The first thing that comes to our mind while reading “Pizza” is the delicious cheese melting in our mouths. How can someone say ‘No’ to a pizza when it is just in front of you? When it’s expensive and unhealthy to eat pizza from outside, why not bake it in the ease of our homes? But, should we choose a pizza screen or a pizza stone for baking pizzas at home?
Both pizza screens and pizza stones can make a great pizza, and the major difference between them is the material they are made of. Pizza screens are made of aluminum, while the pizza stones are made of either clay or ceramic.
Let’s talk more about pizza screens and pizza stones.
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Pizza Screen vs. Pizza Stone
If you are starting a restaurant or just a regular person who likes to cook pizza at home, you might be confused about choosing between a pizza stone or a pizza screen. You might be thinking, “Which of these can cook a pizza well? Why should you prefer one to the other? What exactly are the differences?”
Therefore, we’ve decided to answer this query in a very comprehensive manner.
Many people use pizza stone as it is very convenient in all ways. It helps cook the pizza well, but it is also straightforward to wash the dirt off. They are very well-built, and their structure lets the heat spread everywhere around them.
There’s no chance of finding the hard crust even after cooking it for quite good minutes. When the heat spreads all over evenly, then the pizza cooks earlier. If you are cooking a pizza daily, then trust us, a pizza stone is a perfect choice. Let’s go through a quick difference between the two:
| Categories | Pizza Stone | Pizza Screen |
| Material | Ceramic and clay | Aluminum |
| Heat amount required | Requires high heat | Requires moderate heat |
| Suitable for oven | Can work for both low or high heat ovens | Can work for both low or high heat ovens |
| Versatility | Available in various sizes | |
| Surface | Leveled or sometimes meshed surface | Meshed Surface |
| Heat flow | Heat flow is even | Absorb heat and do not distribute heat |
| Pizza sticking problem | Pizza does not stick to it | Sometimes pizza sticks to it |
| Pizza taking out problem | Taking pizza out is easy | Taking pizza out is difficult for novice |
| Weight | Heavyweight | Lightweight |
| Washing | Can be easily washed | Can not be washed easily |
| Preheating | Takes much time to preheat | Takes no time to preheat |
Material
The major factor for comparing a pizza screen with a pizza stone is their material. Aluminum is mostly used to make the pizza screens. On the other hand, clay or sometimes ceramic is used to make pizza stones.
Shape
Ceramic and clay materials are very easy to bend, which is why you see pizza stones in different shapes.
Mostly, the pizza you’ve seen around you comes in a circular shape, but sometimes there are also rectangular ones. Therefore, pizza stones are available in both shapes.
Also, pizza stones come in various sizes. In the restaurant, you must have noticed the different sizes of pizzas like the 8 inches, 10 inches, or 16 inches, etc.
These sizes mostly come in pizza stones. The biggest size that comes in pizza stones is the 16 inches, called “a large pizza.”
Surface
Another amazing feature of pizza stone is its leveled body. This leveled body is of great use when cooking pizza as it needs to get heat all over the crust equally, and otherwise, the crust might not get backed unanimously.
Remember, you always need to watch how much time you are cooking the pizza.
While pizza screens do not come with leveled bodies, they have a meshed-like structure made from aluminum, and aluminum metal surrounds all around the mesh.
The structure of pizza stones is very accommodating as it can adjust to high and low heat.
Weight
If we compare both of these based on their weight, the pizza screens are lightweight compared to pizza stones, and Pizza screens are very easy to adjust because of their low weight.
The structure of the pizza screen does not spread the heat uniformly as the pizza stone does.
When we place the pizza screen in the oven, its structure lets the heat cross through the mesh. This, too, helps in cooking the pizza evenly from all sides.
The weight of the pizza stone is more than the weight of the pizza screen, but its material makes it very easy to clean and wash.
Time Taken While Cooking
Comparing these pizza tools based on the time they take to cook pizza, the pizza screen takes way less time. That’s one reason why so many people prefer using pizza screens over pizza stones.
Pizza stones take quite some time for heating, so preheating is necessary for cooking pizza in a pizza stone.
Ease of Use
Pizza screens are very handy, and you can place them anywhere in your kitchen cabinets as they occupy less space. Although it does not spread heat evenly, it absorbs heat into it.
Some people preheat while using pizza screens. However, we don’t recommend doing it as they already have a good ability to absorb heat.
Both of these tools can cook pizza very well, and that too quite quickly.
Sticking Problem When Using Pizza Screens
Although pizza screens are lightweight, adjusting large pizzas on them can be a problem sometimes. Pizza screens are preferred if you want the pizza to have a thick crust.
Sometimes, pizzas get stuck to the pizza screen, which is very hard to take off. If you are a novice and trying to cook pizza for the first time, we suggest you not go for the pizza screen.
On the other hand, a pizza stone is easier for beginners as the pizza will not stick to it. We bet your first pizza experience will not go wrong if you use a pizza stone.
A pizza stone is the best choice as it can absorb heat for a longer time, takes less effort to clean, comes in various sizes, and has good material for cooking the pizza.
Recommended further reading:
- Saute Pan vs. Wok
- Spice Grinder vs. Mortar and Pestle
- Dome vs Grate Temperature
Which One Should I Buy – Pizza Stone or a Pizza Screen?
You might think that both of these are the same, as both of them require placing a pizza on them and taking them out after a specific time.
However, both have their pros and cons. If you are a beginner, we recommend you buy a pizza stone as the pizza doesn’t stick to them as it does with a pizza screen.
While there can be many reasons for buying a tool for making pizzas, we hope the above explanation has helped you find the right one for your needs.
If you like to eat a good pizza with a normal crust, you might go with a pizza stone, which doesn’t need extensive cleaning.
Moreover, a pizza stone comes in different sizes of pizza stones allowing you to cook the pizza of your desired size.
Similarly, the pizza screen is the best for those who want a thick crust pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you keep pizza from sticking to the pizza screen?
There are many methods which you can try to solve this problem. We prefer using a few drops of olive oil before placing the pizza ingredients onto it, which will surely keep pizza from sticking to the pizza screen.
Is pizza mesh better than a pan?
Pizza mesh or a pizza screen helps you cook up the pizza in less time than it takes to cook in a pan. Pizza mesh absorbs heat directly from the flame below and passes it to the pizza crust. When we compare a pizza screen to a pan, a pizza screen is the better option.
Why are pizza pans perforated?
Pizza pans are built with an ability to help in cooking the pizza from all sides evenly. The holes at the lower side of it allow it to do so. These holes will not make the crust of the pizza wet as they do not let the moisture reach the pizza’s crust.
Final Words
Hopefully, by now, you know all about the two pizza cookwares. We believe you are well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of pizza stones and the pizza screens. Therefore you can decide which one suits you the best.
If you still have a query left unanswered, do let us know, and we will gladly respond to it. Also, share this article with your friends and let them know about the risks of using a yeti mug in the microwave.
Thank you for reading!