There are many options and accessories to make a pizza at home, but if you intend to make restaurant-grade pies on your charcoal grill, then a pizza stone is your best bet. Grilling your pizza on a charcoal grill imbues it with a mouth-watering, delectable smoke flavor, which leaves most pizza lovers seeking the grill-friendly stone.
Pizza stones play an integral part in the crust formation of your pie to guarantee even cooking and crunchy, crispy results. This product delivers even heat distribution and helps absorb moisture for a superior result, unlike your regular baking sheet.
Besides, they are relatively affordable, widely available, and hassle-free to use to get consistent crunchy results. So, if you’re here to figure out the right stone to purchase, then check out our top 5 best pizza stones for charcoal grills.
💥Quick Comparison: Top 5 Pizza Stones for Charcoal Grills
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Char-Griller 6201 AKORN Stone | Dishwasher Safe |
| 2. | Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone | Rectangular Shape |
| 3. | Aura Outdoor Products Pizza Stone | 13" Diameter |
| 4. | Cuisinart CPS-013 Alfrescamore Stone | Round Shape |
| 5. | Emile Henry Square, Charcoal pizza stone | Dishwasher Safe |
✌️Best Pizza Stones for Charcoal Grills Review
Pizza stones are a great addition to any charcoal grill. They help to create even heat and prevent the pizza from sticking to the grill. The following are five of the best pizza stones for charcoal grills.
1. Char-Griller 6201 AKORN Stone for Charcoal Grill
If you need a stone to convert your charcoal grill into an outdoor convection oven, then you can’t possibly go wrong with purchasing the Char-Griller 6201 AKORN Stone. This model features a unique design to promote proper heat dissipation, making it the perfect choice for low ‘n’ slow smoking to get tender and moist meat.
This stone isn’t designed for cooking meat alone; it’s suitable for baking pizzas, bread, cookies, and many more. This charcoal grill pizza stone is made of Cordierite material that delivers incredible heat performance. This product can handle up to 1200 degrees, which is enough to make a crispy napoleon pizza.
Verdict
The Char-Griller 6201 AKORN Stone is a must-have for all outdoor cooking enthusiasts. It s designed to give you the best results no matter what you bake or grill. If you want to get a new charcoal grill pizza stone, this is the product for you.
Strengths:
- It can withstand 1,200 degrees
- Suitable for low ‘n’ slow meat smoking
- It’s excellent for roasts, bread, pizzas, and more
- Unique design
Weaknesses:
- It’s a bit fragile
2. Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone
Coming second on our list is the Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone-built to last several years. This model is made of natural cordierite and is heat resistant up to 787 degrees C / 1,450 degrees F. Another thing to love about this model is its excellent thermal shock resistance.
This model delivers even heat distribution to guarantee optimal cooking, which is touted to surpass its metal counterparts. The Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone is perfect for cooking frozen or fresh pizza in the oven or on the grill. Also, it’s ideal for baking cookies, bread, and pizza at home.
What’s more?
This pizza stone features invisible micro-pores to trap and eliminate excess moisture from the dough to guarantee a soggy-free, crunchy pizza crust. Even better, this model is accompanied by a free multi-purpose plastic dough scraper that works well as a dough cutter.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a pizza stone that can withstand high temperatures, the Unicook Heavy Duty Cordierite Pizza Stone is a great choice. It s built to last and can withstand even the toughest conditions.
Strengths:
- High heat retention
- unique porous to prevent a soggy crust
- excellent thermal shock capabilities
- Can withstand up to 1,450 degrees F.
Weaknesses:
- It’s on the heavier side
3. Aura Outdoor Products Rectangle Pizza Stone
If you love making rectangular pizzas for parties, then you probably don’t want to end up with circular stones. The Aura Outdoor Products Rectangle Pizza Stone is designed with parties in mind. It features a solid ceramic surface to offer much-needed support and cooks with even heat distribution for excellent results.
Furthermore, this accessory features a heavy construction that assures it disperses heat evenly and retains heat for the perfect crust on your bread and pizzas. This ½-inch thick stone is suitable for a charcoal grill, gas grill, and oven.
Also, its thickness allows this pizza stone to heat up and get you cooking your favorite meals quickly. Besides, the Aura Outdoor Products Rectangle Pizza Stone’s smooth surface eliminates any need to prep the surface before use.
Verdict
If you are looking for a pizza stone that is easy to clean and can withstand high temperatures, the Aura Outdoor Products Rectangle Pizza Stone will be a good choice. This accessory features an impressive construction that offers durability and a heavy-duty design for exceptional cooking results.
Strengths:
- Rectangular shape for baking large-size pies
- Suitable for a charcoal grill, oven, and gas grill
- ½-inch thick for quick heat up
- Heavy-duty kiln-fired construction for durability
Weaknesses:
- No direction on how to clean the pizza stone
4. Cuisinart CPS-013 Alfrescamore, Pizza Grilling Stone
For pizza connoisseurs who want to make pizzas in different sizes, this 13-inch grilling stone from Cuisinart can be your best bet. The Cuisinart CPS-013 Alfrescamore Pizza Grilling Stone is an excellent choice for anyone looking to make pizzas for the whole family or a couple of hungry people.
