Have you had a hard time achieving artisan-quality grilled pizza?
I personally struggled with this a few years ago using my Nana’s Old Kamado Grill. Despite trying everything, I couldn’t get that desirable crisp crust with char markings. Instead, I ended up with either a soggy base or burnt/undercooked areas.
Eventually, I discovered the pizza stone was to blame and went to my local store to find a replacement.
However, the new stone only worsened matters. It imparted my pizzas with a chemical taste and started to warp after the fourth use. I’ve experienced my fair share of frustrating culinary failures due to poor pizza stones.
To save you from the same ordeal, I’ll share with you my top FIVE best pizza stones for grills that have greatly impacted my pizza-making endeavors.
🥇Best Grill Pizza Stone
- NerdChef Steel Stone [Best Overall]
- Cast Elegance Durable Thermal Shock Resistant [Best pizza stone for kamado grill]
- Baking Steel Modernist Cuisine [Best for Pizza Steel ]
- Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone [Best pizza stone for smoker]
- HANS GRILL PIZZA STONE [Best pizza stone for traeger]
🤔Why Use a Pizza Stone for Grilling?
Making a piping-hot, crispy pizza on the grill can be a very rewarding experience. There’s something divine about the bubbly cheese and smoky char. If that’s what you aim for, you need a pizza stone. It’s the secret weapon to creating the perfect pizza crust with gooey cheese on your grill.
Still, need to understand why you need a pizza stone. Here are the most compelling reasons to purchase one:
Superior Heat Retention & Distribution
Using a pizza stone on the grill offers better heat distribution and retention. No one wants to eat a pizza that has some spots undercooked. The pizza stone absorbs the grill’s heat and evenly spreads it across its cooking surface. Thus, achieving perfectly charred and browned pizza with ZERO fuss.
Crispy Pizza Crusts Better
It’s magical when you bite into a crisp, freshly baked pizza slice. No baking method guarantees that magical feeling like a pizza stone.
The stone’s porous surface prevents moisture from building underneath the pizza. This is the underlying cause of the dreaded soggy result. The grill’s extreme heat helps evaporate the wicked moisture for a firm pizza crust.
Most versatile baking accessory
Pizza stones are perfect for whipping up more than pizzas. They come in handy for cooking other delicate delicacies without touching them, like baking steel. Also, they can easily go from your conventional kitchen oven to a charcoal grill.
This all-around gadget is the ultimate choice if you love outdoor cooking. You can easily make homemade bagels, crisp potatoes, roast chicken, and sear steak – to name a few.
Generates Smoky Char
Pizzerias creates tasty pizzas by using both pizza stones and a high-heat oven. That’s the secret to generating mouthwatering wood-fired/charcoal flavor for an irresistible pie. You can also recreate something that rivals your favorite takeouts by placing your preheated pizza stone on your grill. What you get is an equally amazing crunch pie.
⭐Best Pizza Stone for Grill Review
1. NERDCHEF STEEL STONE
The Ultimate Pizza Stone is a game-changer. With 20x higher conductivity and double the heat capacity of ceramic stones, it delivers the performance of a 1000°F oven at 450°F. This means gorgeous crusts, better blistering, and faster cook times. The low-friction surface and unbreakable solid steel construction guarantee a lifetime of pizza perfection. Upgrade your home baking with the Ultimate Pizza Stone, praised by culinary experts worldwide.
The Bottom Line:
The NerdChef Steel Stone is the best pizza stone for a gas grill – why? It’s made from steel, and that’s a good thing. It ensures this product is thermal resistant and almost indestructible to outlast you. Plus, it has the highest heat capacity and fastest heat transfer I’ve ever come across. Thus, you can easily transform your gas grill into a full-fledged 1000-degree F pizza oven.
How It Performs?
Like most pizza stones, this model requires preheating before baking. This process only took about half the time ceramic stones were required to come to temperature. Once the steel is hot, it delivers intense heat that’s more than enough to produce delectable crispy crusts in 2 mins.
The NerdChef Steel Stone stands out with its superior heat retention. The 0.25-inch version held enough heat to allow continuous baking without long hours. I recommend the thicker 0.5-inch NerdChef Steel Stone if you cook multiple pizzas. It holds temperature better and returns to temperature almost instantly.
Even on my Weber grill, this baking steel cooks pizzas with a perfectly browned exterior without drying out the interior. Its heat retention is unmatched. It took me a while to figure out the “sweet spot” – the right grill temperature. Thanks to its cutting-edge steel construction, its heat distribution is so even. There was no need whatsoever to give the pizzas a spin.
