I Tested 10 Pizza Peels—Four Slung Perfect Pies

Pizza peels aren’t the most versatile kitchen tool, but it’s nearly impossible to move fresh pizza dough into a pizza oven—or even a home oven—without one. They’re usually made from softer wood or aluminum and come in a variety of shapes, thicknesses, and handle lengths that all affect how efficient a peel is at launching, turning, and removing pies. 

I rounded up 10 peels to find which ones could handle all three jobs the best. My list included models made from untreated wood, treated wood, aluminum, and perforated aluminum, and I stuck to surfaces that were 14 to 16 inches in diameter, which was the most common size.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Pizza Peel

The Baker's Board Pizza Peel

$57 at Amazon $49 at Breadtopia.com

I loved how thin this handcrafted peel was and how well-made it felt. The handle was comfortable, there was plenty of space for stretching and topping dough, and it was able to launch, turn, and remove pizzas without any trouble. 

Another Great Wooden Pizza Peel

American Metalcraft 2414 Wood Pizza Peel

$44 $36 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store View on Culinarydepotinc.com

Though this model was slightly thicker, I liked how sturdy it was, as well as its comfortable handle that made launching pies a cinch.

The Best Metal Pizza Peel

American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel

$27 at Amazon $48 at Walmart View on Webstaurant Store

Lightweight, with an easy-to-grip rounded handle and plenty of surface area, this durable pizza peel excelled at launching, turning, and removing pizzas. And since it’s made of metal, it was easy to clean. 

The Best Perforated Metal Pizza Peel

Ooni 14-inch Perforated Pizza Peel

$70 $56 at Amazon $48 at Williams Sonoma View on Ooni.com

This peel featured a slightly raised ridge at the back which kept pizzas from sliding off, and the perforated and coated aluminum surface was more nonstick than its solid metal counterparts.

The Tests

• New York-Style Pizza Test: I followed the recipe for Basic New York-Style Pizza Dough and used each peel to build, launch, turn, and remove a basic cheese pizza from a pre-heated stone in a standard kitchen oven. 
• Outdoor Pizza Oven Test: I followed the recipe for High Temp Outdoor Oven Pizza Dough and used each peel to build, launch, turn, and remove a sausage and olive pizza, using a high-temp outdoor pizza oven. 
• Durability Tests: I banged the edge of each peel on the edge of a hard counter, scratched the surface with a metal spatula, and washed each peel five times with warm, soapy water to see if they took any excess wear and tear.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: I noted how comfortable each handle was to hold, how easy it was to stretch and top dough on each peel, how stable the peel felt in our hands, and how easy it was to clean up after testing. 

What We Learned

But Wait: What About Turners? Or Multiple Peels?

Okay—it’s true. Many home pizzaiolos actually prefer to have a fleet of peels on hand. Wooden peels are great for building and launching pies since a light dusting of flour makes them virtually nonstick, while turning peels have smaller heads for rotating pizzas quickly in super-hot ovens when timing is critical. Finally, metal peels are ideal for removing pizzas because their thin edge slides under the crust easily, allowing for quick removal. Testing three different styles of peels would have been too much for one review, so we set out to find a good all-rounder that could handle all these tasks with aplomb. That said, nothing is stopping you from mixing and matching our top picks, of course, but we feel confident each of our winners can stand on their own. 

That Said, No Peel Was Totally Perfect at Every Task

While every top pick was adept at the three core pizza peel tasks, it was easy to see why pros like having more than one style of peel hand. Wooden peels, like The Baker's Board Pro Perfect Peel and the American Metalcraft 2414 Wood Pizza Peel were great for stretching dough and topping pizzas before launching onto a pre-heated stone. With a light dusting of semolina flour, wooden surfaces were nonstick enough for pizzas to slide off with ease.

However, every wooden peel was thicker than the metal peels I tested, like the American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel or Ooni 14-inch Perforated Pizza Peel. While wooden peels were usually at least 10 millimeters thick and required swift scooping motions to avoid pushing pizzas around, their metal counterparts were one-and-a-half millimeters thick and gracefully slid under each pie, pulling them out of the oven without a hitch. 

When it came to turning, however, it was a tossup. Metal peels could get under a half-baked pizza easier, but the pizzas tended to slide around a lot and it was tricker to give them a quarter-turn. Wood peels had a little more grip for baked dough, so while it was harder to get under each pizza, it was a little easier to rotate the pies. 

Every Peel Was (Almost) Nonstick with Enough Semolina Flour

Even though raw dough stuck more to aluminum, a heavier dusting of semolina flour made every peel equally nonstick—except for one. The Epicurean Pizza Peel is made out of Richlite, which itself is made from a paper composite, leaving a surface that looks smooth but is heavily textured. The Richlite surface, even with a liberal flour dusting, held onto a corner of the dough and almost caused the pizza to stretch off the stone while launching. 