On top of that, this stone features cordierite stone construction which makes this product incredibly durable. Plus, it guarantees that it won’t crack in extreme conditions. Compared to ceramic models, this stone has better heat retention and excellent thermal shock resistance.
This arguably best pizza stone for the charcoal grill is perfect for baking bread, calzones, pizza, and desserts. Also, its 13-inch size is suitable for use in almost all grills. Needless to say, you can use this grilling stone to transform your kitchen oven into a wood-fired pizza.
Verdict
If you want to take your pizza-baking skills to the next level, this is one of the best pizza stones for you. It s made from top-quality materials and will last for years to come. On top of that, it can handle extreme temperatures without cracking or breaking.
Strengths:
- Quick and even heating
- durable cordierite material
- 13-inch cooking surface
- Easy to clean
Weaknesses:
- Not dishwasher safe
5. Emile Henry Square, Charcoal pizza stone
The Emile Henry Square, Charcoal pizza stone is an essential item and an excellent acquisition for any pizza lover. This product features energy-saving and time-saving characteristics, which earns it a spot on our list of the best pizza stones for charcoal grills.
What’s more? This model features robust construction that allows it to withstand more than 900 degrees to deliver excellent results. Also, it guarantees that the pizza stone can last many years with outstanding efficiency. On top of that, the Emile Henry Square Charcoal pizza stone features a durable handle to make it easier to maneuver and carry.
Likewise, the handle is cool to the touch and compatible with all kinds of grills and ovens. It’s a glazed version that makes this model scratch-resistant. This construction aids the formation of a golden brown crispy crust. Nonetheless, this grilling stone can handle the extreme temperatures needed to make your pizza base crunchy.
Verdict
The Emile Henry Square Charcoal pizza stone is a perfect option for those who love homemade pizzas. It features a medium size that can hold up to 18 inches of dough. This means there is enough space to make 2 or 3 delicious pizzas.
Strengths:
- Long-lasting and durable
- Scratch resistance
- Suitable with fuel, natural gas, and charcoal
- Can handle extreme temperatures up to 900 degrees
Weaknesses:
- Handling this stone requires extra caution
✌️What Need To Know When Buying Pizza Stone for Charcoal Grill
Stone thickness
The thickness of a pizza stone determines how long it retains heat. If you intend to prepare several batches of pizza consecutively, then it’s best to choose a thicker pizza stone. Thinner stones with a thickness of not up to 2 inches are best for making small quantities of pizza.
Bear in mind that thicker pizza stones will be heavier and have a longer preheating time. Thus, you only want to purchase a thicker model if you need to make large quantities of pies.
Shape
When purchasing a pizza stone, you want to consider the shape. They are available in two shape options – square and round. The round stones are a common go-to since it’s easily compatible with your oven and grill. However, if you need more cooking surface area to bake several pies at once, then the square or rectangular option is the way to go.
Material
The pizza stones are made of different materials, from soapstones, fireclay, cordierite, and ceramics.
- Fireclay – this type of stone is made of quartz sand, takes longer to heat up, and retails at a lower price.
- Cordierite – pizza stones made with this material have a shorter heat-up period and higher price.
- Ceramic – this material delivers very light stones with incredible rapid heat up but poor heat retention.
- Soapstone – this material takes longer to heat up and retains heat for a longer period. Also, these stones are pricier.
Weight and size
The size of a pizza stone is indirectly related to its shape. Therefore, you want to consider the size of a charcoal grill before splurging on a stone.
Performance
The preheat time is an essential factor. The right pizza stone for you should not take more than 30 minutes to heat up at extreme temperatures. Keep in mind that the pizza stone with longer heat retention will take a long to warm up.
The temperature range of the pizza stone varies from one product to another. Generally, these stones can handle temperatures up to 800 – 1,200 degrees Celsius. Baking pizza on a charcoal grill means you’ll cook at a high temperature. Thus, you need a product that can handle high temperatures.
Extra features
Some manufacturers offer extra features to make their products more practical. Some stones include pizza peel, pizza slicer, recipe books, and many more.
Conclusion
The best pizza stones for charcoal grills are incredibly durable and offer even heat distribution and retention. The right stone should easily fit inside a charcoal grill and offer enough cooking surface to accommodate your dough.
The stone should help retain the dough’s shape during cooking to deliver the desired result. However, we hope our detailed buying guide helps you make the right call. However, if you’re still unsure which pizza stone to purchase, you can settle for our top pick – Char-Griller 6201 AKORN Stone for Charcoal Grill. It’s durable, preheats in a shorter period, and delivers uniform heat distribution.