What do I love?
This pizza steel comes pre-seasoned with flaxseed oil. This eliminated the hassle of doing it myself before using it. Also, it makes pizza or whatever I cook on it slides off easily. No tug-of-war to get your food.
On top of that, the two finger holes are very helpful in moving this heavy steel on and off the grill. Also, its versatility is one of the big reasons it remains my favorite. This steel doubles nicely as a cold plate. Thus, you make some cold, fruity ice creams.
Its shortcomings?
The NerdChef Steel Stone is quite heavy, weighing about 16 pounds. Also, maintaining this product can be quite demanding. It requires seasoning after a couple of uses to prevent rusting.
2. CAST ELEGANCE DURABLE THERMAL SHOCK RESISTANT
Thermarite pizza stone offers superior durability, heat retention, and thermal shock resistance, making it the ultimate tool for both pizza baking and outdoor grilling. With its ability to absorb moisture and deliver a perfect crispy crust, it guarantees pizzeria-quality results.
The Bottom Line:
You’d be hard-pressed to find another pizza stone that beats the Cast Elegance Thermarite Pizza Stone in terms of thermal resistance and baking performance.
In my opinion, it’s the best pizza stone for a Kamado grill or other round models. Thanks to its round 16-inch cooking space and 0.625-inch thickness, this pizza stone makes the most authentic grilled pizza in less than 2 mins.
How It Performs?
The Cast Elegance Thermarite Pizza Stone is a clear winner when it comes to crisping pizza crust. Its porous surface is its biggest advantage. It helps prevent moisture from building up underneath the mid-bake dough for that extra crispness I couldn’t get with the NerdChef Steel lacks.
This is a 16-inch model. However, it’s the ultimate choice for Kamado grills, thanks to its round shape. Furthermore, it’s made from Thermarite, a Cordierite material responsible for its incredible heat retention and even distribution.
While it took longer than the NerdChef to come to temperature, the gorgeous crispy results it delivers were worth the prolonged wait. Once it’s at 700
Also, it’s more suitable for cooking delicate dishes. It’s more forgiving to rapid temperature changes. This is a problem with NerdChef Steel.
The Best Bits?
There’s a lot to love about the Cast Elegance Thermarite Pizza Stone. It comes round, perfect for baking pizzas on grills. Also, it offers a large grilling surface area that is handy when feeding a crowd. Surprisingly, it’s lighter than NerdChef. And, certainly, it was easy to move from oven to grill to cabinet despite lacking a handle.
The Quibbles?
This pizza stone has a porous surface, causing it to pick up stains easily. So, this beautiful product will be marred with sauce and oil stains over time. It doesn’t come off, and you can’t wash them with soap or water. I don’t care since it doesn’t impact its performance in any way. But if you do, you would be better off with the NerdChef Steel.
3. BAKING STEEL MODERNIST CUISINE
The Bottom Line:
If you’re in the market for the best pizza steel to make pies with a beautifully charred crust, this is it. The Baking Steel Modernist Cuisine is 0.375 inches thick. It has excellent heat conduction, churning browned and puffy pizza crust within 2 minutes.
Like the top-selling NerdChef, this model is made out of steel. The benefit? A super durable pizza steel ideal for cooking on a grill or under any broiler.
How It Performs:
During my testing, this pizza steel gives off a lot of extreme heat that’s great for searing the pizza’s base. The result is an amazing charred pizza crust with a tender interior. And because of this, it’s not so great for baking bread or other delicate baked goods. You have to be very cautious when cooking with this thin steel. I got many scorched croissants and cookies.
What’s more? It has a remarkably short preheat time compared to the Cast Elegance Thermarite Pizza Stone. However, it doesn’t give that signature stone-bake extra crispy crust.
The Upsides:
This pizza steel comes pre-seasoned. This is a big win for me as I can start baking immediately out of the box. Also, it’s easy to clean compared to the Cast Elegance Thermarite Pizza Stone. Plus, it won’t look ugly with time.
Also, it has enough cooking space to bake an epic 14-inch pizza to perfection. I love its striking balance between weight and performance.
Any Downsides:
Obviously, it’s heavyweight. Hoisting this pizza steel in and out of your oven or grill is extra work. Making matters worse, there’s no handle or finger hole for an easy carry experience. This is the reason I recommended NerdChef Steel over this unit.
