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10 best pizza stones for ovens and BBQs
Take pizza night to the next level by investing in a pizza stone for authentic Italian flavours at home. Here’s our pick of the best products to buy for crispy, delicious slices, every time.
By Karla Napoleon | Last updated Dec 20, 2023
If there’s one thing that can put a dampener on pizza night, it’s a soggy bottom. How to cook the perfect pizza is a hot topic on the Mumsnet forums, with many users swearing by a pizza stone to avoid an undercooked mess.
The best pizza stone can turn out restaurant-quality pizzas, with crisp bottoms and beautifully cooked toppings. They mimic the blazing temperature of a pizza oven, retaining heat and distributing it evenly to ensure pizzas are perfectly cooked. They also absorb moisture and allow steam to escape while cooking, giving you a nice crisp base.
In our quest to find the best product, we've left no pizza stone unturned and we've focused on items that have been tried, tested and rated by Mumsnetters.
Once you've nailed delicious pizzas at home, you might want to add another fun foodie appliance to your kitchen. We've got guides to the best waffle makers, the best popcorn makers, the best smoothie makers, the best ice cream makers and the best pasta makers, all featuring product recommendations from Mumsnetters.
Best pizza stones at a glance
Best overall: Kamado Joe Ceramic Pizza Stone | Buy now, £40
Best budget: Dunelm Pizza Stone with Cutter | Buy now, £18
Best cordierite: Ooni Baking Stone | Buy now, £20
Best for the oven: ProCook Pizza Stone | Buy now, £26
Best pizza pan: Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Pizza Pan | Buy now, £57
Best for BBQs: Unicook Round Pizza Stone | Buy now, £30
Best large: Dolce Mare Pizza Stone | Buy now, £30
Best small: ROCKSHEAT Round Cordierite Pizza Stone | Buy now, £20
Best versatile: KitchenCraft Baking Stone | Buy now, £25
Best stone and paddle set: Hans Grill Pizza Stone Set | Buy now, £55
1. Best overall pizza stone: Kamado Joe Ceramic Pizza Stone
Price on writing: £40 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 50 x 50 x 0.8 cm | Material: Ceramic | Weight: 4.3 kg
What we like
Can be used on the BBQ or in a conventional oven
Excellent heat retention
Large size for big families
What we don't like
Very heavy
Our verdict
Kamado Joe is one of the big names in BBQ land, but you don’t need to own one to use their pizza stone. With a 50.8cm diameter, this pizza stone is huge and heavy, but it should fit into most larger ovens (it's worth measuring to check it will fit first). It produces cracking pizza for a relatively affordable price. If you want something a bit smaller for your oven there’s also a 37.8cm diameter version available.
Made from heavy-duty ceramic, it’s heat-proof up to 400℃, and reviewers praise its heat retention qualities and ability to turn out beautifully crisp bases time and time again.
Read next: The best waffle makers to buy
2. Best budget pizza stone: Dunelm Pizza Stone with Cutter
Price on writing: £18 | Buy now from Dunelm
Key specs
Size: 33 x 33 x 0.5 cm | Material: Ceramic | Weight: N/A
What we like
Excellent quality for its price point
Includes a pizza cutter and stand
What we don't like
Heat retention isn’t as good as others
Our verdict
For an affordable pizza stone that performs well and also comes with handy accessories, you can’t go wrong with this ceramic stone from Dunelm.
Users say it looks and performs much better than its price point might suggest and we love the addition of the chrome serving rack, which not only looks attractive, but makes carrying pizza from the oven to the table that bit easier.
It’s oven-safe up to 220℃, so it isn’t suitable for use on the BBQ, although some reviewers have used it on theirs with no problems.
