rectangular stone that I use quite a bit.  It has gone to 650 On my grill and it works well.  My only problem is that it tends to produce a burnt odor when using indoors.  Even when I scrape really clean.  Anyone have any hints or tricks to get rid of the smell?  I have also been thinking of a steel.  I bake a lot on my stone now and my 13 inch cast iron too.


Well, I used to have a pizza stone.........

After about 4 years of pretty good use, my stone met its demise last week at the hands of my daughter.  I can't say that I was all that upset, and she's only 17 and it was an accident.  I can now get me a steel, like I have been wanting for some time now, but just couldn't justify since I had a stone.

Like it is said "in the end, it all works out after all".....


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## Berettaclayshooter (Jul 26, 2020)

BandCollector said:


> Pizza stones are great if pampered.
> 
> Various precautions need to be taken with them.
> 
> ...




We have had our stone for about 12 years now, it lives on the side shelf of the gas grill when not in use, I think it came from Christmas tree shops, something like $10.  I don't baby it, but do put it in the grill right after I light it to come up to temp.  When it finally dies I will just buy another cheapy or cut a hunk of plate stainless at work.  Steel is ok if you buy a fancy one with a coating, I work with stainless and would go that route over rusty steel.


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