Best Pizza Pans in 2024 Chosen By An Italian

Author: Veruska Anconitano, Award-Winning Food Travel Journalist, Sommelier & Outdoor LoverAuthor information
Veruska
About the author
Veruska Anconitano
Veruska is a a food travel journalist with awards to her credit, such as World Best Food Travel Journalist. She holds a certification as a sommelier and she is also an ardent lover of the outdoors. Aside from this, Veruska is a Multilingual SEO and Localization Consultant and co-owns multiple websites that cater to a global audience.
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When it comes to making pizza at home, you don’t want to end up with a mess: the process of making pizza at home takes a lot of time, the right mindset, the right ingredients, and the right tools.

That’s why, being pizza lovers and addicted ourselves, in this buying guide, I’ve put together a list of the Best Pizza Pans to Use in Your Kitchen in 2024 and get the perfect pizza so that you don’t want to go out anymore!

I consistently get asked what’s my secret to the perfect homemade pizza: for me, it’s the fact that I am Italian, and I know how to make tasty Italian pizza. But also having tools and pieces of equipment that, together with the method and the ingredients, make sure that our homemade pizza comes out of the oven perfectly.

One of the most underrated tools for making pizza is the tray: why underrated? It’s easy: you cannot bake a beautiful homemade pizza if your pizza pan is not top-quality.

If you use a poor pizza pan, your crust won’t be crusty or won’t leaven, your dough will be soggy or excessively cooked, and your toppings will be utterly ruined.

Best Italian Pizza Recipe

How I Tested It

As an Italian home chef deeply passionate about pizza, my expertise, honed over 30 years, primarily revolves around the art of Italian pizza-making. This rich experience forms the backbone of my approach to testing pizza pans, ensuring they meet the high standards required for crafting authentic Italian pizzas. My testing process, though, also briefly touches upon other popular varieties like New York-style and deep-dish pizzas, to offer a well-rounded assessment.

For the Italian pizzas, which are the heart of my culinary practice, I focus on pans that facilitate the thin, crispy crust characteristic of this style, while ensuring the toppings retain their vibrant flavors. The pans are evaluated based on their ability to evenly distribute heat, a crucial factor in achieving the perfect balance between a crunchy base and a well-cooked, airy crust.

While Italian pizzas remain my forte, I also test the pans with New York-style and deep-dish pizzas. This is to ensure versatility, especially for those who love experimenting with different pizza styles. For the New York-style, I look for pans that can support its larger, thinner crust and for deep-dish pizzas, pans that can handle their thicker, more robust structure.

Throughout the testing process, I consider factors like material quality, durability, and ease of cleaning, which are important for any home chef. The reviews are conducted in a typical home kitchen environment, making them relatable and practical. My aim is to provide insights that are steeped in Italian tradition but also acknowledge the diversity of pizza styles loved worldwide. This blend of tradition and versatility is what makes each review a true reflection of my passion and expertise in the world of pizza.

Best Pizza Pan overall

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Wilton Premium Non-Stick Bakeware
This pizza pan is my top choice and the one I use for making the perfect Italian homemade pizza due to its well-thought-out design and material. It’s made of steel, known for its excellent heat conduction, ensuring an evenly baked crust every time.
Additionally, the non-stick surface is a lifesaver for the pizza release and the cleanup process, making the cooking experience hassle-free.
Moreover, its round design is quintessential for achieving that classic, perfectly rounded pizza shape we all love.
Make sure you wash it with warm, soapy water before and after each use, ensuring its longevity and keeping it ready for countless pizza nights.
View on Amazon

In pursuing the perfect pizza pan, I was lucky to find the Wilton Premier Non-Stick Bakeware. This pan stands out with its durable steel construction, ensuring longevity and consistent heat distribution. Its non-stick surface is a notable feature, allowing for the effortless release of pizzas, ensuring that each creation is delicious and beautifully presented.

The classic round shape of the pan aligns perfectly with traditional pizza aesthetics, accommodating a range of sizes from personal to family-sized pies. This versatility makes it an invaluable addition to my kitchen arsenal. The pan’s design ensures even cooking, crucial for achieving the golden-brown crust that is the hallmark of a well-made pizza.

The more I used it, the more I found it excelled in handling various pizza styles, from the Italian classics to the more robust and topping-heavy New York-style. Its ability to maintain structural integrity under high temperatures and diverse baking conditions speaks volumes about its quality and reliability.

Moreover, the ease of cleaning this non-stick pan cannot be overstated. It simplifies the post-cooking process, making it a practical choice for both novice and seasoned chefs. In summary, the Wilton Premier Non-Stick Bakeware has met and exceeded my expectations, redefining the homemade pizza experience with its superior design and functionality.