Read next: The best popcorn makers for fun family movie nights
3. Best cordierite pizza stone: Ooni Baking Stone
Price on writing: £20 | Buy now from Lakeland
Key specs
Size: 33 x 34 x 1 cm | Material: Cordierite | Weight: 2.7 kg
What we like
Comes with a three-year guarantee if you buy it from Lakeland
Quality look and feel
More lightweight than other stones
What we don't like
Some users reported that their stones cracked with use, so make sure to follow the usage instructions carefully
What Mumsnet users say
"Buy an Ooni. Best pizza ever. Not a paid ad, just a very happy customer" - LockdownCheeseToastie
Our verdict
Ooni pizza ovens became a quintessential lockdown purchase, but if you didn’t get the memo, never fear, because the Ooni baking stone enables you to make the brand's lauded pizza using your conventional oven.
It heats up with an even temperature and users have praised its heat retention - staying warm long after it’s out of the oven - and quality feel. It’s a good size and at 1cm thick, it’s one of the thinner pizza stones in our line-up.
4. Best pizza stone for the oven: ProCook Pizza Stone
Price on writing: £26 | Buy now from ProCook
Key specs
Size: 38 x 38 cm | Material: Ceramic | Weight: 3.4 kg
What we like
Stylish stone makes it a good choice for entertaining
Ideal size for large pizzas
Detailed instructions included
What we don't like
Not suitable for pizza ovens or coal or wood-fired BBQs
What Mumsnet users say
“I can thoroughly recommend bakeware from ProCook. Very good quality and decent prices.” - Sorrycantreadrest
Our verdict
This ceramic pizza stone from respected brand ProCook delivers solid results for an excellent price.
It’s perfect for entertaining - large enough to cook sharing pizzas and with the included serving rack, will look great on your dining table. You can use it for bread too - warm it up in the oven on the stone and it will keep it nice and warm on the table until it’s eaten.
Able to handle a maximum temperature of 300℃, it’s not suitable for outdoor pizza ovens or BBQs.
Read next: 10 ways to make cooking fun for kids at home
5. Best pizza pan: Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Pizza Pan
Price on writing: £57 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 48 x 38 x 3 cm | Material: Cast iron | Weight: 4.5 kg
What we like
Virtually indestructible
Inbuilt handles so you can lift out of the oven and onto the table
Great non-stick capabilities
Doesn’t need much preheating
What we don't like
High price point
You have to keep on top of the seasoning, otherwise it will rust
Might get too hot to cook bread loaves
What Mumsnet users say
"I use a cast iron skillet to make homemade pizza... The dough gets put into the very hot pan and then I put the sauce and cheese on while it’s on the heat. After a couple of minutes the whole thing goes into a hot oven to finish off. You get the crispy, slightly blackened bottom without the faff of turning it out and flipping it over" - MadameMinimes
Our verdict
This cast iron pizza pan from trusted US brand LODGE, has excellent heat distribution, so you won’t get hot spots or burn your food. You can use it in the oven or BBQ and also over the hob to cook meat, eggs and anything else you like!
While some people have problems with pizzas sticking on stones, this pan comes pre-seasoned with vegetable oil, and with additional seasoning after each use, you can achieve an excellent non-stick surface. It’s a breeze to clean too, as you can just wash it in warm, soapy water.
And because it’s made from cast iron, it’s extremely hard-wearing. While pizza stones can be dropped or crack in the oven, this will break you before you break it.
It’s pricey, but as you can use it for a lot more than pizzas and it should last you a lifetime, we think it’s worth it.
6. Best pizza stone for BBQs: Unicook Round Pizza Stone
Price on writing: £30 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm | Material: Cordierite | Weight: 2.4 kg
What we like
Extremely durable and high heat resistance
Excellent heat retention
What we don't like
Heavy
Our verdict
Made from natural cordierite, this pizza stone is heat resistant up to 787℃, making it perfect for the BBQ.
You’ll need to preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes before cooking on it. Users raved about how the pizza turned out - crispy on the bottom and lovely and chewy on the inside. They said it makes excellent bread too.
To clean, remove any residue with the included scraper (which doubles up as a dough cutter) and hand wash with warm water if required.
