A Pizza Peel is an essential tool for any homemade pizza enthusiast, it can be confusing on which to use. In this guide I will go through the different types of pizza paddles, how to use them and also share which are the best pizza peels.
- Lightweight
- Comfortable To Hold
- Improved Air Flow
- Requires Less Flour
- Lightweight
- Durable and Strong
- Comfortable Handle
- Thin blade to get under pizza base
- Made from high quality bamboo
- Slanted to get under pizza
- Easy to clean
- Stylish design
It was the middle of summer and I got myself a nice Pizza Oven. I love pizza and wanted to start making my own. I didnt even think about other equipment I would need, I thought the oven would be enough. It did come with a pizza stone but I soon started researching and got a new one of those.
The one thing I didnt think about was a pizza peel, needless to say the first few attempts at putting the pizza into the pizza oven was a challenge. I managed to do it by putting the pizza on foil, putting it in the oven and then sliding the pizza off the foil after it had cooked a bit. It worked but not ideal.
I spent some time doing some research and that was when I found out I needed a Pizza Peel, but which one?
Can you guess how many pizza paddles I have tested out?
I have tried wooden ones and metal ones, personally I found the metal one easier to put into the oven but I also like the fact that I can build the pizza on the wooden one. So after finally testing a few different ones, I now use a metal one and have not had any major issues. It does take a bit of getting used to but the key is not overfilling the top of the pizza and making sure to flour your peel.
List of The Best Pizza Peels
- Ooni Perforated Peel – Best Overall Pizza Peel
- Ooni Metal Peel – Best Metal Pizza Peel
- Ooni Bamboo Peel – Best Peel For Launching Pizza
- Chef Pomodoro Metal Pizza Peel With Foldable Wood Handle
- Argon Aluminium Pizza Peel
- GA Homefavor Pizza Peel
- Chef Pomodoro All Natural Wood Pizza Peel
- GA Homefavor Round Pizza Peel
- Relaxdays Round Pizza Peel
Detailed Pizza Peel Reviews
Ooni Perforated Peel – Best Overall Pizza Peel
When i'm looking to turn or get the pizza out of the pizza oven, this perforated pizza peel is my go to paddle. It's very durable since its made from anodised aluminium. It should therefore last you many years.
This is a perforated pizza peel and if your serious about making your own pizza, its the best type to go for. The slits or holes are there to help air flow through to the base of the pizza.
These help to stop it sticking to the peel, whilst also helping it to crisp up more.
If your launching with a perforated peel then it also helps to reduce the amount of flour needed. So you don't end up with that burnt flour flavour on your pizza.
One of the things I like about this Ooni Pizza Peel is the weight. It's incredibly light, which makes using it so much easier. Some of the heavier and cheaper options can be a bit tricky to get the pizza out of the oven.
The handle has been designed to be comfortable and is actually reinforced, so it doesn't get hot.
I am a big advocate of Ooni brands because I know just how good the quality is and this pizza paddle is no different. High quality ingredients for a great price. Whether your looking for a peel for your Ooni pizza oven, BBQ or home oven, this one will do the job.
- Lightweight
- Comfortable To Hold
- Improved Air Flow
- Requires Less Flour
- Lightweight
- Improved air flow under the pizza
- Prevents sticking
- Helps make a crispier crust
- Comfortable handle
- Made by Pizza experts
- Easy to use
- Long handle
- Not The Cheapest - But you do get quality
Ooni Metal Peel – Best Metal Pizza Peel
Ooni are known for producing great pizza ovens, however they also make excellent quality accessories to go along with it, such as this Ooni Pizza Peel. Since it comes from a company that focuses on pizza, you know that they know their stuff when it comes to equipment and their requirements.
This peel measures at 14 inches, so plenty of room for a nice large pizza and makes it easy enough for you to be able to rotate your pizza whilst cooking. It’s made from a lightweight aluminum, that as long as it’s floured can easily build and transport your pizza into your oven.
One of the things I love about this peel is its weight, it’s incredibly lightweight which just makes it so much easier when using. I have had some wooden ones in the past and the weight of them can really make it hard to manoeuvre the pizza. This is not a problem with this one!
Now when it comes to the handle, it’s comfortable to hold, it looks good and more importantly it’s a really good size. It is made from a nylon that is reinforced with glass, so it doesn’t get too hot. The length will also mean you can easily use it in your pizza oven but not get your hands to close to the high temperatures.
Is a little more expensive than some, however you do get what you pay for and this is a very good Pizza Peel. Incredibly durable and offers a lot of comfort and ease.