Thin Surfaces Were Great, But Thinner Edges Were Better

Whether they were made from aluminum or wood, thinner peels were lighter (making them easier to carry one-handed), and got underneath the crust easier than their thicker counterparts. While this isn’t a mind-blowing revelation, I was surprised at the variation in thickness of wooden peels.

My favorite wooden peel from The Baker’s Board was only 10 millimeters thick and tapered off to a 1-millimeter edge, while the Heritage and Ironwood peels were nearly 18 millimeters thick and had a 3-millimeter and 4-millimeter edge, respectively. At nearly twice the width, they were clumsier to use and pushed pizzas around more. Every aluminum peel I tested was only one-and-a-half millimeters thick (surface and edge), reinforcing why they’re so great at sliding under pies.

Handle Comfort Was Key

Rounded handles were more comfortable, and they made it easier to have a sturdy grip on each peel. A sturdy grip gave me more confidence when I had to move the pizzas from the counter to the oven, especially when traveling outside. The folding handle on the Honey Can Do Folding Pizza Peel was so blocky that it was awkward to hold with the weight of a pizza on it. However, the American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel had a grippy dowel-style handle that made it feel like I could tap dance my way to the stove without dropping the dough. 

The most pronounced comparison was between the New Star Pizza Peel and the wooden American Metalcraft peel. The New Star's surface was nice and thin, but the handle was rectangular and flat—very awkward to hold. Conversely, the slightly rounded handle on the American Metalcraft peel was much more comfortable to hold and maneuver. And don’t even get me started on the squared edges of the Ironwood peel’s handle—they dug into my palm so deep that they left red marks. 

Squared-Off Peels Were Easier for Stretching and Topping Pizzas

Most peels featured a semi-circle or a squared-off surface, and the peels that were the most square (like the Ooni 14-inch Perforated Pizza Peel) were the easiest to stretch and top pizza dough on. The extra corners gave me a little more surface area to work with, making it easier to finish stretching the dough to the right size in a perfect circle. Semi-circle peels (like the Heritage Acacia Wood Pizza Peel) were awkward because a relaxing, stretched-out dough might start to sag off the rounded front edge, flirting with a disastrous launch that could accidentally turn it into a calzone.

I also liked that the Ooni had a raised ridge at the back of the peel, allowing for more aggressive launching and scooping under the pizzas without the pie sliding over the handle and onto your hand.

Most Peels Were Soft Enough to Take Damage

Pizza peels are often made from softer woods and aluminum, and most peels took a light beating when I dinged them against the counter. They were also easy to scratch with a metal utensil. And wooden peels got singed and scratched on the part of the peel that touched the pizza stone. Untreated peels like The Baker’s Board, wooden American Metalcraft, and New Star showed discoloration and some light scuffing, but treated surfaces like the Heritage and Ironwood Gourmet were roughed up enough so much, I saw the raw wood underneath. While aluminum peels dented almost as badly as the wooden options, they didn’t show any signs of wear from stone contact or scratching. 

What Size Pizza Peel Do You Need?

This depends on whether you're using a pizza oven or your regular old oven. If you're using a pizza oven, you'll want a peel that'll fit comfortably inside or else you won't be eating pizza tonight. Most ovens start at 12 inches, so a peel that's slightly smaller than that should do the trick. That said, the smaller the peel, the smaller the pizza. If you're mostly slinging pizzas in your standard oven (or you have a larger pizza oven), we'd recommend getting a larger peel so you have more versatility when it comes to pie size. Most of the peels we tested were on the larger side, though they fit comfortably into my oven and the Solo Stove Pi, which I ran tests on.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Pizza Peel

The best pizza peels have a thin edge that makes it easy to launch pies and get underneath the crust for turning and removal. They also have a naturally nonstick surface (with the aid of some semolina flour), a comfortable handle, and a squared-off shape that creates more space for stretching and topping dough. 

Our Favorite Pizza Peels

The Best Pizza Peel

The Baker's Board Pizza Peel

$57 at Amazon $49 at Breadtopia.com

What we liked: The quality of this peel was evident right away. The brand hand-makes all of its peels in Appleton, WI, and it has the smoothest wooden surface with seamless construction. That smooth surface became entirely nonstick with only a light dusting of semolina flour, making it easy to launch pies. This was key, because the more semolina flour you use, the more excess flour lands on the stone and burns. 

