FOOD · POSITIVITY · KINDNESS
Pizza Stone
Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.
Which one should you buy?
A big, sturdy cordierite stone gives you a far better crust than a baking sheet for not much money. If you bake pizza every week and don't mind the weight, a steel is better still. Here's what I'd point you to:
Pick | Why | Price |
My pick Old Stone 14x16-inch Rectangular Pizza Stone | A roomy rectangle of cordierite that works in the oven and on the grill, for under $40. | About $39 (October 2026) See it on Amazon |
Step up Nerd Chef Steel Stone, ¼ inch | A baking steel. It gives an airier, more tender crust than any stone, but it's very heavy and has no handholds. | About $110 Check the price |
On a budget Outset Pizza Grill Tiles | A set of small cordierite tiles. Light, easy to store and quicker to heat, though the crust is a little chewier. | About $28 Check the price |
A pizza stone soaks up the oven's heat and gives you a crisp, blistered crust that a baking sheet just can't match. It's wonderful for bread, flatbreads and naan too. For a slab of baked clay, it does a remarkable amount of good.
Your oven at home doesn't get anywhere near as hot as a proper pizza oven, but a stone helps close the gap. Friday pizza night goes from soggy and pale to something the whole family argues over.
How a pizza stone works
A pizza needs a blast of heat from underneath the moment it goes in. A thin baking sheet holds very little heat, so when the cold dough lands on it, the pan cools down and the base bakes slowly. It goes soft and bready instead of puffing and crisping.
A stone is thick and dense, so it stores a lot of heat. When the dough lands, the stone pours that heat straight into the base. The moisture in the dough turns to steam, the crust puffs up and the bottom browns in minutes.
A steel works the same way, only more so. Steel moves heat into the dough even faster than stone, which is why it gives a lighter, more blistered crust. The trade-off is weight: a quarter-inch steel is a real lump to lift in and out of the oven.
Either way, the secret is a long preheat. A stone that's only been in for 20 minutes is just a warm rock.
Old Stone 14x16 at a glance
What | Detail |
Size | 14 x 16 inches, rectangular |
Material | Cordierite stoneware |
Heat | Listed to handle up to 1450°F |
Use | Oven and outdoor grill |
Care | Scrape and wipe with a damp cloth; no soap |
A rectangle gives you more room than a round stone, so it's handy for long loaves and two small pizzas at once.
What to look for in a pizza stone
The right size. 14 to 16 inches suits most ovens. Measure yours and leave a gap of an inch or two around the edges so air can move.
Thick enough. At least half an inch holds plenty of heat. Much thicker just takes longer to heat up.
Cordierite. It copes with high heat better than cheap ceramic.
Weight you can manage. You'll be lifting it in and out of an oven.
Stone or steel. Steel makes the better crust, stone is lighter and cheaper.
The Old Stone is a good size, made of the right stuff, and it costs very little.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Good for you if
You make pizza, flatbreads or crusty bread at home
You want a much better crust without spending much
You'd like to bake pizza on the grill in summer
Skip it if
You bake pizza every week and want the best crust: buy a steel
You struggle to lift heavy things in and out of a hot oven
Your oven is small and a 14x16 would block the air
How to get the best from it
Preheat properly
Put the stone on a rack in a cold oven, then heat the oven to its highest setting for 45 minutes to an hour. An hour is better. Never put a cold stone into a hot oven.
Getting the pizza on
Build the pizza on a peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina and give it a little shake before it goes in, to make sure it slides. Or use parchment, but check the temperature on the box. Most parchment isn't made for an oven's top setting, so slide it out after a few minutes once the base has set.
Where it lives
Never put the stone on the oven floor, and don't let it block the vents. Some people leave it in the oven all the time. That's fine, but it makes the oven slower to heat, so take it out when you're baking cakes.
Looking after it
No soap, ever. The stone is porous and will soak it up, and your pizza will taste of it.