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
- Long & comfortable handle that doesn't get hot
- Able to build and transfer large pizzas
- Made from lightweight aluminum
- Can hold large pizzas
- Comfortable handle
- Made by Pizza experts
- Easy to use
- Long handle
- Little more expensive than some
Ooni Bamboo Paddle – Best Wooden Pizza Peel
When I first got into making my own pizza, I just used the metal pizza peel that I bought with the oven. It was not until I gave this wooden one ago that launching the pizza became so much easier.
The wood is warmer than metal, so therefore it prevents sticking.
This pizza paddle from Ooni is made from bamboo. It's a little heavier than the metal ones from Ooni but not too much.
The paddle has a thin lip, which makes it easier to go under the pizza dough. Since its made from wood you can either make the pizza on your worktop or slide the dough onto the peel and make your pizza directly on it.
Just make sure you do add some flour to help prevent it sticking
With it being wood you shouldnt use it to rotate or retrieve your pizza. You'd just use a wooden one for launching the pizza into your oven.
One of the things I like about this wooden peel is the way the pizza looks one it. It makes for a great serving board. Simply slide it from your metal peel onto this one and take it to the centre of the table and slice....YUMMY!
- Made from high quality bamboo
- Slanted to get under pizza
- Easy to clean
- Stylish design
- Perfect for launching pizza
- Reduces sticking
- Thin paddle for easily going under pizza
- Easy to hold handle
- Looks great as serving board
- Not The Cheapest
- Not Suitable For Turning Pizza (Thats the same for all wooden ones)
Chef Pomodoro Metal Pizza Peel With Foldable Wood Handle
At the number one spot for the best pizza peel is the Chef Pomodoro Aluminium Pizza paddle. One of the things I really like about this peel is the design, it looks stylish with the combination of aluminium and wood. It features a safety back step in the metal so that the pizza doesn’t slide backwards, this is really useful when removing the pizza. There would be nothing worse than smelling the cooked pizza to have it fall off the peel onto the floor, or worse burn you.
The aluminium is of really good quality and has also been designed to be a little slippier than some, making it much easier to put the pizza in the oven. It is also a decent size at 12 inches long and 14 inches wide, so plenty of room to hold large sized pizzas.
The handle is made from wood, which helps to give it the stylish look but also prevents the handle getting too hot to hold. For space saving the handle can also be rotated 180 degrees, so that you can easily store it when not using.
The main drawbacks of this Pizza Peel is the length of the handle, it is a little small. It would be fine for those that have a grill or use a small to mid-sized pizza oven, if you have a really big oven then you might struggle to get it all the way to the back. In terms of price it is a little more expensive than some of the alternatives, however I really do feel its worth this extra as it is very good.
- Backstep to prevent pizza falling off
- Rotating handle for storage
- Designed easily move pizza into oven
- Strong aluminium blade
- Able to fit large pizzas on the peel
- Foldable handle
- Backstep in peel for safety
- Stylish design
- Wood handle to protect from heat
- Little more expensive than alternatives (but worth it)
- Handle is shorter than some
Argon Aluminium Pizza Peel
This is one of the lower priced peels in this list of best pizza peels, but that doesn’t impact on the quality. There are actually a lot of positives to this one and not just the low price point. The blade is made from a lightweight aluminum, making it easy to hold and use. Since the blade is sleek, it can slide under the pizza, this means when you want to rotate or transfer it easily.
The handle is a durable wood that is securely fastened into the metal blade, it’s perfect for protecting your hands from the heat when putting in or removing the pizza from the oven. Now there are pros and cons to the size of this peel, the blade is a good size and holds large pizzas although the overall size is 60cm so it might make it hard to store.
If you are on a budget and you have somewhere to store it, the Argon Tableware Aluminum Pizza Peel would be ideal.
- The price point is low but the quality is high
- Wooden handle to protect your hands from the heat of the oven
- Good sized blade so you can fit large pizzas
- Sleek Blade to easily hold the pizza
- Sturdy wooden handle
- Lightweight
- Large blade
- Low Cost
- Might be too big for some people
GA Homefavor Pizza Peel
The GA Homefavor Pizza Peel is a mid range paddle, it’s in the middle of the road when it comes to the price but is also good quality. When it comes to the peel itself, it’s pretty basic but it does everything you would need it to.
