Pizza Stone - Will just any one do?

EggheadWife

I purchased a large egg for the hubby for Father's Day. Yeah, I know - good wife! He has expressed an interest in a pizza stone. Will any old stone do or should I spring for the name brand? Any thoughts on the half / whole pizza stone benefits?

Bacchus

The BGE stones are much thicker than most. The general consensus seems to be that thinner ones will crack after awhile. It's probably worth a little extra investment, IMO.
Great gift, hubby is a lucky guy.

BillHill

busted my wifes pampered chef stone on first go!
bough BGE stone and @yrs later still cooking.

skihorn

Yes, you are a great wife!

A lot of posters, who are not hesitant to suggest a cheaper alternative, have said that the BGE brand is worth the extra cost for the pizza stone. Based on that, both of my stones (Large and Med) are BGE. No problem whatsoever. Since I never have used anything else I can't comment. But you will probably get some posts from those who did crack an off brand and switched and never had a problem since.

Freddie
League City, TX

Photo Egg

I'm with Bacchus. Buy a quality stone.
The thiner cheap ones work great at normal baking temps but high temps and direct flames have taken many of the cheaper stones.
Darian

HungryMan

what Bacchus said. But I have a BGE and a cheap one. The cheap has worked fine so far.

EGGRPh

I do not have a BGE pizza stone and so far so good. Knock on wood (my head).

Cheaven

I have a Williams and Sonoma outlet stone. I have used it in the oven once and in the egg twice, both times around 500 degrees. Its been fine thus far.

Morro Bay Rich

Over the last couple of years there have been several reports on this forum of Pampered Chef stones breaking.

tach18k

My BGE stone has outlast 4 other store bought stones.

Capt Frank

Another excellent stone besides BGE are the ones from Ceramic Grill Store, 5/8 thick, several diamaeters to choose from.
Pampered Chef seems to be the worst choice for name brands mentioned here, although I have one that has given yrs of good service in the oven, much lowere temps though.

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

Serial Griller

I have a Primo pizza stone.
It has a ceramic coating on the top side.

belle's dad

I, like someone else, managed to break the Pampered Chef stone the second time I used it. I have had a BGE stone for about two years and have put it through H---, and it's still in one piece.

Gordon
Vero Beach, FL

Lambchops

The first time I made pizza on the Egg I used a stone from Younkers and it cracked in three pieces. The Egg stones have held up very well. I would get the Egg stone.

loco_engr

Pampered Chef on left, BGE on right:

Joe Willie

I used my wifes Pampered Chef for my first pizza.....It is now in about 40 pieces. Since then I bit the bullet and got the BGE stone. Done maybe 20 pizzas between 600 and 700 and still good as new.

Bottom line.....Pampered Chef if probably not the best compliment to the Egg. As for other brands, I have no experience and therefore no opinion

Kokeman

I've been using a pampered chef one for 2 1/2 years now. With no problems. I think I have pushed my luck and I did pick up a BGE one when we stop by the mothership the other day. When using the pampered chef I only went to 500 degrees and warmed the egg with the stone in.

EggheadWife

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! Looks like I'll head back to the dealer and pick up the BGE stone just to be safe. I don't want him to mess with any of my pampered chef gear!