If you plan to make homemade pizza, there are two tools you should not be without. These two must haves for homemade pizza creation are a pizza stone and pizza peel. Not only will they make your pizza prep go easier, they will also help you get the perfect results every chef desires from homemade pizza.

First, lets discuss why the stone is important and which types are best for your own needs. A pizza stone will help you achieve really delicious crust while cooking a pizza at home. It gives the crust just the right amount of crispness, just like the pies you get at the best pizzerias.

When choosing a pizza stone, take into consideration your personal needs. Size is important. If you have a larger family, you will need a larger stone or two smaller ones to produce enough pizza to accommodate your large, hungry group. For a family of four or less, a regular sized pizza stone should do the trick!

You will have other options to consider when choosing your pizza stone as well. Whether you want a circle shaped stone or a larger, more versatile rectangle one will be one of the most important decisions you make when choosing a pizza stone.

My recommendation for best pizza stone is the Old Stone Oven 14 X 16 inch baking stone. It’s made of firebrick, is large enough to make a good size pizza on or used for breads and other baked goods, and can be bought for under $40.

No matter which pizza stone you choose, you will want to be sure to use cornmeal on your stone when baking your pizza. It will prevent sticking and will also give the pizza crust a little extra texture.

The pizza peel is handy in it’s own right. It makes pizza removal from the stone easy and more or less flawless. Just slide the peel under your freshly baked pie and then use the peel to transport it right to the table. You can use a pizza wheel to slice the pizza right there on the pizza peel.

Pizza peels are inexpensive, you can typically purchase one for around $20 or less and for around $25-$30 you can get a very nice quality pizza peel made out of bamboo or other quality woods. Some pizza peels are so attractive that you may even want to hang them on the wall as a decorative touch to your kitchen when you are not using them.

If you plan to make homemade pizza on a regular basis, this two tools are almost essential because of the time they will save you and the ease they will provide in producing perfectly done pizza every time.