Best Pizza Pan
What’s your favorite comfort food? If you’re like most Americans, it’s pizza.
And why not? There’s just something so comforting about digging into a hot, fresh-from-the-oven pizza covered in tomato sauce and smothered in veggies, meat and gooey cheese. And while it’s okay to have one delivered to your house when you’re crushed for time, nothing beats the taste of making one from scratch.
If you really crave fresh Italian-style pizza you can make at home, then you’ll need a good pizza pan. Sure the dough and the ingredients are important, but without the right pan, all that goodness isn’t going anywhere.
Pizza pans come in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy even the fussiest pizza lover, so whether you’re a fan of thin-crust, regular or deep-dish Chicago-style, there is something out there to make your pizza dreams come true.
We feature six pizza pans you can buy online. Read on to find the one that’s right for you.
Best Versatile: Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Baking Pan With Loop Handles
Die-hard fans of cast-iron pots and pans won’t use anything else to cook or bake their food in, swearing up and down that a quality cast-iron product offers superior performance every time. Even if you’ve never used cast-iron before, you just may become a believer after using this14-inch cast-iron baking pan that doubles as an amazing pizza pan.
Pre-seasoned with natural 100 percent vegetable oil for an easy-release finish that improves with use, this pizza pan is brutally tough and will bring you decades of cooking pleasure. When it comes to creating perfect pizza, cast-iron offers up unparalleled heat retention and even heating – no hot spots to burn the bottom of the crust.
This versatile pizza pan can be used in the oven, on the stove, including induction cooktops, on the grill, or over a campfire and when you’re not making pizza, you can use it to sear, bake, broil, fry, or grill other foods, too. With large loop handles on either side, it’s safe and easy to take the pan out of the oven or off the grill when your food is cooked.
Pros:
- Made from durable, pre-seasoned cast iron
- Superior heat retention and even heating
- Large loop handles
- Versatile to use in the oven, stovetop, grill, campfire
- Pan can also be used to grill, sear, fry and bake
- Large cooking surface
Cons:
- Heavy at 9.3 pounds
- More expensive than other pizza pans
- Cast iron takes special care
Best Set: MIKULA Pizza Pans with Holes 12 inch & Pizza Wheel Cutter Pizza Server Set
Making pizza from scratch at home means having a great pizza pan to bake it in. But savvy chefs know that it’s not all just about the pan. There are accessories that go along with it to create a more authentic pizza-making experience. If you are looking for a pizza pan that also includes everything you’ll need from cooking to cutting and serving, then consider this set.
This cost-effective set includes two 12-inch pizza pans, one with holes and one without, a metal pizza peel, pizza slicer, spatula and a baking brush. The round pans are made from durable carbon steel for even heating, while the accessories, except for the brush, are made from 304-stainless steel. The non-stick finish on the pizza pans ensures easy removal and cleaning.
This set gives you the choice of a pan with holes that can for a nice, crispy crust and a regular solid pan. Both pizza pans can withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
The silicone oil brush is convenient to season the pans or to brush olive oil over the pizzas while they bake. And when it’s done, you can use the pizza peel with its folding heat-proof handle to take the pizza safely from the oven or grill. Finally, use the pizza wheel to easily and quickly cut slices and the spatula to serve and voila, you’re feasting on delicious homemade pizza.
Pros:
- Set includes two round 12-inch pizza pans, one with holes, one without
- Comes with accessories like a pizza peel, cutter, spatula and brush
- Pans made from durable carbon steel
- Pizza peel, cutter and spatula made from 304-stainless steel
- Non-stick surface
- Dishwasher safe but hand washing recommended
Cons:
- More expensive than a single pizza pan
Best Durable: Cordierite Baking Pizza Stone Pan with Bamboo Pizza Peel and Multifunction Scraper
When is a pizza pan not just any pizza pan? When it’s also a pizza stone! Although not officially a ‘pan’, this baking stone is an ideal pan in which to make great, crispy crust pizza.
This pizza pan is made from 100 percent all-natural, food-grade environmentally friendly cordierite that offers up an odor-free firebrick construction and superior heat retention. Its durable texture resists cracking that can be caused by high temperatures and can withstand temperatures up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. The 13-inch size will fit into any regular-sized oven, and its flat surface makes it easy to take off a perfectly cooked pie.
A good choice for your own pizza-making needs, this model also makes a great gift as it also includes a convenient bamboo pizza peel board with a hanging strap and a plastic multi-function scraper.
