When it comes to making pizza at home that rivals your favorite pizzeria, the right baking surface can make all the difference. The go-to tools for achieving pizzeria-style crusts are the traditional stone and the modern baking steel — both are engineered to absorb and radiate heat evenly, helping you achieve a shatteringly crunchy bottom and restaurant-perfect finish. But which one should you choose? It depends on your personal priorities and baking goals.

Pizza stones are typically made from ceramic or cordierite and have been a trusted tool for generations. They are inexpensive and simple to handle. A stone warms gradually and holds thermal energy for hours, giving you that authentic wood-fired texture. It’s perfect for novices who want low maintenance and doesn’t require much special care. Just let it warm up slowly alongside the oven. The stone will draw moisture out of the dough, resulting in a perfectly caramelized base. However, stones can break when chilled dough hits a hot surface, so avoid washing them with water and don’t shock it with cold ingredients.

Baking steels, on the other hand, are made from heavy-duty carbon steel plates. They transfer heat rapidly with superior thermal mass, which means they can brown the base in under 5 minutes and char edges beautifully. If you love thin-crust pies with smoky, vegas108 daftar blistered corners, a steel might be your top choice. It’s also virtually indestructible under normal use. But because it conducts heat so efficiently, it demands careful preheating. You need to preheat it for at least an hour, and it can be quite heavy and difficult to move around. Cleaning is easier since you can rinse lightly and dry immediately, but you’ll need to apply a thin oil layer after each use.

If you bake pizza once in a while and value ease, a pizza stone is a solid choice. It’s user-friendly without sacrificing quality. But if you’re willing to master high-heat baking, investing in a baking steel is a game-changer. Some people even alternate between tools depending on the bake.

Consider your how hot your oven can go, how often you plan to bake pizza, and whether you’re willing to handle a heavier, more high-maintenance tool. Both options can turn your oven into a pizzeria, so choose the one that matches your routine and values.