4 Best Pizza Peels, Tested and Reviewed
We tested 10 best-selling pizza peels to find the best ones for all your pizza night needs.
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Making pizzas at home can be a fun activity for the whole family, but navigating how to get the pizzas safely in and out of a very hot oven can be a challenge. You can try to use spatulas or trays, but nothing is as easy to use — or as safe! — as a pizza peel. The best pizza peels allow you to quickly place a raw pizza in a hot oven and then quickly remove it when cooked with just one motion. A little flour on the board creates a non-stick surface for the pizza to slide right off. (It can take a little practice, so don’t stress if it doesn’t happen on your first try.)
Pizza peels come in multiple materials including wood and metal. They’re also versatile as they can be used in a standard oven, a pizza oven or even on a grill. If you love to make your own pizzas at home and want to avoid burnt fingers and risky steps, a pizza peel is a necessity. We tested 10 top-rated pizza peels to find the best ones for anyone looking to make delicious pizzas at home.
Stevie Stewart
How We Tested
First, we ordered 10 top-rated pizza peels from bestselling brands in a variety of materials and sizes. During testing, we took into account the dimensions, weight and material of each pizza peel. We then made 12-inch pizzas, dusted the peels with flour and observed how easy it was to slide the uncooked pizzas into an indoor pizza oven (or a standard full-size oven set to a high temperature if the peel didn’t fit in the pizza oven). Once cooked, we used the peels to rotate the pizza while in the oven. We then observed how easy it was to remove the cooked pizzas from the oven. We noted how easy it was to slide the peel under the pizza, and slide it onto a cutting board and how comfortable the peel felt in our hand while using it. The best pizza peels were easy to use, slid the pizza in and out of an oven in one motion and were simple to clean.
- Large size
- Affordable
- Can't fit in most at-home pizza ovens
We loved the Baker’s Board for its classic design and reliable performance. Despite being one of the larger peels we tested at 16” x 18” x 26” (with an 8” handle), we found it easy to place pizzas in and out of a standard oven. The Baker’s Board has a really smooth finish that helped the pizzas slide off the peel, and although this was one of the shorter handles, it was still very comfortable to hold. The edge of this pizza peel is a bit thick, so it is not as easy to slide the peel under a raw pizza as some of the metal versions we tested. This peel was also too large to fit in our favorite at-home pizza oven. However, for the average at-home pizzaiolo, this is a top-notch pizza peel. The board is great for shaping and building your pizza directly on it and sliding in the oven. And when you aren’t making pizzas, you could use the board as a cheese platter or to serve appetizers.
- Material Wood
- Dimensions 16" x 18" x 26"
- Handle Length 8"
- Lightweight
- Long handle
- Pricey
- Perforation doesn’t trap flour
The 12-inch Ooni Perforated Pizza Peel was our favorite of the perforated peels we tested. We loved the super thin edge of the peel that made it easy to transfer the raw pizzas onto the peel without affecting the dough. We also liked how lightweight the peel is, which made it easy to maneuver in and out of the oven during testing. The perforation allows for any excess flour to fall away and prevents any steam from getting trapped which could lead to soggy dough. The peel measures 26 x 12 x 1.8” and weighs just over a pound (20 ounces) allowing it to work in both countertop pizza ovens as well as larger ovens and grills. The handle is on the longer side, which keeps your hands safe and far away from the heat.
- Material Metal
- Dimensions 26” x 12” x 1.8”
- Handle Length 11.5"
- Lightweight
- Ideal size for turning
- Can be used as a peel for small pizzas
- Pricey
The Ooni Turner Peel was our top turner peel from testing because of its size and long handle. The peel measures 7 inches across and with the handle is 31 inches long and weighs just over a pound which makes it a cinch to use. The perforated surface and small diameter let the pizza maintain contact with your pizza stone or grill while you’re turning it. It worked great in our countertop oven as well as a standard kitchen oven. We found it even worked well removing a smaller cooked pizzas from the oven. It has a super smooth surface which allows the pizza to rotate without issue and slide off the peel in one motion.
- Material Metal
- Dimensions 7" diameter
- Handle Length 31"
- Affordable
- Versatile— can be used as a cutting board, serving board, etc.
- Should be sanded down before use to ensure a smooth surface
At just over $30, the American Metalcraft Wooden Pizza Peel is the best pizza peel if you’re on a budget. It is similar in style to our favorite pick, the Baker’s Board, but slightly smaller at 14 x 15 inches with an 8-inch handle. It was not as smooth as our top pick, so our pizzas did stick to the surface a bit more during testing. That said, it was comfortable to use and could also be used as a serving board when one isn’t making pizza.
- Material Wood
- Dimensions 14" x 15" x 24"
- Handle Length 8"
What to Consider Before Buying a Pizza Peel
- Material: Peels are most often made of wood or metal or a mix of both. We found that the wooden peels had a thicker lip compared to the very thin edge of the metal varieties. The thinner metal peels made it very easy to get a raw pizza on the peel directly from the counter or cutting board. The wooden peels were better used for stretching and topping the pizza directly on the peel.
- Size: Some pizza peels are too large to fit in a countertop pizza oven but work perfectly well in a regular home oven or with a grill. Some are made with longer handles that help you to keep a longer distance from the heat, which is most important when using outdoor pizza ovens that can get up to temperatures near 900 degrees F.
- Price: The peels we tested ranged in price from $25 to $60. None were outrageously expensive, but your ultimate budget might depend on how often you make pizza at home (and how seriously you take it).
Stevie Stewart
FAQs
What appliances can you use a pizza peel with?
Pizza peels, whether made of wood or metal, are able to be used in your regular oven, in a pizza oven (as long as it’s the appropriate size) or on the grill.
How do you use a pizza peel?
Pizza peels are a great tool to help you get pizzas in and out of ovens or on a grill. They help to ensure that the pizza keeps it shape, can be used to rotate the pie while it’s cooking and to safely remove the pizza from the oven without the risk of getting burned. It’s important to flour your pizza peel before using to avoid raw dough sticking to it.
How do you wash a pizza peel?
Most pizza peels are easily washed and dried by hand. Wooden peels should not be submerged in water but rather scraped clean and then wiped with a dry or lightly damp cloth and left to airdry.
How hot can pizza peels get?
Because they are meant to be used quickly and briefly, it isn’t a general worry that the peels will get hot. Keep in mind, pizza peels that are made with wood do have the potential to burn if left in the heat for too long, so be careful about how long you’re using them over the grill or in a hot oven.
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