Pizza stone recommendations

1WVU

My pizza stone cracked last week while cooking pizzas on the egg (cracked is being kind; it actually broke in half right down the middle).  It was a cheap stone I'd bought in combination with a pizza peel so not a huge loss.
  Anyone have recommendations for a stone that will hold up to the wear and tear of cooking on the Egg?  Is the Green Egg pizza stone good quality or should I look somewhere else?  Thanks

abpgwolf

I have one from the Ceramic Grill Store. I has held up very well for the past 2 1/2 years. 

six_egg

abpgwolf said:

I have one from the Ceramic Grill Store. I has held up very well for the past 2 1/2 years. 

+1   Also cheaper than BGE stones.

However BGE stones hold up very well.

tgs2401

The BGE pizza stones are thicker than most and hold up well.

Photo Egg

Ceramic Grill Store. I have 3 and all have held up great.

http://ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramic-pizza-stones/

1WVU

Thanks for the suggestions fellas

Retired RailRoader

Look at the Baking steel for your egg. I love mine. http://www.bakingsteel.com/shop/cq2n6tbhnx8rqgvyu690qm356agh0a

stlcharcoal

I used a ceramic cutting wheel to take the legs off my plate setter......that's my pizza stone.   I have a cast iron plate setter now.

SGH

@1WVU
There are many good stones out there that will work just fine. With that said, the BGE stones are definitely some of the better ones in my opinion. I'm not a stone expert by any means, but the BGE stones are thicker than most others. Rather this is actually a plus or not, I like it. I have a few of the CGS stones as well. They have held up well so far. But as already mentioned, they are a tad thinner than the BGE stone. 

fljoemon

I have the Dough Joe http://www.amazon.com/Dough-Joe®-Pizza-Baking-Stone-Round/dp/B00BD9CC7Q. It is great .. however shipping is fairly high on this one :-(

Carolina Q

I have a 5/8" x 14" BGE stone for my Large. Also a pair of Old Stone Oven brand 1/2" x 8 1/2" stones from Amazon. Had them for about 6 years. All have handled 900° without issue. In fact, I once placed one of the (ambient temp) 8 1/2" stones directly onto the BGE stone in a 900° egg. No problem with it at all.

I also have a piece of 1/4" steel plate that I like better. A cutoff sold by a local metal dealer for $1/lb. Under $15 as I recall. Same steel (A36) as the baking steel linked above, but affordable. And, it's unbreakable! I've never used it in my egg as I never got around to cutting it to fit. It works very well in my oven though (Oven/Broiler method) and that's where I've been doing all of my pizza for the past 2+ years anyway (originally with the stone and lately, the steel).

If I needed another stone, I would definitely buy either of these again. The steel is my preferred tool now though. These were done in the oven on the steel...

northGAcock

I had a BGE stone for my medium.....it did the same as yours (shattered). My wife a potter tells me that stress cracks can form in any ceramic piece....and is just a fact of life. The good news is my local dealer replaced it with no problem....and I remain committed to it. May not be of any help to you.,...but that is my story.

1WVU

@Carolina Q those pizzas look amazing.  

HeavyG

http://www.californiapizzastones.com/

http://bakingstone.com/

HeavyG

Carolina Q said:

I have a 5/8" x 14" BGE stone for my Large. Also a pair of Old Stone Oven brand 1/2" x 8 1/2" stones from Amazon. Had them for about 6 years. All have handled 900° without issue. In fact, I once placed one of the (ambient temp) 8 1/2" stones directly onto the BGE stone in a 900° egg. No problem with it at all.

I also have a piece of 1/4" steel plate that I like better. A cutoff sold by a local metal dealer for $1/lb. Under $15 as I recall. Same steel (A36) as the baking steel linked above, but affordable. And, it's unbreakable! I've never used it in my egg as I never got around to cutting it to fit. It works very well in my oven though (Oven/Broiler method) and that's where I've been doing all of my pizza for the past 2+ years anyway (originally with the stone and lately, the steel).