Made from extremely lightweight basswood, this peel was easy to maneuver with its rounded and comfortable handle, and its square shape made it a great working surface for dough stretching and topping. While I tested their larger size, they also make 12 and 14-inch peels so you can select the right size for your own needs

What we didn’t like: While basswood is extremely lightweight, it’s also very soft and absorbent. Any errant drips of moisture (from, say, fresh mozzarella or olives), will immediately soak into the wood and create sticky spots until it dries. However, you can cut down on this by seasoning your peel the same way you would a wooden cutting board.

Key Specs

• Weight: 2 pounds
• Materials: Basswood
• Surface dimensions: 17.5 x 16.25 inches
• Handle length: 8.25 inches
• Total length: 25 inches
• Thickness: 10 millimeters
• Edge thickness: 1-millimeter
• Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth; or gently hand-wash with warm, soapy water and towel dry immediately

Another Great Wooden Pizza Peel

American Metalcraft 2414 Wood Pizza Peel

$44 $36 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store View on Culinarydepotinc.com

What we liked: This was another great wooden peel option—it was able to launch, turn, and remove pies easily despite being thicker than my top pick. It featured an asymmetrical bevel at the edge, which allowed for a more aggressive scooping motion when removing pies. The surface was fairly smooth, but I really liked the handle: the rounded edges made it comfortable to grab, and the extra length made it easier to manage pies in hot ovens. 

What we didn’t like: A thicker peel requires a more aggressive shuffle to get under the pizza, so it took some trial and error for this peel to feel as comfortable as my other top picks. It also wasn’t quite as smooth as my top pick, and its surface did get quite rough and gritty after I washed it. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Materials: Wood
• Surface dimensions: 14.25 x 15.5 inches
• Handle length: 9 inches
• Total length: 24 inches
• Thickness: 18 millimeters
• Edge thickness: 2 millimeters
• Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, or gently handwash with warm, soapy water and towel dry immediately

The Best Metal Pizza Peel

American Metalcraft Aluminum Pizza Peel

$27 at Amazon $48 at Walmart View on Webstaurant Store

What we liked: There’s a lot to love about this peel—it’s lightweight, has a wide, easy-to-work-on surface, and has a long, comfortable handle. At first, I was skeptical of the fully round dowel-style wood handle, thinking it might rotate side-to-side too much, but it actually had the best grip out of all the peels. The handle also tilted forward slightly, which helped with balancing the peel’s head. The weight was nicely balanced between the handle and the surface, too, so I never felt nervous moving pies from indoors to outdoors. Its thin, aluminum surface was easy to get under pies for turning and removing, and with a nice dusting of semolina flour, it was as nonstick as any wood peel. It also comes in 12-inch and 16-inch sizes, so you can pick the best size for your setup. 

What we didn’t like: The main downside with metal peels is that you have to use more semolina flour than wood for dough not to stick. If you use too much, however, excess semolina gets stuck to the bottom of the pizza and can char and burn when it hits the stone, making your kitchen smoky and your crust slightly bitter. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Materials: Aluminum, wood
• Surface dimensions: 14.25 x 14.25 inches
• Handle length: 12 inches
• Total length: 28.25 inches
• Thickness: 1.5 millimeters
• Edge thickness: 1.5 millimeters
• Care instructions: Hand-wash with warm, soapy water

The Best Perforated Metal Pizza Peel

Ooni 14-inch Perforated Pizza Peel

$70 $56 at Amazon $48 at Williams Sonoma View on Ooni.com

What we liked: Perforations can help keep the dough from sticking because there’s less surface area in direct contact. This peel also features a hard-anodized coating on the aluminum, too, amping up its nonstick ability compared to standard aluminum surfaces. But what I really liked about this peel was the slightly raised sides and back. These ridges help give the surface stability and also function as a backstop, so aggressive scooping to remove a pie doesn’t cause it to slide back over the handle and onto your wrist. The long handle was also a comfortable shape, and the heat-resistant nylon was textured for a solid grip. 

What we didn’t like: The handle tilts slightly backward, making it an awkward angle for your wrist when launching and removing pies. It’s also the most expensive peel I tested. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 1.25 pounds
• Materials: Aluminum; heat-resistant nylon
• Peel dimensions: 14 x 15 inches
• Handle length: 12 inches
• Overall length: 28 inches
• Thickness: 1.5 millimeters
• Edge thickness: 1-millimeter
• Care instructions: Hand-wash with warm, soapy water

