- High-quality pizza peels can transfer your raw dough from the counter to the oven without misshaping your creation, whether it’s pizza or another delicious baked good.
- The EXO Non-Stick Super Peel Pro is our top pick because its innovative conveyor belt design and nonstick finish simplify putting your pizza into the oven and taking it out.
If you’ve ever been in the kitchen of a pizza parlor, you’ve probably seen the large paddle-like devices the pros use to move pizzas from the prep counter to the oven and back out of the oven again. These are called “baking peels” or “pizza peels,” and they are an indispensable tool when making homemade pizza on your stone or grill.
Though we are going to mainly focus on their uses for putting pizza in the oven, baking peels are also useful for baking bread and pastries. Many wooden peels also work well as charcuterie boards.
Though our top pick is in a category by itself, there are two main types of baking peels: wooden and metal. Wooden peels are made of either wood or bamboo and have a finish that is easy to clean and allows doughs to slide right off. The main negatives with wooden peels are that they tend to scratch easily, and they are usually thicker, which makes it harder for you to slide the peel under your pizza when it’s time to remove it.
Metal peels usually have an aluminum paddle or blade that is thin enough to easily slide between the pizza and the pizza stone for quick removal. The handle is typically made of wood so it won’t heat up too quickly and potentially burn your hands. The biggest drawback with metal peels is that raw dough tends to stick to the blade, which can be a hassle when unloading your creation into the oven.
In our research, we found experienced home pizza makers sometimes own a wooden peel for putting the pizza into the oven and a metal one for taking it out. You might consider doing the same if you have plenty of kitchen space and love making pizza.
Keep in mind that all of the peels we researched required at least a light dusting of flour or cornmeal to help the raw dough slide off.
Our guide features peels that are easy to use, make unloading baked goods and removing them from the oven effortless, and have a track record of durability.
Here are the best pizza peels:
- Best overall: EXO Non-Stick Super Peel Pro
- Best all-wood pizza peel: Heritage Acacia Wood Pizza Peel
- Best space-saving peel: SPLENDR Aluminum Metal Pizza Peel with Foldable Wood Handle
- Best with a long handle: American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel
Prices and links are current as of 6/24/20. We updated our pick for the best space-saving peel because our previous pick was out of stock. We also added a selection of related buying guides.
The best overall
The EXO Non-Stick Super Peel Pro uses an innovative approach to transfer your pizza to the oven without making a mess or deforming your creation.
The EXO Non-Stick Super Peel Pro is unlike any other peel in that it incorporates a pastry cloth conveyor belt. You just lightly dust the cloth with flour, move the slider forward, put the edge of the pizza on the lip of the peel, and push the peel forward as you pull back on the slider. To put your pizza on the stone, you simply reverse the process.
If the cloth gets dirty - and it likely will when sauce and pizza grease are part of the equation - it can be removed and placed in the washing machine. Just be sure to let it air dry so it doesn't shrink.
The peel itself is made of a strong dishwasher-safe composite that won't crack or warp. Because the sliding cloth is removable, you can also use the composite peel on its own. Its beveled edge helps it easily slide under pizzas. With the cloth on, you do lose some dexterity if you're rotating or adjusting your pies mid-bake, so we recommend that you take it off to manipulate things while they cook.
Pros: Effortlessly transfers uncooked pizza from peel to stone, durable, makes it easy to remove pizza from the oven, peel is dishwasher safe, cloth is washable
Cons: Expensive, has a bit of a learning curve
The best all-wood pizza peel
The wooden finish of the Heritage Acacia Wood Pizza Peel make it attractive enough to display in your kitchen when you're not effortlessly transferring pizzas to the oven.
According to founder Michael Tecku, one of the benefits of the Heritage Acacia Wood Pizza Peel is you can "create a charcuterie board and place it in front of your smug in-law." Regardless of the over-the-top marketing copy and your relationship with your in-laws, this peel really does have an attractive design and is functional for charcuterie as well as moving your pizzas from the counter to the oven and back.
The beveled edge is about an eighth of an inch thick, which is flat enough to wedge between the pizza and your stone for removal from the oven. To clean, you wash the peel by hand with warm, soapy water and let it air dry.
Pros: Pizzas slide off easily, easy to clean, beautiful appearance
Cons: Can crack and warp if not properly cared for
The best space-saving peel
The Splendr Aluminum Metal Pizza Peel is just 12 inches wide and has a foldable handle for easy storage, making it a great space-saver.
It's no secret that pizza peels take up significant space in your kitchen, especially if you're making full-sized pies. But if you've caught the homemade pizza bug and you're tight on space, all is not lost. Though you'll be limited to making 12-inch personal pies, the Splendr Aluminum Metal Pizza Peel will still keep you in the game.
The 12-by-14-inch head is made of food-grade aluminum, so it's thin enough to slide under pizzas and baked goods easily. The handle is wooden and is affixed to the peel with a metal knob. You can unscrew the knob and rotate the handle down over the head of the peel for compact storing. Just be sure to screw it back down after you extend it for use to ensure the peel doesn't wobble at all.
One downside is that it's not dishwasher safe, so you'll have to wash it by hand. But the removable handle comes in handy here too. You can take it off to minimize the amount of water the wood is exposed to and prolong its lifespan.
Pros: Compact, handle folds down for storage, handle is removable for cleaning
Cons: Limits you to 12-inch pizzas, not dishwasher safe
The best with a long handle
The thin metal blade of the American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel is durable, easy to clean, and makes rotating and removing your pizza effortless.
If you're cooking in a backyard pizza oven, these other short-handled peels simply aren't going to cut it. You'll need a professional-style long-handled peel to safely get your pizzas in and out of a ripping hot pizza oven.
We're also recommending this pick for those looking for a metal pizza peel. The American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel features a 14-by-16-inch thin aluminum blade that easily slides under your baked goods. And here are three wooden handle lengths to choose from: 14 inches, 23 inches, and 40 inches. So, whether you're using a traditional oven or a large brick oven, there's a size that works for you.
Metal pizza peels tend to handle raw pizzas a bit worse than wooden ones and are more prone to sticking, so add a fair amount of cornmeal or flour to the blade to ensure your uncooked pizza can slide off onto the stone. The simple round wooden handle allows for good grip and dexterity if you need to rotate your pizza while cooking. Afterward, the peel can be cleaned by hand with warm water and a mild detergent.
Pros: Durable, thin design allows for easy rotation and removal of pizzas, several handle length options
Cons: Requires plenty of flour to smoothly unload raw dough, may be hard to store
Check out our other pizza-related buying guides
The best pizza ovens
Wouldn't it be awesome to have a brick pizza oven in your backyard? Luckily, there are several affordable pizza ovens that reach the same high temperatures without taking up dedicated space in your backyard. These are the best home pizza ovens.
The best pizza stones
Do you ever make pizza from scratch and wonder why it doesn't taste anything like what you get at your favorite pizzeria? The toppings might come out unevenly cooked, or the crust may not be right. If you want to put an end to these problems, then a pizza stone is the way to go.
The best pizza making tools
Delicious homemade pizza is not only more affordable than ordering out, but with the right tools and tips, it also tastes better. We've rounded up the best pizza-making tools to start you on your way to achieving master status.