Best for Deep Dish Pizza

LloydPans Chicago Style Deep Dish Stacking Pizza Pan

The LloydPans Pre-Seasoned Anodized Aluminum Self-Stacking Deep Dish Pizza Pan is a great choice for those who take their pizza-making seriously. This pan, crafted from anodized aluminum, stands out for its remarkable durability and exceptional heat conduction properties, ensuring that each pizza is baked to perfection.

One of the most striking features of this pan is its pre-seasoning. Unlike traditional pans that require seasoning over time, this pan comes ready to use with a non-toxic, stick-resistant coating that eliminates the need for extra oil or butter. This feature enhances the pan’s non-stick properties and contributes to healthier cooking, as it reduces the need for additional fats.

The depth of this pan is ideally suited for deep-dish pizzas. It allows for a generous filling of toppings, cheese, and sauce, creating that beloved thick, hearty crust synonymous with deep-dish pizzas. The pan’s straight-sided design ensures that these ingredients are neatly contained, providing a uniform depth and shape to your pizza.

Heat distribution is another area where the LloydPans Pizza Pan excels. The anodized aluminum construction ensures even heating across the pan’s surface, essential for achieving a crispy crust while maintaining a soft, well-cooked interior. This heat distribution also prevents the common problem of undercooked or burnt sections in your pizza.

Additionally, the pan’s self-stacking design is a clever innovation, especially for those with limited kitchen space. The pans nest into each other, making storage more efficient and saving valuable kitchen real estate. This feature is handy for those who own multiple pans, whether for professional use or for hosting large gatherings.

Despite its professional-grade quality, the LloydPans Pizza Pan is surprisingly easy to maintain. Its durable construction withstands frequent use and cleaning, ensuring the pan remains a reliable tool in your kitchen for years.

In conclusion, the LloydPans Pre-Seasoned Anodized Aluminum Self-Stacking Deep Dish Pizza Pan is a top-tier choice for both professional chefs and home cooks. Its superior construction, excellent heat distribution, ready-to-use pre-seasoning, and innovative stacking design make it a standout product, well worth the investment for anyone serious about their deep-dish pizza game.

Best Budget Pan

G & S Metal ProBake Non-Stick Teflon Xtra Pizza Baking Pan

The G & S Metal ProBake Non-Stick Teflon Xtra Pizza Baking Pan is an outstanding choice for those seeking a blend of affordability and high performance in their pizza-baking endeavors. While budget-friendly, this pan doesn’t cut corners in terms of quality and functionality. The professional-weight steel at its core is a testament to its robust construction, offering exceptional durability and ensuring that heat spreads uniformly across the pan’s surface. This even heat distribution is critical in achieving a perfectly baked, evenly browned pizza crust every time.

One of the pan’s most commendable features is its non-stick finish, applied both inside and outside. This dual non-stick coating, enhanced by the Teflon Xtra, ensures that pizzas slide off the pan effortlessly, maintaining their shape and toppings. This feature mainly benefits those intricate, topping-heavy pizzas that demand a gentle release. Moreover, the Teflon Xtra coating significantly eases the cleaning process, making post-baking cleanup a swift and hassle-free task.

The pan’s design includes thoughtfully raised edges, which serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they provide a comfortable and secure grip, making it easier to handle the pan, especially when it’s hot out of the oven. Secondly, these edges help keep the pizza securely in place, preventing any sliding or spilling during the baking process and while transferring the pizza to a serving dish.

Despite its accessible price point, the G & S Metal ProBake Non-Stick Teflon Xtra Pizza Baking Pan boasts features and a level of performance that one would expect from more expensive options. Its sturdy build, efficient heat distribution, superior non-stick quality, and user-friendly design make it an exceptional choice for pizza lovers who are mindful of their budget yet unwilling to compromise on the quality of their culinary tools. This pan shows that high quality and affordability can go hand-in-hand, offering an excellent baking experience to all pizza enthusiasts.

Notable mentions

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Baking Pan With Loop Handles

The Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Baking Pan with Loop Handles is a robust and versatile addition to any kitchen, ideal for those who appreciate the time-honored quality of cast iron cookware. This pre-seasoned pan offers a natural, easy-release finish that improves with use, ensuring your pizzas slide out easily.

Its cast iron construction is notable for excellent heat retention and even heating, essential for achieving a perfectly crispy pizza crust. The loop handles are practical, providing a secure grip for easy handling, especially when transferring the pan to and from a hot oven.

