Best Overall: Dough-Joe Pizza Steel
Dough-Joe Pizza steel transfers top temperatures quickly; hence, pizza is ready in little time, with a crunchy crust and a perfectly melted cheese. It has a matte appearance that customers tend to love, and it is a very durable item. However, keep in mind that you might need to pass a learning curve to get the best cooking results.
If you are into making pizza from scratch at home, you probably want to be as authentic as possible. Pizza steel is a must-have to improve even more your pizza game. You want steel thick enough to retain more energy and cook faster.
Pizza steel emits intense heat for a delicious and crispy crust. They are made out of pure steel and can last for a lifetime if you take care of it. The downside is that they are more expensive than pizza stones; although, for the cooking results, it’s worth the investment.
Best Pizza Steel to Buy in 2021
1. Best Pizza Steel: Dough-Joe Pizza Steel
• MADE IN USA–15″ x 15″ x 1/4″–made of carbon steel–pre-seasoned–IMPORTANT you need an average of 1.5″ on all sides of your oven. Without enough clearance, your steel will get very hot while your air space above will not be hot enough to adequately cook the ingredients, resulting in badly burned crust.
• 15 inches square gives you larger round pizzas (15″) than the traditional 14 x 16, which can only hold a 14-inch round pizza, and has a nearly equal overall space (225 square inches) than the 14 x 16 (224 square inches). Fits perfectly on the Weber 22.5″ grill. Pre-seasoned, which is why the dark color. Re-season only as needed. Steel WILL NEVER BREAK, and will last for a lifetime.
• EXTREMELY HEAVY–Actual Weight of the Samurai.
Best Features
- Large pizzas – The measures of the product are 15 x 15 x 0.25’’; therefore, you can bake large round pizzas in it.
- Durable – Steel does not crack, and it can last for a lifetime; so, even though it is a pricey item, it’s worth the money.
- Fast cooking – Thanks to the huge amount of heat that is delivered to the pizza in little time, the baking time reduces significantly.
- Nice appearance – Many customers have remarked its matte finish surface, which allows steam to channel away quickly and maintain an elegant look.
- Multiple uses – You can use it for many things, such as baking pizza, bread, cookies, and heating leftovers to make them nice and crisp again.
You Should Also Know
- Too hot – Very few users have stated that pies burn before the cheese of the pizza even melts; however, keep in mind that pizza steels heat 20 times faster than stones, so once you pass the learning curve, you should not have an issue.
- Odor in the oven – There is little negative feedback about a smell that the oven acquires after some time using the steel. A few users have described it as a burning wire smell.
Final Remarks
Dough-Joe Pizza steel transfers top temperatures quickly; hence, pizza is ready in little time, with a crunchy crust and a perfectly melted cheese. It has a matte appearance that customers tend to love, and it is a very durable item. However, keep in mind that you might need to pass a learning curve to get the best cooking results.
Our score: 4.7 out of 5
2. Nerd Chef Pizza Steel
• 20x higher conductivity than ceramic baking stones and twice the heat capacity. This lets it send much more heat energy to your crust so you can get the great performance of a 1000F oven in a home oven at 450F.
• Gorgeous crusts, better blistering, and faster cook times.
• Low-friction surface: textured, sanded smooth, seasoned with flaxseed oil.
Best Features
- High conductivity – It sends much more heat energy to your crust so you can get the performance of a 1000°F pizza oven in a home oven at 450°F.
- Pre-seasoned – The product has already been seasoned with flaxseed oil; therefore, the smooth surface will allow the pizza to slide effortlessly.
- Easy to handle – Even though steel is heavy and can be hard to handle, Nerd Chef Steel has been designed with finger holes to make its moving easier; plus, you can hang it on a wall.
- Long durability – It’s made of solid, unbreakable steel. Users have stated that the product can last for a lifetime.
- Large size – Its measures are 16″ x 14.25″ x .375″, which are perfect to fit a medium pizza or two small ones.
You Should Also Know
- Very heavy – The thicker the steel is, the more heat it can hold and transfer to your pizza, which ends up in better cooking results. However, some buyers have stated that the item is too heavy and that you need to be very careful in not dropping it because you could get seriously hurt.
- Preheating time – It takes a long time to preheat the steel, which is why buyers have stated that if you plan to use this to cook frozen pizza on or are impatient, this item probably won’t be useful to you. But if you can plan ahead and have a little patience, the reward will be worth it.
- Pricey – The item can be out of budget for some; but if you can afford it, we definitely recommend it.
