Pizza Making Tools: Essentials for the Perfect Homemade Pie

For a stone that goes from oven to table, the Emile Henry Flame Top stands out with side handles and a glazed, micro-crazed surface. During our review, it crisped crusts nicely and let us cut directly on it without damage, while its heat retention kept slices warm. You’ll want to handle the ceramic carefully to avoid chips, and some pies may stick or slide on the glaze. At 14.5 inches, it suits most home pizzas but won’t fit oversized pies.

If you chase leopard-spotted bottoms, Baking Steel’s Original Tray is the upgrade that delivers, thanks to carbon steel’s exceptional thermal conductivity. In our testing, it produced blistered, crisp crusts faster than stone, and doubles as a griddle on the stovetop or grill. The trade-offs are real: it’s heavy at roughly 15 pounds, needs a long preheat, and requires periodic seasoning with no dishwasher shortcut. Treat it like cast iron and you’ll get pizzeria-quality results at home.

Launching pizzas with the Ooni Perforated Peel feels fast and controlled, thanks to its hard-anodized aluminum blade and tapered, lightweight design. In our testing, the perforations shed extra flour to reduce burned spots on stones and steels, and the smooth surface kept sticking to a minimum. We did notice aluminum can discolor over heavy use, and building pizzas directly on the perforations can trap dough. Hand-wash care and a quick flour shake before launching keep this durable peel performing like new.

The Gi Metal Azzurra Peel makes launching pies feel easier, thanks to its lightweight anodized aluminum head that slides under dough smoothly. In our testing, the perforations shed excess flour so your stone stays cleaner and your crusts burn less. The long tubular handle keeps hands comfortably away from high heat, though very long sizes can be awkward to store and the peel requires hand washing. If you want a durable, oven-safe workhorse, this one’s built for frequent pizza nights.

If you’re scaling dough for a crowd, the My Weigh KD-8000’s 8 kg capacity makes big batches straightforward. In our testing, baker’s percentage mode was a game changer for formulating and scaling recipes consistently, and the removable stainless-steel tray plus display cover simplified cleanup. It’s a bit chunky in the drawer and doesn’t include a bowl, and the adapter’s power lead can be awkward. Still, the durable build and precise versatility make it a staple for serious pizza makers.

Think of the OXO Multi-Purpose Scraper & Chopper as your bench’s best friend when portioning dough and tidying flour. During our review, the wide stainless-steel blade made lifting and transferring chopped toppings or dough portions effortless, and the soft, non-slip handle kept control secure. We did notice blade sharpness can vary out of the box, and it’s not for heavy chopping of hard items. Still, it’s dishwasher safe, highly durable, and multitasks from scraping to scooping to straightening edges.

For consistent sauce coverage, we like the Winco 4 oz ladle’s clearly marked capacity—it hits the same amount every pie. Our experience shows the one-piece stainless-steel construction is sturdy and hygienic, and it’s easy to clean in the dishwasher after a pizza night. The 6-inch handle feels short for deep pots, and a few buyers reported bent handles or rough packaging. For portion control at a great price, though, it’s a simple, durable tool that earns its keep.

Microplane’s Premium Zester is the tool we reach for when finishing pies with lemon zest or a snowfall of Parmesan. During our review, the razor-sharp stainless-steel teeth produced airy, even shavings with minimal effort, and the soft-touch handle stayed comfortable in long prep sessions. The narrow back can trap bits and may need a brush, and water sometimes lingers in the handle after washing. It’s compact, dishwasher safe, and brilliant while sharp—just expect the blade to slowly dull over years.

Dialing in stone and steel temps gets easier with the Etekcity 1080, which offers adjustable emissivity and a handy 12:1 distance-to-spot ratio. During our review, the wide -58°F to 1130°F range covered everything from cold-proofed dough checks to ripping-hot pizza surfaces and grill grates. Accuracy can suffer on shiny or very hot targets without proper emissivity settings, and some users reported reliability issues or a clicky trigger. For the price, it’s a versatile tool if you adjust it thoughtfully.

OXO’s 4-inch Pizza Wheel is the reliable cutter we reach for when weeknight pies hit the table. In our testing, the sharp stainless-steel blade glided through thin crusts and regular pan pies, while the large, soft, non-slip handle kept our grip comfortable and safe with a built-in thumb guard. Very thick deep-dish rounds sometimes needed an extra pass, and the wheel’s small crevices can take attention during cleanup. Thankfully it’s dishwasher safe and durable, so it stands up to frequent, multifunction kitchen duty.