Compact yet spacious enough for a standard pizza, this pan is also suitable for other dishes, from roasting vegetables to baking bread. Its durability is unmatched, capable of withstanding high oven temperatures, and promising years of reliable use.

Overall, the Lodge Cast Iron Baking Pan is a timeless choice for those who value durability and functionality, offering an authentic and flavorful cooking experience.

Chicago Metallic Deep Dish Pizza Pan

The Chicago Metallic Deep Dish Pizza Pan is an excellent choice for deep-dish pizza enthusiasts. Its heavy-duty construction ensures durability and even heat distribution, crucial for achieving that signature golden-brown crust.

The non-stick coating is a standout feature, allowing for easy release of the pizza and simplifying cleanup.

With its deep sides, this pan is perfect for creating the classic thick, layered deep-dish pizza. Its quality and performance make it a must-have for those looking to recreate the authentic deep-dish pizza experience at home.

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet

The Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet is a top-notch choice for professional chefs and home bakers. Its natural aluminum construction ensures superior heat conductivity, leading to even baking and browning.

The reinforced encapsulated steel rim prevents warping, maintaining the pan’s shape even under high temperatures. This half sheet is ideal for baking pizzas and versatile enough for a wide range of baking needs. Its durability and professional quality make it a valuable addition to any kitchen, ensuring consistent performance bake after bake.

Pizza Pan: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do pizza pans require special care?

It depends on the type of pan you choose. I tend to recommend low-maintenance pans because otherwise, making pizza at home becomes a nightmare. You always have to remember that a pizza pan or a pizza tray cannot be put in the dishwasher; it will lose its properties, and the dough may start sticking to the bottom.

2. Should a pizza pan have holes?

For many people, a perforated pan promotes airflow so that the dough can cook evenly. This may be true at a certain level, but if you want to cook your pizza like an Italian, you don’t need a pan with holes. To be honest, in Italy, this type of pizza tray does not exist, and it is not used, so it’s up to you if you want to give them a try: I don’t know anything about pizza pans with holes, so I won’t recommend using them.

3. Can you cook pizza on a baking tray?

Yes, you can. That’s why I have also listed the best baking trays or cookie sheets to cook your pizza. You’ll get a bigger pizza, a bit more crispy, and to be cut into squares.

4. Do I have to grease my pizza pan before adding the dough?

No, I don’t recommend greasing your pizza tray: just sprinkle a little flour on the bottom of your pan, which will help the dough not to stick.

5. Is a pizza stone better than a pizza pan?

A pizza stone is a quicker way to cook your pizza correctly. By using a pizza stone, your pizza will start cooking immediately because the dough is placed on a hot stone, so there won’t be any delay in beginning the baking process. At the same time, because everything will happen faster, your pizza may get quickly burned if you’re not an expert. With a pan or a tray, you will experience some delay, but this won’t compromise the quality of your pizza if your dough is well done and you keep checking the oven (without opening it). With a tray or a pan, your pizza rarely will burn!

6. Why is my homemade pizza soggy?

There may be a lot of reasons why your pizza is soggy, but the number one reason is almost always that the pizza wasn’t cooked in a hot enough oven. The second reason may be your pan: if you put too much dough in a pan, your pizza won’t have space to rise, and it will start releasing humidity that will make it soggy.

7. Can you cook homemade pizza directly on the oven rack?

No, you can’t. You will not be able to roll out the pizza correctly, leading to cooking and sealing problems. Your pizza will fall through the gaps.

Bianca Pizza Recipe

8. What are the secrets of a great homemade pizza?

The secret to a great homemade pizza is in the ingredients you use: do not save on the ingredients for your pizza, and make sure your dough can rise for a long time to avoid digestive problems. These are the ingredients recommended for a perfect Italian pizza at home:

  • Flour: Antimo Caputo Blue Flour is our choice and should also be yours. It’s a strong flour, originated in Italy, and it’s the best one to use for your Italian pizza. View on Amazon.
  • Olive oil: it is no secret that a good Italian pizza recipe asks for good olive oil. This from Colavita is my choice, and I wouldn’t save money on this ingredient. At all.
  • Tomato sauce: whether you like your pizza more or less “saucy,” a tasty tomato sauce is what you need to make it shine. Once again, do not save money on this ingredient. Do not go for the cheap option; instead, go for a proper Italian tomato sauce such as this, and you will surely notice the difference from every other tomato sauce you’ve used.

This article is a great resource to learn everything about Italian pizza, learn how to make one at home, and find the secrets to the perfect homemade pizza.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

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