Scrape, don't scrub. Let it cool, scrape off any burnt bits, and wipe with a barely damp cloth. Anything left burns off next time you heat it.
Keep it dry. If it gets wet, let it air-dry completely, for a day if need be, before you heat it. Trapped water expands and can crack the stone.
Let it cool in the oven. A hot stone stays hot for a long time. Never put it on a cold or wet surface.
Stains are fine. The dark patches are normal, and a sign it's well loved.
The one rule
Dry stone, cold oven, long preheat. That's how you get a great crust and a stone that doesn't crack.
Questions people ask
Is a pizza stone or a pizza steel better?
A steel makes a lighter, crisper crust and won't crack. A stone is lighter to lift and costs much less. For most people, a stone is the sensible start.
How long should I preheat a pizza stone?
About an hour at your oven's highest setting. Thin tiles can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Why did my pizza stone crack?
Usually moisture trapped inside, a sudden change in temperature, or a knock or a drop. Keep it dry and heat it up with the oven.
Can I wash a pizza stone with soap?
No. Scrape it, wipe it with a damp cloth, and let the heat do the rest.
Can I leave the pizza stone in the oven?
Yes, as long as it isn't on the floor or blocking vents. Just expect the oven to take longer to heat up.
More for baking
My bakeware picks, and my New York style pizza dough.
Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.
Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.
Which one should you buy?
A big, sturdy cordierite stone gives you a far better crust than a baking sheet for not much money. If you bake pizza every week and don't mind the weight, a steel is better still. Here's what I'd point you to:
Pick | Why | Price |
My pick Old Stone 14x16-inch Rectangular Pizza Stone | A roomy rectangle of cordierite that works in the oven and on the grill, for under $40. | About $39 (October 2026) See it on Amazon |
Step up Nerd Chef Steel Stone, ¼ inch | A baking steel. It gives an airier, more tender crust than any stone, but it's very heavy and has no handholds. | About $110 Check the price |
On a budget Outset Pizza Grill Tiles | A set of small cordierite tiles. Light, easy to store and quicker to heat, though the crust is a little chewier. | About $28 Check the price |
A pizza stone soaks up the oven's heat and gives you a crisp, blistered crust that a baking sheet just can't match. It's wonderful for bread, flatbreads and naan too. For a slab of baked clay, it does a remarkable amount of good.
Your oven at home doesn't get anywhere near as hot as a proper pizza oven, but a stone helps close the gap. Friday pizza night goes from soggy and pale to something the whole family argues over.
How a pizza stone works
A pizza needs a blast of heat from underneath the moment it goes in. A thin baking sheet holds very little heat, so when the cold dough lands on it, the pan cools down and the base bakes slowly. It goes soft and bready instead of puffing and crisping.
A stone is thick and dense, so it stores a lot of heat. When the dough lands, the stone pours that heat straight into the base. The moisture in the dough turns to steam, the crust puffs up and the bottom browns in minutes.
A steel works the same way, only more so. Steel moves heat into the dough even faster than stone, which is why it gives a lighter, more blistered crust. The trade-off is weight: a quarter-inch steel is a real lump to lift in and out of the oven.
Either way, the secret is a long preheat. A stone that's only been in for 20 minutes is just a warm rock.
Old Stone 14x16 at a glance
What | Detail |
Size | 14 x 16 inches, rectangular |
Material | Cordierite stoneware |
Heat | Listed to handle up to 1450°F |
Use | Oven and outdoor grill |
Care | Scrape and wipe with a damp cloth; no soap |
A rectangle gives you more room than a round stone, so it's handy for long loaves and two small pizzas at once.
What to look for in a pizza stone
The right size. 14 to 16 inches suits most ovens. Measure yours and leave a gap of an inch or two around the edges so air can move.
Thick enough. At least half an inch holds plenty of heat. Much thicker just takes longer to heat up.
