The Best Pizza Stones

Unicook Heavy Duty Ceramic Pizza Grilling Stone

A solid stone

This rectangular ceramic stone can handle high heat to draw the moisture out of your dough, resulting in that coveted crispy crust.

Best Overall

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If you’re new to homemade pizza, you’re probably looking for something reliable, affordable, and low-maintenance. Luckily, your search can stop here with this heavy-duty pizza stone from Unicook. It’s composed of cordierite, a mineral known for its heat and thermal shock resistance. In other words, you can transfer this 15″ x 12″ stone from the freezer to a preheated oven without the risk of damaging it. You shouldn’t use soap or harsh detergents to clean it, but thankfully the stone is naturally odor-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted smells.

Pros:

• Naturally resistant to heat, thermal shock, and odor
• Purchase includes a multipurpose plastic scraper for dough cutting or scraping
• Big enough to fit two small pizzas or one large one

Cons:

• Accidental spilling of oil, butter, or sauce on the stone while baking can result in unpleasant fumes

Cast Elegance Pizza Stone with Thermarite

Grill up some goodness

If you prefer your pies grilled rather than oven-baked, check out this pizza stone that helps shield your pizza from super high heat while cooking it to perfection.

Best For Grill

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Grillers rejoice — Cast Elegance has created a proprietary formulation of cordierite called Thermarite. It’s specifically tested to withstand high heat from all types of ovens and grills, including electric and gas ovens, electric and gas grills, charcoal grills, and pellet grills. Whatever your method, trust that this stone can handle the madness. It measures up at 14″ x 16″, so be sure to know whether or not your grill can accommodate it. Like other stones, you’ll want to avoid using soaps and detergents to ensure a long, odorless lifespan.

Pros:

• Proprietary formulation of cordierite provides high heat resistance
• Compatible with ovens and grills of all types
• Size is ideal for one large round or rectangular pizza
• Purchase includes a small polycarbonate scraper

Cons:

• Slightly thinner body can feel flimsy when compared to other models

Heritage Pizza Stone Housewarming Gift

The pizza party package

This set is complete with a pizza stone, cutter, and cookbook for a wonderfully homey housewarming gift.

Best Gift

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Housewarming gifts can be hard to come up with. But if you’re buying for someone who is even remotely interested in crispy-crusted pizzas, Heritage Products has you covered. Their pizza stone package includes a complete cookbook of inventive pies, a wheel for cutting, and a 15″ round stone. The glazed cordierite maintains high heat resistance while providing a nonstick surface. The glaze also means you can wash this stone with soap and water without the worry of damaging it.

Pros:

• Cookbook and pizza wheel additions make this an ideal gift package
• Glazed stone is easy to care for, which is perfect for first-time owners
• Nonstick surface ensures a clean release

Cons:

• We wish it had handles for easy transportation

Emile Henry Flame Top 14.5″ Pizza Stone

Saucy and suave

The esteemed French brand churns out a glazed pizza stone that's as playful as it is practical.

Most Elegant

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Emile Henry is a company known for its dutch ovens and tagines, but its signature ceramic works just as well for pizza stones. This burgundy red version boasts a 14.5″ diameter and two convenient handles — which is important since this bad boy can take heat up to 900 °F. Since it’s made of glazed ceramic, you can cut your pie right on the surface without the risk of damaging the finish. It’s also one of the rare models that’s actually dishwasher-safe, so there’s no need to spend extra time scrubbing.

Pros:

• Glazed finish is scratch-resistant
• Durable ceramic can take heat up to 900 °F
• Aesthetically pleasing color and design
• Dishwasher-safe

Cons:

• Won’t pull out moisture from the crust as well as other cordierite models

Nordic Ware Tan Pizza Stone Set

Pie for pennies

This nifty pizza stone heats beautifully and won't break the bank.

Best On A Budget

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As much as we’d all like to pretend we can afford a personal pizza oven in the backyard, that’s often not the case. But thankfully, Nordic Ware’s pizza stone can help you create restaurant-quality crusts without breaking the bank. This tan stone measures 13″ in diameter, ideal for smaller ovens and households. But don’t think you’ll lose any functionality with the drop in size. Your pie should still come out crispy and cooked to perfection, provided you remember to preheat the stone and avoid using harsh detergents or soaps when cleaning.

Pros:

• Affordable model that retains its functionality
• Handles allow for easy transportation
• Purchase includes pizza cutter
• Smaller diameter may be a better fit for smaller ovens or households

Cons:

• Proper care is required to ensure a long lifespan

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to heat the stone before cooking my pizza on it?

Generally, yes. The cardinal rule with pizza stones is to place them in a room-temperature oven, then heat them the desired amount. Placing a cold or room-temperature stone inside a hot space can cause it to crack; however, many models do promise thermal shock resistance. We’d recommend reading your particular stone’s instructions carefully before cooking to ensure you care for them properly.

Why is my pizza stone retaining stains?

Staining is a normal part of pizza stones — it’s almost like the patina that develops on well-worn leather. Most stones can be cleaned with baking soda to help remove some of the stains, but be cautious with the products you use on your stone. Read directions carefully to avoid the absorption or release of unpleasant odors sourced from soaps or other detergents.