The biggest benefit of this peel is the length of the handle, it’s pretty long which means you can easily move the pizza in the oven without any risk of getting your hands burnt. I would say that this one is more suitable for people that have a large clay outdoor pizza oven as it might be a bit much for a smaller table top oven.
When it comes to the blade, its made from a high quality yet lightweight aluminium. It’s super thin so it fits easily under your pizza. The size of it is big enough to be able to hold large pizzas as well as small.
Storage might be an issue for some, although you could unscrew the handle if you are short on space. This is not something that you would want to do on a long term basis though, as it could damage it over time.
- Long handle to protect your hands from the heat
- Super thin blade so it easily fits under the pizza
- Large blade so you are able to hold large pizzas as well as small
- Made from lightweight aluminum
- Super thin so easily maneuver the pizza
- Large handle
- Wood handle to protect from heat
- Low cost
- Storage might be a problem
- Not as sturdy as alternatives
Chef Pomodoro All Natural Wood Pizza Peel
This is the 2nd pizza peel from Chef Pomodoro to make the list, the difference however is that this one is completely made out of wood. It features a good sized blade at 12 inches squared, so it should be big enough for most people. With a tapered end, you should be able to slide it under your pizza to move.
The handle is also a decent size, which is unusual for wooden peels. It’s 12 inches but it does also have the ability to fold, so it won’t take up a lot of space when you are not using it. Reviews have commented that it is comfortable to hold and with it being made from wood, it is very durable.
You just have to be careful on cleaning it, as you do not want to use certain cleaning fluids and you should make sure you dry it as soon as it has been washed. Price wise it is fairly reasonable and good value overall.
- Large foldable handle
- Peel blade is tapered for ease of use
- Made from durable solid wood
- Long handle that is foldable
- Tapered blade to help slide the pizza
- Large blade to hold different sized pizzas
- Comfortable handle
- Reasonable price
- Not as easy to clean as metal pizza peels
GA Homefavor Round Pizza Peel
The GA Homefavour Round Pizza Peel is the cheapest on the best list, so if you are on a budget then this might be a good option for you. Or if you are just getting started with making your own homemade pizza, this might be a good starting point.
It is a little different to alternatives as it is round instead of your typical square shape, this can help you get more of that round shaped pizza look if you build the pizza on the peel. This might make it tricky if you have a square pizza, although it is a decent size so should manage most pizza’s
The handle is wooden for comfort and safety, however it is pretty small. If you do have a deep pizza oven then you might struggle to get to the back or turn it properly. This peel is however dishwasher safe which is convenient, but you will need to make sure you dry the handle as soon as it’s done to prevent damage to the wood.
- Strong and Durable Stainless Steel
- Wooden handle to protect from heat
- Very Low Cost
- Unique round steel blade
- Comfortable wooden handle
- Good basic peel
- Low cost
- Basic peel
- Handle is very small
Relaxdays Round Pizza Peel
The final product in the best pizza peel list is from Relaxdays. It claims that it is the perfect peel for true professionals. The biggest feature is the handle, as it’s very large at 19 inches, so perfect for those that have large outdoor pizza ovens. The handle is made out of wood, so it will also protect you from the heat.
The blade part of the peel is made from aluminum, it is thin so it should make it easy to lift your pizza and move it around the oven. Couple of main drawbacks to this peel is the size, as this would make it hard to store. The other drawback is the price, I would say it’s more expensive than others that are also better.
It does do the job but I would look at some of the ones above before settling on this one.
- Very Large Wooden Handle
- Easily lift and rotate pizza
- Wood and aluminum makes it durable
- Easily Lift Pizzas
- Rotating pizza is easily done
- Durability
- Made from high quality materials
- It is expensive for what it is
What is a Pizza Peel?
If you have just got into making your own homemade pizzas, you might be wondering what exactly is a pizza peel or sometimes known as a pizza paddle? Basically it’s a large spatula looking tool, this is used to put the pizza into an oven and also take it out once cooked. If you are using a pizza oven, then it’s a pretty essential tool to have. Using a peel helps to prevent you from burning yourself when taking your pizza out of the oven.
They are incredibly simple to use, however many people still dont use them correctly. When I first started making homemade pizzas I would build my pizza and then try and get it on the peel to put in the oven. Needless to say, the pizza toppings would fall all over the place.
What you need to do is place the dough on the pizza peel, build up your pizza and then place it in the oven or on your pizza stone. Typically you would use a peel to;
- Put the pizza into the oven or onto a pizza stone, this will prevent toppings spilling off
- Turning the pizza whilst cooking, as this will help give it an even cook. By rotating, you also reduce charring on the pizza.