If I needed another stone, I would definitely buy either of these again. The steel is my preferred tool now though. These were done in the oven on the steel...

I wouldn't use the baking steel in the egg at really high temps. It is fine in home oven temps but if used in your Egg at 600°+-ish it will burn the bottom of your crust before the rest of the pizza has cooked.

jtcBoynton

You want a stone that is at least 5/8" thick made of cordierite. Both the BGE and CGS stones meet this.  If you have a good pottery supply store near you, you can get a kiln shelf.  Pizza stones and kiln shelves are the same thing.  Kiln shelves sell for less than an equivalent pizza stone. While you are at the pottery supply store you could also get some kiln shelf posts to use as spacers in the egg.

Carolina Q

HeavyG said:

I wouldn't use the baking steel in the egg at really high temps. It is fine in home oven temps but if used in your Egg at 600°+-ish it will burn the bottom of your crust before the rest of the pizza has cooked.

My oven will get to 725°. Those pies were baked at 625° using the oven/broiler method. Turn on the oven and get it and the steel to temp. Then, turn the oven off and the broiler on. When it gets hot, launch the pie. Those two took just 2-3 minutes so you have to pay attention.

Haven't used a steel in the egg, but I have egged a few pies at 900° on a stone. No more of that!! You're right, at high temps, it's a challenge to cook the top without burning the bottom. With steel, it's probably even harder, if not impossible. The broiler is what makes it work.

Focker

@Carolina Q ,
It can be done on a wide open egg in 3 to 5 min, depending on toppings

jhl192

I use and like the BGE stone. 

NPHuskerFL

OE BGE stone on both my LBGE and MM. 

YukonRon

I use as pizza stone I bought at world market. We have been doing the za a couple times a week or more, and for $29.00 I am feeling pretty good about it so far.

ryantt

I use a cheap stone from world market.  It's coated it was about 25bucks, had it about a year now 

Skiddymarker

I'm from the buy cheap camp, secret is to do a few (maybe 10) cooks at <500º to further harden the stone. Mine was $10.99 for a 13" (Hamilton Beach) at the kitchen collection. It is four years old and has done a lot of pies (>300)   I'm sure it will be dropped before it breaks from heat. 
Edit - it is also thin, 1/2", heats in about 15 minutes. 

Durangler

1WVU said:

My pizza stone cracked last week while cooking pizzas on the egg (cracked is being kind; it actually broke in half right down the middle).  It was a cheap stone I'd bought in combination with a pizza peel so not a huge loss.
  Anyone have recommendations for a stone that will hold up to the wear and tear of cooking on the Egg?  Is the Green Egg pizza stone good quality or should I look somewhere else?  Thanks

How much do you want to spend? What size? Try a kiln shelf. I have this for my XL works as well as the expen$ive ones. Shipping is not free, but well worth it.
http://www.axner.com/cordieriteshelf-16roundx58.aspx

onedbguru

I have the BGE stone and like it a lot.  I first tried using a Pampered Chef and at 600*, it did not last long - cracked in about 5 minutes during the warm up. The PC and other thin style stones are only rated to about 450.

Ladeback69

 Highly recommended BGE XL stone and BGE deep dish stone.  Nice and thick and durable.

DoubleEgger

I have two BGE stones that have served me well. They have a three year warranty. I doubt other warranties are that good. 

SGH

Ladeback69 said:

 BGE deep dish stone.  

I have been wanting one of these myself. I think it would be perfect for black bird pie instead of the loaf pan I have been using. 

HeavyG

DoubleEgger said:

I have two BGE stones that have served me well. They have a three year warranty. I doubt other warranties are that good. 

California Pizza Stones have a 100% satisfaction guarantee against cracks or thermal shocks and if it cracks for any reason they will replace it. They don't specify a time limit.

DMW

I have a BGE stone for my XL. Works great, haven't used it in about a year, since I got my Blackstone pizza oven. Might have to cook some pizzas on my XL again just to remember what it's like.

1WVU

I decided on the BGE stone, purely because of convenience.  Just picked it up from the dealer and will hopefully use it this weekend.  Thanks fellas