Final Remarks
Steel is heavy, and it takes some time to preheat; however, the majority of users have described it as an excellent product to make pizza with, due to its high conductivity and heat capacity. Plus, it is an item that will last you for life, so it’s worth the investment.
Our score: 4.7 out of 5
3. Artisan Steel Pizza Steel
• Ultra-conductive pizza steel for baking beautiful, blistered crust & fast cook times.
• Low friction steel surface for easy sliding & more conductive than ceramic or stone baking sheets. Allows steam to channel away for a perfectly crisp crust.
• Solid, heavy duty steel pizza stone that will not break even under high temperatures.
Best Features
- Easy sliding – The low friction steel surface allows the pizza to slide easily.
- Heat conduction – When it comes to the conduction of heat and cook times, it only has positive feedback.
- Large size – The measures are 16’’ x 14.25’’ x 0.25’’, and it weighs 16.27lbs (7.25kgs); hence, you can place a round 14’’ pizza easily.
You Should Also Know
- Rust – A couple of users stated that the steel was getting rusted at some places even after following the oil priming instructions.
- Sharp edges – A buyer indicated to have suffered a shallow cut after handling the steel because the edges were not finished well enough. He recommended to use gloves or bevel the edges yourself to avoid further issues.
Final Remarks
Artisan Steel produces incredible pizzas, and it can last for many decades. It can reach and maintain temperatures of 600°F without warping, and it holds up to 14’’ pizzas. There is little negative feedback about it; however, a few users pointed out that the steel got rusted at some places after some time of use.
Our score: 4.7 out of 5
4. Baking Steel Pizza Steel
• Pizza stone made of Ultra-Conductive Steel.
• Unbreakable. Cooks 20 X faster than a pizza stone or baking stone.
• As seen in “Food and Wine” “Bon Appetite” “New York Times” “Wall Street Journal”.
Best Features
- 18 x more energy than a pizza stone – Thanks to this high conductivity, pizzas come out faster and perfectly cooked.
- Color – Customers really like the bronze color of the steel.
- Made in the USA – The product has been manufactured in the USA; hence, many people rely on its quality.
- Dimensions – You can place medium pizzas on the steel; its measures are 14’’ x 16’’ x 0.25’’.
- It won’t warp – Even though there are thicker models that have more optimal heat retention, some users pointed out that the standard ¼’’ will work just fine and will not bend.
You Should Also Know
- Metal flavor – A few users mentioned that their pizzas came out with a metal flavor.
- Scratched product – Some buyers received the steel with multiple scratches and irregular edges, not ground or machined smooth.
- It doesn’t withstand high humidity – Little negative feedback was given about this aspect; however, some of the customers stated that the item doesn’t hold up to periods of high humidity; therefore, you might consider the climate of your zone before purchasing.
- Too heavy – Being steel, it won’t be lightweight; but this model, in particular, was described as too heavy for many people.
Final Remarks
This product is made from ultra-conductive steel, so it delivers a superior crust; besides, it doesn’t warp, and it’s made in the USA. However, in some cases, it has arrived with unfinished edges, and some users stated that it leaves a metal flavor to the pizzas.
Our score: 4.4 out of 5
5. Sur La Table Pizza Steel
• Pizza stone made of Ultra-Conductive Steel.
• Unbreakable. Cooks 20 X faster than a pizza stone or baking stone.
• As seen in “Food and Wine” “Bon Appetite” “New York Times” “Wall Street Journal”.
Best Features
- Pre-seasoned steel – You will receive the product seasoned and ready for use.
- Heat safe up to 1800°F – Sur La Table Steel withstands hot temperatures, up to 1800°F.
- Super-versatile – Customers have used it on the oven, grill, as a stovetop griddle on induction stovetops, or chill, to create a cold plate.
- Crispy crusts – Thanks to the incredible heat conductivity, pizzas come out with a crispy and delicious crust every time.
- It won’t crack – The product is made from quarter-inch steel; hence, it won’t shatter or crack.
You Should Also Know
- Pricey – Many users have remarked that it is not an affordable item for everybody and that there are high-quality steels that cost less.
- Likely to rust – There is much negative feedback regarding the rust of the product after little use. To avoid it from getting rusted, follow the instructions carefully.
Final Remarks
Sur La Table Pizza steel also has an incredible heat conductivity, which results in evenly cooked and delicious pizzas. It will last for a lifetime, and you can use it on the oven, grill, and even chill it to create cold plates for serving cold appetizers, mixing up icy confections, and more. However, it can be out of people’s budget, and some customers pointed out that it’s likely to rust.