So if you really are wanting to make some nice pizzas at home, you 100% would need to have a pizza peel. Keep in mind though that pizza peels come in different materials and sizes, and not all pizza peels are made equal.
Pizza Peel Buyers Guide – What to look for?
If you are looking to buy a pizza peel, there are a few things you need to consider first. This will make sure you find the right one or you and your needs.
Price
Something to take into account is the price of the pizza peels available, high price does not always mean it’s going to be better. In fact most peels are pretty inexpensive, they are all around the same price and require a little less shopping around than say a Pizza Oven.
You should still however look at the price, as you do not want to be paying over the odds when you don’t have too. As well as that you do not want to spend so little on a product that it just doesn’t last very long. I would say a good price range for a decent quality pizza peel is between £20 and £40.
Material
The two most common materials used to make pizza peels are wood or metal. Most of the time it does come down to which type and style you prefer, however there are pros and cons to both.
Wood
I do think the look of a wooden pizza paddle is very traditional, one of the reasons why many people choose them. This type of pizza peel just looks great and even makes a great way of serving the pizza as you can just leave it on the paddle.
Using a Wooden Pizza paddle is so easy and convenient, simply stretch out the pizza on it, add the toppings and pop it into your pizza oven. Then just take it out and serve. I did find when using it that you should add some flour to the paddle to prevent the dough from sticking.
Some of the Wooden Pizza Peels can be a little thick, making them a little tricky to pick up the pizza and move around. I’d probably say the main drawback is that wood is known to absorb flavour, so you really need to give them a good clean. That in itself can cause problems as you cannot use harsh chemicals or leave it to dry as this will damage the wood.
Metal
The next type is the metal version, these metal pizza peels are normally either stainless steel or aluminium. They do look nice and you can serve your pizza on them, although they just don’t look as good as wood.
Metal Pizza Paddles are great for rotating the pizza whilst it’s cooking, however you cannot really build the pizza on them as the pizza sticks to them. This will happen even if you put a lot of flour on them. Saying that, one of the biggest advantages is that they are so easy to clean and most of them are dishwasher safe.
Handle
Many people do not really think about the handle when it comes to finding the best pizza peel, however it is really important. The first thing you need to look at is the length of the handle, you do not want one that is too short. It is the handle that is used to put the pizza in the oven and take it out, if it’s too short then it might be hard for you to fully reach in. if it’s also too short then there is risk of burning yourself.
At the same time though, a handle that is too long could be a bit of a pain to move around. Some people do prefer a handle that folds to counter this, as it will take up less storage space. Simply unfold it when using and when done, fold it back up and put it away.
The next thing you need to think about when it comes to the handle is what material it is made from. As it’s going to be around heat, it’s really important that it doesn’t conduct heat. You want it to remain cool whilst using, this will mean that even if the oven temperature is high you can still hold it comfortably.
Size
You also want to consider the size of the pizza peel. If you are handling an uncooked pizza you need to to hold the entire pizza, if its smaller then the dough would fall off the edges. The paddle could be a bit smaller if the pizza is cooked, as the dough would be firm and therefore wouldn’t fall off the peel.
How To Use A Pizza Peel
Using a Pizza Peel can take a little getting used to and a lot of experimenting, it will take you a few mistakes but don’t let that put you off. If you are wanting to make homemade pizza then using a pizza paddle is essential, even more so if you are using a pizza oven.
You will often see professional chefs shaping their dough and adding the toppings on the counter. They will then use a metal pizza peel to pick it up and put it in the oven, flouring the peel prior to putting the pizza on. Metal peels do normally stick if the dough is on for a long time but for this method it shouldn’t stick as you would be putting it straight into the oven.
As mentioned before, if you are wanting to put the pizza toppings on whilst on a peel you will need to use a wooden one. Some will often then either put it in the oven or transfer it to a metal one to then be put in the oven. I would recommend rotating and removing the pizza with a metal one, as the heat can damage the wood.
Rotating the pizza is very simple, whilst its cooking you simply put the peel under the pizza. It should easily be moved whilst in the oven and when rotated around you can then pull the peel out from underneath.
Final Thought
One of my go to foods is pizza, I love them and as soon as I started making my own in the pizza oven I loved them even more. A good quality peel really makes the difference, they make moving and rotating the pizza do much easier.
There are so many good quality peels on the market, so It can be tough to choose. I do hope this article has helped you learn more about them, how to use them and of course which is the best pizza peel.
If you do have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