Read next: The best blenders for smoothies, as rated by Mumsnetters
7. Best large pizza stone: Dolce Mare Pizza Stone
Price on writing: £30 | Buy from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 38 x 30 x 1.5 cm | Material: Cordierite | Weight: 4.3 kg
What we like
Great value. Also comes with a paddle and a recipe e-book
Glazed surface makes it easier to clean
What we don't like
Some users have said the paddle is too thick to get pizzas out of the oven
Our verdict
Does pizza night equal party night? This mammoth cordierite pizza stone is perfect for entertaining or when you need to feed a hungry hoard.
It’s heat resistant up to 900℃, so it’s suitable for use in the oven, under the grill or on a BBQ. It also comes with a pine wood paddle to slide your pizza on and off the stone.
If you like to keep tidy, you’ll love that this stone has a glazed surface, meaning it doesn’t stain and is easy to clean. Just let it cool down and then wash with water.
8. Best small pizza stone: ROCKSHEAT Round Cordierite Pizza Stone
Price on writing: £20 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 26 x 26 x 1.2 cm | Material: Cordierite | Weight: 1.3 kg
What we like
Doesn’t take long to preheat compared to thicker stones
Not too heavy
What we don't like
The size might limit you if you have people round for dinner
Our verdict
Pizza for one? If a personal pizza party is more your style, or you don’t have a lot of storage space, this pizza stone from ROCKSHEAT packs a punch for its size.
It comes with detailed instructions and is heat resistant up to 800℃, so you can use it in the oven and on charcoal and gas BBQs.
At only 1.2cm thick, it’s thinner than some other pizza stones, so it’s lighter and therefore easier to work with.
9. Best versatile pizza stone: KitchenCraft Baking Stone, 27cm
Price on writing: £25 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 27 x 27 x 0.6 cm | Material: Cast iron | Weight: N/A
What we like
Built-in handle for easy manoeuvrability
Retains heat well with no hot spots
Easy clean-up
What we don't like
Doesn’t come pre-seasoned
Our verdict
If you want to do a bit more with your pizza stone, you can use this cast iron stone to cook a whole range of foods as it’s suitable for use on the hob, including electric and induction, making it perfect for scones, Welsh cakes, flatbreads and the like.
It has detailed instructions on seasoning, which you have to do before you can use it. It does take a while, so factor that into your cooking plans.
However, once seasoned, clean-up is a breeze - simply wipe clean with a dry cloth. It also comes with recipes to download after purchase.
10. Best pizza stone and paddle set: Hans Grill Pizza Stone Set
Price on writing: £55 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Size: 38 x 30 x 1.5 cm | Material: Cordierite | Weight: 3.5 kg
What we like
Money-back guarantee
Great value for money
What we don't like
Some users said they didn’t find the paddle large enough
Our verdict
A good looking and quality product, this pizza stone and paddle set would make a great gift for the foodie in your life.
It’s made from cordierite and can be used on anything - be it the oven, the BBQ and even the hob.
It’s big enough to easily handle a large pizza or two small ones. And you can cook bread, cookies and pies on it too. It comes with an e-book and recipes so you can get to work experimenting.
How to use a pizza stone
Perfect pizza depends on extreme heat. And thanks to their heat absorbing and retention properties, pizza stones deliver an even, intense heat to produce a blistered, crispy crust.
Because of this, you’ll need to preheat the pizza stone before you use it. Timings on this vary, depending on the thickness of your stone and how hot your oven gets. Make sure you heat your stone gradually as putting it straight into a hot oven could cause it to crack.
To prevent your pizza sticking, dust the stone and the surface you’re working on liberally with semolina or flour. Slide your pizza onto the stone and bake in the oven until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
What to look for in a pizza stone
At first glance, you might be wondering whether there’s much difference in pizza stones, but there are some things to consider to help you narrow down your search.
Size: Is it going to fit in your oven or BBQ? And do you have a large enough place to store it when it’s not in use? Have a think as well about what you’ll be using it for. If you like to cook pizzas on demand, then a smaller size would probably suffice, but if you usually make large sharing pizzas, you’ll need a bigger stone.