Cordierite. It copes with high heat better than cheap ceramic.
Weight you can manage. You'll be lifting it in and out of an oven.
Stone or steel. Steel makes the better crust, stone is lighter and cheaper.
The Old Stone is a good size, made of the right stuff, and it costs very little.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Good for you if
You make pizza, flatbreads or crusty bread at home
You want a much better crust without spending much
You'd like to bake pizza on the grill in summer
Skip it if
You bake pizza every week and want the best crust: buy a steel
You struggle to lift heavy things in and out of a hot oven
Your oven is small and a 14x16 would block the air
How to get the best from it
Preheat properly
Put the stone on a rack in a cold oven, then heat the oven to its highest setting for 45 minutes to an hour. An hour is better. Never put a cold stone into a hot oven.
Getting the pizza on
Build the pizza on a peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina and give it a little shake before it goes in, to make sure it slides. Or use parchment, but check the temperature on the box. Most parchment isn't made for an oven's top setting, so slide it out after a few minutes once the base has set.
Where it lives
Never put the stone on the oven floor, and don't let it block the vents. Some people leave it in the oven all the time. That's fine, but it makes the oven slower to heat, so take it out when you're baking cakes.
Looking after it
No soap, ever. The stone is porous and will soak it up, and your pizza will taste of it.
Scrape, don't scrub. Let it cool, scrape off any burnt bits, and wipe with a barely damp cloth. Anything left burns off next time you heat it.
Keep it dry. If it gets wet, let it air-dry completely, for a day if need be, before you heat it. Trapped water expands and can crack the stone.
Let it cool in the oven. A hot stone stays hot for a long time. Never put it on a cold or wet surface.
Stains are fine. The dark patches are normal, and a sign it's well loved.
The one rule
Dry stone, cold oven, long preheat. That's how you get a great crust and a stone that doesn't crack.
Questions people ask
Is a pizza stone or a pizza steel better?
A steel makes a lighter, crisper crust and won't crack. A stone is lighter to lift and costs much less. For most people, a stone is the sensible start.
How long should I preheat a pizza stone?
About an hour at your oven's highest setting. Thin tiles can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Why did my pizza stone crack?
Usually moisture trapped inside, a sudden change in temperature, or a knock or a drop. Keep it dry and heat it up with the oven.
Can I wash a pizza stone with soap?
No. Scrape it, wipe it with a damp cloth, and let the heat do the rest.
Can I leave the pizza stone in the oven?
Yes, as long as it isn't on the floor or blocking vents. Just expect the oven to take longer to heat up.
More for baking
My bakeware picks, and my New York style pizza dough.
Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.
Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.
Which one should you buy?
A big, sturdy cordierite stone gives you a far better crust than a baking sheet for not much money. If you bake pizza every week and don't mind the weight, a steel is better still. Here's what I'd point you to:
Pick | Why | Price |
My pick Old Stone 14x16-inch Rectangular Pizza Stone | A roomy rectangle of cordierite that works in the oven and on the grill, for under $40. | About $39 (October 2026) See it on Amazon |
Step up Nerd Chef Steel Stone, ¼ inch | A baking steel. It gives an airier, more tender crust than any stone, but it's very heavy and has no handholds. | About $110 Check the price |
On a budget Outset Pizza Grill Tiles | A set of small cordierite tiles. Light, easy to store and quicker to heat, though the crust is a little chewier. | About $28 Check the price |
A pizza stone soaks up the oven's heat and gives you a crisp, blistered crust that a baking sheet just can't match. It's wonderful for bread, flatbreads and naan too. For a slab of baked clay, it does a remarkable amount of good.
Your oven at home doesn't get anywhere near as hot as a proper pizza oven, but a stone helps close the gap. Friday pizza night goes from soggy and pale to something the whole family argues over.