Pros:
- Made from durable environmentally friendly cordierite
- Superior heat retention
- Comes with bamboo pizza peel and plastic scraper
- Can withstand temperatures up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit
Cons:
- Should not be immersed in water or exposed to liquids
Best Large Size: G & S Metal Products Company ProBake Non-Stick Teflon Xtra Pizza Baking Pan
Big appetites call for big portions, especially when it comes to pizza. Sure, pizza is meant to be shared – otherwise they wouldn’t have invented the pizza slicer, right? Whether you need a large-sized pizza pan for your own super-sized appetite or you’re feeding a hungry crew, we recommend this 16-inch pan to make pizza for your next celebration, game-watching marathon or family dinner.
Made from professional weight steel construction, this sturdy pan promotes even heating for your best baking result. Covered inside and out with Teflon Xtra, a platinum high-performance non-stick finish, this pan does not disappoint. The raised edges ensure your pizza stays in place and offers you a secure grip. When the pizza is done and ready to eat, it will slide easily out of the pan, and the non-stick surface makes clean up a breeze.
Pros:
- Large 16-inch size
- Covered with Teflon Xtra for a non-stick finish
- PFOA-free
- Made from professional weight steel
- Easy cleanup
- Dishwasher safe
- Affordable
- Made in the USA
Cons:
- Pan may be too large to fit some ovens
- Pan may be too large to fit some dishwashers
- Use only wood, plastic or silicone cooking utensils
Best Overall: BeKith 3-Piece Set Non-stick Pizza Pan
Some like it big, some like it medium and some like it small – pizza, that is. When everyone in the house prefers a different-sized pizza or when you’re just cooking for one and prefer something small but satisfying, it’s a good idea to have a few pizza pans of different sizes in the kitchen so that no one is disappointed.
We recommend this set by BeKith that includes three round non-stick pizza pans: nine-inches, 10-inches and 11-inches. These pizza pans are the perfect size for individual pizzas whether they are homemade or store-bought. And the best part? These cute pans fit nicely into the toaster oven, so if you’re living in a dorm and don’t have access to a stove or someone else is using the oven in your house, you can just pop a pizza in a pan, place it into the toaster oven and before you know it, you’ve got your own little piece of pizza delight.
The pans’ sturdy steel construction ensures even heating across the pan for perfect results every time. No worries about hot spots burning the bottom of the pizza. And since each pan has a reinforced non-stick coating, food releases easily, with a minimum of fuss. The pans are dishwasher safe, although it’s better to wash them by hand in warm soapy water so they will last a long time.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Three round pizza pans of different sizes
- Sturdy steel construction
- Even heating
- Reinforced non-stick coating
- Fits into a toaster oven
Cons:
- Hand-washing preferred
- May be too small for some needs
Top Pick Best Deep-Dish Pizza Pan: Chicago Metallic Professional Perforated Mini-Deep Dish Pizza Pan Set
Pizza any way you make it is delicious, but there’s no doubt that deep-dish pizza is in a class of its own. Invented in Chicago in the 1940s, it takes a specially designed pan to give this kind of pizza its high edge-like crust that provides so much room for large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce.
If Chicago-style pan pizza is the way you love to eat this favored comfort food, then we recommend this set of round pans that will perform perfectly for you every time.
Durable and strong, this set of four, seven-inch mini pizza pans is made from heavy-duty carbon steel. Each one features rolled rims, perforations to help create a crispy crust and are oven safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The coated non-stick surface means your pizza will easily release from the pan and make cleanup a breeze, too.
And with four pans, you can customize individual pan pizzas with different toppings for everyone in your house – or for yourself because, you know, we won’t tell.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Four mini Chicago-style deep-dish pizza pans
- Perforations for crispy crusts
- Non-stick surface
- Sturdy construction
- Oven safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Cons:
- Small size
- Only makes deep dish pizza
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a pizza pan so you will choose one that works best for you:
Size:
Before choosing a pizza pan, think about how much pizza you will eat and how big a pan you will need. If you are on your own and plan to make pizza for yourself, then you may do better purchasing a 10 or 12-inch sized pan. If you entertain a lot or have a big family, then 14 and 16-inch pans will make enough for everyone to have their fill. Of course, if you have family members with different appetites, it might be a good idea to purchase a set that has pizza pans of varying sizes so you can have just the right amount you need for each occasion.
Material:
For the best results, homemade pizza should be cooked at high temperatures, so make sure the pizza pan you purchase is able to withstand heats of at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit, if not higher. Cast iron pans and ones made from cordierite are known for their ability to withstand high heats. Pans made from sturdy carbon steel or stainless steel can usually handle heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit but not hotter.
If you want to reduce the amount of oil in your diet, you may prefer a pizza pan that is treated with a non-stick surface that also offers an easy food release and cleanup. If you prefer this kind of pizza pan, make sure the coating is non-toxic and PBA-free.