Thickness: The thicker the stone, the better and longer the heat retention. But, on the flip side, the longer it takes to heat up. Thicker ones tend to be more expensive too.
Style: Pizza stones can be taken straight to the table, to keep your pizza warm while it’s being eaten. So if you plan to use it for entertaining, you might want to go for a stone that looks nice, rather than a bog standard one. Some also come with serving racks, earning you a few extra style points.
Budget: Ceramic stones tend to be cheaper and generally the more you spend, the bigger and thicker your stone will be.
Cooking method: Not all stones can handle the high heat of BBQs and pizza ovens. If you’re just planning on making pizzas in your oven you’ll be fine with any stone, but if you want to use it with the BBQ or pizza oven, then you’ll need to make sure it has a high enough heat resistance.
Accessories: If you’re getting serious about pizza making, you might also want to invest in some accessories such as a pizza peel or paddle. Some stones come with a paddle and other accessories included, which can save you money over buying them separately.
Use: Aside from pizza, you can also use pizza stones to cook breads, cakes and biscuits. However, they’re not suitable for things like meat and vegetables, as the oils and fats in these foods soak into the stone and make it more susceptible to cracking. If you want something that can handle those foods as well as pizza, go for a cast iron or steel baking sheet instead.
What is the best material to use for a pizza stone?
Pizza stones can be made from ceramic, cordierite or a composite material, although we’ve not featured any composites in our line-up. Baking sheets on the other hand can also come in iron and steel. So, which one is right for you?
Ceramic
More fragile than cordierite - a ceramic stone can crack if not appropriately preheated. However, they conduct heat evenly and retain their heat extremely well. They also tend to be more cost-effective than other stones. They do stain easily.
Cordierite
Hard-wearing and thermal shock resistant, so less likely to break than ceramic. Cordierite generally requires more heating than ceramic, but it can handle extremely high temperatures. Like ceramic, they will absorb stains.
Cast iron
Incredibly durable, they can withstand extreme temperatures and can be used with a grill, hob, oven, BBQ and pizza oven. They can get too hot to cook larger loaves, but are extremely flexible for cooking other foods, such as eggs, meat and fish. As long as you keep on top of seasoning, they’re a breeze to clean.
Steel
Like cast iron, baking steels can be used for all kinds of baking. They’re a fast heat conductor and because of this, don’t need to be preheated for as long. Because they’re metal, they’re extremely durable and can stand being thrown about. However, they don’t reserve heat as effectively as stones, so will cool down quicker.
How to clean a pizza stone
A well-used pizza stone will look exactly that, so don’t worry if you can’t get them spotlessly clean.
After use, scrape your stone free of any residue with a scraper or soft scourer. You can rinse it under warm water if required, but don’t soak it. Soaking in water can weaken the stone and make cracks more likely. Dry before storing - your oven is a good place to keep them.
For ceramic and cordierite stones particularly, it’s important not to use soap on them. That’s because the stone will absorb the detergent and release soapy fumes when you next use it.
If you have any particularly troublesome stains, you can blitz them using your oven’s self-cleaning function.
Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions, as the exact cleaning guidelines can vary from stone to stone.
What is the best pizza stone?
For its excellent performance and universally good reviews, we’ve chosen the Kamado Joe Ceramic Pizza Stone as the best pizza stone available in the UK. It comes in two diameters, meaning you can choose the right size for your needs (although both are on the larger size), and thanks to the high-quality ceramic, you can expect deliciously crisp pizza every time.
How we chose our recommendations
There’s nothing like real-life recommendations, so our first port of call was the Mumsnet forums to find out their best pizza stones. Then we researched food blogs and expert review sites to see which stones performed well across the board.
About the author
Karla Naopoleon is a writer and editor who has written for women's lifestyle and parenting magazines. She's written everything from celebrity profiles and real-life stories to health and wellbeing features, as well as articles for brands.
She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, three kids and their dog, Mavis, and loves gigs, pub quizzes and walking in the Lakes and the Dales.
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