4. UNICOOK HEAVY DUTY CORDIERITE PIZZA STONE
Unicook Pizza Stone offers durability, heat distribution, and versatility. Made of natural Cordierite, it withstands high temperatures and retains heat for crispy crusts. Its porous structure draws out moisture, preventing sogginess. Measuring 14.9″ x 11.8″ x 0.6″, it’s suitable for various pizza sizes.
The Bottom Line:
Made from Cordierite, this pizza stone from Unicook delivers the most authentic stone-baked pie. It handles heat up to 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, it’s capable of cooking anything from pizza to calzone on the grill or in the oven. It’s the best pizza stone for oven and grill – and thousands of customers agree.
How It Performs:
This model is lighter than NerdChef Steel and Baking Steel Modernist Cuisine. But that’s not why it stands out from the fierce competition. This stone has unbeatable thermal shock resistance and heat retention.
Preheating it took a very long time. But once I got past that, I could quickly make multiple restaurant-grade pizzas without long pauses. Also, its special porous surface wicks away moisture. This helps avoid the dread of sogginess and ruining your pizza night. Whether it was bread or pizza, the crust was crisp and beautifully browned. No pizza steel comes close.
Any Pros?
This unit is about a quarter the weight and price of the Baking Steel Modernist Cuisine. Despite its low price point, this stone has a FREE plastic scraper. Unlike most pizza stones, this unit doesn’t give off any annoying odor during preheating.
My Concerns:
It’s a pizza stone. This means extra care when handling. If bumped or dropped, this product will likely break upon impact. In addition, you don’t want to spill anything on this stone. It’s not stain-resistant, and you can’t wash it with soap and water. Also, it comes with an average cooking space. Thus, it will only be a great fit if you intend to bake small pies.
5. HANS GRILL PIZZA STONE
The Bottom Line:
Not everyone is willing to make a huge investment in a pizza stone. If that’s you, you can’t go wrong purchasing the Hans Grill Pizza Stone. It’s heat resistant up to 1000 degrees F and comes with a FREE wooden peel.
How It Performs:
This pizza stone costs only a few bucks and delivers some serious baking/grilling performance. It’s made from toughened Cordierite stone. Meaning? You won’t miss out on beautiful char marks, a crispy base, and a pluff texture.
Also, I was amazed at how it handled extreme heat without warping. Coupled with its excellent heat distribution, this stone whipped up tasty side dishes.
Why do I like it?
It’s the most economical pizza stone on this list. Plus, it comes with a wooden peel for successful pie launches. Considering its price, this product is durable, and I absolutely had no issues cooking at 800 degrees F. No soggy pizza crust; that’s a BIG win for me.
The bad bits:
There was a terrible odor when I preheated it. Also, I noticed some chemical taste in the first two pizzas. While these flaws disappear after several uses, it’s worth noting before making a choice.
🧾How I Chose the Best Pizza Stone for Your Grill?
Before purchasing a pizza stone for your grill, here are the most important factors to consider:
Materials
Pizza stones are made from various materials, from ceramic to steel. They deliver remarkable baking performances. But they are not equal. There are some advantages and disadvantages worth noting before making a choice.
Ceramic
Ceramic stones are made from a wide range of clay. They have impressive heat distribution and retention, essential for creating crisp crusts. You don’t have to worry about the stone losing heat immediately when you place your raw dough.
Compared to steel and cast iron options, ceramic pizza stones are lighter. Thus, making it a great choice for people who hate heavy accessories. They also feature a protective finish giving them an attractive flair. So, you can use them as a serving tray.
The major downside is ceramic pizza stones are susceptible to cracking or breaking. So, they need to be handled with extreme caution.
Cast Iron
Cast iron pizza stones can withstand insane temperatures. They are perfect for cooking on the grill, on top of the stove, and in the oven. Unlike ceramic pizza stones, they are nearly indestructible. They don’t shatter, crack, or warp. On top of that, they are super resistant to thermal shock. With little maintenance, cast iron options can last a lifetime.
Cordierite
Cordierite, like cast iron, can handle extremely high temperatures without warping or shattering. They tend to cost more than other options.
However, you need to preheat them for more than 30 minutes to achieve excellent results. They also prevent moisture from building up under your pizza for a perfectly crispy crust.
Steel
Baking steel is a popular option in the pizza-making world. They are suitable for a wide range of baking, from frying half a dozen eggs at once to griddling a platter of pancakes. Baking steels are inarguable the most versatile griddle.
Made from steel, this griddle offers superior heat conduction and distribution. Thus, you can crisp your pizza crust up to 700 degrees F without cranking your oven. This is one advantage it has over the stone or ceramic options.