The Competition

• EXO The Original Super Peel in Solid Cherry: The main feature of this peel is its conveyor belt cloth that helps you launch pies without having to slide them off the board. I had a few issues with this. To start, because the peel is now cloth-covered, you can’t use it to turn or remove a pie from an oven unless you remove the cloth, which can be a pain. But my biggest issue is that it forced you to move your hand down the peel and into the oven itself to properly use its conveyor function, putting your limbs directly into the heat source—something I'd never recommend doing at high, pizza-firing temps. 
• New Star Foodservice Pizza Peel: This peel performed admirably, and was almost my runner-up. The main issue was that the construction felt cheaper than other wood models, and the handle was too flat and uncomfortable to hold. 
• Epicurean Pizza Peel: The artificial Richlite material was too grippy and caused pies to stick, and it also had a short handle that was unbalanced against the weight of the peel’s head.
• Heritage Acacia Wood Pizza Peel: This peel’s semi-circle shape makes it hard to stretch the dough on, and it also has a blunt edge that is tricky for removing pies. Also, the wood scraped against the pizza stone. 
• Honey Can Do Folding Pizza Peel: The folding handle was blocky and awkward and it felt flimsy where it connected to the surface.
• Ironwood Gourmet Napoli Pizza Peel: The thickest and bluntest of all the peels we tested, this option from Ironwood struggled in every test and had the most uncomfortable handle of the bunch, as well.
  

FAQs

Are pizza peels necessary?

For raw dough intended for circular pies—yes. These pizzas should be cooked on a pre-heated stone or baking steel, and you need a flat surface with a handle to launch the dough on the cooking surface without it flipping over or falling to the side. Pizzas cooked in a pan (like Detroit-style or cast-iron pizza) don’t need a peel, as the pan already serves as a way to transfer the raw dough into the oven.

Is wood or aluminum better for pizza peels?

Raw dough sticks less to wood peels than aluminum, so many home pizza aficionados prefer wood for launching pies. Aluminum peels tend to be much thinner, however, making them better at getting under a cooked pizza to remove it. Professional pizza kitchens often use wood for launching and aluminum for retrieving, but in our testing, we found that a good wood or aluminum peel can perform both tasks well enough that it’s more of a personal preference for at-home use at the end of the day.

How do you keep pizza from sticking to the peel?

The best way to prevent pizza from sticking to a peel is to use a dusting of semolina flour (though cornmeal can work in a pinch). Because semolina flour is coarser and harder than regular wheat flour, it doesn’t get absorbed by the dough and forms a barrier between the pizza and the peel surface. We love using a small fine mesh strainer to get an even, light dusting.

Should I oil my pizza peel?

Wooden pizza peels are often made of soft, untreated wood so that they’re lightweight and inexpensive. While it’s not necessary to oil a peel, wooden peels and cutting boards tend to split over time when they dry out, so if you want to keep your peel for years, season it like you would a cutting board. The added benefit is that a seasoned pizza peel will also be more nonstick than untreated peel, and will help you launch pizzas easier. 

Can I use parchment paper on my pizza peel?

No—most parchment paper has a temperature threshold of around 450ºF, and we recommend cooking pizzas as hot as your oven can go, often 500ºF to 550ºF. This means the parchment can combust in the oven, starting a small fire, or it could burn and disintegrate under your crust if the stone or pizza steel is hot enough. 

Can you cut pizza on a pizza peel?

Cutting pizza on a peel will add grooves and scratches to the surface, which make it grippier. You should avoid cutting on your peel to keep it as nonstick as possible. But because cutting boards aren’t always pizza-sized, some people like to have a peel they use for launching and removing pies from the oven, and a cheaper peel they use as a cutting and serving board—just don’t mix the two up, or you might be in for a pizza disaster. 

What’s the difference between a pizza peel and a pizza turner?

A pizza peel is a large, flat surface with a handle that you can stretch and top your dough on, before using it to launch your pizza into the oven A turning peel, on the other hand, is a small, circular peel with a longer handle that makes it easier to get under and turn pizzas in super hot ovens. Because its head is smaller than a standard peel, a turning peel is easier to maneuver, though at-home cooks can get away without one if they don't want to invest in (or store) another peel.

Do you need a separate pizza peel for retrieving pizza?

Even though a wooden peel is better for launching, a turning peel is better for turning, and an aluminum peel is better for retrieval, you don’t need three different peels to make good pizza at home. Our top picks were tested for all three actions and passed with flying colors. If you are someone who makes a lot of pizza at home, however, it might be nice to have multiple peels, and we have recommendations for both wood and metal peels.

Why We're the Experts

• Jesse Raub was Serious Eats' commerce writer and spent over 15 years working in the specialty coffee industry. He regularly tested non-coffee gear for this site, including popcorn makers and bread lames.
• For this review, Jesse tested 10 pizza peels—seeing how easy it was to launch pies with them in a home oven and an outdoor pizza oven.
• J. Kenji López-Alt first reviewed pizza peels for the site in 2010. Three of his favorite peels (from The Baker's Board and American Metalcraft) came out on top of this retesting—proving that they're quality peels that stand the test of time.