Best Pizza Steels for Home Ovens and Grills

How the Five Compare on the Numbers

The five pizza steels on this fact sheet are the Loftern 14 by 16, the ThermiChef 16 by 16, the Chef Pomodoro 16 by 16, the Primica XL 16 by 13.4, and the Original Baking Steel 14 by 16. Four of the five list a 0.25 inch thickness. The Original Baking Steel lists 0.24 inch. The Chef Pomodoro is the largest by published weight at 32.5 pounds. The Loftern is the smallest at 13.6 pounds.

Width and depth decide fit. The ThermiChef publishes the largest width and depth at 16 by 16 inches. The Primica is 16 by 13.4 inches. The Loftern and the Original Baking Steel are 14 by 16 inches. The Chef Pomodoro states a 16 by 16 inch surface, but its published width and depth figures are 0.9 and 1.3 inches. That is a discrepancy in the published data, not a measurement taken here.

The table does not tell you how any of these steels perform. No one at Lush has used them. It also does not tell you the maximum temperature, the warranty, or the exact steel grade beyond what the makers state. The Chef Pomodoro width and depth figures do not match its stated 16 by 16 inch surface, so treat those two numbers with care.

Thickness and Weight Decide the Rack

What 0.25 inch means in practice

Four of the five list a 0.25 inch thickness. The Original Baking Steel lists 0.24 inch. The difference between those two figures is 0.01 inch. The makers do not publish a maximum temperature for any of the five, so thickness is the main published figure that speaks to heat retention. A thicker plate holds more heat, and it also weighs more.

Weight follows thickness and surface area. The Loftern is 14 by 16 inches at 0.25 inch and 13.6 pounds. The Original Baking Steel is close to the same size at 0.24 inch and 15 pounds. The ThermiChef is 16 by 16 inches at 0.25 inch and 17.6 pounds. The Chef Pomodoro is the heaviest at 32.5 pounds.

Moving the steel safely

The Chef Pomodoro is the only one of the five with integrated lifting holes. The maker states these are for safe, steady movement from oven to table. That matters most on the heaviest steel. At 32.5 pounds, it is 14.9 pounds heavier than the ThermiChef and 18.9 pounds heavier than the Loftern.

The other four do not list lifting holes in their published features. The Loftern is the smallest at 13.6 pounds, so it is the easiest of the five to lift by the published figure alone. The Original Baking Steel is 15 pounds. The Primica is 14.44 pounds. None of the five publish a handle or a grip.

Seasoning and Heat Source Fit

Pre-seasoned against shot-blasted

The Loftern states it is pre-seasoned and ready to use. The Original Baking Steel states it ships pre-seasoned by hand in Massachusetts. The ThermiChef states it ships shot-blasted and needs one seasoning step before first use: wash, apply a thin coat of oil, and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. That is the only first-use instruction published for any of the five.

The Chef Pomodoro states it develops a seasoned surface over time, like cast iron, and needs no soap and no scrubbing. The Primica does not state a seasoning status in its published features. If you want to cook on day one with no extra step, the Loftern and the Original Baking Steel state that directly. The ThermiChef states the opposite.

Oven, grill, stovetop, campfire

The ThermiChef publishes the widest list of heat sources: oven, grill, stovetop, and campfire. It also states it fits over two burners on most gas and electric ranges. The Loftern states oven, grill, and pizza oven use. The Primica states oven and grill. The Original Baking Steel states any oven and any grill. The Chef Pomodoro states oven or grill.

The ThermiChef states it fits most full-size oven racks and can cook pizzas up to 15 inches in diameter. It also states a 14 by 14 inch version exists, though that size is not on this fact sheet. The Loftern states it fits most standard ovens and outdoor cookers. None of the five publish a maximum temperature, so the upper heat limit is unknown for all of them.

Which One Fits Your Kitchen

Standard oven owner. The Loftern is 14 by 16 inches and 13.6 pounds, the smallest of the five. It states oven, grill, and pizza oven use and ships pre-seasoned. That combination suits a standard rack and one-person handling.

Large pizza baker. The ThermiChef is 16 by 16 inches and states it cooks pizzas up to 15 inches in diameter. It publishes the largest width and depth of the five. It ships shot-blasted, so plan one seasoning step before first use.

Heavy steel user. The Chef Pomodoro is 32.5 pounds, the heaviest of the five, and the only one with lifting holes. The maker states the surface holds four sourdough loaves. The lifting holes are the reason to choose it over the others.

Grill and oven cook. The Primica is 16 by 13.4 inches and 14.44 pounds. It states oven and grill use and states it drains grease, oil, and fat away. The narrower depth suits a grill or a smaller oven opening.

Buying for the long term. The Original Baking Steel states it is made in Massachusetts, ships pre-seasoned by hand, and is crack-proof. It is 14 by 16 inches and 15 pounds. The maker states customers still cook on steels bought in 2013.

What We Could Not Verify

Several figures are absent from the fact sheet. These are the ones a buyer would most want and the makers do not publish.

• Maximum temperature is not published for any of the five steels.
• Warranty length is not published for any of the five steels.
• The Chef Pomodoro width and depth figures of 0.9 and 1.3 inches do not match its stated 16 by 16 inch surface.
• The Primica and the Chef Pomodoro do not state a seasoning status in their published features.
• The Generic plate lists no width, depth, height, or weight, and no features, so it cannot be compared on numbers or stated uses.
• No maker publishes a handle, a grip, or a maximum pizza diameter except the ThermiChef, which states 15 inches.