Pizza stones: Experiences? Advice?

[Winka]

DO you have a pizza stone or a baking stone? Where did you buy it and what makes a stone a better quality stone? I am afraid of cracking it and was hoping a pricier one would not need th e preheat time etc.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Growin'upDisney]

I love my pizza stone. It makes perfect pizza crust. I don't think mine was very expensive at all, $20 maybe? And I don't preheat it. They are definitely worth the money if you cook pizza or calzones often. they hardly need any room to store them which is great. The more you use them the more discolored they become. This is the seasoning of the stone. You think the stone is dirty but it isn't.

That's about all I can tell you.

 

[Winka]

Thank you growin' up!

I was wondering where you got your pizza stone...I am looking at the stone and rack at Crate and Barrel...

 

[Ratpack]

We have several stones and we love them. We use them for pizza, cookies, bread...just about anything that needs baking that isn't juicy or greasy. Our pizza stone came from ABC Distributing and cost about $5. It is almost 3 years old and we have had no problems with it, so I would say that more expensive really isn't necessary.

 

[ennazus]

I love my pizza stone also! I made fresh pizza & re-heat restaurant pizza mmmmm

I'm not sure what brand it is.... it was a gift

and I've never had a problem with cracking & I don't always pre-heat it

 

[Winka]

Thanks ratpack!

I have also looked at the Target one...cheaper than C&B but it has received horrible reviews...but definitely wouldn't mind paying as little as possible for a good stone.

Thansk ennazus!

 

[pumba]

for a three years I believe.......I love it and got it from Pampered chef.....that is what we are having for supper.......pizza ....yummy....

 

[zulaya]

Some stones do ask that you preheat them. Pampered Chef stones do not need to be preheated, and pumba is right, there is a 3 year warranty.

They do discolor as you use them because they are becoming seasoned. The darker the stone gets, the better it cooks.

Make sure the stone you purchase is "lead-free".

 

[Tiggeroo]

You don't need to buy a pizza stone. You go to a home depot and get unglazed quarry tile. They are just plane floor tiles. Measure the bottom of your oven. You may need to have two of the tiles cut and they will do it for you free there. These are also excellent for bread making. It will cost like six bucks.

 

[Soccer Princess]

Our pizza stone is from Pampered Chef. We have had it for years and love it!

 

[mudnuri]

The pampered chef stones do not require pre-heating...the cheaper ones do...

You dont only cook pizza on a stone though....fries, chicken fingers, popcorn chicken, cookies etc. etc. etc. it's just a round baking sheet LOL

I love mine, but also have about 8 different pieces of stoneware from PC, so I'm a bit biased..including both the small and large 'pizza' stones.

Brandy

 

[Aliisa]

I got recently got my pizza stone and rack from Pampered Chef and LOVE it! I have since bought more sizes including a small bar size pan perfect for the microwave. I cook everything on them! cookies, meatballs, french fries, chicken finger etc. My favorite thing about the stone is the fact that you can heat up your left over chinese food and it tastes like you just bought it!!!! Try one
Aliisa

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

We've had a stone for years -- it stays on the bottom rack of the oven all the time. Love it!

 

[AMClvsMKY]

I also have a Pampered Chef stone that I have had about 3 years now and love it. The only time I heard of a stone cracking is if you put a frozen dinner type dish on it ( they aren't made for that). I have never heated my stone before using it.

 

[Growin'upDisney]

Winka - I think mine is from Macy's.

 

[ckmommy]

I believe my stone is a Pampered Chef brand as well (for 7 years)! I do preheat mine--we like a crunchier crust. My sister has one from ABC Distributing (aka LTD Commodities), and it is really no different than mine.

My biggest caution to you: DO NOT USE SOAP ON YOUR STONE!!! The soap will stay on your stone -- soaked in--then everything you make on it will have a soap taste. This happened to my sister's first stone! The darker the stone gets the better the food that is cooked on it tastes.

 

[hockeymom7691]

I have a pizza stone, a rectangular stone, a 9 x 13 casserole stone and a smaller casserole stone. They are all Pampered chef. I love them and use them for everything, brownies, pizza, cookies (I don't even own an regular cookie sheet anymore). They're great for rolls, french fries, meatloaf. I use mine for everything!

 

[ilovepcot]

You can't beat the crust you'll get using a Pampered Chef stone. I rarely use mine, however, because I moan each time I bend over to pull it out of the oven. Too heavy for my bad back! Clean up is irritating to me, also. Much easier for me to use the coated pizza pan I purchased in the grocery store...... baked on cheese wipes right off. But.....Pampered Chef tastes so much better!

 

[Desnik]

AHHHH, my Pampered Chef Stones.....
LOL!!! I love them!! I make my pizza and focaccia bread on them. I heat all frozen stuff like bagel bites and such on it. They are great! The crust comes out so crispy and everything just tastes better when cooked on them!

 

[teh fish]

i dunno. I have a pizza stone from pampered chef and it just doesn't seem to work as well in the apartment as it does at home.