Best Pizza Stones for Oven and Grill Baking

How the Five Compare on the Numbers

The five shortlisted products split into two groups by material. The Gyreuni and Old Stone are cordierite, the American Metalcraft is ceramic, and the Loftern is carbon steel. The KitchenStar does not publish its stone material. Heat tolerance is published for only three of the five: 1800°F for the KitchenStar, 1472°F for the Gyreuni, and 1450°F for the Old Stone. The other two state no maximum temperature.

Weight separates them just as sharply. The American Metalcraft stone is 2.7 pounds, the Gyreuni set is 6.46 pounds, the Old Stone is 10 pounds, and the Loftern and KitchenStar are 13.6 and 13.7 pounds. Surface size ranges from a 13 inch round to a 16 inch square. The table below sets out every figure the makers publish, and marks the rest as not published.

The table does not tell you how any of these bake. No maker publishes a recovery time, a preheat duration, or a thermal conductivity figure that can be compared across all five. It also cannot tell you whether a stone will fit your specific oven rack or whether the weight is manageable for you. Those are physical checks only you can make.

Material and Heat Tolerance

Cordierite and ceramic stones

The Gyreuni stone is cordierite and rated heat-safe up to 1472°F. The Old Stone is also cordierite and rated to withstand heat up to 1450°F. That is a 22 degree difference between the two, which is small. Both makers describe even heat transfer. The American Metalcraft stone is ceramic, and its maker states it is designed to withstand high oven temperatures without cracking or warping, but publishes no figure.

Ceramic and cordierite are both porous materials. The Old Stone listing states the stone naturally seasons over time, and the maker advises a rinse and air dry. The American Metalcraft listing advises allowing the stone to cool completely before wiping it with a damp cloth, and warns against soap or submerging it in water. The Gyreuni listing states the stone has no smell and excellent thermal shock resistance.

Carbon steel plates

The Loftern is a 14×16 inch carbon steel plate at 13.6 pounds and 0.25 inch thick. The maker states it is pre-seasoned and ready to use, and that it withstands high temperatures without warping or cracking. No maximum temperature is published. The maker also states the steel is easy to clean with a quick wipe and does not flake, crack, or need soaking.

Steel and stone are maintained differently. The Loftern arrives pre-seasoned. The Chef Pomodoro steel, which is not on the shortlist, ships shot-blasted and requires seasoning before first use. The Loftern listing does not describe a seasoning routine beyond stating it is pre-seasoned. Neither steel maker publishes a heat tolerance figure, so a buyer comparing on that number alone has nothing to compare.

Size, Weight, and What Comes in the Box

Surface area and oven fit

The Old Stone and Loftern are both 14×16 inches, giving the same rectangular footprint. The KitchenStar is 16 inches wide and 16 inches deep, the largest square surface here, though its published width of 4.18 inches appears to describe a packaged dimension rather than the stone. The Gyreuni and American Metalcraft are both 13 inch rounds. A 16 inch square needs a deeper oven than a 13 inch round.

Height varies more than expected. The Old Stone is 0.75 inch thick, the Gyreuni is 0.6 inch, the American Metalcraft is 0.375 inch, and the Loftern is 0.25 inch. The KitchenStar publishes no height. A thicker stone takes longer to heat through, though no maker publishes a preheat time that would let you compare that directly.

Accessories and maintenance

The Gyreuni set is the most complete. It includes the 13 inch stone, a 12×17 inch oak paddle, a 13 inch serving rack, a steel cutter, and 10 sheets of parchment. The KitchenStar set includes a 16 inch stone, an acacia wood peel, a rocker cutter with a safety cover, and an oven brush with a stainless steel scraper. The Old Stone, Loftern, and American Metalcraft are sold as the stone or steel alone.

The American Metalcraft is the only product here described as dishwasher safe, though the same listing also advises against submerging the stone in water. That is a contradiction in the published material, and it is worth checking the maker’s current care instructions. The Old Stone cleans with a rinse and air dry. The Loftern cleans with a quick wipe. The Gyreuni and KitchenStar publish no cleaning method.

Which One Fits Your Kitchen

Buyer who wants everything in one box. The Gyreuni set includes the stone, an oak peel, a serving rack, a cutter, and parchment. If you own none of those tools, this is the shortest path to a full setup, and the stone is rated to 1472°F.

Buyer who bakes large pizzas or loaves. The Old Stone at 14×16 inches gives more usable surface than a 13 inch round, and it is rated to 1450°F. It weighs 10 pounds, so it is movable but not light. It is sold as the stone alone.

Buyer who wants a steel rather than a stone. The Loftern is a 14×16 inch carbon steel plate at 13.6 pounds, pre-seasoned and ready to use. It is the lighter of the two steels on the sheet. No maximum temperature is published, so check the maker’s guidance before high-heat use.

Buyer with limited strength or storage. The American Metalcraft stone is 2.7 pounds and 13 inches round. It is the lightest product here and the only one described as dishwasher safe. It is ceramic and publishes no heat tolerance, so confirm the limit before use.

Buyer who wants the highest published heat figure. The KitchenStar set is rated to 1800°F, the highest on the sheet, and includes a peel, cutter, and brush. It weighs 13.7 pounds and publishes no height or material, so the heat rating is the figure to weigh.

What We Could Not Verify

Several figures that would decide a purchase are simply not published by the makers. We list them here rather than estimate.

• Maximum temperature for the Loftern carbon steel plate.
• Maximum temperature for the American Metalcraft ceramic stone.
• Maximum temperature for the Chef Pomodoro steel.
• Height of the KitchenStar set.
• Material of the KitchenStar stone.
• Preheat time or heat recovery time for any of the eight products.