A pizza stone is a cheap, easy-to-use alternative to a pizza oven, and it can help you achieve that covetable authentic thin crust. Pizza stones are also great for use with barbecues, producing a delicious smoked pizza flavor. The two main materials used for making them are cordierite and ceramic, and this guide includes models in both materials, in a variety of shapes and sizes and including various accessories.
Want something more substantial? Take a look at our guide to the best pizza ovens.
This beautiful, large-sized pizza stone is made from Cordierite, which is easily the best material for baking pizza: it withstands very high temperatures without a problem and heats evenly, ensuring a uniformly baked crust. This stone also produces spectacular results when used on top of a barbecue, and can be used to bake bread and any pastry that requires a crust. It's thinner than many alternatives, which makes it easier to handle and lighter. The only drawback is that you can't put this one in the dishwasher, so rinse it under the tap.
This substantial pizza stone by Jamie Oliver is over 1.5 inches thick and over 14 inch in diameter – great for making larger pizzas for the whole family. The ceramic can withstand temperatures of up to 500 Fahrenheit, so you can use in a very hot oven or barbecue. Also – hurray for those handles! They make taking the hefty stone in and out much easier – this does weigh nearly 4.5 pounds. The only drawback with ceramic is that it's porous, and if you accidentally spill tomato sauce on it, the stain will be quite difficult to get out.
Perfect for use in the oven, this stone is our top choice for anyone who's concerned about pizza, calzones, or other baked goods not cooking evenly. The combination of the Cordierite material and the optimal thickness ensure that the heat spreads evenly throughout the stone. Thanks to its rectangular shaped, it can simply slide into your oven and is great for batch cooking pastries and cookies as well as pizzas. It's not lightweight and can't be cleaned in the dishwasher, but the results are worth it.
If you're gifting a pizza stone, or don't have a pizza peel already, this is a great choice because it comes as a set and includes a pizza cutter and a foldable pizza peel, which is a large spatula for picking up the pizza off the stone. Like several of our top picks, this one is made from cordierite, which makes it perfect for the high temperatures under grills and over bbqs. We're not too keen on the pizza cutter provided, but it's a nice touch. Also, cordierite is not the easiest to clean if you try scrubbing it while it's still warm. Instead, try rinsing it once it's completely coolled off.
This is the pizza stone for smaller ovens; it's made from durable ceramic and is very easy to clean, and, thanks to its rectangular shape, you can use it for much more than pizzas – think everything from bread to pastries. It also comes with a very handy wooden serving board – use it for the pizza, but also as a cheeseboard. This pizza stone is on the smaller size – just 11 inches long, so bear in mind before purchasing.