On the downside, they are very pricey and quite heavy to move around. They usually lack handles for a convenient carrying experience.
Size and Shape
Pizza stones are available in different shapes and shapes. The right option largely depends on your oven/grill size or shape and personal preference.
Remember that you want to go for a model that fits your oven or grill perfectly without obstructing proper airflow.
The rectangular pizza stone is ideal if you want a large cooking surface for all sorts of baking. Their large surface area makes them more versatile than their counterparts. You can easily bake multiple calzones or baguettes and other items.
But round or square-shaped options are your best bet for creating tasty pizzas. They provide extra uniform room around the pizza’s edges for a successful launch. This way, you don’t have to worry about some part of the pizza off the stone.
Heat Capacity
Pizza stones are meant to bring the performance of a full-fledged pizza oven to your home grill. They absorb, retain, and blast your pizza base with intense heat for an amazing, crisp result. However, not all pizza stones can handle up to 900 degrees F.
Therefore, always check the manufacturer’s specifications to ensure the stone can handle your desired cooking temperature.
However, it’s important that you preheat the stone for a generous amount of time before launching your raw dough onto it.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
Pizza stones are durable. They can last almost a lifetime. Nonetheless, caring for these accessories is important. They will remain as good as new even after many years.
Generally speaking, you shouldn’t put these accessories in your dishwasher. They are best hand-washed. However, not all materials support cleaning with soap and water.
For instance, cast iron and steel are easily cleaned under running water without soap. They only require you to dry and season before storing. Ceramics, on the other hand, can be wiped clean with a damp cloth and soap.
Cordierite requires a different cleaning method because of its porous nature. You should only scrape off stubborn stuck-on and rinse with water only.
🔧Cleaning and Maintaining Your Pizza Stone
Pizza stones are made from different materials. So, how you clean and maintain them depends on their material.
Cleaning a pizza stone
Ceramic stones with an unglazed surface are porous. They absorb anything that comes in contact with them, including soap. The consequence: absorbed substances tend to leech into whatever you will be cooking next.
So, avoiding cleaning ceramic stones with soapy water is strongly recommended. Instead, clean the pizza stone by burning off any cheesy bits or spills. Then, wipe off the burnt stick-on for a clean ceramic stone. Use a bench scraper to gently scrub them off for stubborn spills that won’t come off.
Seasoning a Pizza Steel
Unlike ceramic stones, baking steel requires seasoning before storing. Unless you love to see them rust. Seasoning them offers some significant degree of protection against rust. This is particularly helpful for people living in very humid areas.
Adding a couple of layers of seasoning is an easy process and a small price to pay for keeping your baking steel in great condition. Here’s how I do it:
Add a small amount of oil (I prefer flax or coconut oil) onto your baking steel. Use a paper towel to spread the oil. Every inch of the baking steel must be coated with a thin layer of oil. Also, wipe off any excess oil with another clean paper towel.
Put the baking steel on your grill or oven and bake for about an hour at 500 degrees F. I recommend doing this in an oven if you already own one.
Cleaning a Seasoned Pizza Steel
After baking, allow your baking steel to cool completely before washing. Unlike ceramic stone, you can wash baking steel with mild soap and hot water. Should some stuck-on spills prove too stubborn, scrape them away with a scouring pad.
Once it’s cleaned, don’t store it without drying it. This would only cause the accessory to rust faster. You can dry it completely using a dish towel or bake it at 30 degrees F for half an hour.
🧠Pizza Stone for Grill-(Related FAQs)
What else can I cook on my pizza stone besides pizza?
You can grill a wide range of food on a pizza stone. This accessory has a cooking surface that blasts dry heat consistently, which makes it ideal for baking sourdough boules, quesadillas, and calzones – to name a few.
Can you use a pizza stone on a Weber grill?
Definitely! Pizza stones can be used to make grilled pizzas on your Weber grill. They can handle extreme temperatures. But before you use or start baking with your stone, it’s crucial that you have preheated it for more than half an hour.
How long should I preheat the stone before baking?
To avoid thermal shock, it’s important that you let the stone come to temperature slowly. You should preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes at 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember that not all pizza stones can handle such high temperatures. Therefore, double-check your stone’s safety limit before placing it on the grill.
Conclusion
There you go, my top 5 best pizza stones for making amazing grilled pies. With any of these options, you can’t go wrong!
However, before you make a final decision, I highly recommend taking a moment to browse through my buying guide section. This will ensure that you make an informed choice and get the most out of your purchase.
You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to take your pizza game to the next level!
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