How a pizza stone works
A pizza needs a blast of heat from underneath the moment it goes in. A thin baking sheet holds very little heat, so when the cold dough lands on it, the pan cools down and the base bakes slowly. It goes soft and bready instead of puffing and crisping.
A stone is thick and dense, so it stores a lot of heat. When the dough lands, the stone pours that heat straight into the base. The moisture in the dough turns to steam, the crust puffs up and the bottom browns in minutes.
A steel works the same way, only more so. Steel moves heat into the dough even faster than stone, which is why it gives a lighter, more blistered crust. The trade-off is weight: a quarter-inch steel is a real lump to lift in and out of the oven.
Either way, the secret is a long preheat. A stone that's only been in for 20 minutes is just a warm rock.
Old Stone 14x16 at a glance
What | Detail |
Size | 14 x 16 inches, rectangular |
Material | Cordierite stoneware |
Heat | Listed to handle up to 1450°F |
Use | Oven and outdoor grill |
Care | Scrape and wipe with a damp cloth; no soap |
A rectangle gives you more room than a round stone, so it's handy for long loaves and two small pizzas at once.
What to look for in a pizza stone
The right size. 14 to 16 inches suits most ovens. Measure yours and leave a gap of an inch or two around the edges so air can move.
Thick enough. At least half an inch holds plenty of heat. Much thicker just takes longer to heat up.
Cordierite. It copes with high heat better than cheap ceramic.
Weight you can manage. You'll be lifting it in and out of an oven.
Stone or steel. Steel makes the better crust, stone is lighter and cheaper.
The Old Stone is a good size, made of the right stuff, and it costs very little.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Good for you if
You make pizza, flatbreads or crusty bread at home
You want a much better crust without spending much
You'd like to bake pizza on the grill in summer
Skip it if
You bake pizza every week and want the best crust: buy a steel
You struggle to lift heavy things in and out of a hot oven
Your oven is small and a 14x16 would block the air
How to get the best from it
Preheat properly
Put the stone on a rack in a cold oven, then heat the oven to its highest setting for 45 minutes to an hour. An hour is better. Never put a cold stone into a hot oven.
Getting the pizza on
Build the pizza on a peel dusted with cornmeal or semolina and give it a little shake before it goes in, to make sure it slides. Or use parchment, but check the temperature on the box. Most parchment isn't made for an oven's top setting, so slide it out after a few minutes once the base has set.
Where it lives
Never put the stone on the oven floor, and don't let it block the vents. Some people leave it in the oven all the time. That's fine, but it makes the oven slower to heat, so take it out when you're baking cakes.
Looking after it
No soap, ever. The stone is porous and will soak it up, and your pizza will taste of it.
Scrape, don't scrub. Let it cool, scrape off any burnt bits, and wipe with a barely damp cloth. Anything left burns off next time you heat it.
Keep it dry. If it gets wet, let it air-dry completely, for a day if need be, before you heat it. Trapped water expands and can crack the stone.
Let it cool in the oven. A hot stone stays hot for a long time. Never put it on a cold or wet surface.
Stains are fine. The dark patches are normal, and a sign it's well loved.
The one rule
Dry stone, cold oven, long preheat. That's how you get a great crust and a stone that doesn't crack.
Questions people ask
Is a pizza stone or a pizza steel better?
A steel makes a lighter, crisper crust and won't crack. A stone is lighter to lift and costs much less. For most people, a stone is the sensible start.
How long should I preheat a pizza stone?
About an hour at your oven's highest setting. Thin tiles can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Why did my pizza stone crack?
Usually moisture trapped inside, a sudden change in temperature, or a knock or a drop. Keep it dry and heat it up with the oven.
Can I wash a pizza stone with soap?
No. Scrape it, wipe it with a damp cloth, and let the heat do the rest.
Can I leave the pizza stone in the oven?
Yes, as long as it isn't on the floor or blocking vents. Just expect the oven to take longer to heat up.
More for baking
My bakeware picks, and my New York style pizza dough.
Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.